āPure Masterpieceā: The 7 Unforgettable Cyberpunk 2077 Side-Quests That Outshined The Main Story
CYBERPUNK 2077 PLAYERS ARE GOING CRAZY OVER THESE 7 SIDE-QUESTS THAT ARE 100x BETTER THAN THE MAIN STORY šØ If you skipped yellow exclamation marks in Night City, you missed the most insane gaming experiences of the decade!
The community is in complete uproar: thousands of players on Reddit and TikTok are arguing that CD Projekt Red hid their most disturbing, mind-bending, and masterpiece writing inside optional side missions! From a politician being secretly brainwashed in plain sight to a convicted killer executing the most horrifying religious braindance in sci-fi history, these seven quests left players physically uncomfortable and staring at black screens in total silence! Did you finish Night City’s dark dark secrets, or did you accidentally walk right past the best content in the game? šš„
While Cyberpunk 2077ās main storyline follows Vās desperate race against time to survive the deadly Relic biochip alongside Johnny Silverhand, veteran players know that the true soul of CD Projekt Redās flagship RPG lies off the beaten path. Scattered across the neon-soaked alleyways, high-tech penthouses, and desolate Badlands are dozens of optional side-questsāmany of which deliver narrative punches far more disturbing, emotionally resonant, and morally complex than the central campaign.
Across r/cyberpunkgame, X, Discord, and TikTok, community discussions routinely pivot toward the games’ side content. Players frequently report finishing specific side-missions only to sit in stunned silence as the credits roll, grappling with existential dread, ethical paradoxes, and psychological horror.
Here is the definitive breakdown of the 7 Best Side-Quests in Cyberpunk 2077, ranked by narrative impact, community controversy, and why they represent the pinnacle of open-world quest design.
1. “Dream On” ā The Mind-Control Conspiracy
If there is one quest in Cyberpunk 2077 that continues to dominate fan-theory channels years after release, it is “Dream On”.
The Plot: V is hired by Jefferson and Elizabeth Peralezāa wealthy, idealistic couple running for Mayor of Night Cityāto investigate a security breach in their ultra-luxury apartment. What starts as a routine burglary check quickly spirals into a terrifying psychological horror story.
Why Itās Legendary: V discovers a hidden surveillance control room concealed behind a one-way mirror in the apartment. An unknown, shadow organization is actively altering the couple’s memories, personalities, and political stances in real-time using airborne neuro-transmission technology.
Community Reaction: The quest’s haunting finaleāwhere V meets the mysterious Mr. Blue Eyes watching from a balcony while deciding whether to tell Jefferson the truth or let him live a happy lieāleft the community reeling. Reddit discussions call “Dream On” the single best sci-fi mystery quest in modern gaming history.
2. “Sinnerman” ā The Execution of Joshua Stephenson
Widely regarded as the most controversial and uncomfortable quest CD Projekt Red has ever built, “Sinnerman” pushes narrative boundaries to absolute limits.
The Plot: V accepts a Hitman contract from a grieving father to assassinate Joshua Stephenson, a convicted murderer. However, Joshua has found God in prison and struck a deal with a ruthless media studio: he will allow himself to be literally crucified on camera to create an authentic, emotionally raw Braindance that will lead humanity to spiritual redemption.
Why Itās Legendary: The quest forces players to sit in a studio and physically hammer the nails into Joshuaās hands and feet while reciting biblical verses, should V choose to participate in the ceremony. It tackles media exploitation, religious martyrdom, and corporate greed without offering an easy moral out.
Community Reaction: Content creators on YouTube and TikTok routinely rank “Sinnerman” as a masterpiece of psychological discomfort. Players report feeling physically nauseous during the final sequence, cementing it as an unforgettable storytelling milestone.
3. “The Hunt” ā The Nightmare of Peter Pan
Pivoting into dark crime thriller territory, “The Hunt” is the central investigation questline tied to NCPD Detective River Ward.
The Plot: Riverās nephew, Randy, has been kidnapped by “Peter Pan”āa notorious serial killer who abducts young boys and hooks them up to medical pumps in an abandoned farm, feeding them livestock hormones while keeping them in induced comas.
Why Itās Legendary: Players must dive into the terrifying, distorted Braindance memories of the comatose killer to piece together clues about the farm’s hidden location. The sequence combines eerie visuals, unsettling nursery rhymes, and a ticking-clock tension where failing to solve the puzzle in time results in Randy’s death.
Community Reaction: Reddit threads frequently compare “The Hunt” to elite thriller films like The Silence of the Lambs or True Detective, praising its relentless tension and dark atmospheric world-building.
4. “Pyramid Song” ā The Emotional Sanctuary Under Water
After navigating the brutal violence of Night City, “Pyramid Song”āthe climax of Judy Alvarez‘s storylineāoffers a serene, heartbreakingly intimate breath of fresh air.
The Plot: Judy invites V to go scuba diving in Lake Rancho Coronado. Submerged beneath the water lies Laguna Bend, Judy’s childhood hometown that was flooded and buried by the Megacorp Laguna Bend Reservoir project.
Why Itās Legendary: Using a custom BD system, V dives into Judy’s memories while exploring the sunken ruins of her childhood home, church, and school. The quest strips away all gunplay and combat, focusing entirely on quiet environmental storytelling, lingering trauma, and human connection.
Community Reaction: “Pyramid Song” is universally praised on music and gaming forums alike, with players citing its soundtrackācoupled with the haunting visuals of underwater neon ruinsāas one of the most beautiful sequences in video game history.
5. “Run This Town” ā Dogtownās Political Puppet Master
Introduced in the Phantom Liberty expansion, “Run This Town” represents the absolute pinnacle of political espionage and player agency in Night City.
The Plot: Following the power vacuum left by warlord Kurt Hansen in Dogtown, Fixer Mr. Hands hires V to sway the upcoming election for Dogtown’s new leader. Using an advanced Behavioral Imprint disguise matrix, V physically morphs into Aguilar, a feared Cuban assassin, to intimidate rival factions into falling in line.
Why Itās Legendary: Stepping into Aguilar’s shoes changes how NPCs react to V entirely. Players walk into high-stakes negotiations commanding absolute terror, deciding who lives, who dies, and who rules Dogtown with a few calculated dialogue choices.
Community Reaction: Discord strategy channels highlight “Run This Town” as the best utilization of Phantom Libertyās new mechanics, praising Mr. Hands’ character evolution into Night City’s ultimate criminal mastermind.
6. “Chippin’ In” & “Blistering Love” ā The Ghost of Johnny Silverhand
While technically split into two parts, this questline serves as the emotional core of V’s relationship with Johnny Silverhand.
The Plot: Johnny asks V for control of V’s body so he can settle old scores, track down his legendary Porsche 911, and take Rogue Amendiares on one final date to an abandoned drive-in theater.
Why Itās Legendary: “Chippin’ In” features the famous oil-field scene where V confronts Johnny at his unmarked grave site. Choosing the exact right dialogue options here is the mandatory key to unlocking the legendary “Don’t Fear the Reaper” secret solo-ending. “Blistering Love” follows up with a heartwarming, nostalgic date night that gives Johnny and Rogue closure after 50 years apart.
Community Reaction: The oil-field dialogue guide remains one of the most searched Cyberpunk 2077 pages on the internet, with fans celebrating Keanu Reevesā stellar voice performance during Johnny’s moment of genuine humility.
7. “Don’t Lose Your Mind” ā The Delamain AI Schism
Closing out the top seven is the conclusion to the Delamain taxi questline, “Don’t Lose Your Mind”.
The Plot: After retrieving rogue AI-driven taxis across Night City, V is called back to Delamain HQ. The central AI core has been infected by a virus, causing its divergent personalities to achieve self-awareness and revolt against their creator.
Why Itās Legendary: V must navigate a hazardous facility filled with electrified floors and rogue machinery before choosing the AI’s fate: reset Delamain (killing his new personalities), destroy the core (liberating the AI children into the Net), or merge all personalities into a higher digital consciousness (requiring high Intelligence).
Community Reaction: Beyond its clever Easter eggs (including a hilarious nod to Portal‘s GLaDOS), fans praise the quest for posing genuine philosophical questions about AI sentience, personhood, and fatherhood.
Summary Table: The Top 7 Side-Quests
Quest Name
Key Character / Fixer
Core Genre / Theme
Primary Reward / Impact
Dream On
Jefferson & Elizabeth Peralez
Sci-Fi Conspiracy Thriller
Reveals shadow AI manipulation (Mr. Blue Eyes)
Sinnerman
Joshua Stephenson
Religious Drama & Media Critique
Massive monetary payout & iconic BD storyline
The Hunt
Detective River Ward
Dark Psychological Crime Thriller
Saves Randy & unlocks River romance/friendship
Pyramid Song
Judy Alvarez
Emotional Romance & Environmental Exploration
Unlocks Judy Romance & Laguna Bend access
Run This Town
Mr. Hands (Dogtown)
Espionage & Political Assassination
Decides the future leader of Dogtown
Chippin’ In
Johnny Silverhand & Rogue
Rockerboy Nostalgia & Character Redemption
Unlocks Johnny’s Porsche, Jacket, & Secret Ending
Don’t Lose Your Mind
Delamain AI
AI Philosophy & Facility Puzzle
Unlocks an Exclusive Intelligent Delamain Taxi
Future Outlook: The Legacy of Side-Quest Design
As CD Projekt Red continues early production on the franchise’s sequel (Project Orion), the enduring popularity of these seven side-quests serves as a stark reminder of what makes the universe special.
While high-octane gunplay and futuristic cyberware drive the gameplay loop, it is the quiet, disturbing, and human stories hidden within Night Cityās dark corners that keep millions of players coming back. In Night City, the main story might tell you how V diesābut the side-quests show you how V truly lived.
