Summary
There’s a lot to love aboutCyberpunk 2077. Whether it’s the beautiful open-world of Night City,the addictive RPG gameplay, or the compelling and heartfelt story which is packed full of twists and turns, it’s clear why a lot of people have come to adore the game as much as they do, but in truth, the biggest highlight in the eyes of many players ofCyberpunk 2077is the characters. Judy, Johnny, and Takemura are just a few examples of characters from the game who have gone on to become fan favorites, but not everyone is lucky enough to receive this kind of attention.
This makes perfect sense considering the scale ofCyberpunk 2077’s story and the sheer number of characters who are involved in the game, but it’s still unfortunate that a few individuals are often overlooked, despite how relevant they might be to the wider world. These sorts of characters could be considered “underrated”, which is a term that most definitely applies to these often-overlooked individuals listed below who don’t receive the credit that they probably deserve.
7Claire Russell
A Kind And Considerate Bartender Who Suffered A Personal Loss
V is introduced to Claire early on in the story ofCyberpunk 2077after paying a visit to theAfterlife barwith Jackie. Unlike a lot of people in Night City who are always trying to use or exploit people for their own selfish gain, Claire is more honest and considerate towards V and proves to be a huge asset during the first few hours of the game when the heist is still being set up.
She’s also incredibly charismatic, even managing to cheer V up after the loss of his close friend during the heist, and always has some new one-liners and clever quips to throw out whenever V pops back in to see how she’s doing. Her relevance to the story does fall off after the beginning of the game, but Claire is still a uniquely considerate individual who’s always up for a conversation during her shifts at Afterlife.
6Dexter DeShawn
A Fixer Who Hides His Identity Through Fun And Charisma
It’s admittedly easy to despise Dexter after he turns his back on V in the first few hours of the game. However, as an actual villain, Dexter is still an excellent character whose way with words andendless charismaallows him to steal every scene he’s in, especially when paired with the outstanding vocal performance of Michael-Leon Wooley. Dexter’s experience as a Fixer had taught him how to seek out the right people for the right job, so when he comes into contact with V and Jackie, he gives them everything they need to initiate the heist at Konpeki Plaza, kicking off the events of the game.
It’s not long though before Dexter meets his demise at the hands of Goro after dragging V’s body into a landfill outside the city. Considering how chaotic the beginning of the story is, players don’t get too much time to enjoy Dexter’s character, but although he doesn’t stay around for too long, he still deserves his flowers for the massive impact he makes, and his relevance to the wider story.
5Bill Mitchell
An NCPD Officer With A Complex Working Relationship, But Love For His Wife
On the surface, Bill can seem like nothing more thana stoic and intimidating NCPD officerwho’s more than capable of holding his own, but if players take the time to learn more about him, there’s much more to his character that hints at something deeper. In truth, Bill has always felt insecure about himself and even decided to join up with the NCPD just so he could learn how to stand up for himself rather than being taken advantage of.
It was here that he met the love of his life, Stella Ramos, but even after getting with the girl of his dreams, Bill still wonders to himself whether he’s good enough to be her husband. It would be easy for CD Projekt Red to have made Bill a random NPC with no background information or characteristics, and to some players, he might seem this way, but there’s clearly been a lot of effort to make him a sympathetic character who many people can relate to.
4Adam Smasher
An Underwhelming Boss Fight Doesn’t Hide A Cruel, Savage Monster
As soon asthe behemoth known as Adam Smasherfirst appeared in the game, it was clear players would be forced to take him down at some point or another. However, by the time V does go head-to-head with Smasher later in the story, his boss encounter is laughably easy, causing him to become somewhat of a meme for a while rather than an intimidating antagonist. With the 2.1 Update though, CD Projekt Red completely overhauled his boss encounter, making him more durable and even throwing in a few new attacks seen in theEdgerunnersanime series.
As a result, he’s no longer the disappointing pushover that he once was, which is more in line with his actual persona as a ruthless bodyguard who’s been modified beyond recognition. Though it isn’t expanded upon too much in the game itself, Adam also grants a fascinating insight into the terrifying reality of augmentations and how dangerous they can be when in the wrong hands.
3Alt Cunningham
Brief Appearances That Showcase Her Netrunner Abilities, & Johnny’s Broken Eternal Love
There are not many people in the world ofCyberpunkwhom Johnny Silverhand cares about, but one individual whom he clearly has a soft spot for is Alt, his ex-girlfriend, who also happens to bethe best netrunner in all of Night City. In fact, it’s revealed that it was Alt who first developed Soulkiller before it was stolen by Arasaka, which they would then use to interrogate their victims, including her. Not only does Alt shed a lot of light on how corrupted and evil Arasaka Industries really is, but her personal story about being torn away from Johnny and having her own technology used against her is an emotional one that really pulls at the heartstrings.
Admittedly though, Alt is one of many important characters in the main story who guides V and Johnny to their final destination, so it can sometimes be easy to forget about her. She really is a character who deserves a lot more attention though, not only for her importance to the story, but also her connection with Johnny, which in turn brings out a side of him that had rarely been seen up to that point.
2River Ward
The Only Good Cop In Night City
Although he’s also classed as being an important character in the main story ofCyberpunk, River never receives as much love or attention as the likes of Goro or Judy for example. One reason for this is simply that he doesn’t appear in as many quests as those two, but while he can be overshadowed by his peers, this shouldn’t take away from how much of a captivating and well-written character he is. After signing up to the NCPD in the hopes of cleaning up Night City, he is constantly being torn between wanting to abide by the law, and breaking the rules now and again if he deems it necessary for enacting justice in the world.
River’s personal quests also grant a valuable insight into the behind-the-scenes criminal activities that frequently take place across Night City, resulting in someexhilarating detective missionswhich are a ton of fun to take part in. River might not always come up in discussions concerning the bestCyberpunkcharacters, but his depth and role in the world still make him a great member of the cast who has a lot of stories to tell if the player takes the time to listen.
1Misty Olszweski
A Spiritualist Who Cares For A Careless World
Misty also has one of the most stylish and iconic designs in the game, and even though her Tarot Card side-missions can start to get repetitive, being able to chat with Misty about what they mean, and how they relate to V’s personal story, is always a treat. Misty might not be as prominent in the story as some may have wanted her to be, but it seems as though CD Projekt Red took note of this as she does make an appearance inPhantom Libertywhere her character is expanded upon on a little more.
