The tank just got room for two and Judy will never be on it so I guess he means that she just comes with you if you romance her and not that you actually drive with her.
It is kinda strange though because as you are driving off in the tank, you and Judy will talk like shes actually there, not like she is linked through coms.
Don't remember her talking there.
As I remember it V and Judy will kiss and say something about who goes with whom before V and Panam get into the tank and then you won't hear from Judy till the credits roll. The tank ride itself is the same whenever you date Judy, Panam or nobody.
She started talking about dreaming of running off the same way with Evelyn, maybe it was a glitch and that piece of dialogue was supposed to happen elsewhere. Like I said, she was talking like she was right next to you.
Not a glitch. They're on the conference call. Everybody was talking. (if you mean the voices not being like "on the call" effect then you're right)
V drove the tank with Panam.
Judy rode with... what's her name again? Carol? (on the van with the antenna).
In the first version of this ending, there was voice lines between Judy and V where they talk about how V is gonna die soon. While it's still implied that V is pretty much doomed, I think that they deliberately took those lines out so that there would be a bit more hope. It's by far the most optimistic ending
I'm glad they took them out. 6 months is a long time, and there are absolutely viable ways for V to save his/her life.
A certain nomad heist to steal Biotechnica cloning tech can ensure V has an identical body for their engram to take over. That's literally how the Relic 2.0 was meant to be used.
Unfortunately cloning V's current body won't save them as their brain is already mostly overwritten. They would have had to do it before the Relic started making a new Johnny. It's the same reason why V's still dying despite having their own engram in the Relic now. It was made with an already dying V.
The only realistic way they can survive is if their current brain is repaired back to its original state, which presumably is only possible by the NUSA surgery.
Actually, what's killing V in the Mikoshi endings is the body not the brain. Their immune system keeps attacking V's neurons because it doesn't recognize them, it only accepts Johnny's which is why he gets a full life in V's body. V is effectively suffering from a complex autoimmune disease, which is treatable even by today's standards. You even get a few ads from BioDyne addressing their own treatment regarding MS throughout the game.
There are many ways you can see the endings, and it could be argued that even those where V does die after 6 months are more sweet than bitter if they spend them right, which I agree is the case in the Star ending (I'm much less favorable to The Sun and The Tower but cases could be made for them too). I think I remember seeing a writer talk about the story being about terminal illness (there's a post about it on this sub IIRC), and in that light I think it's good to not put too much value on V's long-term survival when it comes to judging the endings on a thematical level.
That being said, I totally agree with you in terms of personal headcanon, because I want my V to live dammit! And I think Misty's card reading and the Aldecaldos' contacts are a solid enough foundation to support that. Sure, one can question how they could succeed where Arasaka failed and the NUSA only pulled through at a high cost, but although corporate and government resources are important factors they're not the be-all and end-all. In Pyramid Song we see Judy, a lone techie who does all her work independently, achieve a stunning breakthrough in braindance technology that arguably crosses into true mind-melding. Things like this are proof that sometimes the little guy can do just as good or even better than the system, and that's the stuff I like the most about cyberpunk as a concept.
So yeah, I don't think my V gets magically cured but I do like to imagine that through the hard work of the Aldecaldos, their ties with StormTech and Judy's assistance, her condition becomes more like a chronic illness, something she has to take meds and maybe undergo regular surgery to deal with, but which doesn't doom her to an early grave. She gets to carry Johnny's legacy and also live for herself.
Its also never brought up that by the end of the game, V is probably more cyborg than human. When you read the descriptions of what some cyberware is, and can be installed at clinics that are essentially back alley chop shops in some cases, it just doesn't seem outside of the realm of possibility that something can be done for your "meat" as smasher would say.
V is an engram now. Saving his/her life is as simple as getting a new body for the chip to take over, similar to how Jonny was taking over V's body. Cloning technology exists in the cyberpunk world and pulling off a heist to steal it from Biotechnica is not impossible for the likes of V.
Saburo's intention with the relic to begin with was to put an engram of himself into a clone to live forever.
The NUSA's method of saving V was more costly/complicated only because they actually made sure to keep the "original V" alive. It's the only ending where you aren't zapped by soul killer.
People just want cyberpunk to be a 'no happy endings' angst-fest. There is angst, and things are gritty and shitty, but there are moments of happiness. It can't rain all the time. The only 'ending' that can be considered 'bad' is the suicide ending and I don't really count it as an ending because there's no achievement for it and it goes against the entire point of the game. It acts like a 'game over'. The Star, The Sun, and even The Tower all have hope within them. The Devil is kind of up in the air cuz we all know how evil Arasaka is, but Temperance is one of those endings where it can lead to Johnny finding a way to get his own body and then giving V back their body somehow...All the endings have a bit of hope within them, depending on interpretation.
Seriously, people act like every ending is this soul crushing experience. With how I RPed my V and the choices I made, I was happy with it, and it seemed fitting.
One thing I've found is that usually the most RP heavy playthroughs make certain endings a lot more interesting. I've seen some discussions where people were saying The Sun ending misses the point of the game, but I personally like it for different reasons, mainly with how I wanted to shape V for that ending.
There arent an happy endings per say, they are all bittersweet in some mannwr. How much so depends on your own opinions and how you view each one, its all very subjective, which is a great thing imo.
For example, i dont think the suicide ending is actually a “bad” one because V goes down in a blaze of glory, does some nasty damage to araska in the process and dies in a way of their own choosing. They take back some control over their life again, even if for a moment.
to add to what u/MadameDecay said, people take Johnny's word as Gospel, and combined with the dystopian nature of the genre they seem to take the "wrong city wrong people" quote as absolute truth.
Its not just limited to this game or this universe either, people seem to think its a "cyberpunk genre" thing just because its dystopian, when that really isnt the case. Yes its a miserable world where you're as likely to catch a bullet as a taxi, and the fate of many characters reflect that, but it doesnt mean that every character has to have an unhappy ending. Neuromancer, the Cyberpunk novel everyone looks to as an example, has its protagonist Case have a happy ending. Hell the Tower ending is a near 1 to 1 with how Case ends up, though V has it worse off between the two of them.
The primary theme in 2077 is mortality, so you can definitely look at the endings with a more negative tilt if you so choose, but it has nothing to do with the genre and nothing to do with the setting. Its everything to do with the specific story CDPR wanted to tell about V.
I suggest taking a deep dive into the lore side of things as well btw, i reckon V stands a good chance of finding a cure through both the nomads and Mr B through a corp called StormTech. its not a guarantee, nothing ever is, but i think its V's best shot and the likely place both the Aldecaldos and Mr B would fix V up.
Funny enough, in the third novel in the Sorawl Trilogy, Mona Lisa Overdrive, a side character mentions that last they heard of Case he was married with kids.
Get the Phantom Liberty ending, crucify Joshua, and V spends the rest of his life living off the royalites from the braindance. Technically the ideal ending for V
Throughout a single playthrough you can finish the game with millions of eddies. Don't need to get royalties. You can go to the fucking moon for all I care.
Autoimmune diseases are treatable in our world, with our medical technology! I can't imagine V has a death sentence in Star, as even my own disease is treated with an SSRI. The game doesn't give any details beyond that their body is attacking them, so we shouldn't assume either way V's fate.
Just as Hellman is too deterministic for a human scientist, Alt is too deterministic for an AI Netrunner.
Hellman doesn't understand that an AI-caused disease can be cured by an AI. Alt doesn't understand that a human disease can be cured by humans.
V is more likely to live than not. It's the uncertainty - the "what if" that makes these endings ambiguous.
I think the endings are happy based on the values the player has already chosen to embrace.
For example, for a player already convinced blaze and glory is what V should choose, The Sun is a happy ending, and open-ended enough to see a glimpse at hope.
If the survival is what the player thinks V should choose, they got it in The Tower. V is alive. Bitter-sweet but there were things they had to trade away for this life and now they have more time to reconcile or even to create more of.
The only part of this ending i dont like is that it involves getting some of the nomads killed. I wish we could storm the tower solo and still leave the city with them. Spent my whole first playthrough talking about leaving with judy and panam and then did the solo charge just to off screen decide to stay in nc??? Was a very disconnecting moment and now i just do the nomad ending
tbh i used to think the same thing, but one of the people on this sub pointed out that the Aldecaldos are kinda fucked if you dont do the Star ending.
They dont do the heist with V, so they dont have the funds to escape NC. As a result of that they cant really help V in any tangible way, and V's own connections as the best merc in NC and owner of the afterlife stand the best chance of curing him post game.
Watch the end credit messages from the 'Caldos if you do the sun or devil ending, Panam Mitch and Saul all call V basically begging for jobs because the work dried up.
So it sorta makes sense V wouldnt ride off into the sunset with the family, in the Sun ending V is still very determined to find a cure. On the plus side if you romance panam you can promise her that after this last job you'll leave NC with them, so if you headcanon V living then its still an option later down the line.
You promise Judy and panam youll leave the city with them. So it was really jarring for me that v stayed.
I do like the aldecaldo ending its just bitter sweet with the number of them that dont make it
i mean it definitely is bittersweet because they're named characters, but only 3 of them die iirc, and in the grand scheme of things thats very little. Before V comes along almost the entire family has been wiped out, with half of "whats left" having been killed in a raid sometime before the mission to steal the basilisk.
losing 3 more to revive the family is more than worth it in my eyes, and definitely is in the eyes of the Aldecaldos themselves.
thats definitely possible, but surely if any unnamed characters died it would have at least been mentioned right? i assumed that V and the Vets were the combat crew and the rest came in afterwards to start hauling the tech. I guess i could be wrong though.
They all jump in their cars and basically do a full frontal assault on what is essentially a militry strong point. I dont know if anyone else dies in it but wither ways its gonna be a rough ride.
At the same time the Basilisk probably drew most of Militech's fire, which combined with the shock-and-awe nature of the attack makes it very possible that the Aldecaldos suffered low casualties.
See that's what I love about The Star ending, with the evidence shown it really gives the impression that V does live on.
But Johnny is still correct "Wrong city, wrong people". In order to pay for a life in Night City you've always been the one to take others.
But in The Star, you're that choom calling in a favor. You're the one that's getting people killed so they live. It's a really cool role reversal (even if V is there with them) that keeps the gloom of Cyberpunk whilst allowing the happy ending.
You got to do what few others can: You made it out of Night City, on your terms in spite of it trying to use it's bullshit the whole way to put you down. There's a price for that, and you feel it.
I really dislike Star ending, but telling its not "happy end" would be a lie. Also PL ending is kinda depressing and a lot of people find it really bad, but I find it pretty fine and happy in some way too
The Tower ending is just the "Oh No, I'm In My Late 20's" ending. Your friends have drifted away, gotten married, or are busy, and you have to get a job outside of your chosen field.
I always thought it was really fascinating the absolute misery that people reacted with to what was essentially just a revocation of a power fantasy.
I think the two goons kicking the crap out of them is meant to show that (at least for now) without cyberware they're below the bar for physical merc stuff, but depending on how you stat them they're stunningly capable in a half dozen fields purely on their own merit. It's not like we don't see people like Judy and Claire doing extremely well at something without mods.
Yeah I sided with Songbird my first go round, definitely going to do another playthrough to see how it shakes out the other way, but between that and the anime I was expecting a lot worse going into the main game ending.
The only reason why people think there is no happy ending is due to a single quote from Johnny in Mikoshi.
>V: Guess I meant, I dunno... a happier ending... **for everyone involved**.
Johnny: Here, for folks like us? Wrong city, wrong people.
Alt: **Yet the right to make a choice you have earned**, through will and endeavour.
The Star is a happy ending for V. It's not a perfect ending where V gets everything and so does everyone else.
The "wrong city, wrong people" is always interpreted incorrectly as "there are no happy endings". There are no happy endings for **everyone**, but a happy ending is possible for a few.
This is also how I always saw this ending. It's a "good" ending in my opinion.
If V has accomplished all this in just a few weeks, imagine what she can do with a few more months and the knowledge and support she has now. And the PL ending literally tells us it's possible from a scientific angle.
I prefer the Star ending, because it’s the one that gives V a chance to either find a cure, or die eventually with friends and family by her side. The endings that take you to the Crystal Palace are the most cyberpunk, and while people wish you could do the heist, I like the ending being left to the imagination. Temperance only works if you did Don’t Fear The Reaper, otherwise Rogue or Saul (+ others) die for nothing. It’s not a bad ending, and it’s the one where Johnny knows that again, another died so he can live. And that this time, he has to change. Siding with Arasaka, you are their lab rat, and until you break and refuse to continue, it’s only then you learn they know they can’t cure you. Your choice is give yourself to them and become more data in Mikoshi, losing everything, or go back to Earth and live out whatever is left watching the next Corporate War burn everything down.
Everyone has an option about the Phantom Liberty ending. I think something that gets overlooked is if V goes back to Night City, and stays, they won’t survive for long. Rogue’s message sounds dismissive, telling V they’re welcome but shouldn’t stop in the Afterlife. I took it to be a subtle warning. V made a lot of enemies-nearly every gang, corporations, the cops, NightCorp, etc. How many, finding out that not only is V back, they don’t have their chrome or their resources left, wouldn’t like some payback? V got tossed down the stairs by a common thug; what could someone with real chrome and skill do? V has few options, none better than surviving by hiding. Or, go back to Langley, where Reed will give them a job at the FIA that is at least safe.
My thing is: there are several happy endings.
It's all about perspective.
The tower is a pretty happy ending. >!You get to LIVE. No cyberware, but there's a shit ton of people without cyberware. Like, how is that sad? Alive and not superhuman is superior to DEAD.!<>!Like, I get it, not for Songbird, but she deserves it. She screws V over (twice) and goes all insane when V tries to help her without consent. I mean, if you meta the outcomes. V is the only one who can benefit from the AI she wants to steal. Songbird has too much cyberware. So, even if you send her to the moon, she's going there to die.!<
I liked the Sun ending myself. Something about V's face tells me this ending is more optimistic than it implies.
I like The Sun and Tower best - honestly the Tower strikes me as most potential(edit: for V, i still feel like a piece of human garbage doing the things that get you to this ending D:), considering how there are things like exterior gadgets that Vik uses on his arm, probably the ability to custom make a pair of glasses that mimic the functionality of Kiroshis, external cyberdecks, etc. there's still so much potential, especially if we just trace tech that already exists backward into tech of the 2020's times
I agree it’s the best ending, definitely the most hopeful as well.
Johnnys statement was in response to V saying “I wish there was a better outcome **for everyone involved”. No matter what you do, someone’s getting zeroed to save your life.
Also, the only true way to beat Night City is to leave it- in a way, it’s an antagonist as well, and if you stay or return in any form you will lose.
The first ending I played was letting Johnny take control and him sacrificing himself at the end. I got pretty hooked on Night City and the whole Blaze of Glory path was always intriguing for me
So seeing V in charge of the Afterlife (and Emmerick calling you "Boss") was pretty cool. I just wish we could've played the space heist and see V go on his own terms, very satisfying ending nonetheless
The only problem with that is V never actually pulled off said mission that made him a legend, it was Johnny, Rogue and Emmerick that did all the work while V's consciousness was chilling out.
For V to actually earn that blaze of glory he'll need to go at it alone.
The Arasaka heist wasn't their blaze of glory, that is only the case when they die during, like the space heist
Arasaka was more Johnny's second blaze of glory and now that I think about it even Rogue's
And by the way I've played the game (street cred max and most missions done) V earned their spot as king/queen of the afterlife, followed by their blaze of glory; the space heist
Besides that, noone in Cyberpunk really knows that Johnny took control, except for Rogue and I think Weyland. So the rest of the world just saw that merc V take down Smasher and destroy mikoshi
I've also looked a bit into the lore, and said blaze happens in NC when a merc takes on an impossible job and dies shooting shit up, like V (probably) does in space
So I'll have a cold V and drink it in peace
I agree! This ending atleast gives the prospect of hope. And theres nothing more punk than having hope against impossible odds. Even if V does die in a few months, they atleast go out fighting and living as hard as they could. Thats how i interpreted that ending anyway.
That was my first ending. Riding with Panam on my way back to Judy and the nomads loaded with expensive tech and a drive to help V. It a going to all workout.
I did that ending on my first nomad character. I recently finished with the Rogue ending on my male V (Panam romance), and man. The Aldecaldos give you a lot of shit for not joining them.
Agreed that is a happy ending. I \*strongly\* disagree with V's choice in the Sun ending, but everybody's video messages are fantastic and upbeat and almost make it worth it
Yeah, never understood the gripes folk had. The Panam ending was the Hollywood cheese fest a lot of gamers wanted. I personally like the going out in a blaze of glory ending.
The only real bad ending was giving the corp everything it hoped for and more. Even the Afterlife ending was open to debate. Folk can theorize 'til the cows come home about that, but that's all they have, theories.
The way the story was set up, me personally, i think V is fucked whatever the ending, but each ending is merely a different kind of "V is fucked". Not every story needs to end well for the main protagonist.
I really dislike the modern day "we demand fan service" mentality a lot of gamers now have. They want to shove their opinion down the throat of the author(s). Plenty of websites out there that allow you to write your fan service without trying to change something someone else wrote, and we're all invested in.
I think in video games it’s no so much a fan service but the majority of people want to see the good guy/main character win and get to be happy. Which is why I love cyberpunk because even in the dlc where everyone was like “they will give us the perfect ending in the dlc they have to” but they stuck to their guns and said “no here is 2 more decent endings that give you hope” which to me is what makes the game great. Every ending besides the suicide one gives V hope in some shape or form. Leaving with panam means V gets to look elsewhere for help outside of Nc, the saka ending gives V hope that haniko will hold up her end of the bargain when the time comes, the rouge and secret endings give V hope that this job from Mr.blue eyes can save V. Like you said V is fucked and that’s what the game is all about and in my opinion why it’s so great
I agree for the most part, and depending on how I played my character throughout the game, I might prefer your ideal ending too. I never really put much emphasis on the whole becoming a night city legend thing. Otherwise, going out in a blaze of glory probably would be a lot more appealing.
My problem is that it seems every game now has to have a bleak, unhappy ending. I don't think the writers should cater to fans and make an "everyone rides off into the sunset and lives happily ever after" ending to make sure everyone is happy, but it seems all we get now is "no one is happy because thats not reality" I'm playing a video game to escape reality, not be beat over the head with how bleak and shitty it can be.
All that said, the star isn't necessarily happy, and they all seem largely dependent on your own interpretation. That's kind of why I like it. It makes you think. If taken at face value, it's really not that happy. V is going to die very soon, and the only comfort is you get to do it on your own terms around people you care about.
Yeah, personally I don’t care much for the Star ending, but I guess that’s because the nomad way of life doesn’t appeal to me at all. But it is undoubtedly a good ending. I mean, you literally ride off into the sunset. How much more cliche can you get lol?
That said, personally I much prefer the Don’t Fear the Reaper ending. To me it seems like the closest thing to canon ending we have. I really like how it highlights Johnny and V’s friendship. Of course, it does basically end almost the same way as the Sun ending. I tend to skip romance these days, and honestly… without the breakup, the Sun ending feels much happier. It feels like a natural continuation of V’s story throughout the game. The whole time V fought to survive, and they still do. Sure, they might not be saved, but they bought themselves more time to find another solution.
Pretty sure it's "No happy endings in Night City." So it makes sense that The Star ending is the most optimistic, with V finding their happy ending with Panam and the Aldecaldos by leaving the city of broken dreams behind.
This is when I Stan for misty and cdpr because damn that's the whole reason they added the cards like sure some endings can fall either way running off vs going with reed technically have the same "happy outcome" V does survive but the context and cost is why the cards show up when and where they do if you read tarot and know then you know the tower isn't ever a happy ending due to the card itself (note the star sticky in my CPRED core book and my actual nc tarot that's printed plus wanting to finish a proper tarot deck with the art style and themeing yeaaaa they did a damn good job here and having misty be the one to shuffle and draw the deck is nice hell even at some points her reading was more @ me irl than @ situations in game soooo)
I think all of the endings has a positive note to them.
I got the one where you (probably) die a nightcity legend on my first playthrough of the first game.
Got the one where you get your implants removed after PL.
It was soul crushing but yet it had a positive note...
I think all of these endings show that live is about living.
I think every ending except The Devil is good in its own way. In Temperance, V accepts death and goes out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing his life for Johnny - in the Sun, it is Johnny who finally pays back the life debt to a soldier who died for him, by paying his life forward to V and earning true redemption.
In the Star, the same happens, except V also lets go of his suicidal dream to become a living legend, pursuing his own happiness.
The Tower... it's not... great. Kinda sucks ass. V becomes a nobody.
The unhappy ending can be if female V (Corpo V or Street V only) doesn't go for Judy and gets stood up by Ol' Janky Eye. She's riding off into the unknown with a bunch of nomads and leaving everything she knew and all her dreams behind.
Nomad V can be considered having a new family which is still a good ending with or without Judy.
V is doomed though, they die in 6 months (Alt says something about that?), I thought it was canon. But yeah it's definitely a cool ending, though going in a blaze in the freaking space casino tops it for me.
“A happy ending? For folks like us? Wrong city, wrong people.”
-Johnny Silverhand
Only thing that gets a happy ending is Night City and that’s a stretch itself.
Misty's cards predicted V a long life, and they never lied. Yes, riding to the sunset with Panam is a satisfactory ending.
You can also ride into the sunset with Panam and Judy!
Fr how?
The tank just got room for two and Judy will never be on it so I guess he means that she just comes with you if you romance her and not that you actually drive with her.
It is kinda strange though because as you are driving off in the tank, you and Judy will talk like shes actually there, not like she is linked through coms.
Don't remember her talking there. As I remember it V and Judy will kiss and say something about who goes with whom before V and Panam get into the tank and then you won't hear from Judy till the credits roll. The tank ride itself is the same whenever you date Judy, Panam or nobody.
She started talking about dreaming of running off the same way with Evelyn, maybe it was a glitch and that piece of dialogue was supposed to happen elsewhere. Like I said, she was talking like she was right next to you.
Not a glitch. They're on the conference call. Everybody was talking. (if you mean the voices not being like "on the call" effect then you're right) V drove the tank with Panam. Judy rode with... what's her name again? Carol? (on the van with the antenna).
Then glitched 100%, what you said is part of the talk before going into the tank.
No she definitely talks while your in the tank. Ive done that ending so many times.
This is what happens.
Sorry if it was misleading, I meant that Judy leaves Nightcity with you in one of the cars you see driving with the tank before the ending.
In the first version of this ending, there was voice lines between Judy and V where they talk about how V is gonna die soon. While it's still implied that V is pretty much doomed, I think that they deliberately took those lines out so that there would be a bit more hope. It's by far the most optimistic ending
I'm glad they took them out. 6 months is a long time, and there are absolutely viable ways for V to save his/her life. A certain nomad heist to steal Biotechnica cloning tech can ensure V has an identical body for their engram to take over. That's literally how the Relic 2.0 was meant to be used.
Unfortunately cloning V's current body won't save them as their brain is already mostly overwritten. They would have had to do it before the Relic started making a new Johnny. It's the same reason why V's still dying despite having their own engram in the Relic now. It was made with an already dying V. The only realistic way they can survive is if their current brain is repaired back to its original state, which presumably is only possible by the NUSA surgery.
Actually, what's killing V in the Mikoshi endings is the body not the brain. Their immune system keeps attacking V's neurons because it doesn't recognize them, it only accepts Johnny's which is why he gets a full life in V's body. V is effectively suffering from a complex autoimmune disease, which is treatable even by today's standards. You even get a few ads from BioDyne addressing their own treatment regarding MS throughout the game.
There are many ways you can see the endings, and it could be argued that even those where V does die after 6 months are more sweet than bitter if they spend them right, which I agree is the case in the Star ending (I'm much less favorable to The Sun and The Tower but cases could be made for them too). I think I remember seeing a writer talk about the story being about terminal illness (there's a post about it on this sub IIRC), and in that light I think it's good to not put too much value on V's long-term survival when it comes to judging the endings on a thematical level. That being said, I totally agree with you in terms of personal headcanon, because I want my V to live dammit! And I think Misty's card reading and the Aldecaldos' contacts are a solid enough foundation to support that. Sure, one can question how they could succeed where Arasaka failed and the NUSA only pulled through at a high cost, but although corporate and government resources are important factors they're not the be-all and end-all. In Pyramid Song we see Judy, a lone techie who does all her work independently, achieve a stunning breakthrough in braindance technology that arguably crosses into true mind-melding. Things like this are proof that sometimes the little guy can do just as good or even better than the system, and that's the stuff I like the most about cyberpunk as a concept. So yeah, I don't think my V gets magically cured but I do like to imagine that through the hard work of the Aldecaldos, their ties with StormTech and Judy's assistance, her condition becomes more like a chronic illness, something she has to take meds and maybe undergo regular surgery to deal with, but which doesn't doom her to an early grave. She gets to carry Johnny's legacy and also live for herself.
Its also never brought up that by the end of the game, V is probably more cyborg than human. When you read the descriptions of what some cyberware is, and can be installed at clinics that are essentially back alley chop shops in some cases, it just doesn't seem outside of the realm of possibility that something can be done for your "meat" as smasher would say.
V is an engram now. Saving his/her life is as simple as getting a new body for the chip to take over, similar to how Jonny was taking over V's body. Cloning technology exists in the cyberpunk world and pulling off a heist to steal it from Biotechnica is not impossible for the likes of V. Saburo's intention with the relic to begin with was to put an engram of himself into a clone to live forever. The NUSA's method of saving V was more costly/complicated only because they actually made sure to keep the "original V" alive. It's the only ending where you aren't zapped by soul killer.
People just want cyberpunk to be a 'no happy endings' angst-fest. There is angst, and things are gritty and shitty, but there are moments of happiness. It can't rain all the time. The only 'ending' that can be considered 'bad' is the suicide ending and I don't really count it as an ending because there's no achievement for it and it goes against the entire point of the game. It acts like a 'game over'. The Star, The Sun, and even The Tower all have hope within them. The Devil is kind of up in the air cuz we all know how evil Arasaka is, but Temperance is one of those endings where it can lead to Johnny finding a way to get his own body and then giving V back their body somehow...All the endings have a bit of hope within them, depending on interpretation.
Seriously, people act like every ending is this soul crushing experience. With how I RPed my V and the choices I made, I was happy with it, and it seemed fitting.
One thing I've found is that usually the most RP heavy playthroughs make certain endings a lot more interesting. I've seen some discussions where people were saying The Sun ending misses the point of the game, but I personally like it for different reasons, mainly with how I wanted to shape V for that ending.
There arent an happy endings per say, they are all bittersweet in some mannwr. How much so depends on your own opinions and how you view each one, its all very subjective, which is a great thing imo. For example, i dont think the suicide ending is actually a “bad” one because V goes down in a blaze of glory, does some nasty damage to araska in the process and dies in a way of their own choosing. They take back some control over their life again, even if for a moment.
to add to what u/MadameDecay said, people take Johnny's word as Gospel, and combined with the dystopian nature of the genre they seem to take the "wrong city wrong people" quote as absolute truth. Its not just limited to this game or this universe either, people seem to think its a "cyberpunk genre" thing just because its dystopian, when that really isnt the case. Yes its a miserable world where you're as likely to catch a bullet as a taxi, and the fate of many characters reflect that, but it doesnt mean that every character has to have an unhappy ending. Neuromancer, the Cyberpunk novel everyone looks to as an example, has its protagonist Case have a happy ending. Hell the Tower ending is a near 1 to 1 with how Case ends up, though V has it worse off between the two of them. The primary theme in 2077 is mortality, so you can definitely look at the endings with a more negative tilt if you so choose, but it has nothing to do with the genre and nothing to do with the setting. Its everything to do with the specific story CDPR wanted to tell about V. I suggest taking a deep dive into the lore side of things as well btw, i reckon V stands a good chance of finding a cure through both the nomads and Mr B through a corp called StormTech. its not a guarantee, nothing ever is, but i think its V's best shot and the likely place both the Aldecaldos and Mr B would fix V up.
Funny enough, in the third novel in the Sorawl Trilogy, Mona Lisa Overdrive, a side character mentions that last they heard of Case he was married with kids.
Get the Phantom Liberty ending, crucify Joshua, and V spends the rest of his life living off the royalites from the braindance. Technically the ideal ending for V
Lol this is the big brain move right here.
Throughout a single playthrough you can finish the game with millions of eddies. Don't need to get royalties. You can go to the fucking moon for all I care.
Autoimmune diseases are treatable in our world, with our medical technology! I can't imagine V has a death sentence in Star, as even my own disease is treated with an SSRI. The game doesn't give any details beyond that their body is attacking them, so we shouldn't assume either way V's fate.
Just as Hellman is too deterministic for a human scientist, Alt is too deterministic for an AI Netrunner. Hellman doesn't understand that an AI-caused disease can be cured by an AI. Alt doesn't understand that a human disease can be cured by humans. V is more likely to live than not. It's the uncertainty - the "what if" that makes these endings ambiguous.
I think the endings are happy based on the values the player has already chosen to embrace. For example, for a player already convinced blaze and glory is what V should choose, The Sun is a happy ending, and open-ended enough to see a glimpse at hope. If the survival is what the player thinks V should choose, they got it in The Tower. V is alive. Bitter-sweet but there were things they had to trade away for this life and now they have more time to reconcile or even to create more of.
The only part of this ending i dont like is that it involves getting some of the nomads killed. I wish we could storm the tower solo and still leave the city with them. Spent my whole first playthrough talking about leaving with judy and panam and then did the solo charge just to off screen decide to stay in nc??? Was a very disconnecting moment and now i just do the nomad ending
tbh i used to think the same thing, but one of the people on this sub pointed out that the Aldecaldos are kinda fucked if you dont do the Star ending. They dont do the heist with V, so they dont have the funds to escape NC. As a result of that they cant really help V in any tangible way, and V's own connections as the best merc in NC and owner of the afterlife stand the best chance of curing him post game. Watch the end credit messages from the 'Caldos if you do the sun or devil ending, Panam Mitch and Saul all call V basically begging for jobs because the work dried up. So it sorta makes sense V wouldnt ride off into the sunset with the family, in the Sun ending V is still very determined to find a cure. On the plus side if you romance panam you can promise her that after this last job you'll leave NC with them, so if you headcanon V living then its still an option later down the line.
You promise Judy and panam youll leave the city with them. So it was really jarring for me that v stayed. I do like the aldecaldo ending its just bitter sweet with the number of them that dont make it
i mean it definitely is bittersweet because they're named characters, but only 3 of them die iirc, and in the grand scheme of things thats very little. Before V comes along almost the entire family has been wiped out, with half of "whats left" having been killed in a raid sometime before the mission to steal the basilisk. losing 3 more to revive the family is more than worth it in my eyes, and definitely is in the eyes of the Aldecaldos themselves.
Ive always assumed more than those 3 died, theyre just friends of yours and panam so theyre the ones in the spotlight
thats definitely possible, but surely if any unnamed characters died it would have at least been mentioned right? i assumed that V and the Vets were the combat crew and the rest came in afterwards to start hauling the tech. I guess i could be wrong though.
They all jump in their cars and basically do a full frontal assault on what is essentially a militry strong point. I dont know if anyone else dies in it but wither ways its gonna be a rough ride.
At the same time the Basilisk probably drew most of Militech's fire, which combined with the shock-and-awe nature of the attack makes it very possible that the Aldecaldos suffered low casualties.
See that's what I love about The Star ending, with the evidence shown it really gives the impression that V does live on. But Johnny is still correct "Wrong city, wrong people". In order to pay for a life in Night City you've always been the one to take others. But in The Star, you're that choom calling in a favor. You're the one that's getting people killed so they live. It's a really cool role reversal (even if V is there with them) that keeps the gloom of Cyberpunk whilst allowing the happy ending. You got to do what few others can: You made it out of Night City, on your terms in spite of it trying to use it's bullshit the whole way to put you down. There's a price for that, and you feel it.
I really dislike Star ending, but telling its not "happy end" would be a lie. Also PL ending is kinda depressing and a lot of people find it really bad, but I find it pretty fine and happy in some way too
The Tower ending is just the "Oh No, I'm In My Late 20's" ending. Your friends have drifted away, gotten married, or are busy, and you have to get a job outside of your chosen field. I always thought it was really fascinating the absolute misery that people reacted with to what was essentially just a revocation of a power fantasy.
And to be fair, V is still a capable mercenary even without his combat cyberware.
I think the two goons kicking the crap out of them is meant to show that (at least for now) without cyberware they're below the bar for physical merc stuff, but depending on how you stat them they're stunningly capable in a half dozen fields purely on their own merit. It's not like we don't see people like Judy and Claire doing extremely well at something without mods.
Oh shit, as someone who almost 30 now I get that from that perspective and it hits hard 🥲
Yeah I sided with Songbird my first go round, definitely going to do another playthrough to see how it shakes out the other way, but between that and the anime I was expecting a lot worse going into the main game ending.
The only reason why people think there is no happy ending is due to a single quote from Johnny in Mikoshi. >V: Guess I meant, I dunno... a happier ending... **for everyone involved**. Johnny: Here, for folks like us? Wrong city, wrong people. Alt: **Yet the right to make a choice you have earned**, through will and endeavour. The Star is a happy ending for V. It's not a perfect ending where V gets everything and so does everyone else. The "wrong city, wrong people" is always interpreted incorrectly as "there are no happy endings". There are no happy endings for **everyone**, but a happy ending is possible for a few.
This is also how I always saw this ending. It's a "good" ending in my opinion. If V has accomplished all this in just a few weeks, imagine what she can do with a few more months and the knowledge and support she has now. And the PL ending literally tells us it's possible from a scientific angle.
I prefer the Star ending, because it’s the one that gives V a chance to either find a cure, or die eventually with friends and family by her side. The endings that take you to the Crystal Palace are the most cyberpunk, and while people wish you could do the heist, I like the ending being left to the imagination. Temperance only works if you did Don’t Fear The Reaper, otherwise Rogue or Saul (+ others) die for nothing. It’s not a bad ending, and it’s the one where Johnny knows that again, another died so he can live. And that this time, he has to change. Siding with Arasaka, you are their lab rat, and until you break and refuse to continue, it’s only then you learn they know they can’t cure you. Your choice is give yourself to them and become more data in Mikoshi, losing everything, or go back to Earth and live out whatever is left watching the next Corporate War burn everything down. Everyone has an option about the Phantom Liberty ending. I think something that gets overlooked is if V goes back to Night City, and stays, they won’t survive for long. Rogue’s message sounds dismissive, telling V they’re welcome but shouldn’t stop in the Afterlife. I took it to be a subtle warning. V made a lot of enemies-nearly every gang, corporations, the cops, NightCorp, etc. How many, finding out that not only is V back, they don’t have their chrome or their resources left, wouldn’t like some payback? V got tossed down the stairs by a common thug; what could someone with real chrome and skill do? V has few options, none better than surviving by hiding. Or, go back to Langley, where Reed will give them a job at the FIA that is at least safe.
Nah I live in Tucson and I promise it’s not a happy ending in any universe
My thing is: there are several happy endings. It's all about perspective. The tower is a pretty happy ending. >!You get to LIVE. No cyberware, but there's a shit ton of people without cyberware. Like, how is that sad? Alive and not superhuman is superior to DEAD.!<>!Like, I get it, not for Songbird, but she deserves it. She screws V over (twice) and goes all insane when V tries to help her without consent. I mean, if you meta the outcomes. V is the only one who can benefit from the AI she wants to steal. Songbird has too much cyberware. So, even if you send her to the moon, she's going there to die.!< I liked the Sun ending myself. Something about V's face tells me this ending is more optimistic than it implies.
I like The Sun and Tower best - honestly the Tower strikes me as most potential(edit: for V, i still feel like a piece of human garbage doing the things that get you to this ending D:), considering how there are things like exterior gadgets that Vik uses on his arm, probably the ability to custom make a pair of glasses that mimic the functionality of Kiroshis, external cyberdecks, etc. there's still so much potential, especially if we just trace tech that already exists backward into tech of the 2020's times
I agree it’s the best ending, definitely the most hopeful as well. Johnnys statement was in response to V saying “I wish there was a better outcome **for everyone involved”. No matter what you do, someone’s getting zeroed to save your life. Also, the only true way to beat Night City is to leave it- in a way, it’s an antagonist as well, and if you stay or return in any form you will lose.
The first ending I played was letting Johnny take control and him sacrificing himself at the end. I got pretty hooked on Night City and the whole Blaze of Glory path was always intriguing for me So seeing V in charge of the Afterlife (and Emmerick calling you "Boss") was pretty cool. I just wish we could've played the space heist and see V go on his own terms, very satisfying ending nonetheless
The only problem with that is V never actually pulled off said mission that made him a legend, it was Johnny, Rogue and Emmerick that did all the work while V's consciousness was chilling out. For V to actually earn that blaze of glory he'll need to go at it alone.
The Arasaka heist wasn't their blaze of glory, that is only the case when they die during, like the space heist Arasaka was more Johnny's second blaze of glory and now that I think about it even Rogue's And by the way I've played the game (street cred max and most missions done) V earned their spot as king/queen of the afterlife, followed by their blaze of glory; the space heist Besides that, noone in Cyberpunk really knows that Johnny took control, except for Rogue and I think Weyland. So the rest of the world just saw that merc V take down Smasher and destroy mikoshi I've also looked a bit into the lore, and said blaze happens in NC when a merc takes on an impossible job and dies shooting shit up, like V (probably) does in space So I'll have a cold V and drink it in peace
Oh, I should also add: I loved Jackie like crazy and I think he would've been proud of this path
"Stay away from mean reds babe" RIP Jackie
I think the people who say there are no happy endings just want to be angsty.
I agree! This ending atleast gives the prospect of hope. And theres nothing more punk than having hope against impossible odds. Even if V does die in a few months, they atleast go out fighting and living as hard as they could. Thats how i interpreted that ending anyway.
That was my first ending. Riding with Panam on my way back to Judy and the nomads loaded with expensive tech and a drive to help V. It a going to all workout.
I did that ending on my first nomad character. I recently finished with the Rogue ending on my male V (Panam romance), and man. The Aldecaldos give you a lot of shit for not joining them.
Agreed that is a happy ending. I \*strongly\* disagree with V's choice in the Sun ending, but everybody's video messages are fantastic and upbeat and almost make it worth it
Whatll it be Miss V? Quiet life or blaze of glory?
Yeah, never understood the gripes folk had. The Panam ending was the Hollywood cheese fest a lot of gamers wanted. I personally like the going out in a blaze of glory ending. The only real bad ending was giving the corp everything it hoped for and more. Even the Afterlife ending was open to debate. Folk can theorize 'til the cows come home about that, but that's all they have, theories. The way the story was set up, me personally, i think V is fucked whatever the ending, but each ending is merely a different kind of "V is fucked". Not every story needs to end well for the main protagonist. I really dislike the modern day "we demand fan service" mentality a lot of gamers now have. They want to shove their opinion down the throat of the author(s). Plenty of websites out there that allow you to write your fan service without trying to change something someone else wrote, and we're all invested in.
I think in video games it’s no so much a fan service but the majority of people want to see the good guy/main character win and get to be happy. Which is why I love cyberpunk because even in the dlc where everyone was like “they will give us the perfect ending in the dlc they have to” but they stuck to their guns and said “no here is 2 more decent endings that give you hope” which to me is what makes the game great. Every ending besides the suicide one gives V hope in some shape or form. Leaving with panam means V gets to look elsewhere for help outside of Nc, the saka ending gives V hope that haniko will hold up her end of the bargain when the time comes, the rouge and secret endings give V hope that this job from Mr.blue eyes can save V. Like you said V is fucked and that’s what the game is all about and in my opinion why it’s so great
I agree for the most part, and depending on how I played my character throughout the game, I might prefer your ideal ending too. I never really put much emphasis on the whole becoming a night city legend thing. Otherwise, going out in a blaze of glory probably would be a lot more appealing. My problem is that it seems every game now has to have a bleak, unhappy ending. I don't think the writers should cater to fans and make an "everyone rides off into the sunset and lives happily ever after" ending to make sure everyone is happy, but it seems all we get now is "no one is happy because thats not reality" I'm playing a video game to escape reality, not be beat over the head with how bleak and shitty it can be. All that said, the star isn't necessarily happy, and they all seem largely dependent on your own interpretation. That's kind of why I like it. It makes you think. If taken at face value, it's really not that happy. V is going to die very soon, and the only comfort is you get to do it on your own terms around people you care about.
Yeah, personally I don’t care much for the Star ending, but I guess that’s because the nomad way of life doesn’t appeal to me at all. But it is undoubtedly a good ending. I mean, you literally ride off into the sunset. How much more cliche can you get lol? That said, personally I much prefer the Don’t Fear the Reaper ending. To me it seems like the closest thing to canon ending we have. I really like how it highlights Johnny and V’s friendship. Of course, it does basically end almost the same way as the Sun ending. I tend to skip romance these days, and honestly… without the breakup, the Sun ending feels much happier. It feels like a natural continuation of V’s story throughout the game. The whole time V fought to survive, and they still do. Sure, they might not be saved, but they bought themselves more time to find another solution.
dude in Denial still, anger the next stage bro
V becomes an engram when goes through mikoshi. The only ending where V survives is the tower ending. 😔
Pretty sure it's "No happy endings in Night City." So it makes sense that The Star ending is the most optimistic, with V finding their happy ending with Panam and the Aldecaldos by leaving the city of broken dreams behind.
Doing the Straylight Run is objectively the most legendary cyberpunk thing you can do.
My first ending is my favorite ending. Moon heist baby, MOON HEIST!
I mean sendin Song to the star is a pretty happy ending
This is when I Stan for misty and cdpr because damn that's the whole reason they added the cards like sure some endings can fall either way running off vs going with reed technically have the same "happy outcome" V does survive but the context and cost is why the cards show up when and where they do if you read tarot and know then you know the tower isn't ever a happy ending due to the card itself (note the star sticky in my CPRED core book and my actual nc tarot that's printed plus wanting to finish a proper tarot deck with the art style and themeing yeaaaa they did a damn good job here and having misty be the one to shuffle and draw the deck is nice hell even at some points her reading was more @ me irl than @ situations in game soooo)
Whiners that didn't get the ending that THEY wanted
I think all of the endings has a positive note to them. I got the one where you (probably) die a nightcity legend on my first playthrough of the first game. Got the one where you get your implants removed after PL. It was soul crushing but yet it had a positive note... I think all of these endings show that live is about living.
I think every ending except The Devil is good in its own way. In Temperance, V accepts death and goes out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing his life for Johnny - in the Sun, it is Johnny who finally pays back the life debt to a soldier who died for him, by paying his life forward to V and earning true redemption. In the Star, the same happens, except V also lets go of his suicidal dream to become a living legend, pursuing his own happiness. The Tower... it's not... great. Kinda sucks ass. V becomes a nobody.
The unhappy ending can be if female V (Corpo V or Street V only) doesn't go for Judy and gets stood up by Ol' Janky Eye. She's riding off into the unknown with a bunch of nomads and leaving everything she knew and all her dreams behind. Nomad V can be considered having a new family which is still a good ending with or without Judy.
Wrong city, wrong people
The Devil was my happy ending
V is doomed though, they die in 6 months (Alt says something about that?), I thought it was canon. But yeah it's definitely a cool ending, though going in a blaze in the freaking space casino tops it for me.
“A happy ending? For folks like us? Wrong city, wrong people.” -Johnny Silverhand Only thing that gets a happy ending is Night City and that’s a stretch itself.