Thanks to the release of Cyberpunk 2077 has seen a revival in player activity and content. The latest update in regard to the game's content was the announcement of the title's final expansion, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Though the fact that it may be Cyberpunk's last expansion is only based on comments made by CD Projekt Red.
In any case, the expansion has a great chance of introducing new endings to the game's already sizable list of 6. It seems appropriate that now would be the time to look back on Cyberpunk's endings and come to a consensus as to which seems like the best, and most logical for a cohesive story.
Path Of Least Resistance
This ending is grim, extremely grim. Unlike every other ending, this one does not require the player to complete any of the side content required to unlock other endings and is so the most likely for the straightforward main quest only gamer. With the chip stuck in their head, V's only perceivable hope of survival is raiding the corporation that made it. The problem is that such a task requires sacrifice. Unable to risk the lives of the people they care about, V tosses away his medicine and ends his life on a roof overlooking the city.
Their friends are devastated, and the player character dies without making a name for themselves. This ending is basically a betrayal of everything up to this point. Every mission, every connection, the protagonist gives it their all to the very end but stumbles at the last step and the player finds themselves with a completely hollow ending. The worst part is that even the legendary Johnny Silverhand gives up trying to convince V and instead idly waits for death as well.
Temperance
The Temperance ending can be accessed by going through two different paths in the game, either attack Arasaka Tower with the Aldecaldos or with Rogue. After losing friends and fighting the legendary Adam Smasher, the player must make a choice. To achieve this ending, the player has to do multiple side quests, but thankfully they're considered the best side quests to complete in of rewards and story elements.
In it, Alt Cunningham, or an AI version of her, promises V and Johnny she can remove the chip from V's head without killing him, which proves to be quite untrue. In the end, Johnny takes V's body and continues to live in Night City until one day packing his things and taking a bus to travel to restart his life. This ending is only achievable thanks to the sacrifice of the only person who tolerated Johnny and is overall unsatisfying. Frankly, this is an ending where no one is happy, most likely, not even the player.
The Devil
This ending is about vengeance, not the main character but another side character who is important to the plot of taking down Yorinobu Arasaka. Taking this ending basically means betraying Johnny and choosing to side with the corporation, Arasaka. In exchange for aiding in avenging Saburo Arasaka, the protagonist is promised to have the chip removed from his head using their advanced technology.
Ultimately the corporation fails to meet that promise, either intentionally or perhaps an overestimation of its skills. Instead, the player is locked up in a space facility where they are tested every day for months. Whether the player chooses to return to Earth or allow their soul to be saved for another body, there will always be that sour taste in a player's mouth that in the end betraying Johnny and the hopes of everyone else. The only bright side about this ending is the fact that the latter may actually be a solution if Arasaka doesn't go back on their words, which seems unlikely due to the relationships the player forms on that side.
The Sun
The Sun ending deviates completely from the other endings. This time, the player gets the choice of giving total control of their body to Johnny Silverhand, also giving the chance to listen to one of the best male voice acting performances in gaming. Johnny promises to break into Arasaka tower and find a way for the chip to be removed from V, enlisting the help of an old-time friend, Rogue, and another. But of course, such a drastic plan comes with great sacrifice, Rogue meets her end after blowing herself up in an attempt to kill the monster who haunted her for over 40 years, Adam Smasher.
With her death, you can pick up one of the top weapons in Cyberpunk. After that, the player can either choose to give up their body to Johnny, or to return to Earth and become the owner of the Afterlife bar. This ending answers a very important question at the beginning of the game, and that is whether V will live a quiet life or go out in a blaze of glory just to become a legend. This is one fo the most satisfying endings as the player achieves what they set out to do, become a legend. They own the most famous bar in the city for fixers and live with everyone knowing that they were the person to mess with Arasaka and come out on top. And let's not forget the hopefulness at the end where the possibility of finding a way for V to survive against the chip becomes all the more apparent.
The Star
To get this ending the player needs to have completed every side quest with Panam, effectively making V a member of the Aldecaldos. With that status, Panam offers the group's if V chooses to ask them for help. Thanks to completing all the side missions beforehand, the group will have the resources to invade Arasaka tower using stolen weaponry and even a hover tank.
The Aldecaldos is essentially a family, and in their community sacrificing their lives for family is worthwhile. Choosing this path essentially means risking the lives of of the group for a chance at survival. That chance wasn't a successful one, but all hope isn't lost. The group migrates from Night City with hopefulness as they head in the direction of a place they received rumors about that can save V. This ending is all around a positive one, and it's proof to the player that making relationships by doing the side quests is useful. It also fulfills most characters' wishes, as everyone in the epilogue s the player in their decision.
(Don't Fear) The Reaper - Secret Ending
This is one of two endings where everyone lives. But compared to every other ending this one is without a doubt the most difficult. To unlock it the player must have had a positive repertoire with Johnny throughout the game, which means agreeing with him most of the time and doing Rogue's side quests to alleviate his regrets from before he died. However, the cost whilst dying in this mission is extremely high. To proceed with this ending don't pick anything when prompted who to invade Arasaka tower with, and eventually, Johnny will provide the option to raid it solo.
Cyberpunk 2077 becomes one of the hardest games to beat if the player chooses to play on the hardest difficulty. Dying a single time during this mission greets the player with credits. It then forces them to reload an earlier save. But it's that overcoming of adversity that truly makes it worth it, hard work is rewarded by the fact that none of the friends you made along the way had to die. From there the player can choose between the two endings, sacrifice your body, so Johnny can live again, or follow the lead to the casino to see if surviving is really possible, but this time, Rogue will be alive. If done successfully, this ending is the best with everyone surviving.
