To start this off, I have just finished Cyberpunk 2077 and absolutely loved it. Yes there were some technical issues and the game was a bit too short for my liking but lets just appreciate how well done this game was made. Anyways being somebody who is very much in love with Greek mythology and well versed I definitely saw some definite allegories from that in the characters, factions and world. With cyberpunk as a genre using symbolism, themes and allegories from philosophical themes, religions and mythologies I thought I would explore this further
But lets get started (note: I am going by the Sun ending SPOILERS BEWARE)
V- GREEK HERO (Photo below is of my V)
V's story is definitely that of the Greek Hero. V has a massive impact on the people and of Night City just like those of ancient Greece with a demigod status gained from the Relic. Through this realization of destiny V goes on her Heroes journey being assisted by the supporting characters and legends of Night City. This becomes even more pronounced in the Sun ending when you attack Arasaka Tower with the aid of Rogue and Johnny. Also like all Greek Heroes, V will die eventually no matter what ending, a tragic fate with almost all Greek Heroes
JOHNNY SILVERHAND: DIONYSUS/ZEUS
johnny Silverhand, like Dionysus, is a hedonist, a patron of the arts and a total wild child. Johnnys crusade in the 2020s is similar to Dionysus' War in India for the fact that despite being the artistic God of Theatre, Dionysus like Johnny was also a warrior. Also in Greek mythology Dionysus was torn apart by the Titans which is very reminiscent of when Johnny's body was destroyed via Soulkiller. Another thing to note is that in Dionysian rituals, as the God of Wine, his followers would drink wine and enter a state of ecstasy and ritual madness where Dionysus would possess the body of devotee. Are you guys seeing the similarity. On a smaller note in the Arasaka Tower attack, Johnny defeating Adam Smasher is reminiscent of Zeus victory over Typhon. Also Johnny's infidelity towards Rogue is similar to to Zeus' infidelity towards Hera. Zeus also is the god who has set all Greek Heroes on their journey, just like Silverhand does with V
ROGUE: HERA/ATHENA
Rogue in my opinion is a combination of two goddesses. On one hand just like Hera is the Queen of the Gods, Rogue is named the Queen of The Afterlife, also she bears the same jealousy and resentment of infidelity towards Johnny that Hera bared for Zeus. On the other hand Rogue like Athena Goddess of War is an exceptional military strategist with wisdom beyond her years acting as a direct contrast to Adam Smashers equivalent of Ares
ADAM SMASHER: ARES/TYPHON
Adam Smasher is very very similar to Ares in the sense, he is a bloodthirsty, psychotic killer but without the brains of Athena's, Rogue. Also unlike Ares, Adam Smasher, like Typhon is a literal physical monster, the pure embodiment of terror and chaos. Keeping in mind his defeat by Zeus and we have a real parallel
ALT CUNNINGHAM: PERSEPHONE
As we all know from the lore and playing the game Alt is kidnapped by Arasaka and put through Soulkiller. This is very similar to two myths regarding Persephone. Hades abducts Persephone to make her Queen of the Underworld and in another myth Zeus kills her when she looks upon his true form which in turn leads to the Orphic rebirth of Dionysus. This all combines together into the story and Johnny's journey into the Net to ask for Alts aid is an allegory for Dionysus' descent into the Underworld to rescue Persephone
ARASAKA: TITANS
Strong, powerful, evil, immovable, these are all traits associated with the titans. Uranus the grandfather of Zeus personifies the sky just like Saburo Arasaka the man at the top represents rulership from the highest point of Night City. Saburo Arasaka's death at the hands of Yorinobu Arasaka is reminiscent of Cronus killing Uranus, his own father. The Titans, tear apart Dionysus, Arasaka uses Soulkiller on Johnny Silverhand. The Titans create Typhon, Arasaka creates Adam Smasher and Johnny fights them all with the aid of Rogue just like Athena did with Zeus during the Titanomachy, the war against the Titans. Lastly Arasaka Tower is the place where their Corpo employees work from just like Tartaros is where the Titans abide. Both are places of eternal suffering
AFTERLIFE: MOUNT OLYMPUS
Mount Olympus was the home of gods and heroes, The Afterlife is the home of Night City legends. Run by Rogue, who is basically Hera Queen of the Gods and we have a match especially if V takes Rogues place in running the Afterlife. No more to say here
If anyone has picked up on anything else in the game taken from Greek mythology feel free to add to it as this is all I got atm.
Well done CDPR on a great game that will become a masterpiece when all bugfixes are implemented in future patches
But lets get started (note: I am going by the Sun ending SPOILERS BEWARE)
V- GREEK HERO (Photo below is of my V)
V's story is definitely that of the Greek Hero. V has a massive impact on the people and of Night City just like those of ancient Greece with a demigod status gained from the Relic. Through this realization of destiny V goes on her Heroes journey being assisted by the supporting characters and legends of Night City. This becomes even more pronounced in the Sun ending when you attack Arasaka Tower with the aid of Rogue and Johnny. Also like all Greek Heroes, V will die eventually no matter what ending, a tragic fate with almost all Greek Heroes
JOHNNY SILVERHAND: DIONYSUS/ZEUS
johnny Silverhand, like Dionysus, is a hedonist, a patron of the arts and a total wild child. Johnnys crusade in the 2020s is similar to Dionysus' War in India for the fact that despite being the artistic God of Theatre, Dionysus like Johnny was also a warrior. Also in Greek mythology Dionysus was torn apart by the Titans which is very reminiscent of when Johnny's body was destroyed via Soulkiller. Another thing to note is that in Dionysian rituals, as the God of Wine, his followers would drink wine and enter a state of ecstasy and ritual madness where Dionysus would possess the body of devotee. Are you guys seeing the similarity. On a smaller note in the Arasaka Tower attack, Johnny defeating Adam Smasher is reminiscent of Zeus victory over Typhon. Also Johnny's infidelity towards Rogue is similar to to Zeus' infidelity towards Hera. Zeus also is the god who has set all Greek Heroes on their journey, just like Silverhand does with V
ROGUE: HERA/ATHENA
Rogue in my opinion is a combination of two goddesses. On one hand just like Hera is the Queen of the Gods, Rogue is named the Queen of The Afterlife, also she bears the same jealousy and resentment of infidelity towards Johnny that Hera bared for Zeus. On the other hand Rogue like Athena Goddess of War is an exceptional military strategist with wisdom beyond her years acting as a direct contrast to Adam Smashers equivalent of Ares
ADAM SMASHER: ARES/TYPHON
Adam Smasher is very very similar to Ares in the sense, he is a bloodthirsty, psychotic killer but without the brains of Athena's, Rogue. Also unlike Ares, Adam Smasher, like Typhon is a literal physical monster, the pure embodiment of terror and chaos. Keeping in mind his defeat by Zeus and we have a real parallel
ALT CUNNINGHAM: PERSEPHONE
As we all know from the lore and playing the game Alt is kidnapped by Arasaka and put through Soulkiller. This is very similar to two myths regarding Persephone. Hades abducts Persephone to make her Queen of the Underworld and in another myth Zeus kills her when she looks upon his true form which in turn leads to the Orphic rebirth of Dionysus. This all combines together into the story and Johnny's journey into the Net to ask for Alts aid is an allegory for Dionysus' descent into the Underworld to rescue Persephone
ARASAKA: TITANS
Strong, powerful, evil, immovable, these are all traits associated with the titans. Uranus the grandfather of Zeus personifies the sky just like Saburo Arasaka the man at the top represents rulership from the highest point of Night City. Saburo Arasaka's death at the hands of Yorinobu Arasaka is reminiscent of Cronus killing Uranus, his own father. The Titans, tear apart Dionysus, Arasaka uses Soulkiller on Johnny Silverhand. The Titans create Typhon, Arasaka creates Adam Smasher and Johnny fights them all with the aid of Rogue just like Athena did with Zeus during the Titanomachy, the war against the Titans. Lastly Arasaka Tower is the place where their Corpo employees work from just like Tartaros is where the Titans abide. Both are places of eternal suffering
AFTERLIFE: MOUNT OLYMPUS
Mount Olympus was the home of gods and heroes, The Afterlife is the home of Night City legends. Run by Rogue, who is basically Hera Queen of the Gods and we have a match especially if V takes Rogues place in running the Afterlife. No more to say here
If anyone has picked up on anything else in the game taken from Greek mythology feel free to add to it as this is all I got atm.
Well done CDPR on a great game that will become a masterpiece when all bugfixes are implemented in future patches