Cyberpunk 2077 is known for many things, but one of its most-discussed aspects is its romance system, through which new dialog options and character development take place should a player choose to pursue these romantic interests. With CD Projekt Red hard at work on DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, the list of romanceable characters could grow, and there are several characters already in place who might be well served by their own romance sub plots.
It's clear that CD Projekt Red cares about romance options in its games. The Witcher franchise is famous for offering players a choice of various NPCs for Geralt to court and seduce, which typically culminate in scenes worthy of the M rating pasted onto the games' boxes. These side activities are about more than just NSFW cinematics, however, as they can help to both flesh out Geralt's character, as well as shed additional light on the personalities and backgrounds of side characters like Triss and Yennifer, or even say something about the world and politics at large. This is a feature that was carried into Cyberpunk 2077.
Romanceable Cyberpunk 2077 characters like Panam and Judy are some of the most beloved by the fanbase, and players that pursue them typically only grow more fond of them. Seizing upon this opportunity, CD Projekt Red introduced a number of enhancements and expansions to these romance side quests through the recent 1.5 update, making V's chosen partner a bigger part of their moment-to-moment life. With that said, the pool of substantial romance options is effectively limited to just four characters: Panam, Judy, River, and Kerry, along with a few smaller, more inconsequential flings. Through future DLC, Cyberpunk 2077 could bolster its roster of romanceable Night City singles, starting with one of the game's most charismatic side characters.
Most players will first encounter Claire fairly early on in the game, when V and Jackie head to Afterlife during the leadup to the fateful Arasaka heist. Claire is tending the bar and accepts the "Jackie Wells" drink recipe, which players can finally order after the Cyberpunk 2077 1.5 patch. Claire is far from a one-note bartender NPC, though, as players can eventually team up with her for a series of races around Night City, during which Claire will gradually divulge more information about her past, including the tragic death of her husband and a refreshingly nuanced, realistic story of her transgender journey. Sadly, Claire's involvement in Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't extend too far past these missions.
This is where future DLC could come in. If Claire were to become a romance option, players would be able to learn more about her on an intimate level, rather than as just friendly hustlers working together to achieve various goals. Romantic side quests and interactions could also help to further develop Claire's story, specifically showing her healing process and ability to move on following her husband's death. Cyberpunk 2077 has some great characters, and Claire is certainly one of them. Through a personal story of love and romance, she could be even better.
Chart-topping chrome celebrity Elisabeth Lissenfurth AKA Lizzy Wizzy made a huge splash with Cyberpunk 2077 players. Part of this comes down to the voice performance by boundary-pushing pop star Grimes, but it is also due to her story, which is one of the most dramatic, weird, and entertaining in the entire game. Lizzy Wizzy is one of the most famous musicians in a city full of famous musicians, and she reached these heights thanks to her bold, fearless approach to crafting art, which included inducing cardiac arrest on herself on-stage just to be revived as a cybernetic icon.
Lizzy Wizzy is far from a major or fleshed-out character in the base game, so her romance plot could be similar to Cyberpunk 2077's other flings like Meredith Stout. This would be a fun way to reintroduce a memorable character and perhaps peer behind the curtain of what fame looks like in 2077. It might be tough to get Grimes to come back in to record additional dialog, but it would lead to some cool content around one of the game's more eccentric personalities.
On the topic of eccentric personalities, Johnny Silverhand himself could make for a great romance option in Cyberpunk 2077. Admittedly, this would be a rather weird inclusion, but that might be a good thing; the cyberpunk subgenre is all about the concept of transhumanism and identity, what exactly it means to be human, and how these things play into human activities like romance and sex. If CD Projekt Red were to include Johnny as a romanceable option, these themes could be pushed even further, taking the game's narrative underpinnings to an interesting new place. Keanu Reeves has even given his blessing to Cyberpunk 2077 modders looking to romance him, so the man himself would be unlikely to object to a more official version of this in-game.
CD Projekt Red could run into a similar issue as the aforementioned Lizzy Wizzy romance option - it could be tough and/or expensive to get Keanu Reeves back into a recording booth to produce the dialog necessary for this romance plot, but having an intimate relationship with Johnny Silverhand could be one of the strangest, most distinctive parts of Cyberpunk 2077.
Saul Bright, the leader of Panam Palmer's clan, could also be an excellent addition to the romanceable options in Cyberpunk 2077, which has thus far focused less on its male options. Saul is perhaps already underused in the game generally, so allowing him a starring role through romance (which could naturally sprout for players who don't get wrapped up in Panam during Saul's rescue mission) would give his character more of a chance to shine, and increase the options for the many and varied people playing Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077's 1.5 patch enhanced romances by offering more content for available plots, but CD Projekt Red can take things one step further with additional DLC. Night City has been jam-packed with one-of-a-kind characters boasting touching, disturbing, and mind-boggling backstories, on top of having likeable personalities. Through extra romance threads with some of these characters, Cyberpunk 2077 can continue to expand upon not just these characters, but the world, culture, and proclivities of this futuristic society as a whole.
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