Starting out in Cyberpunk 2077 you’ll be given the choice between three lifepaths – essentially origin stories – for your character. Which lifepath you choose will change the opening section of the game and, while you’ll still have the same full run of content available to you, it’ll also affect some dialogue choices you can pick. Don’t worry though, these aren’t classes you’ll be locked into. They’ll largely just affect the opening section, so don’t stress your choice too much. But in case you’re looking to properly role play or learn the differences between each, we’ve broken down the differences between lifepaths in Cyberpunk 2077 below.
Which lifepath to choose in Cyberpunk 2077
© CD Projekt Red
The three lifepaths you can choose in Cyberpunk 2077 are Corpo, Nomad, and Street Kid. Each comes with its own opening mission, and adds a bit of background to the V you’re playing. They’ll all link up in roughly the same manner in under an hour of playtime, so you don’t need to worry about entirely different storylines. That said, they do change which characters you’re acquainted with when arriving in Night City. Here are the key details on each:
Corpo
© CD Projekt Red
As a corpo, you’re already thoroughly entwined with the gigantic megacorporations which run and partially own Night City. This life path sees you start as an Arasaka agent, and pretty high up at that. You’ll get to see the inside workings of the backstabbing corporate world during the opening. For a brief time at least. Shockingly, things go drastically wrong for V in this opening and see you crashing out with little left to your name. The general gist of the Corpo path is that V is looking to redeem themself for their time as an unpleasant cog in a particularly nasty machine.
As a Corpo, V will have an understanding of how the gigantic companies work. This will occasionally give you the chance to extract extra information from targets or persuade others to do what you want when dealing with the various megacorps like Militech. Essentially, you’re used to being the one in charge and know how to get what you want. Expect to have unique dialogue options pop up quite often from this path, though it might make you less skilled when dealing with the nomad clans or gangs.
Nomad
© CD Projekt Red
If you spend your real-life days complaining about uptight city folk, this is the origin for you. Nomad is the only life path to begin outside of Night City. Things will open instead in the desert-like Badlands, with you having separated from your clan and looking to begin anew in the sprawling city before you. Vehicles are a big deal in the Nomad’s lifestyle, and you can expect some car-based action before you get into the city proper. Life in the badlands is about sticking to your principles – morally dubious or not – rather than stabbing your friends in the back. So if you want to roleplay someone who stays true to those around them, Nomad V is a great choice.
As for dialogue options, the Nomad’s come most in handy once you head back out to the Badlands later in the story. Here you’ll find a lot of options to glean more information from people. Plus many in the Badlands won’t respond well to being questioned by the aforementioned uptight cityfolk. A fellow Nomad asking questions in their camps is far less likely to end in violence. However, you’ll find yourself a bit more limited when chatting to the gangs of corps operating within Night City. And that, admittedly, is where you’ll spend the bulk of your time.
Streetkid
© CD Projekt Red
Pick Streetkid and you’ll have grown up in the dank alleys and darkened avenues of this wretched city. The game kicks off having just returned from a trip to Atlanta, with V looking to help a friend in trouble. Those raised on the streets tend to look out for one another, and there’s a small degree of mutual respect between the vying gang factions.
Their origins in the city give Streetkid V plenty of connections in the underground. As such, you’ll be able to interface with the different gangs without them treating you like an outsider or unwelcome rich kid – we’re looking at you, Corpo V. Gangs will crop up a lot in the early game, so expect plenty of dialogue choices that’ll help you avoid resorting to violence. If that’s your preference, of course. However, when you come face to face with some of the larger corps, you’ll find yourself a bit less well equipped to talk shop.
Those are all the lifepaths in Cyberpunk 2077. While they’re fun intros, most of the time the unique dialogue options available only help you get a bit more information or avoid a fight or two, so don’t worry too much about picking the wrong one. Each has its advantages, so go for the lifepath you think fits the character you want to play. Click here to head to our Cyberpunk 2077 hub where you can find more tips, tricks, and information on the game.
