The fact that this ending was even on the table took balls. And anyone who calls Panam a “bitch” for her reaction to V’s unalive choice, has never lost a loved one to suicide. Judy’s call was absolutely gut wrenching , and I don’t even care for her. The actress nailed it. Kerry too. He makes you feel lower than death ever could.
Panam is incredibly selfish and unthinking through the entire story. Her comments during the ending is just the logical conclusion of someone who is the center of their own universe.
@@billzsigray1504 Sure Panam is mostly all about herself. But people react differently to this kind of stuff. All kinds of emotions. Like what the guy in the video said. Especially in this case, so close to the end and could have done more. But V didn't. Could say because they were selfish, wanted the easier route. Or they didn't want others to suffer again for themselves. A more "righteous path" depending on how you look at it. Or was just tired of it all. Or anything else could be it. Multiple conclusions, and to other people they won't know which is the one. So in grief, mass emotions can lead you swinging one way or another. Panam is hot headed. More angry at the world and everything. So that would be her initial thoughts. Maybe later down the line that could change, we don't know. Each case is different. We don't know ourselves how we would react, even if we've been through it before. Depends on who you are at the time, who the person was and how they affected you.
@@SirBigWater You’re right. Someone who does a lot of work for a narcissist for free needs to ask their owner for permission to stop or die. What if feudalism but with emotional abuse?
The endings of this game get a lot of flack, but I just love the way they are written. Even with the sun ending, while I understand why a lot of people including me don't like V still chasing that legendary status, I can see why V wouldn't want to abandon the dreams that put him on the road, to begin with. My personal favorite is the temperance ending. While a lot of characters in the games say their lives have changed for the better ever since meeting V, I never really felt that impact as hard as I did as when I did during the temperance epilogue. To see johnny finally let go of his obsessive drive against corpos and try to enjoy the small things in life felt like watching someone break free of their shackles.
The Temperance ending was so bittersweet. I am not ashamed to admit I teared up a few times. V's death hit harder in that ending. Probably because we can see and hear Johnny's grief in that one. And the realize not just through storytelling, but also the gameplay, that V's gone and will never be arround anymore. That was exceptional storytelling and acting performance.
I totally agree. It made me so happy to see him finally give up his vices, knowing that any sort of bender he went on would basically be a violation of V's body, and in the process realizing that it was in his best interest anyhow to just let all of that stuff go. I think it really caps off Johnny's character development flawlessly and holds an amazing message about second chances.
Yeah the Johnny ending actually seemed the most fitting. The nomad ending can also work but it didn't feel as perfectly written as the johnny ending. Probably cause like half of the nomads you got to know all died which sucked.
While the Sun is not my favorite ending, I do like it a lot, because I could see someone in his position realizing the futility of his fight, and instead pursuing that old dream he had with Jackie
The unalive ending definitely stuck out for me, just to have it on the table and to actually examine the aftermath made me respect the writers for tackling a serious subject in a videogame and not making a complete joke of it. Mature Themes saying 'hey, my eyes are up here.'
In a wealth of media that glorifies heroic sacrifice and people taking their own life - this is the only time it actually made me cry. The reactions all felt so realistic, especially the angry or bitter ones. Even without the bloodshed, it shows there aren’t any winners.
I think Judy's message cinches why I can't chose that ending. Yes, it is a sacrifice to prevent others dying (and I saw it having failed a Secret Ending run). But in the end suicide is going to play out as entirely self-focused. V leaves, but they leave by tearing giant wounds in the spirit of those around them. The sadness in the Johnny ending is sad enough for me. I know why Johnny cuts the cord, so to speak. But it hurts that he doesn't send one last goodbye, for V.
Can’t blame him either though. Those who knew about Johnny kinda just decide he’s to blame anyway, no one knows he’s grown and changed like V did, and with V gone it’d be hard for Johnny to essentially try and pass himself off as this new beacon of morality that V decided to give a second chance at life. It should also be considered that it isn’t what Johnny wants. As much as it’s said he’s just a construct, I appreciate how human his ending is if you choose this route. He feels guilty because he wanted to allow V to keep living, seeing them as a real friend by the end of the story. But that guilt as well as the fact that they simply wouldn’t believe him means Johnny just dips. Yes it’s cowardly and unsatisfying, but I can’t say I’d be any better in his shoes. It’s a scary thing to have to do, basically say you took over someones body and they’re effectively dead.
@@nohooligans888 I might say: "commits to a new life" rather than dips, but the effect is the same, I guess. Still gives me a case of the sads, but not like the suicide route does.
@@PvtFlowers I didn't really care about Jackie that much but how v kept talking about him like he was the greatest guy ever when the player is only with him for like a few hours was really weird
@@noaironi Yeah I get that v has an emotional bond with Jackie but we don't like we do with characters like Panama, Judy and Johnny. I think it was a mistake to do that cutscene after they met instead of just playing the game and having the player grow to like them.
@@thanatos3700 but thats the point of him as a character (hes someone in Vs life before we start Vs journey)... i agree that we should at least had one or two gigs with Jackie just like the one with Sandra, which was really intresting, and build Jackie's character more
I was in a dark place when I played this game and considered similar stuff and it was pretty late and picked this ending with the same thought pattern (they’d be better off without me weighing them down) I was shattered by the ending just staring at the screen disgusted by my selfish actions People say cyberpunks writing is meh but this impacted me in a way few games have Way better now by the way picked myself up and made an attempt at live and it’s a mixed bag but that’s the point good and bad
Glad you're still with us Carl. If nothing else, reading your experience and change in attitude solidified my own aversion to the subject of suicide. Thanks, choom.
I was there not too very long ago too. this game definitely has a special way of putting things into perspective. I don't think any other game has gotten me to think about life the way this one did stay strong though. and be proud of yourself. it takes a hell of a lot of effort to pull yourself back up from that low of a point
I like the circle of life effect you get during this ending, you’re given the option to call Jackie throughout the game to leave messages knowing he’ll never get them. And then in this ending you have people calling you in the same fruitless effort. I really enjoy that all the endings hammer home the idea that nothing changes, Night City always stays the same.
I cried like a baby when it got to Judy's message when I played this ending. It feels like she was ready to leave for good, too. "Y'know... now I get it... I get why you and Evelyn wanted to leave this world forever"
Judy's call was devastating. Also having lost a close family member to suicide, I completely understood Panam's reaction because I experienced it myself.
@@PlatapusPhucker i said "dying yourself anyway" mean not sign the contract. Your body will die eventually in any ending, but in this one you will kill Johnny as well.
@@PlatapusPhucker Sure V lives (for 6 months) but so does Suburo. You've traded 6 months of life to allow the corpos to grind their boot in the face of humanity forever with not even death preventing them from coming back. If that isn't the worst ending, it's only because the one where you do the same thing and then sign the contract is worse.
This ending no matter how depressing it may be, is very accurate to what would happen. I feel for the writer of this ending. Not to mention the emotions that the voice actors portrayed. Very well done.
as someone who dealt with suicide ideation and mental health issues for over a decade this hits very, VERY hard, Judy breaking down, Mamá Welles praying, Kerry talking about how ''it only proves you dont give a crap about your friends'' made me think a LOT about it, hell I actually had a very hard time this week about it. It is just a story yes but it is incredibly well made. Just talking about it now brings my heart to my throat. If I actually go through with it I'd just be making everyone I love miserable and thats definetely not what I want.
Stay strong dude, I'm right there with you. I think about getting my pistol and blasting my head off every day, but I would never do it because I know it would permanently scar my family and few real friends. Not to say everyone who kills themselves is a terrible person, I understand the mental anguish and just wanting to get out, but it just isn't an option if you truly evaluate the effect it will have on your loved ones. We just gotta keep moving on one day at a time, maybe someday we will be in a better mental state where we can actually experience happiness again.
@@landotucker Hey dude just want you to know you aren't alone. There are communities about this online if you need to talk, reddit has a few. Just keep at it, when I have bad days where I seriously contemplate doing it I usually go back to my parents' house and just shirk any other responsibilities. Nothing is as important as keeping yourself from going through with it. Keep in mind suicidal ideation is considered a medical emergency, don't let the dark thoughts win. We've got this, even if we don't live a happy life we can at least ensure we don't make our loved ones' lives a million times worse. There can be beauty in living for others I think. Good luck
In my first playthrough, I accidentally got this ending as I wasn't clear on what I was selecting and thought that maybe there was a secret plan 😂 I cried HARD
I forgot I heard this somewhere, but for the responses that are angry, think of it this way, they are mad at the person who murdered their friend. As you said, they might not know 100% of V's predicament, but the V they think they knew wouldn't have offed himself. The murderer is the person they knew and loved.
I accidently chose this ending not really realizing what I was doing, after realizing what I had done by mistake I had a good laugh, and then i went and shed a few tears, cause those video calls really hit me hard
I 100% agree, with this ending being the best. Honestly when you think about it V's friends would have died for nothing in the other endings besides the secret ending, since V would have ended up dying in a few months or be entirely replaced by Johnny or became part of Alt (which is basically dying anyways). It sucks but it's a good reflection on our own world and how we genuinely have very little control of the world around us.
This is the game that really forced me to re-evaluate the ways I saw the world, especially considering it’s the thing that helped me realize I have DID. This ending helped me realize I have DID, unfortunately enough. I will never stop loving it for how much fun I had and what I did for me though 💙♥️💖
Thanks for all the support on this video, it really means a lot. I'm glad to see that so many people feel the same way about this ending. And even if you don't - that's fine!
I cry everytime I watch this video. Whenever I reach my limit and think about... "Taking the worst ending" I remind myself that, their is people in my life that needs me. This video may be depressing to some... But to me. It reminds me why I keep going ... And Why I shouldn't take the "easy way out". Cause the pain it may cause would be far worse than anything I've been thru. And don't want my loved ones to feel that pain. Thank you for this impactful video. Thanks choom. For all the hard work you put into the video. "Permanent solutions for temporary problems is not the answer"
This ending makes the most sense if you think about it. The story of Johnny Silverhand and V alone is proof for what I'm saying. Johnny Silverhand spent the entirety of his life, being an asshole to his friends, like he tells V after visiting where he died and realizing no one cared about him, he just went down, not with a blaze of glory, but just down, like nothing ever happened. The friends that he made over the course of his life, he grew on them, and used them. His destructive obsession with bringing down Arasaka because of a personal vendetta of his, caused many of his friends their very lives. Some moved on, after his "apparent" death, because they never wanted to be where they were. Same with V. An Edgerunner with an extraordinary zeal for joining the major leagues and becoming rich. Jackie's involvement in this is what makes this super depressing. V did want to go far and become a night city legend, but it was more on Jackie than on him. Jackie felt he was useless, he didn't wanna become like one of the "Welles Boys", like he said, so he wanted to step up his game. And that was the issue, No one asked him to. Despite the fact he thought he had no impact on others because he was a street mercenary, he actually did. The funeral scene of Jackie was super depressing. You'd see that, despite how useless he thought he was, he had people that looked up to him. What's my point here? This whole mission, the story that set up cyberpunk's main plot, was fueled by two things: Ego and the desire for power. In a sense, I'd say personal recklessness and indulgences. (They knew what Arasaka was, what could go wrong, and how they could be fucked if they made a single mistake, but did it anyway). And we all saw the consequences. Along with the number of persons that died from it, and the persons affected by said deaths. So, V reasons out all this perspectives and his current goal(getting to Arasaka tower), and realizes that Many people would die. For Them. Again. (for Nothing). That's why he/she asked Johnny the question.... "Am I worth their sacrifice? Are you?" They ask this because they realized that both of them(Johnny and V) had selfish reasons for doing what they did, and they now somehow wanted persons who had nothing to do with it, to die for said cause. It doesn't work. The game's writing went out of its way to show us exactly what I'm saying. No matter what path you choose to take, no matter what persons you carry along with, many of them will die....(Realism). So, Why the bother? Why not just end it all? Since it's the case that he'd die already? V's heroic actions saved everyone involved. Including the ones that loved him. So.... This is the best ending in my opinion. Nobody dies. Except for the person who started it all. Regardless, it's still painful. R.I.P Vincent/Valerie
Again. I think Kerry's reactions are misplaced. If he knew exactly what was happening to V, that they'd die.... He shouldn't have said what he said. My best reaction to V's death is Misty. Hers is sad for me too, as much as the others. She accepts it in positive spirit, as per Misty as usual, but.... You can tell she's broken inside. And it's more depressing if you were closer to her, post Jackie's death. This game is sad. And I think despite the bugs and controversy, it'd be a cult classic in decades to come.
This ending really got to me, especially hearing Judy's reaction, I feel they did a great job with her character, and hearing her break down like that plus seeing her eye makeup the way it was made me cry. While I don't always agree with Panam, I fully understand her reacting the way she did, she was already unsure about working with V, but after being around V, she started to see things differently, and to hear V died this way, she was super pissed. Misty's only moment I've seen where she was really unhappy is if we side with the very people who killed Jackie, she lets us know she's hurt by that, and I don't blame her one bit. Now the ending where you let Johnny take over, seeing him go to Rouge and V's parts of the mausoleum, and saying goodbye to both of them, that really made me cry. Yeah, Rouge is kinda a fucking bitch, but her death also hurt as she was changing, and realized the mistakes she's made, and V because well, it's no fun to see death of a character who didn't deserve it.
It's Judy's voicemail that really, and I mean REALLY, tears me up. It adds something if you were female V and romanced her (kind of wish the actual voicemail had that within it though)
yeah male v with judy she treats you more like brother and can be nasty at male v also, as female v she is fine with majority of time, kinda wish male v could romanced her also if honest while female v could romance panam etc.
those last lines you said "the city stays the same, everybody else goes on to live normally, but the people affected by V's decision have to live whit this for the rest of their lives" those words struck a string 😢 because i know that would happen if i did the same. it's kind egoistical to do so (commit *******), but the constant mental pain and all the feeling really weight down with each passing year
This was one of the hardest endings for me to watch, I ended up reloading the save after Judys, fuck it hurt to see them all like that, suicide is never a solution, in game or irl
holy shit! didn't even know this was an ending, i did the Devil ending with Arasaka. This ending is so special, it shows how much effort the development team put into the character development of the game, the realism in their reactions and the characters showing different stages of grief. In a futuristic dystopia where humanity has blurred the lines between privacy, free will, and stripped people of their humanity, it only seems as sucide is the only choice.
I disagree. My first ending was the devil ending, cause I didnt want to risk anybody's life (at that point I had no idea about "Don't Fear the Reaper" ending, cause who the hell sits for several minutes without clicking anything at that point?) And man, they really sold me the feeling of being a lab rat, feeling like V no longer lives a life while being aware of it, watching news over TV where he realised that in an effort to save himself, he potentially relieved humanity of it's capacity to stay human. And as my V was walking away, humming "Never Fades Away" to himself, the tragedy of entire situation crashed down on me, in the end we betrayed someone we called our friend, just to doom the soul of the human race. And that, is why believe that the Devil ending is the worst one, not the suicide.
I chose it as I needed the last tarot card. Didn’t spoil the ending for myself but I knew to complete the quest I had to do that ending, so I did. Never again. I knew it’d be bad, the mere idea of it sounded awful, but I did not expect an ending to make me feel like I’d singlehandedly ruined everything I had accomplished in one move.
@@nohooligans888 … I think that’s why this game is epic. There are so many quest endings that are morally gray or just plain horrible (hello sinnerman) and hit you in the feels.
@@MemristerBoogieDown sinnerman ain’t even morally gray, you watch a mentally ill man get exploited by a corporation for money. It’s peak Cyberpunk, profit before peoples welllbeing, though I will admit V’s potential involvement is definitely a gray area. Especially since most of us seem to just let the show keep rolling as it’s all we really can do.
@@nohooligans888 …no, I meant sinnerman was just just plain horrible. Edit: …only quest in a video game I’ve ever played and then had to kind of sit back and go WTF…
I think what is interesting is there are examples of the stages of grief in the messages you get. Victor has denial: trying to talk to V like nothing is wrong at the start. Panam and Kerry obviously show anger. Judy shows full depression over your loss. Mama Wells has mixtures of bargaining (with a higher power) and acceptance (that V is in a better place) And Misty and River show different levels of acceptance.
All the endings are made so well, it's crazy. The calls are so gut wrenching and realistic, it's clear they cared about V, and so did the actors/actresses.
I went into this not expecting much. It was a video that just kept popping up in my youtube feed. I'm so glad I watched this. This was a really well thought out, and explained video, that touches a heavy topic some viewers, even, may be experiencing thoughts of themselves. This ending gets so much flack, but I think it's an amazing anti-suicide message. Night City lives on without you, sure, but the people who were closes to you will have to live with this the rest of their lives. Same goes for real life. You never know just how many people's lives you truly make an impact on, until it's too late. Thank you for this video. It was definitely something I needed at this point in my life. Losing a friend is seriously hard, and something I don't think I'll ever get over. It's nice to see other people's perspectives (though characters in a game), and the emotions they feel in that time of grieving. It's okay to feel sad, angry, empty, etc. Don't bottle it up, don't let it break you too. Live on for yourself, and for your friend.
Great analysis work, comrade. Out of most of the essay form opinion pieces of Cyberpunk 2077, I'm glad to see some like-minded thoughts on some of the endings. I know I had similar ideas as to why certain characters feel/think a certain way, and the Suicide ending, by far, in my opinion, contains some heartwrenching performances by the voice actor to the point of tearing up a little.
I am completely agree with you about the ending. I chose it in my first playtrough. The Panam ending is the most happiest ending, the Arasaka one is the badest one and the suicide is the most logical and emotional.
@@PlatapusPhucker If you haven't done this ending, then spoilers ahead: In the Devil ending we get to see V walk into the Arasaka examination lab, their face is that of someone who lost all hope; and indeed V is told that there is nothing left to do. V now has only a few days to live, all of the contacts cut communications. And as V sets out to leave, there is no one there to greet them (unless you saved Takemura)...
It's my favourite ending too. It made me felt the most emotions. Mainly because I designed V to look like me, make decisions and talk like me. I gave him the modifications, clothes and weapons i would wear/use. I AM V. So the reactions of all the characters, my friends, are the reactions of my death. And what made it more heartbreaking, is that I would definitely choose this option if this was real.
Damn I thought I was watching a 100k sub plus channel for a second I the quality is great! My personal favorite ending and the one I landed on first try was not getting close enough to a lot of people and my role play was a guy that just really wanted to live so I went with arasaka and gave them my soul
The endings are all really good. Would have been made better if V would have left a message for the suicide ending. Then if Johnny could at least respond to everyone. Seems like a few loose ends left unsolved.
Nah that’d make it too cliché, besides it feels clear that it’s not meant to be the ending you settle with but instead its just there. It’s there for morality reality, to not drag anyone else into it, to not put anyone else in harms way. It is the “safe” option. The loose ends in that ending feel intentional as it quite literally is not what V would do.
@@nohooligans888 it feels like an ending put there to help use the story to increase suicide awareness. It really shows you how sometimes it can seem like the right choice and then shows you the gut wrenching fallout from that choice.
To me it seemed like that was kind of the point of the suicide ending. It shows that doing that doesn't solve any problems or tie up any loose ends; it just transfers your pain to other people.
That is very much the point. It’s not about tying up loose ends or making everything make sense, it’s about making what you believe in that moment, the only choice that you feel you have. You’re not solving your problems, you’re simply choosing to escape them, because if you succeed, it doesn’t matter anymore, you got all the closure you need and it’s not up to you to make everyone understand it, because it was never their problem to begin with. Having been in that mindset I get it, yeah you know it’s gonna suck for anyone that does care about you, and if you’re reasonably smart you’ll distance yourself from those people before making that choice, but ultimately your only goal is to escape the situation you feel you have no other way out of, and in v’s case, he’s quite literally having to choose between sacrificing himself or his friends, and honestly I know exactly what choice is make if I was in the same position, without a second thought, loose ends be damned.
A love voicemail messages in general. That was a really interesting way to establish the post-game status quo, that worked so much better than the narration in games like Fallout/Outer Worlds.
Something to add to that ending is the fact that you are accepting the fact that is kinda useless to seek salvation as it will get you killed either way, so, when you have done the other endings, you'll know that pretty much you are fucked no matter what, so, by offing yourself you recognize your own predicament and most importantly your situation you were driving in. With this I do not like the idea of suicide itself, for me it is horrendous to even think about it, but still like the ending.
Got this ending on accident by misreading the dialog options just a few days after getting out of the hospital and being under 24/7 suicide watch and it absolutely floored me no ending to any game had me as emotional as that one did and it was all thanks to a simple reading mistake. It was the perfect ending at that time I was just stuck there staring at the screen even as the credits were through
I agree, Jackie died way too soon. The fact that the character made the impact that he did storywise in such a short amount of time kinda of adds to the tragedy of the whole thing though and fits the universe (Stay committed to the edge. Live Fast Die Fast). Fact is Choom I would have rather had that prologue flashback (a few missions) be both the tutorial to play and build characters/world better than gonked Militech shard lol Video was preem tier though. Love the perspective. Wouldn't have gone with the suicide on the rooftop though(storming 'Saka HQ with nothing but the hottest iron in hand and going out with a bang is more of my speed). I wish you could complete Don't (Fear) The Reaper and get an alternative version of the Star Ending (Saul Lives and give V the choice of not to go back to the Afterlife/complete the space heist and leaving with Panam instead).
The other day was the first time in a while I was able to make it through Jackie's death without crying. I use to because I was still getting use to the game and didn't find him as interesting a character from the start, but once I did, his death always hurt me, and made me cry. And when V says see you in the major leagues, Jack, the way female V says it didn't help me much either, her voice actress saying that only made me cry even more 'cause I felt she really put a lot of emotion in that line. Also I felt the way male V says it just feeds into the idea that men don't cry, which honestly takes away from the moment, and that's partly why I haven't played the game as male V, I like playing as female V because the voice actress did a great job with all her lines, i just can't believe it's fucking Lucy from the English dub of Fairy Tail! Anyway, if i remember, the first time I cried when Jackie died, I had to stop for a moment, and empty out anything weighing me down so I could run in the game without feeling too heavy. Boy, I wish we could get then chance to kill Dex, but I did have fun taking out the Voo Doo Boys, mainly because I can't stand how they talk about Ev, the assholes aren't worth siding with, so when I found out we can stop them, I was happy. Also I like taking out Tiger Claws because I can't stand them either because of how you can be walking down the street, hear someone at their mercy, and them just kill them for no reason. I go after all the street gangs, except for the Valentino's, I have respect for them 'cause of my boy Jackie, so when Kirk offers a job that means you go after them, I do not do this one. if you needed to go after them to level up in the game, and couldn't fully level up, I would avoid that just because I don't wanna go after them.
I like it because it shows that Protagonists aren't always the people that win, usually just the ones with the most interesting story. A since it is so interesting, you get invested, learn to love, or respect, or appreciate the character. Only to get slapped with their loss at the end. One of my favourite ways to end a story, and good ones are really good to watch/read.
yeah, when I played the second round of Cyberpunk, I tried the suicide ending and Fucking balled my eyes out when Judy called. I normally rarely ever cry at movies and have never cried at games, but this... this stabbed my heart. Rewatching this made me cry even more when you pointed out that Judy already went through it with Evlen death and became happy again with V. And then it was ripped out again.😭😭😭😭
Hurting Judy is heartbreaking - and I cannot choose this ending because it makes me feel like I have done something terrible. A role playing game that makes me feel like I have hurt someone IRL makes this one of my favourite games.
Storm the gates with Jonny or with Rouge makes the most sense. It's necessary for Rouge to complete her ark knowing that she cheated death by getting in bed with Corpos or going it alone gets you there without any other deaths. I did not like bringing in the Aldecaldos because as Johnny predicts many will die. The mission was a mess. I felt giving Johnny the body made the most sense but liked V going out with a bang on what could be her greatest achievment.
I think that Don't Fear The Ripper ending fits the whole "legend of NC" arc the best. This way V really becomes the unbeatable legend. Sure, Johnny and others pulled wild stunts before but they were usually with a crew and some planning. In this ending you enter through the damn front door without any plan and backup whatsoever.
@@aj2i18jx that ending literally paid the game, assault arasaka tower alone with a terrorist Keanu Reeves in your head has no price, I mean…even gameplay-wise it’s not exactly an easy mission and I loved that, maybe I would have expected a few more changes in the ending, but that's okay
I went through this ending and i regreted it because one of my favorites (Judy) broke down in a way I know to well. And Kerry's (my other favorite) call, put him in a role that I've been put in multiple times. He wasn't being rude or too harsh. He was being helpful and honest (tough love).
That December from the moment I started playing on launch I was hooked. I got a whole 2070 laptop for it at the time it was supposed to be out in April. I spent like 150hrs damn near non stop that month(I can game at work) and by the time I got to the ending I was just so over it man. The suicide ending felt so fitting for my V. I can’t describe how fitting that felt for that play through. I put about 250 more hrs in up until now with mods and the deck but I’ve never been able to get into it the way I was that December man. I was so immersed.
I think one of the reasons this works so well as a dark ending is because it shows that the world doesn't give a shit about what you do, whether you live or die, and will just keep on turning. Your friends and loved ones will feel it, but no one else. It's harsh but true.
I was going through a tough time while playing this game, i chose this ending not knowing exactly what it was and man those messages at the end made me sob especially because ive had friends and family leave the same way, just good writing and a good anti-suicide message. It gets better
As someone whose had to deal with the fallout of several friends and relatives who have attempted that particular ending Panam's anger makes a lot of sense. The Sicilians would bury those who went out like that at a crossroads so those with the strength to go on could walk over them as they go. A harsh people, but they make great pasta so it balances out.
I hate downer endings, but I can see how this one strikes all the heartstrings Personally, I will always choose the Panam ending because at least V will live the best 6 months of his life and die surrounded by people who love him. Or maybe he lives against all odds. Who knows?
This is the ending I got on my first and only played through this game, not quite understanding what tossing the pills would do. But I feel like it wrapped up night city perfectly.
as some one who just finished the "dont fear the reaper" ending, i regret not choosing this instead. whether v keeps their body or gives it to johnny, someone is doomed to eternity in the blackwall. essentially cyber hell. i couldnt celebrate v's victory knowing that johnny never gets to rest in peace. with suicide v and johnny can both stop fighting, stop suffering, and just rest.
the main character wasn't v, or johnny, the main character is night city. the point of the story is that the machine keeps going, it doesn't care about people or morals.
Considering this was my first ending. It destroyed me. I had seen three other endings and didn't know about this ending. So, imagine my surprise when I suddenly get this ending on my first playthrough thinking it was the raid Arasaka on your own ending. Seeing all of the characters I had grown to love just mourn you/hate you. I was genuinely not expecting this. Then, the eerie music kicks in, followed by Never Fade Away. While, I'm just sitting back on my chair letting all those emotions wash over me. Fuking brutal m8. This is why I LIVE FOR GOOD STORIES!
the suicide ending, got me crying from the first one.... and as a person who have considered it since a long time. and after the last one, i just, went to my family, and shared with them the rest of the day.
PHANTOM LIBERTY SPOILER And then in the new dlc ending, the time when you need your friends the most, everyone just leaves you, hell you delete johnny for it and you have literally no one. fuck it, better to just end it this way than that. At least in this ending, like V says "We will be aware the moment life escapes", much better end to Johnny than just deletion.
there's only so much weathering people can take but having those who actually give a damn about you behind you can help ease it the world may still sting but the pain isn't that of the bullet ant
I remember a month or two ago I decided to go through a bunch of the endings since I'd only played one of them by that point. I was curious about the differences between the endings. Then I got to this ending. This hit me like a freight train. Actually more like 70 freight trains. And they're all being thrown by evil Superman. I'd romance Judy in that playthrough, so that just made her call feel even worse. All of these characters I'd gotten to know and care about...who'd gotten to care about V...and now that was gone. Part of me wishes I'd never played this ending, as it really hurt to watch. But part of me is also glad I did, because now I really know that I shouldn't do that in real life. No matter how hard it gets...never stop fighting.
My favorite ending by far is Don't Fear The Reaper, because if you die the game is over and you aren't endangering any of your friends made along the path being a similar situation as the suicide option obviously, but at least you have a chance. Along with proving that you tried your hardest to V's friends.
The best part is when V is ready to do it, he appreciate the fact that Night City is kinda beautiful, compared to how see it as a souless husk he is after the Soulkiller burns out his soul (or even just killing V and creating a copy) and is just focused on becoming the legend and not carrying about anything else. In this ending he goes down on his own terms.
Suicide Ending with a style, with extra steps, with a BANG! is the best for me. It's called the secret / hidden ending, for me, is the best in terms of story and character development: 1. V and Johnny are berserking Arasaka Tower without others help, they are doing suicide mission without dragging anyone else, and yes, they succeed, no one dies in the process, except the Arasaka people, ofc. The line from Johnny Silverhand: "You, me and Arasaka Tower. Kinda sounds like a Eurodyne lyric, I know. But trust me, we’ll go fuckin’ nova." that was best line Johnny had in this game. 2. Johnny Silverhand kinda redeem himself, and got his revenge (Arasaka collapse, Adam Smasher dies, etc), and he goes 'Beyond the Blackwall' with Alt, his soulmate, becoming a happily-ever-after AI. 3. V got his control of his body back, and live the short life he got left, in the best possible way he could, becoming the Legend of Night City, a mercenary legend, after sucessfully destroying the Crystal Palace. 4. Panam is happy going back with her Nomad clan, and not knowing anything about V's whereabout and what happened to him (on credits scene she still don't know it). 5. Judy is chilling somewhere leaving the Night City, leaving all her attachment and bad feelings about that city, and just like Panam, she doesn't know what happened to V, and it seems likely no one does. 6. Misty also got her revenge too. Arasaka was destroyed by her late boyfriend's best friend. So there you have it, the best possible scenario of Cyberpunk 2077's ending. This Secret Ending is triggered by not choosing anyone (Hanako/Panam/Rogue) to help you destroying Arasaka Tower and Mikoshi (Relic). Just wait and think for for 4-5 mins. You are on your own, one man show (or two if you count Johnny in your head as a different person), goes berserk into Arasaka Headquarter!
This was my favorite ending narrative-wise because it’s the only one that truly presents the emotional connections you make with the characters in the side content. V deciding to take their own life is perfectly aligned with with the oppressive tone of the story, being pushed into the ground after pursuing the heights of legend status and dying, regretful, alone and tired. Dying quietly instead of in a cinematic blaze of glory. The action isn’t presented as some glorious event, it’s a soul crushing moment of defeat. It really matches with the idea of Night City consuming anyone who tries to make it big there. The city eats away at V, and they’re too blinded by the pain to see how their decision may affect the people they care about. The ending fits narratively but also serves as an important perspective on the affects of suicide on loved ones and friends. Doesn’t necessarily mean I dislike the other endings, just thought that the voicemails in the others (within the context of V’s death/disappearance) didn’t last as long as I wanted them to, or that they didn’t connect enough to the actions we took in the game.
Assaulting Arasaka with Johnny by yourself and using what little remains of your life to give your now best friend another chance is my favorite to actually play through and probably feels like the most satisfying conclusion to the narrative. But there's also definitely something about this ending that feels particularly epiphanic. Like what I would probably really do in that situation. And, as much as the game would let me, I deliberately avoided letting myself get close to these characters to spare them that pain when I was gone and chose the options in their stories that would make it clear that I didn't want to be close to them. Basically I sabotaged the chance at close relationships with these people so that, when the inevitable came, I was only the only one who would suffer. It's also true that in real life V could've left a message explaining why they made the choice to take their own life in the end so that there wouldn't be room for so much misunderstanding. Because V's reasons for choosing this are noble: to avoid possibly getting all their allies killed just on the off chance that they might find a way to save themself as well as the bitter sweet fact that, even if they succeeded, that would still only buy them months to live in their own body before succumbing anyway. My only real criticism of the ending is that I think it would've been more fitting for V to take their life by pulling the Relic chip out, rather than just a generic gunshot, grounding it more in the particulars of this character and their story.
I teared up in this one. I went in blind and was not expecting what I got. I was in silent shock for about fifteen minutes then scoured the Internet for people’s reactions
I remember I got this ending on my first play through on accident. I was half asleep and thought the pills were the ones misty gives you to give Johnny full control, so I chose to throw them. Knew I might’ve fucked up when it became a cutscene and It went into 3rd person lmao, shit had me in disbelief for days. Even now it’s my headcanon ending
What I love about the endings is how none of them are really good endings. All of them are pretty shit or pretty sad. Which fits how night city is a place where happy endings don’t exist
I literally was exploring the dialogue options on my first playtrough and then this happened, it really got me off guard because I didnt belive that suicide was made as an ending into a game 10/10
That ending is one of the best anti suicide messages ever made
yea and misty being last on voicemails saying ‘you dont know just how many friends you had’ was no accident
Yea people don't get the purpose of the ending and just trash it cause it's "depressing"...
@Llify dam u added a lot to the conversation
@Llify what are you even on about ?
@@llify3316 your Profile pic is a L
Don't forget: After the messages Never Fade Away starts playing... emotional damage.
The fact that this ending was even on the table took balls. And anyone who calls Panam a “bitch” for her reaction to V’s unalive choice, has never lost a loved one to suicide.
Judy’s call was absolutely gut wrenching , and I don’t even care for her. The actress nailed it. Kerry too. He makes you feel lower than death ever could.
Panam is incredibly selfish and unthinking through the entire story. Her comments during the ending is just the logical conclusion of someone who is the center of their own universe.
@@billzsigray1504 Sure Panam is mostly all about herself. But people react differently to this kind of stuff. All kinds of emotions. Like what the guy in the video said. Especially in this case, so close to the end and could have done more. But V didn't. Could say because they were selfish, wanted the easier route.
Or they didn't want others to suffer again for themselves. A more "righteous path" depending on how you look at it.
Or was just tired of it all. Or anything else could be it.
Multiple conclusions, and to other people they won't know which is the one. So in grief, mass emotions can lead you swinging one way or another. Panam is hot headed. More angry at the world and everything. So that would be her initial thoughts. Maybe later down the line that could change, we don't know. Each case is different. We don't know ourselves how we would react, even if we've been through it before. Depends on who you are at the time, who the person was and how they affected you.
@@SirBigWater You’re right. Someone who does a lot of work for a narcissist for free needs to ask their owner for permission to stop or die. What if feudalism but with emotional abuse?
I’m pretty sure she cried after she sent the message
@@billzsigray1504you actually don't know jack shit if that's your conclusion.
The endings of this game get a lot of flack, but I just love the way they are written. Even with the sun ending, while I understand why a lot of people including me don't like V still chasing that legendary status, I can see why V wouldn't want to abandon the dreams that put him on the road, to begin with. My personal favorite is the temperance ending. While a lot of characters in the games say their lives have changed for the better ever since meeting V, I never really felt that impact as hard as I did as when I did during the temperance epilogue. To see johnny finally let go of his obsessive drive against corpos and try to enjoy the small things in life felt like watching someone break free of their shackles.
I was actually surprised how fitting the Johnny ending was. This too may have been one of my favorites.
The Temperance ending was so bittersweet. I am not ashamed to admit I teared up a few times. V's death hit harder in that ending. Probably because we can see and hear Johnny's grief in that one. And the realize not just through storytelling, but also the gameplay, that V's gone and will never be arround anymore. That was exceptional storytelling and acting performance.
I totally agree. It made me so happy to see him finally give up his vices, knowing that any sort of bender he went on would basically be a violation of V's body, and in the process realizing that it was in his best interest anyhow to just let all of that stuff go. I think it really caps off Johnny's character development flawlessly and holds an amazing message about second chances.
Yeah the Johnny ending actually seemed the most fitting. The nomad ending can also work but it didn't feel as perfectly written as the johnny ending. Probably cause like half of the nomads you got to know all died which sucked.
While the Sun is not my favorite ending, I do like it a lot, because I could see someone in his position realizing the futility of his fight, and instead pursuing that old dream he had with Jackie
The unalive ending definitely stuck out for me, just to have it on the table and to actually examine the aftermath made me respect the writers for tackling a serious subject in a videogame and not making a complete joke of it. Mature Themes saying 'hey, my eyes are up here.'
The self-termination ending has one of the best anti self-termination messages I’ve ever seen in a videogame
I loved it as well. They didn't make light of it and it really showed how much of an impact self-termination has on a person's loved ones.
"unalive"...
In a wealth of media that glorifies heroic sacrifice and people taking their own life - this is the only time it actually made me cry. The reactions all felt so realistic, especially the angry or bitter ones. Even without the bloodshed, it shows there aren’t any winners.
But heroic sacrifices still happen unless you take the secret ending - each one will kill somebody that is not V unless you pick this one.
I think Judy's message cinches why I can't chose that ending. Yes, it is a sacrifice to prevent others dying (and I saw it having failed a Secret Ending run). But in the end suicide is going to play out as entirely self-focused. V leaves, but they leave by tearing giant wounds in the spirit of those around them.
The sadness in the Johnny ending is sad enough for me. I know why Johnny cuts the cord, so to speak. But it hurts that he doesn't send one last goodbye, for V.
Can’t blame him either though. Those who knew about Johnny kinda just decide he’s to blame anyway, no one knows he’s grown and changed like V did, and with V gone it’d be hard for Johnny to essentially try and pass himself off as this new beacon of morality that V decided to give a second chance at life.
It should also be considered that it isn’t what Johnny wants. As much as it’s said he’s just a construct, I appreciate how human his ending is if you choose this route. He feels guilty because he wanted to allow V to keep living, seeing them as a real friend by the end of the story. But that guilt as well as the fact that they simply wouldn’t believe him means Johnny just dips. Yes it’s cowardly and unsatisfying, but I can’t say I’d be any better in his shoes. It’s a scary thing to have to do, basically say you took over someones body and they’re effectively dead.
@@nohooligans888 I might say: "commits to a new life" rather than dips, but the effect is the same, I guess.
Still gives me a case of the sads, but not like the suicide route does.
I totally agree Jackie died too fast, also idk why they showed it in the trailer
I don't think they expected people to like jackie as much as they did.
@@PvtFlowers I didn't really care about Jackie that much but how v kept talking about him like he was the greatest guy ever when the player is only with him for like a few hours was really weird
@@thanatos3700 they were friends longer than we played with him of course, they kinda started on the mercenary road together
@@noaironi Yeah I get that v has an emotional bond with Jackie but we don't like we do with characters like Panama, Judy and Johnny. I think it was a mistake to do that cutscene after they met instead of just playing the game and having the player grow to like them.
@@thanatos3700 but thats the point of him as a character (hes someone in Vs life before we start Vs journey)... i agree that we should at least had one or two gigs with Jackie just like the one with Sandra, which was really intresting, and build Jackie's character more
I was in a dark place when I played this game and considered similar stuff and it was pretty late and picked this ending with the same thought pattern (they’d be better off without me weighing them down)
I was shattered by the ending just staring at the screen disgusted by my selfish actions
People say cyberpunks writing is meh but this impacted me in a way few games have
Way better now by the way picked myself up and made an attempt at live and it’s a mixed bag but that’s the point good and bad
Glad you're still with us Carl. If nothing else, reading your experience and change in attitude solidified my own aversion to the subject of suicide. Thanks, choom.
I’m right there with you and understand. Glad to hear things are looking up!!
I was there not too very long ago too. this game definitely has a special way of putting things into perspective. I don't think any other game has gotten me to think about life the way this one did
stay strong though. and be proud of yourself. it takes a hell of a lot of effort to pull yourself back up from that low of a point
Lightning McQueen gaming
Life doesn’t get easier, you just get better at it 👍🏽 Glad you’re still here ❤️🩹😘
I like the circle of life effect you get during this ending, you’re given the option to call Jackie throughout the game to leave messages knowing he’ll never get them. And then in this ending you have people calling you in the same fruitless effort. I really enjoy that all the endings hammer home the idea that nothing changes, Night City always stays the same.
This ending combined with Edgerunners had me fucked up for a good couple of days. Hands down the most emotionally invested I've ever been in a game.
I cried like a baby when it got to Judy's message when I played this ending. It feels like she was ready to leave for good, too.
"Y'know... now I get it... I get why you and Evelyn wanted to leave this world forever"
Judy's call was devastating.
Also having lost a close family member to suicide, I completely understood Panam's reaction because I experienced it myself.
Arasaka ending is the worst one.
This one is sad but not the worst.
Killing Johnny and dying yourself anyway or becoming Arasaka slave is way worse.
U know, that u could not sign contract with Arasaka at the end?
And why why it's the worst?
@@PlatapusPhucker i said "dying yourself anyway" mean not sign the contract.
Your body will die eventually in any ending, but in this one you will kill Johnny as well.
@@PlatapusPhucker Sure V lives (for 6 months) but so does Suburo. You've traded 6 months of life to allow the corpos to grind their boot in the face of humanity forever with not even death preventing them from coming back.
If that isn't the worst ending, it's only because the one where you do the same thing and then sign the contract is worse.
This ending no matter how depressing it may be, is very accurate to what would happen. I feel for the writer of this ending. Not to mention the emotions that the voice actors portrayed. Very well done.
as someone who dealt with suicide ideation and mental health issues for over a decade this hits very, VERY hard, Judy breaking down, Mamá Welles praying, Kerry talking about how ''it only proves you dont give a crap about your friends'' made me think a LOT about it, hell I actually had a very hard time this week about it. It is just a story yes but it is incredibly well made. Just talking about it now brings my heart to my throat. If I actually go through with it I'd just be making everyone I love miserable and thats definetely not what I want.
Stay strong dude, I'm right there with you. I think about getting my pistol and blasting my head off every day, but I would never do it because I know it would permanently scar my family and few real friends. Not to say everyone who kills themselves is a terrible person, I understand the mental anguish and just wanting to get out, but it just isn't an option if you truly evaluate the effect it will have on your loved ones.
We just gotta keep moving on one day at a time, maybe someday we will be in a better mental state where we can actually experience happiness again.
Same. Probably think about it once or twice a month if I'm honest.
@@landotucker Hey dude just want you to know you aren't alone. There are communities about this online if you need to talk, reddit has a few. Just keep at it, when I have bad days where I seriously contemplate doing it I usually go back to my parents' house and just shirk any other responsibilities. Nothing is as important as keeping yourself from going through with it. Keep in mind suicidal ideation is considered a medical emergency, don't let the dark thoughts win. We've got this, even if we don't live a happy life we can at least ensure we don't make our loved ones' lives a million times worse. There can be beauty in living for others I think. Good luck
In my first playthrough, I accidentally got this ending as I wasn't clear on what I was selecting and thought that maybe there was a secret plan 😂 I cried HARD
SAMEEEE OH GOD IT WAS AWFUL
Good to know I'm not alone lol
Same lol
I forgot I heard this somewhere, but for the responses that are angry, think of it this way, they are mad at the person who murdered their friend. As you said, they might not know 100% of V's predicament, but the V they think they knew wouldn't have offed himself. The murderer is the person they knew and loved.
I accidently chose this ending not really realizing what I was doing, after realizing what I had done by mistake I had a good laugh, and then i went and shed a few tears, cause those video calls really hit me hard
I 100% agree, with this ending being the best. Honestly when you think about it V's friends would have died for nothing in the other endings besides the secret ending, since V would have ended up dying in a few months or be entirely replaced by Johnny or became part of Alt (which is basically dying anyways). It sucks but it's a good reflection on our own world and how we genuinely have very little control of the world around us.
This is the game that really forced me to re-evaluate the ways I saw the world, especially considering it’s the thing that helped me realize I have DID. This ending helped me realize I have DID, unfortunately enough. I will never stop loving it for how much fun I had and what I did for me though 💙♥️💖
Thanks for all the support on this video, it really means a lot. I'm glad to see that so many people feel the same way about this ending. And even if you don't - that's fine!
I cry everytime I watch this video. Whenever I reach my limit and think about... "Taking the worst ending" I remind myself that, their is people in my life that needs me. This video may be depressing to some... But to me. It reminds me why I keep going
... And
Why I shouldn't take the "easy way out". Cause the pain it may cause would be far worse than anything I've been thru. And don't want my loved ones to feel that pain. Thank you for this impactful video. Thanks choom. For all the hard work you put into the video.
"Permanent solutions for temporary problems is not the answer"
This ending makes the most sense if you think about it.
The story of Johnny Silverhand and V alone is proof for what I'm saying.
Johnny Silverhand spent the entirety of his life, being an asshole to his friends, like he tells V after visiting where he died and realizing no one cared about him, he just went down, not with a blaze of glory, but just down, like nothing ever happened.
The friends that he made over the course of his life, he grew on them, and used them. His destructive obsession with bringing down Arasaka because of a personal vendetta of his, caused many of his friends their very lives.
Some moved on, after his "apparent" death, because they never wanted to be where they were.
Same with V. An Edgerunner with an extraordinary zeal for joining the major leagues and becoming rich. Jackie's involvement in this is what makes this super depressing. V did want to go far and become a night city legend, but it was more on Jackie than on him. Jackie felt he was useless, he didn't wanna become like one of the "Welles Boys", like he said, so he wanted to step up his game.
And that was the issue, No one asked him to. Despite the fact he thought he had no impact on others because he was a street mercenary, he actually did.
The funeral scene of Jackie was super depressing. You'd see that, despite how useless he thought he was, he had people that looked up to him.
What's my point here? This whole mission, the story that set up cyberpunk's main plot, was fueled by two things: Ego and the desire for power. In a sense, I'd say personal recklessness and indulgences.
(They knew what Arasaka was, what could go wrong, and how they could be fucked if they made a single mistake, but did it anyway).
And we all saw the consequences. Along with the number of persons that died from it, and the persons affected by said deaths.
So, V reasons out all this perspectives and his current goal(getting to Arasaka tower), and realizes that Many people would die. For Them. Again.
(for Nothing).
That's why he/she asked Johnny the question....
"Am I worth their sacrifice? Are you?"
They ask this because they realized that both of them(Johnny and V) had selfish reasons for doing what they did, and they now somehow wanted persons who had nothing to do with it, to die for said cause.
It doesn't work.
The game's writing went out of its way to show us exactly what I'm saying.
No matter what path you choose to take, no matter what persons you carry along with, many of them will die....(Realism).
So, Why the bother? Why not just end it all? Since it's the case that he'd die already?
V's heroic actions saved everyone involved. Including the ones that loved him. So.... This is the best ending in my opinion.
Nobody dies. Except for the person who started it all.
Regardless, it's still painful.
R.I.P Vincent/Valerie
Again. I think Kerry's reactions are misplaced. If he knew exactly what was happening to V, that they'd die.... He shouldn't have said what he said.
My best reaction to V's death is Misty. Hers is sad for me too, as much as the others. She accepts it in positive spirit, as per Misty as usual, but.... You can tell she's broken inside. And it's more depressing if you were closer to her, post Jackie's death.
This game is sad. And I think despite the bugs and controversy, it'd be a cult classic in decades to come.
This ending really got to me, especially hearing Judy's reaction, I feel they did a great job with her character, and hearing her break down like that plus seeing her eye makeup the way it was made me cry. While I don't always agree with Panam, I fully understand her reacting the way she did, she was already unsure about working with V, but after being around V, she started to see things differently, and to hear V died this way, she was super pissed. Misty's only moment I've seen where she was really unhappy is if we side with the very people who killed Jackie, she lets us know she's hurt by that, and I don't blame her one bit.
Now the ending where you let Johnny take over, seeing him go to Rouge and V's parts of the mausoleum, and saying goodbye to both of them, that really made me cry. Yeah, Rouge is kinda a fucking bitch, but her death also hurt as she was changing, and realized the mistakes she's made, and V because well, it's no fun to see death of a character who didn't deserve it.
It's Judy's voicemail that really, and I mean REALLY, tears me up.
It adds something if you were female V and romanced her (kind of wish the actual voicemail had that within it though)
yeah male v with judy she treats you more like brother and can be nasty at male v also, as female v she is fine with majority of time, kinda wish male v could romanced her also if honest while female v could romance panam etc.
those last lines you said
"the city stays the same, everybody else goes on to live normally, but the people affected by V's decision have to live whit this for the rest of their lives"
those words struck a string 😢 because i know that would happen if i did the same. it's kind egoistical to do so (commit *******), but the constant mental pain and all the feeling really weight down with each passing year
This was one of the hardest endings for me to watch, I ended up reloading the save after Judys, fuck it hurt to see them all like that, suicide is never a solution, in game or irl
holy shit! didn't even know this was an ending, i did the Devil ending with Arasaka. This ending is so special, it shows how much effort the development team put into the character development of the game, the realism in their reactions and the characters showing different stages of grief. In a futuristic dystopia where humanity has blurred the lines between privacy, free will, and stripped people of their humanity, it only seems as sucide is the only choice.
I disagree.
My first ending was the devil ending, cause I didnt want to risk anybody's life (at that point I had no idea about "Don't Fear the Reaper" ending, cause who the hell sits for several minutes without clicking anything at that point?) And man, they really sold me the feeling of being a lab rat, feeling like V no longer lives a life while being aware of it, watching news over TV where he realised that in an effort to save himself, he potentially relieved humanity of it's capacity to stay human. And as my V was walking away, humming "Never Fades Away" to himself, the tragedy of entire situation crashed down on me, in the end we betrayed someone we called our friend, just to doom the soul of the human race. And that, is why believe that the Devil ending is the worst one, not the suicide.
I chose it as I needed the last tarot card. Didn’t spoil the ending for myself but I knew to complete the quest I had to do that ending, so I did.
Never again. I knew it’d be bad, the mere idea of it sounded awful, but I did not expect an ending to make me feel like I’d singlehandedly ruined everything I had accomplished in one move.
@@nohooligans888 … I think that’s why this game is epic. There are so many quest endings that are morally gray or just plain horrible (hello sinnerman) and hit you in the feels.
@@MemristerBoogieDown sinnerman ain’t even morally gray, you watch a mentally ill man get exploited by a corporation for money. It’s peak Cyberpunk, profit before peoples welllbeing, though I will admit V’s potential involvement is definitely a gray area. Especially since most of us seem to just let the show keep rolling as it’s all we really can do.
@@nohooligans888 …no, I meant sinnerman was just just plain horrible.
Edit: …only quest in a video game I’ve ever played and then had to kind of sit back and go WTF…
I think what is interesting is there are examples of the stages of grief in the messages you get.
Victor has denial: trying to talk to V like nothing is wrong at the start.
Panam and Kerry obviously show anger.
Judy shows full depression over your loss.
Mama Wells has mixtures of bargaining (with a higher power) and acceptance (that V is in a better place)
And Misty and River show different levels of acceptance.
Panam was the most heart wrenching for me specifically because I can relate to using your anger to shield your pain
All the endings are made so well, it's crazy. The calls are so gut wrenching and realistic, it's clear they cared about V, and so did the actors/actresses.
I went into this not expecting much. It was a video that just kept popping up in my youtube feed.
I'm so glad I watched this.
This was a really well thought out, and explained video, that touches a heavy topic some viewers, even, may be experiencing thoughts of themselves. This ending gets so much flack, but I think it's an amazing anti-suicide message. Night City lives on without you, sure, but the people who were closes to you will have to live with this the rest of their lives. Same goes for real life. You never know just how many people's lives you truly make an impact on, until it's too late.
Thank you for this video. It was definitely something I needed at this point in my life. Losing a friend is seriously hard, and something I don't think I'll ever get over. It's nice to see other people's perspectives (though characters in a game), and the emotions they feel in that time of grieving. It's okay to feel sad, angry, empty, etc. Don't bottle it up, don't let it break you too. Live on for yourself, and for your friend.
Great analysis work, comrade. Out of most of the essay form opinion pieces of Cyberpunk 2077, I'm glad to see some like-minded thoughts on some of the endings. I know I had similar ideas as to why certain characters feel/think a certain way, and the Suicide ending, by far, in my opinion, contains some heartwrenching performances by the voice actor to the point of tearing up a little.
I am completely agree with you about the ending. I chose it in my first playtrough. The Panam ending is the most happiest ending, the Arasaka one is the badest one and the suicide is the most logical and emotional.
I don't get, why Arasaka is the worst one?
@@PlatapusPhucker because everyone hates them in the game, also Arasaka members don't care about V and use him in their personal interests.
@@PlatapusPhucker If you haven't done this ending, then spoilers ahead:
In the Devil ending we get to see V walk into the Arasaka examination lab, their face is that of someone who lost all hope; and indeed V is told that there is nothing left to do. V now has only a few days to live, all of the contacts cut communications. And as V sets out to leave, there is no one there to greet them (unless you saved Takemura)...
It's my favourite ending too. It made me felt the most emotions. Mainly because I designed V to look like me, make decisions and talk like me. I gave him the modifications, clothes and weapons i would wear/use. I AM V. So the reactions of all the characters, my friends, are the reactions of my death. And what made it more heartbreaking, is that I would definitely choose this option if this was real.
Great vid with some very open minded ideas i hope i get to see your channel take off!
Damn I thought I was watching a 100k sub plus channel for a second I the quality is great! My personal favorite ending and the one I landed on first try was not getting close enough to a lot of people and my role play was a guy that just really wanted to live so I went with arasaka and gave them my soul
Nice video i will wait for the next breakdown video
Subbed
The endings are all really good. Would have been made better if V would have left a message for the suicide ending. Then if Johnny could at least respond to everyone. Seems like a few loose ends left unsolved.
Nah that’d make it too cliché, besides it feels clear that it’s not meant to be the ending you settle with but instead its just there. It’s there for morality reality, to not drag anyone else into it, to not put anyone else in harms way. It is the “safe” option. The loose ends in that ending feel intentional as it quite literally is not what V would do.
@@nohooligans888 it feels like an ending put there to help use the story to increase suicide awareness. It really shows you how sometimes it can seem like the right choice and then shows you the gut wrenching fallout from that choice.
To me it seemed like that was kind of the point of the suicide ending. It shows that doing that doesn't solve any problems or tie up any loose ends; it just transfers your pain to other people.
That is very much the point. It’s not about tying up loose ends or making everything make sense, it’s about making what you believe in that moment, the only choice that you feel you have. You’re not solving your problems, you’re simply choosing to escape them, because if you succeed, it doesn’t matter anymore, you got all the closure you need and it’s not up to you to make everyone understand it, because it was never their problem to begin with.
Having been in that mindset I get it, yeah you know it’s gonna suck for anyone that does care about you, and if you’re reasonably smart you’ll distance yourself from those people before making that choice, but ultimately your only goal is to escape the situation you feel you have no other way out of, and in v’s case, he’s quite literally having to choose between sacrificing himself or his friends, and honestly I know exactly what choice is make if I was in the same position, without a second thought, loose ends be damned.
A love voicemail messages in general. That was a really interesting way to establish the post-game status quo, that worked so much better than the narration in games like Fallout/Outer Worlds.
Keep up the good work awesome analysis truly
Great analysis! There are a lot of very good narrative choices in the game that don't get enough praise, and that is one of them.
As soneone who is currently suicidal, this video helped a bit.
Something to add to that ending is the fact that you are accepting the fact that is kinda useless to seek salvation as it will get you killed either way, so, when you have done the other endings, you'll know that pretty much you are fucked no matter what, so, by offing yourself you recognize your own predicament and most importantly your situation you were driving in. With this I do not like the idea of suicide itself, for me it is horrendous to even think about it, but still like the ending.
Got this ending on accident by misreading the dialog options just a few days after getting out of the hospital and being under 24/7 suicide watch and it absolutely floored me no ending to any game had me as emotional as that one did and it was all thanks to a simple reading mistake. It was the perfect ending at that time I was just stuck there staring at the screen even as the credits were through
I agree, Jackie died way too soon. The fact that the character made the impact that he did storywise in such a short amount of time kinda of adds to the tragedy of the whole thing though and fits the universe (Stay committed to the edge. Live Fast Die Fast).
Fact is Choom I would have rather had that prologue flashback (a few missions) be both the tutorial to play and build characters/world better than gonked Militech shard lol
Video was preem tier though. Love the perspective. Wouldn't have gone with the suicide on the rooftop though(storming 'Saka HQ with nothing but the hottest iron in hand and going out with a bang is more of my speed). I wish you could complete Don't (Fear) The Reaper and get an alternative version of the Star Ending (Saul Lives and give V the choice of not to go back to the Afterlife/complete the space heist and leaving with Panam instead).
The other day was the first time in a while I was able to make it through Jackie's death without crying. I use to because I was still getting use to the game and didn't find him as interesting a character from the start, but once I did, his death always hurt me, and made me cry. And when V says see you in the major leagues, Jack, the way female V says it didn't help me much either, her voice actress saying that only made me cry even more 'cause I felt she really put a lot of emotion in that line. Also I felt the way male V says it just feeds into the idea that men don't cry, which honestly takes away from the moment, and that's partly why I haven't played the game as male V, I like playing as female V because the voice actress did a great job with all her lines, i just can't believe it's fucking Lucy from the English dub of Fairy Tail!
Anyway, if i remember, the first time I cried when Jackie died, I had to stop for a moment, and
empty out anything weighing me down so I could run in the game without feeling too heavy. Boy, I wish we could get then chance to kill Dex, but I did have fun taking out the Voo Doo Boys, mainly because I can't stand how they talk about Ev, the assholes aren't worth siding with, so when I found out we can stop them, I was happy. Also I like taking out Tiger Claws because I can't stand them either because of how you can be walking down the street, hear someone at their mercy, and them just kill them for no reason. I go after all the street gangs, except for the Valentino's, I have respect for them 'cause of my boy Jackie, so when Kirk offers a job that means you go after them, I do not do this one. if you needed to go after them to level up in the game, and couldn't fully level up, I would avoid that just because I don't wanna go after them.
I like it because it shows that Protagonists aren't always the people that win, usually just the ones with the most interesting story.
A since it is so interesting, you get invested, learn to love, or respect, or appreciate the character. Only to get slapped with their loss at the end. One of my favourite ways to end a story, and good ones are really good to watch/read.
great video dude, subscribed
yeah, when I played the second round of Cyberpunk, I tried the suicide ending and Fucking balled my eyes out when Judy called. I normally rarely ever cry at movies and have never cried at games, but this... this stabbed my heart. Rewatching this made me cry even more when you pointed out that Judy already went through it with Evlen death and became happy again with V. And then it was ripped out again.😭😭😭😭
The credits on the suicide ending kinda remind me of the ending and credits of the CoD: Infinite Warfare campaign. It’s pretty sad, but effective.
Hurting Judy is heartbreaking - and I cannot choose this ending because it makes me feel like I have done something terrible. A role playing game that makes me feel like I have hurt someone IRL makes this one of my favourite games.
Great vid bro.😺
Storm the gates with Jonny or with Rouge makes the most sense. It's necessary for Rouge to complete her ark knowing that she cheated death by getting in bed with Corpos or going it alone gets you there without any other deaths. I did not like bringing in the Aldecaldos because as Johnny predicts many will die. The mission was a mess. I felt giving Johnny the body made the most sense but liked V going out with a bang on what could be her greatest achievment.
I think that Don't Fear The Ripper ending fits the whole "legend of NC" arc the best. This way V really becomes the unbeatable legend. Sure, Johnny and others pulled wild stunts before but they were usually with a crew and some planning. In this ending you enter through the damn front door without any plan and backup whatsoever.
@@aj2i18jx that ending literally paid the game, assault arasaka tower alone with a terrorist Keanu Reeves in your head has no price, I mean…even gameplay-wise it’s not exactly an easy mission and I loved that, maybe I would have expected a few more changes in the ending, but that's okay
Judy's message is why I can never choose the suicide ending. It crushes me.
It literally broke me and I was terriefied and so guilty waiting for panam to call.
Oh my god, you only have 47 subs???? It had such good quality! Don’t worry, i will be your 48.
I went through this ending and i regreted it because one of my favorites (Judy) broke down in a way I know to well. And Kerry's (my other favorite) call, put him in a role that I've been put in multiple times. He wasn't being rude or too harsh. He was being helpful and honest (tough love).
"Once upon a time, people were talking to graves and nobody batted an eyelid, right"
Banger video choom
cool video, deserves more attention
Oof Judy's call is maybe the most sad and painful thing in the game, and that's saying something.
That December from the moment I started playing on launch I was hooked. I got a whole 2070 laptop for it at the time it was supposed to be out in April. I spent like 150hrs damn near non stop that month(I can game at work) and by the time I got to the ending I was just so over it man. The suicide ending felt so fitting for my V. I can’t describe how fitting that felt for that play through. I put about 250 more hrs in up until now with mods and the deck but I’ve never been able to get into it the way I was that December man. I was so immersed.
I think one of the reasons this works so well as a dark ending is because it shows that the world doesn't give a shit about what you do, whether you live or die, and will just keep on turning. Your friends and loved ones will feel it, but no one else. It's harsh but true.
I accidentally chose it as my first ending and I sat in silence while the credits rolled and I was flamed by every possible person for kms.
I was going through a tough time while playing this game, i chose this ending not knowing exactly what it was and man those messages at the end made me sob especially because ive had friends and family leave the same way, just good writing and a good anti-suicide message. It gets better
As someone whose had to deal with the fallout of several friends and relatives who have attempted that particular ending Panam's anger makes a lot of sense. The Sicilians would bury those who went out like that at a crossroads so those with the strength to go on could walk over them as they go. A harsh people, but they make great pasta so it balances out.
I hate downer endings, but I can see how this one strikes all the heartstrings
Personally, I will always choose the Panam ending because at least V will live the best 6 months of his life and die surrounded by people who love him. Or maybe he lives against all odds. Who knows?
This is the ending I got on my first and only played through this game, not quite understanding what tossing the pills would do. But I feel like it wrapped up night city perfectly.
as some one who just finished the "dont fear the reaper" ending, i regret not choosing this instead. whether v keeps their body or gives it to johnny, someone is doomed to eternity in the blackwall. essentially cyber hell. i couldnt celebrate v's victory knowing that johnny never gets to rest in peace. with suicide v and johnny can both stop fighting, stop suffering, and just rest.
the main character wasn't v, or johnny, the main character is night city. the point of the story is that the machine keeps going, it doesn't care about people or morals.
The House always wins... good point!
Considering this was my first ending. It destroyed me. I had seen three other endings and didn't know about this ending. So, imagine my surprise when I suddenly get this ending on my first playthrough thinking it was the raid Arasaka on your own ending. Seeing all of the characters I had grown to love just mourn you/hate you. I was genuinely not expecting this. Then, the eerie music kicks in, followed by Never Fade Away. While, I'm just sitting back on my chair letting all those emotions wash over me. Fuking brutal m8. This is why I LIVE FOR GOOD STORIES!
the suicide ending, got me crying from the first one.... and as a person who have considered it since a long time. and after the last one, i just, went to my family, and shared with them the rest of the day.
PHANTOM LIBERTY SPOILER
And then in the new dlc ending, the time when you need your friends the most, everyone just leaves you, hell you delete johnny for it and you have literally no one. fuck it, better to just end it this way than that. At least in this ending, like V says "We will be aware the moment life escapes", much better end to Johnny than just deletion.
"Here, for folks like us? Wrong city, Wrong people."
Makes me feel bad for using the suicide hack so many times. :(
You know the suicide ending was my original first time playthrough choice felt like the safest choice
I like dark endings too. The story wasn’t perfect but the endings served to paint the picture of the dark future
there's only so much weathering people can take but having those who actually give a damn about you behind you can help ease it the world may still sting but the pain isn't that of the bullet ant
I wish there was an option to fully tell everyone about your situation.
I remember a month or two ago I decided to go through a bunch of the endings since I'd only played one of them by that point. I was curious about the differences between the endings.
Then I got to this ending.
This hit me like a freight train. Actually more like 70 freight trains. And they're all being thrown by evil Superman. I'd romance Judy in that playthrough, so that just made her call feel even worse.
All of these characters I'd gotten to know and care about...who'd gotten to care about V...and now that was gone.
Part of me wishes I'd never played this ending, as it really hurt to watch. But part of me is also glad I did, because now I really know that I shouldn't do that in real life.
No matter how hard it gets...never stop fighting.
My favorite ending by far is Don't Fear The Reaper, because if you die the game is over and you aren't endangering any of your friends made along the path being a similar situation as the suicide option obviously, but at least you have a chance. Along with proving that you tried your hardest to V's friends.
Thank you for showing me this so i don't have to find it myself and be depressed
my favorite reaction is victor, its like how a father would react if his son went through the same scenario, Heartbreaking.
nice vid 😃
One of if not the best game i've ever played. I really hope there is more coming. I know it wont be possible but i have hope. What a masterpiece
The best part is when V is ready to do it, he appreciate the fact that Night City is kinda beautiful, compared to how see it as a souless husk he is after the Soulkiller burns out his soul (or even just killing V and creating a copy) and is just focused on becoming the legend and not carrying about anything else. In this ending he goes down on his own terms.
Always agreed with your first point. When Jackie died I barely cared, there was barely any real relationship development with Jackie besides a montage
And very few missions
Suicide Ending with a style, with extra steps, with a BANG! is the best for me.
It's called the secret / hidden ending, for me, is the best in terms of story and character development:
1. V and Johnny are berserking Arasaka Tower without others help, they are doing suicide mission without dragging anyone else, and yes, they succeed, no one dies in the process, except the Arasaka people, ofc. The line from Johnny Silverhand: "You, me and Arasaka Tower. Kinda sounds like a Eurodyne lyric, I know. But trust me, we’ll go fuckin’ nova." that was best line Johnny had in this game.
2. Johnny Silverhand kinda redeem himself, and got his revenge (Arasaka collapse, Adam Smasher dies, etc), and he goes 'Beyond the Blackwall' with Alt, his soulmate, becoming a happily-ever-after AI.
3. V got his control of his body back, and live the short life he got left, in the best possible way he could, becoming the Legend of Night City, a mercenary legend, after sucessfully destroying the Crystal Palace.
4. Panam is happy going back with her Nomad clan, and not knowing anything about V's whereabout and what happened to him (on credits scene she still don't know it).
5. Judy is chilling somewhere leaving the Night City, leaving all her attachment and bad feelings about that city, and just like Panam, she doesn't know what happened to V, and it seems likely no one does.
6. Misty also got her revenge too. Arasaka was destroyed by her late boyfriend's best friend.
So there you have it, the best possible scenario of Cyberpunk 2077's ending.
This Secret Ending is triggered by not choosing anyone (Hanako/Panam/Rogue) to help you destroying Arasaka Tower and Mikoshi (Relic). Just wait and think for for 4-5 mins. You are on your own, one man show (or two if you count Johnny in your head as a different person), goes berserk into Arasaka Headquarter!
This was my favorite ending narrative-wise because it’s the only one that truly presents the emotional connections you make with the characters in the side content. V deciding to take their own life is perfectly aligned with with the oppressive tone of the story, being pushed into the ground after pursuing the heights of legend status and dying, regretful, alone and tired. Dying quietly instead of in a cinematic blaze of glory. The action isn’t presented as some glorious event, it’s a soul crushing moment of defeat. It really matches with the idea of Night City consuming anyone who tries to make it big there. The city eats away at V, and they’re too blinded by the pain to see how their decision may affect the people they care about. The ending fits narratively but also serves as an important perspective on the affects of suicide on loved ones and friends. Doesn’t necessarily mean I dislike the other endings, just thought that the voicemails in the others (within the context of V’s death/disappearance) didn’t last as long as I wanted them to, or that they didn’t connect enough to the actions we took in the game.
Assaulting Arasaka with Johnny by yourself and using what little remains of your life to give your now best friend another chance is my favorite to actually play through and probably feels like the most satisfying conclusion to the narrative. But there's also definitely something about this ending that feels particularly epiphanic. Like what I would probably really do in that situation. And, as much as the game would let me, I deliberately avoided letting myself get close to these characters to spare them that pain when I was gone and chose the options in their stories that would make it clear that I didn't want to be close to them. Basically I sabotaged the chance at close relationships with these people so that, when the inevitable came, I was only the only one who would suffer. It's also true that in real life V could've left a message explaining why they made the choice to take their own life in the end so that there wouldn't be room for so much misunderstanding. Because V's reasons for choosing this are noble: to avoid possibly getting all their allies killed just on the off chance that they might find a way to save themself as well as the bitter sweet fact that, even if they succeeded, that would still only buy them months to live in their own body before succumbing anyway. My only real criticism of the ending is that I think it would've been more fitting for V to take their life by pulling the Relic chip out, rather than just a generic gunshot, grounding it more in the particulars of this character and their story.
Jackie needed more time in the game to warrant the "Jackie was this and that" speech, he made a strong impression but still not have enough time.
I teared up in this one. I went in blind and was not expecting what I got. I was in silent shock for about fifteen minutes then scoured the Internet for people’s reactions
I remember I got this ending on my first play through on accident. I was half asleep and thought the pills were the ones misty gives you to give Johnny full control, so I chose to throw them. Knew I might’ve fucked up when it became a cutscene and It went into 3rd person lmao, shit had me in disbelief for days. Even now it’s my headcanon ending
Made this choice during my first playthrough, I was litteraly crying
People with suicidal ideation deserve empathy and understanding, not judgment and ignorant disapproval.
What I love about the endings is how none of them are really good endings. All of them are pretty shit or pretty sad. Which fits how night city is a place where happy endings don’t exist
BRO WTF.... The explaination just makes it hit harder than it should've been
Best anti-suicide PSA
and the fact that Judy might just be the next one in line to do it makes it suck even more
I literally was exploring the dialogue options on my first playtrough and then this happened, it really got me off guard because I didnt belive that suicide was made as an ending into a game 10/10
Honestly yeah just thinking about putting Judy through that again hurts me.