One of my biggest pet peeves is when games have multiple endings but only the final decision actually determines the ending. I wonder if Cyberpunk 2077's endings will be more like routes (like in Undertale where a Pacifist Route was entirely different from beginning to end from a Genocide Route) or just mostly last decision options (say there may be two or three routes, but there are 18 endings that are determined by one of 9 or 6 choices offered at the VERY end of each route).
Here's a response by Pavel Sasko when asked about the importance of decisions in side quests:
"Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before – they change the main plot of the game. And they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them."
I think it offers an interesting outlook on the approach they took on how much real player agency there is.
What we have heard is there are many different endings. Is this true? We don't know. Mass Effect for example stated this, and all of the games (until 3) made it appear that way. Then you get to choose red, blue, or green ending. We do know that you can fail quests and it's not game over. This leads to many possibilities for multiple endings. I have big hopes and a lot of trust that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to do this well.
I suspect that endings will have to do with what we're fighting towards. Do we want to "save" Night City? Do we just want to make our millions and get rich? I'm hoping that there will be ways to determine what is driving us and give us the ending to our biggest driving forces. It would be cool if there were thousands of possible endings, and that most of us wouldn't get the same ending, but I know that's a pain that to program.
"Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before – they change the main plot of the game. And they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them."
I have a question I asked prolly over a year ago at this point, which I haven't seen answered yet:
How do you measure the "end of the game" if not by the end of its main storyline?
Is there a nuke on a timer or something?
It's the part of the firearm one squeezes in order to discharge the weapon.
But in all seriousness, I do consider it likely that the "ending" will be the end of the main storyline somewhat like the Witcher 3 where it is several choices interplaying with one another that lead to the "ending." Even if there are plots to complete after that, then they are part of the "end of the game" IMO.
If there are additional plots that can be completed after the main quest, then I would suspect that it may end up being impacted by the fact that the main story is over. Either that, or, it will be mostly side content, and that everything potentially impacting the main quest ends with the main quest. God of War did a pretty good job of leaving the world there after the main story "ended" ... although it's a much more linear game.
Most likely it's not a singular trigger but rather a specific sequent of actions, choices and consequences. At this point it's for them to know and us to find out. Hopefully soon after Dec 10.
Talking about quest lines, let's make some presumptions, just for the sake of having fun by doing it:
A) There could be at least 3 specific lines of quests, one for each life path, which could result in, at least, three diferent endings. Probably organized like this:
A.1) Ending like a Corpo, you'll probably may choose between Militech/Arasaka/another corporation to end up in a high paygrade position, and choosing to destroy/spare the ones that betrayed;
A.2) As a Street Kid, in the end, you'll probably will win some control of the streets after seeking revenge against Dex/or another fixer that betrays you, and probably will end up having some respect among gangs, even from the corporations;
A.3) As a Nomad, after dealing with corporations, and Night City problems, probably V will get tired of all these conflicts and go with Nomads, making them receive some recognition and resources from the City. Probably it will have some resource theft missions, until the city government and corpos try to seal a deal.
B) There may be common quests to life patchs, linked with Night City itself, like: politics, gang wars, nomads, etc. So, if you help one of the gangs to bash others and control the city, perhaps you end up being some kind of crime lord.
C) Probably it'll be a "Johnny Silverhand" quest line, where you partner up with Johnny Silverhand, and try to bash Arasaka, rescue Alt Cunningham, and "burn" Night City.
I know that these aren't really glorious, but Mike Pondsmith himself said that Cyberpunk 2077 is not about saving the world, but about saving yourself. So that's why the ending will probably be something selfish, or even really bad for V.
I disagree. I do not believe that starting with a corpo life path that you're looking to get back into the corpo scene. Same with the street kid. I believe the life path will effect how you get to your ending, but it does not define your ending.
I know that these aren't really glorious, but Mike Pondsmith himself said that Cyberpunk 2077 is not about saving the world, but about saving yourself. So that's why the ending will probably be something selfish, or even really bad for V.
Night City will still be Night City no matter what you do.
I guess my next question is what happens after the endgame? Do we still get to roam Night City and keep playing? Will V die in the endgame? Will the game just end, and we'll have to start a new game?
I disagree. I do not believe that starting with a corpo life path that you're looking to get back into the corpo scene. Same with the street kid. I believe the life path will effect how you get to your ending, but it does not define your ending.
I'm talking about endings for each life path, not that the initial path life choice defines your ending.
It was said that, as the game goes on, we can start as street kid and end up betraying the streets to side with the corpos, and so on.
So, based on that I presumed that in the game we'll see at least 1 ending per life path, otherwise the existance of these choices would be irrelevant in the game.
And honestly I don't imagine that we will be able to, for example, go into the corpo way to take Arasaka or Militech and end up being the big boss of Night City or something like that, so the better possible ending, if V chooses the Corpo questline, is surrendering to the system to become a high grade paid employee/slave.
Night City will still be Night City no matter what you do.
I guess my next question is what happens after the endgame? Do we still get to roam Night City and keep playing? Will V die in the endgame? Will the game just end, and we'll have to start a new game?
I imagine that, after the ending , we will be able to free roam in Night City, if we want, and there will be an option to do a new game plus.
If we choose to do so, so we may loose some of quest related items and the missions will be all avaiable with the dialogues and so on.
It would be great if they used some "Back to the Future" thing: after free roaming, if you want to do a new game plus, you go to the Orbital Air Space to test a time travel machine, and you end up going to the past, but in a timeline where the original V is dead from the beggining/or going to the past makes you replace original V so you (the future V) can do Night City quests all over again.
Yeah, I know that time travel may not work in that way, but imagine how cool that would be, right? Better than quiting and going to the menu to choose new game + option.
And I don't think that there will be an ending where V dies. But if there is, maybe the body dies, but the player will be free roaming in a virtual simulation of Night City that runs within some corporation computer, until a new "V" rescues you, basically making you some kind of a new "Johnny Silverhand".
I believe its just how big Legend you're at the end of the game. If you play all sides quest and complete them succesfully, you end the game as Legend. But this is just what I think, hunch basically.
Agreed, This is why I think they built it on "score" system. Higher your score, better ending you get. Yeah, something like are you gonna finish the game as Homeless Bum or Famous Person.
I believe its just how big Legend you're at the end of the game. If you play all sides quest and complete them succesfully, you end the game as Legend. But this is just what I think, hunch basically.
I believe this more more aligned with what they're looking to do. V either becomes a legendary Merc, Dies, or Retires. That's the three likely endings I see happening. Merc and Retires would be good endings and dying would be the bad ending. Though I imagine there will be variations. I do not believe you will be able to free roam the game at all after beating it. It has been verified that NG+ is a thing and I imagine that this will be similar the The Witcher in that once you start the end game quest that's it. No going back.
Here's a response by Pavel Sasko when asked about the importance of decisions in side quests:
"Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before – they change the main plot of the game. And they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them."
I think it offers an interesting outlook on the approach they took on how much real player agency there is.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when games have multiple endings but only the final decision actually determines the ending. I wonder if Cyberpunk 2077's endings will be more like routes (like in Undertale where a Pacifist Route was entirely different from beginning to end from a Genocide Route) or just mostly last decision options (say there may be two or three routes, but there are 18 endings that are determined by one of 9 or 6 choices offered at the VERY end of each route).
Here's a response by Pavel Sasko when asked about the importance of decisions in side quests:
"Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before – they change the main plot of the game. And they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them."
I think it offers an interesting outlook on the approach they took on how much real player agency there is.
