I usually like to play games as myself, and make ‘good’ decisions that I myself would lean towards in the protagonist’s position. I feel too guilty to choose mean dialogue options, let alone to have my character do something truly horrendous. But I have a problem: I could never place myself in Male V’s shoes inCyberpunk 2077, and while I enjoy the performance of Female V enough to have played a large chunk of the game as her in the past, Night City isn’t a ‘good’ city, creating a roadblock for how I’d naturally play games - everyone here has done horrendous things, usually before breakfast.
Paired with my general disinterest in the cyberpunk genre, this has always been an obstacle for me in spending time with Cyberpunk 2077, andis a big part of why I’ve still never finished the game. However, I’ve figured out how to work around it. I’ve cracked the code. I’ve cyberhacked the detes for the secret formula:
Angry dad.
He’s Not Just Angry. He’s Disappointed.
Okay, V isn’t actually a dad, but that doesn’t matter when I’ve made himlooklike one. In a city of over-the-top everything, he’s just a normal-looking guy with a mustache and an attitude. He’s about as morally upstanding asThe Last of Us’ Joel Miller (aka not at all), and he cares about the people around him, which means he protects them at all costs, to the detriment of the rest of society.
In aesthetics alone, this version of V has already grown on me, and whether he’s smartly dressed or sporting shorts and a baseball cap, he’s out on the streets getting things done. This kind of character fits the performance of Male V surprisingly well, as I’ve never been too interested in the standard ‘rough, gruff, tough guy’ tropes, so there’s an element of comedy to the voice acting when it’s coming from a guy who doesn’t look rough, gruff, or tough.
Then we look at the choices - as I mentioned, I normally try to play games making the ‘good’ choices, but that’s never been the most viable option in Night City, and I don’t want to go full-blown ‘bad guy’. Instead, what about a grumpy but lovable dad who’s really gosh darn annoyed at everything? He might insult people trying to act tough, be sarcastic in serious conversations, or use full force to get the information you need. He’skind oflike a full-blown ‘bad guy’, but with a mustache and a flip case for his phone. Now I just need to find some socks and sandals.
After all these years, I’m finally enjoying Cyberpunk 2077 more than I ever have. I’ve always liked the story and the world, not to mention the incredible RPG elements, but now I can finally enjoy the character V in the best possible way - and, most surprisingly for me, I’m actually playing as the Male V that I swore I would never like for how gruff and tough he is, by embracing those elements in a custom character I can actually enjoy.
Now, as I continue my journey with Johnny Silverhand and misplaced reading glasses, I’m eager to experience everything Night City has to offer, in a way I never thought I would. No guilt, no limits, and no sense of style.
