Cronos: Lazarus vs Cyberpunk 2077

• Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
• Game Engine: Unreal Engine 5
• Parent Game: Cronos: The New Dawn
• Release Date: October 27, 2026
• Storage Footprint: 30 GB Available Space (SSD)

• Perspective: First-Person (Third-Person while driving and in photo mode/some cutscenes)
• Multiplayer: None (Single-Player Only)
• Setting: Night City, Free State of Northern California, Year 2077
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia (discontinued)
• Unique Feature: Deep Character Customization & Lifepaths, Extensive Cyberware System, Branching Narrative with Meaningful Choices, Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves), Dense Vertical City Design, Braindance Investigations.

• Echo-3 Recon Drone: Illuminates unpowered subterranean corridors with floodlights and pings enemy locations through walls.
  Autonomous Tactical Drone
• Tethered Harvester Bit: Hovers around the Warden, automatically collecting dispersed essence globules during high-speed combat.
  Magnetic Siphon Construct

• Johnny Silverhand (Digital Ghost): Resides in V's head due to the Relic biochip. Provides constant commentary, opinions, and guidance (often unsolicited). During specific story moments or side jobs ('Chippin' In'), V can allow Johnny to temporarily take control of their body, leading to unique interactions and gameplay segments where Johnny's combat style is emphasized.
  Digital Construct / Human (Formerly)
• Jackie Welles (Temporary): V's initial mercenary partner. Fights alongside V in early game missions, providing combat support with his dual pistols and aggressive style. His presence is limited to the prologue and first act.
  Human
• Story-Specific AI Companions (Panam, Judy, River, Takemura, etc.): During their respective questlines, key characters like Panam Palmer, Judy Alvarez, River Ward, Goro Takemura, and others will accompany V on missions, providing combat support, unique dialogue, and specialized skills (e.g., Panam's driving and sniper skills, Judy's tech/braindance expertise). They are AI-controlled and their presence is scripted for those missions.
  Human
• Summoned Drones/Turrets (Tech Perks & Cyberware): Through certain tech perks or cyberware, V might be able to deploy small combat drones or turrets that act as temporary AI companions, attacking nearby enemies.
  Robotic
• Pets (Cat 'Nibbles', Iguana): V can adopt a cat (Nibbles) and hatch an iguana in their apartment. They are non-combat companions, primarily adding a touch of domesticity and life to V's living space.
  Felis catus / Iguanidae

• Shattered Essence Shards: Concealed within secret containment alcoves and reward safes throughout the Terminal sectors.
• Collective Encrypted Black Boxes: Recovered from deceased Collective reconnaissance units and fallen security commanders.
• Prototype Upgrade Matrices: Discovered in high-security engineering vaults to enhance phase-dash and weapon telemetry.

• Iconic Weapons: Unique named weapons with special abilities, stats, and often unique visual designs. Obtained from specific enemies, as quest rewards, or found in hidden locations. Can be upgraded.
• Tarot Card Graffiti (Mystical Murals): 20 (base game) + 2 (Phantom Liberty) large, glowing tarot card murals painted on walls throughout Night City and Dogtown. Finding them is part of the 'Fool on the Hill' side job and they are narrated by Misty, tying into themes of fate and V's journey.
• Cyberpsycho Sightings (Mini-Bosses): 17 individuals who have succumbed to cyberpsychosis. Regina Jones tasks V with neutralizing them (lethally or non-lethally) for study. Each encounter is a unique mini-boss fight.
• NCPD Scanner Hustles (Reported Crimes): Numerous dynamic events marked on the map, including Assaults in Progress, Reported Crimes, and Organized Crime Activities. Completing them by neutralizing criminals and looting evidence provides XP, street cred, and money.
• Shards (Lore & Skill Shards): Data shards containing text logs, audio recordings, or even software that grants a free Perk Point or levels up a skill. Found extensively throughout Night City, providing lore and character progression.
• Johnny Silverhand's Belongings (Car, Gun, Clothing Items): Various iconic items that belonged to Johnny Silverhand can be found or acquired by V, allowing them to partially adopt his look and use his signature gear. Part of the 'Chippin' In' side job line.
• Vehicles (Purchasable & Stealable): While not 'collectibles' in the traditional sense, acquiring a garage full of diverse vehicles (cars, motorcycles) by purchasing them from Fixers or finding/stealing unique ones is a major side activity for many players.

• Survival Horror
• Sci-Fi Horror
• Eastern European Brutalism
• Fast-Paced Combat
• Time Anomalies
• Dystopian
• Atmospheric
• Dark Fantasy

• Cyberpunk
• Transhumanism
• Corporate Power & Dystopia
• Megacities
• Identity & Self
• Immortality
• Rebellion
• Artificial Intelligence
• Inequality
• The Price of Fame
• Loss & Memory
• Cybernetics

• Harvester Scythe-Pike: Polearm / Melee Executioner
  The Warden's iconic signature weapon, capable of fluid sweeping strikes, guard breaks, and instant essence-siphoning executions on staggered mutants.
• Overcharged Trench Scattergun: Heavy Shotgun
  A close-quarters industrial shotgun firing devastating kinetic buckshot that staggers massive armored monstrosities.
• Pneumatic Spike Cannon: Heavy Ballistic Rifle
  Fires high-velocity industrial rebar spikes capable of impaling advancing creatures and pinning them to concrete walls.
• Phase-Disruptor Pistol: Energy Sidearm
  Rapid-firing tactical handgun calibrated to break bio-shielding and detonate corrupted energy sacs on mutated enemies.
• Thermite Cluster Grenades: Tactical Ordnance
  Sticky incendiary explosive charges that latch onto enemy weak points and unleash sustained high-temperature chemical flames.

• Power Weapons: Conventional Firearms (Ricochet)
  Standard firearms (pistols, SMGs, rifles, shotguns, LMGs) that fire conventional bullets. Bullets can ricochet off surfaces, allowing for trick shots. Most common weapon type, highly customizable with scopes, muzzles, and mods.
• Tech Weapons: Electromagnetic Firearms (Charge & Penetrate)
  Advanced firearms that can be charged up to fire powerful projectiles capable of penetrating cover and hitting enemies behind walls. Often have a distinct visual and sound design. Require Technical Ability attribute for full potential.
• Smart Weapons: Guided Projectile Firearms (Homing)
  Futuristic firearms that fire self-guided projectiles that can track and home in on tagged enemies, even around cover. Require a Smart Link cyberware implant in V's hands to use effectively. Often tied to Intelligence attribute.
• Melee Weapons (Blades & Blunt): Close Quarters Combat (Various)
  Includes katanas, knives, machetes, baseball bats, crowbars, hammers, and unique iconic melee weapons. Combat style varies from fast slashes to heavy stunning blows. Can be modded.
• Cyberware Weapons (Arm Implants): Cybernetic Melee/Ranged
  Powerful weapons integrated directly into V's cybernetic arms: Mantis Blades (extendable arm blades for lethal melee), Gorilla Arms (enhance strength for blunt melee and ripping open doors/turrets), Monowire (a charged fiber optic whip for slicing enemies), Projectile Launch System (fires various explosive or non-lethal projectiles).
• Throwables (Grenades): Explosive/Utility
  Various types of grenades including Fragmentation, EMP, Incendiary, Recon (tags enemies), and Biohazard. Used for area denial, crowd control, or specific tactical advantages.
• Iconic Weapons: Unique Named Variants
  Special, named versions of existing weapons (Power, Tech, Smart, Melee) with unique appearances, enhanced stats, and often special properties or effects. Found as quest rewards, looted from specific enemies, or crafted from specs. Highly sought after.

• Reinforced Warden Hazard Rig: Defense: +220; grants 30% resistance against toxic gas and dampens kinetic shock from heavy boss strikes.
• Phase-Shift Tactical Exoskeleton: Defense: +340; accelerates Phase-Dash recharge by 25% and emits an electric pulse when dodging through enemy attacks.

• Outer Clothing (Jackets, Coats, Vests): Provides Armor rating, which contributes to damage reduction. Can have mod slots for adding passive bonuses (e.g., increased critical chance, resistance to specific damage types, reduced recoil). Style varies greatly.
• Inner Clothing (Shirts, Tops, Bodysuits): Provides Armor rating and potentially mod slots. Contributes to overall look and protection.
• Headwear (Hats, Helmets, Glasses, Masks, Kerchiefs): Provides Armor rating and often mod slots. Glasses/visors can sometimes offer minor UI enhancements or zoom capabilities through mods. Masks used for anonymity or aesthetic.
• Facewear (Masks, Cybernetic Faceplates): Provides Armor and sometimes unique perks or mod slots. Cybernetic faceplates are more integrated.
• Legwear (Pants, Skirts, Shorts): Provides Armor rating and can have mod slots.
• Footwear (Boots, Shoes, Sneakers): Provides Armor rating and sometimes mod slots for perks like quieter movement or reduced fall damage.
• Special Outfits / Full Body Sets: Complete outfits (e.g., corpo suit, netrunner suit, nomad gear) that provide an overall Armor rating and sometimes set bonuses or unique appearances. Some are iconic or tied to specific factions/quests.
• Subdermal Armor (Cyberware): A type of cyberware implant that directly increases V's base Armor rating. Multiple tiers available for increasing damage resistance.

• Warden Heavy Combat Armor: Standard Industrial Olive, Collective Inquisitor Black, Reactor Hazard Yellow, and Arctic Slate.
• Renegade Pathfinder Trench Coat: Heavy ballistic canvas overcoat with reinforced pauldrons and weathered Collective insignia.

• Outerwear (Jackets, Coats, Vests): Extensive selection of jackets (biker, bomber, trench coats, armored vests, etc.) in various styles (corpo, nomad, streetkid, netrunner) and materials. Offers Armor and mod slots.
• Innerwear (Shirts, T-Shirts, Tank Tops, Bodysuits): Wide variety of shirts and tops, from casual to formal, often reflecting different subcultures of Night City. Provides Armor and mod slots.
• Headwear (Hats, Caps, Helmets, Bandanas, Headbands, Visors): Large assortment of headgear. Helmets offer more protection. Visors and some cybernetic headwear can have unique properties or mod slots.
• Facewear (Glasses, Goggles, Masks, Cybernetic Optics): Includes sunglasses, protective goggles, gas masks, decorative masks, and cybernetic eye/face implants. Can offer Armor and mod slots.
• Legwear (Pants, Trousers, Skirts, Shorts, Leggings): Diverse options for lower body clothing, including jeans, cargo pants, corporate slacks, tactical pants, and more. Provides Armor and mod slots.
• Footwear (Boots, Sneakers, High Heels, Sandals): Variety of shoes to match different styles, from heavy combat boots to stylish sneakers or formal shoes. Offers Armor and sometimes mod slots for perks like quieter movement.
• Special Outfits / Full Body Sets (Netrunner Suit, Corpo Suit, Nomad Gear, Hazmat Suit, etc.): Complete, pre-designed outfits that often provide a cohesive look and good Armor. Some are tied to specific factions, professions, or quests. Can have multiple mod slots.
• Wardrobe & Transmog System (Post 1.6 Update): Players can save created outfits in their apartment wardrobe and use a transmogrification system to apply the appearance of any owned clothing item to their equipped gear, allowing for optimal stats with desired aesthetics.

Gameplay radically shifts from slow-paced methodical survival to fast, predatory combat. The Warden wields the Phase-Dash module (allowing short-range directional teleportation through enemy strikes and environmental lasers), Kinetic Parry Counters, an Overclocked Harvester Device (which drains essence mid-combat to replenish armor plating and weapon energy), and modular Suit Enhancements that alter teleport cooldowns, melee shockwave radii, and firearm critical strike chances.

The expansion centers on the Terminal, a sprawling multi-tiered Eastern European brutalist installation composed of interconnected zones: the Monolithic Reactor Core, the Abandoned Rail Classification Yard, the Cryogenic Decontamination Sinks, the Corrupted Botanical Hydro-Labs, and the Sub-Level Archive Vaults. The environment blends claustrophobic corridors with cavernous industrial chambers optimized for fast teleportation traversal and tactical verticality.

Night City is a vast and incredibly dense urban open world, divided into six main districts: Watson (run-down, industrial, diverse), Westbrook (upscale, Japantown, corporate plazas), City Center (corporate heart, skyscrapers), Heywood (residential, diverse socio-economic areas, Valentinos turf), Santo Domingo (industrial, working-class, 6th Street turf), and Pacifica (once a resort district, now impoverished and dangerous, Voodoo Boys turf). The surrounding Badlands (desert outskirts) are also explorable. The city is known for its verticality and intricate layout.

• Collective Transit Railcar: Armored Monorail
  Heavy fortified freight train utilized by Collective pathfinders to navigate across contaminated wasteland sectors.
• Industrial Shaft Elevator: Hydraulic Freight Hoist
  Massive deep-shaft lift connecting the surface staging areas to the subterranean Terminal reactor levels.

• Cars (Economy, Executive, Sport, Hypercar, Heavy Duty, Utility): Land Vehicle (Wheeled)
  A vast selection of cars across numerous fictional manufacturers and classes, reflecting Night City's diverse automotive landscape. Vehicles can be purchased, stolen, or awarded. Extensive visual customization is limited, but performance varies. Some vehicles feature mounted weapons (added post-2.0/Phantom Liberty).
• Motorcycles (Street, Sport, Chopper): Land Vehicle (Two-Wheeled)
  Various motorcycles for fast and agile urban traversal, including iconic bikes like Jackie's Arch or the Kusanagi Yaiba. Offer a different driving experience and allow V to use one-handed weapons while riding.
• Trucks & Vans (Industrial, Commercial): Land Vehicle (Wheeled - Heavy)
  Larger vehicles like pickup trucks, vans, semi-trucks, and industrial vehicles. Slower but more durable. Some can be used for specific missions or carrying large items.
• Armored Vehicles & Weaponized Vehicles (Post 2.0 / Phantom Liberty): Land Vehicle (Combat Focused)
  Certain vehicles, especially those added or enhanced with later updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion, come equipped with mounted machine guns, rocket launchers, or other offensive capabilities, enabling vehicle combat.
• AVs (Aerodynes - NPC/Mission Specific): Aerial Vehicle (Flying Car - Primarily NPC)
  Flying vehicles (AVs) are a common sight in Night City's skies, used by corporations, law enforcement, and the wealthy. While V cannot freely pilot them in the base game, they feature prominently in cutscenes and specific mission sequences. Some limited player control might occur in scripted events.
• Public Transit (NCART Metro - Fast Travel): Mass Transit System
  The Night City Area Rapid Transit (NCART) system features metro stations across the city. Initially just fast travel points, later updates allowed players to actually ride the metro trains and look out at the city.

• Apex Hunter: Engineered Bio-Mechanical Organism
  A terrifying, relentless predator dispatched by the Collective that stalks the player dynamically through the facility.
• Corrupted Carcass Stalker: Mutated Quadruped
  Fast, skittering bio-mass hounds that swarm in packs and leap from shadowed ceilings and maintenance grates.
• Spore Leaper: Parasitic Bio-Form
  Agile subterranean creatures that detonate upon close proximity, releasing blinding toxic spores.

• Cats (Domestic): Felis catus
  Ambient Domesticated/Stray Wildlife. V can adopt a cat named Nibbles.
• Dogs (Domestic / Stray): Canis familiaris
  Ambient Domesticated/Stray Wildlife. Less common than cats in interactive roles.
• Pigeons & Other Birds: Aves (Various)
  Ambient Urban Wildlife, contribute to city atmosphere.
• Rats & Cockroaches: Rodentia / Blattodea
  Ambient Urban Wildlife, found in run-down areas, adding to grim atmosphere.
• Iguana (Pet): Iguanidae
  V can acquire an Iguana egg and hatch it as a pet for their apartment.
• Fish (Aquarium): Pisces (Various Ornamental)
  Decorative, can be found in some environments or as part of V's apartment customization.

• The Warden: Protagonist / Rogue Pathfinder
  An elite combat operative of the Collective who breaks all protocols to execute the forbidden Lazarus resurrection mission.
• The Apex Hunter: Antagonist / Relentless Executioner
  A grotesque, cybernetic apex predator programmed to track and eradicate rogue personnel across the Terminal facility.
• Magdalena: Key Narrative Figure / Lost Essence
  A central figure from the Warden's past whose lingering essence is the sole focus of the Lazarus Protocol.

• V (Valerie/Vincent): Protagonist (Mercenary)
  The player-customizable protagonist. V's background (Lifepath: Nomad, Streetkid, Corpo) influences early story and dialogue options. After a heist gone wrong, V's consciousness is intertwined with Johnny Silverhand's due to the Relic biochip, leading to a desperate search for a cure.
• Johnny Silverhand: Deuteragonist / Digital Ghost / Rockerboy Legend
  A charismatic and rebellious iconic rockerboy and anarchist who died decades before 2077. His digital ghost is imprinted on the Relic biochip and becomes a constant presence in V's mind, offering cynical commentary, guidance, and sometimes taking control. Portrayed and voiced by Keanu Reeves.
• Jackie Welles: Ally / V's Best Friend & Merc Partner
  V's initial partner in crime and close friend. A loyal and ambitious mercenary dreaming of hitting the major leagues in Night City. His fate is a significant early plot point.
• Judy Alvarez: Ally / Braindance Technician / Potential Romantic Interest
  A skilled braindance technician and member of the Moxes gang. She becomes a key ally to V, helping with investigations and dealing with personal struggles. A potential romantic interest for female V.
• Panam Palmer: Ally / Nomad (Aldecaldos) / Potential Romantic Interest
  A fiercely independent former member of the Aldecaldos nomad clan. She enlists V's help for various operations in the Badlands and becomes a crucial ally. A potential romantic interest for male V.
• River Ward: Ally / NCPD Detective / Potential Romantic Interest
  An NCPD detective who seeks V's help in solving a personal case. He is principled but often disillusioned with the system. A potential romantic interest for female V.
• Kerry Eurodyne: Ally / Rockerboy / Potential Romantic Interest
  Johnny Silverhand's former bandmate from Samurai. Now an older, established musician struggling with his legacy and new challenges. A potential romantic interest for male V.
• Viktor Vektor: Ally / Ripperdoc
  A skilled and trustworthy Ripperdoc who serves as V's primary cyberware installer and medical contact. A fatherly figure to V.
• Misty Olszewski: Ally / Esoteric Shop Owner
  Owner of Misty's Esoterica, Jackie's girlfriend, and a friend to V. She provides spiritual guidance and tarot readings.
• Goro Takemura: Ally / Former Arasaka Bodyguard
  The loyal former bodyguard of Saburo Arasaka. After Saburo's death, he seeks V's help to uncover the truth and bring justice, becoming an unlikely ally.
• Adam Smasher: Antagonist / Arasaka Cyborg Enforcer
  A monstrous, almost fully cybernetic Arasaka enforcer. A legendary and terrifying figure in Night City, responsible for Johnny Silverhand's death. Serves as a major recurring threat.
• Yorinobu Arasaka: Antagonist / Heir to Arasaka Corporation
  Saburo Arasaka's rebellious son and the current head of the Arasaka Corporation after his father's demise. His actions are central to the main conflict.
• Fixers (Dexter DeShawn, Rogue Amendiares, Wakako Okada, Mr. Hands, etc.): Quest Givers / Information Brokers
  Influential figures in Night City's underworld who provide V with gigs (jobs), contracts, and information. Each fixer controls a specific territory or type of operation.

• Breach: The Terminal Perimeter: Expansion Campaign Infiltration
  Sever communications with the Collective, breach the quarantined industrial rail yard, and enter the lower facility.
• Stalker in the Sinks: Survival & Boss Encounter
  Navigate the flooded cryogenic cooling sectors while evading and counter-attacking the stalking Apex Hunter.
• The Lazarus Protocol: Climactic Final Battle
  Defend the resurrection chamber against waves of biomechanical horrors and successfully revive the lost essence.

• Main Jobs (Primary Story Campaign)
  A series of core narrative missions that drive V's central quest to find a cure for the Relic biochip and deal with Johnny Silverhand's engram. These involve high-stakes heists, corporate espionage, confrontations with major antagonists, and exploring the deepest secrets of Night City and the Arasaka Corporation.
• Side Jobs (Character Arcs & Major Side Stories)
  Extensive, multi-part optional questlines that delve deeper into the stories of key supporting characters like Panam Palmer, Judy Alvarez, River Ward, Kerry Eurodyne, and Johnny Silverhand himself. These often involve significant choices and can lead to romances or impact V's relationships and potential endings.
• Gigs (Fixer Contracts)
  Smaller, contract-based jobs provided by Night City's Fixers. These are categorized into types like Mercenary Work (e.g., neutralize target, sabotage), SOS: Merc Needed (rescue missions), Thievery (steal an item), Agent Saboteur, Gun for Hire, and Search and Recover. They offer money, street cred, and experience.
• NCPD Scanner Hustles (Assault in Progress, Reported Crime, Organized Crime Activity)
  Dynamic events marked on the map indicating ongoing criminal activity. V can intervene to neutralize criminals and often find lootable evidence or containers. Contributes to clearing out district crime.
• Cyberpsycho Sightings
  Regina Jones tasks V with locating and neutralizing (preferably non-lethally) 17 individuals who have succumbed to cyberpsychosis. Each encounter is a unique mini-boss fight requiring different tactics.
• Vehicle Contracts (Post 2.0 Update)
  Missions from El Capitan involving stealing specific vehicles within a time limit, often involving combat or evading pursuit.
• Braindance Investigations
  Specific missions where V uses a Braindance device to analyze recorded memories, scrubbing through visual, audio, and thermal layers to find clues and solve mysteries. A key investigative tool.
• Phantom Liberty Main Jobs & Gigs (Expansion)
  A new main storyline and set of gigs within the Dogtown district, involving espionage, political intrigue, and working with NUSA agent Solomon Reed and netrunner Songbird to save the NUSA President.

Standard DLC Expansion ($19.99 USD) requires the base game Cronos: The New Dawn to play across PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Deluxe DLC Edition / Complete Bundle ($29.99 USD) includes the original Lazarus dark ambient digital soundtrack by Arkadiusz Reikowski, an exclusive Digital Concept Artbook detailing the brutalist architecture and Hunter evolution, and the 'Renegade Pathfinder' carbon-fiber suit skin.

Available in Standard Edition. A Collector's Edition was released with numerous physical items (V statue, artbook, SteelBook, world compendium, postcards, map, etc.). The game later received a major 2.0 update and the 'Phantom Liberty' expansion, which can be purchased separately or as part of a bundle. An 'Ultimate Edition' bundling the base game and Phantom Liberty was also released.

Post-launch developer roadmap features include an intense 'Terminal Gauntlet' survival horde mode with randomized enemy waves and temporal hazard modifiers, a Boss Rush challenge arena testing mastery over the apex Hunter encounters, speedrun leaderboards, and full Steam Deck and handheld optimization patches.

The game received numerous patches and significant free updates (like the 2.0 update which overhauled perks, cyberware, AI, and police systems). One major paid story expansion, 'Phantom Liberty,' was released, adding a new district (Dogtown), storyline, characters, weapons, and abilities. CD Projekt Red has stated Phantom Liberty is the only planned major expansion.

• Q: What is Cronos: Lazarus?
  A: Cronos: Lazarus is a combat-heavy story expansion and new chapter to Bloober Team's survival horror game Cronos: The New Dawn, starring the Warden.
• Q: Does Cronos: Lazarus require the base game?
  A: Yes, Cronos: Lazarus is a downloadable content (DLC) expansion that requires Cronos: The New Dawn to play.
• Q: How does combat differ from Cronos: The New Dawn?
  A: Lazarus shifts to a faster, more aggressive playstyle with rapid phase-dash teleportation, aggressive melee cleaves, and active essence harvesting.
• Q: What platforms will Cronos: Lazarus release on?
  A: The expansion will be available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
• Q: When is Cronos: Lazarus releasing?
  A: Cronos: Lazarus is scheduled to launch in Fall 2026.

• Q: What are Lifepaths in Cyberpunk 2077, and how do they affect the game?
  A: At the start of the game, players choose one of three Lifepaths for V: Nomad, Streetkid, or Corpo. This choice determines V's starting prologue mission, some unique dialogue options throughout the game that reflect their background, and occasionally offers unique ways to approach or resolve certain quests.
• Q: Is Cyberpunk 2077 fixed now after its troubled launch?
  A: Cyberpunk 2077 received numerous significant patches and updates (notably Patch 1.5, 1.6, and the major 2.0 Update) that addressed many of the bugs, performance issues, and missing features present at launch. The game is now considered to be in a much-improved state, especially on PC and current-gen consoles, though performance can still be demanding.
• Q: Can I customize my character's appearance after starting the game?
  A: Yes, after Patch 1.5, players can change V's appearance (hair, makeup, piercings, some cyberware visuals) at mirrors in their apartments or at Ripperdocs. Initial body type and voice cannot be changed post-character creation.
• Q: What is Braindance (BD)?
  A: Braindance is an in-universe technology that allows users to experience recorded memories and emotions of another person. V uses BDs for investigative purposes, analyzing recordings in an editing mode to find clues by scanning visual, audio, and thermal layers.
• Q: Does Cyberpunk 2077 have multiple endings?
  A: Yes, Cyberpunk 2077 features multiple significantly different endings for the main story, influenced by choices made throughout the game, particularly in the final act and V's relationships with key characters. The Phantom Liberty expansion also has its own set of branching endings that can impact the base game's conclusion.
• Q: What is Phantom Liberty?
  A: Phantom Liberty is the only major paid expansion for Cyberpunk 2077. It's a spy-thriller story that introduces a new district (Dogtown), new characters (including Solomon Reed played by Idris Elba and Songbird), new quests, weapons, cyberware, and abilities. It integrates into the main game but also offers a new potential ending path.

Built natively in Unreal Engine 5 leveraging Nanite virtualized geometry for photorealistic brutalist concrete surfaces, Lumen dynamic global illumination for real-time light bounces in darkness, and advanced Chaos physics for environmental destruction during boss battles.

Powered by REDengine 4, Cyberpunk 2077 showcases a visually stunning and incredibly dense Night City, renowned for its neon-drenched streets, towering skyscrapers, detailed interiors, and diverse character designs. It features advanced global illumination, reflections, and particle effects. Ray tracing (including Path Tracing in 'Overdrive Mode' on high-end PCs) significantly enhances visual fidelity with realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections, but is extremely demanding.

Scored by renowned horror composer Arkadiusz Reikowski, blending oppressive industrial percussion, distorted Soviet-era analog synthesizers, metallic scraping tones, and visceral spatial audio engineered with Unreal Engine 5's MetaSounds to heighten the terror of the Hunter stalking the player.

Original score composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz, P. T. Adamczyk, and Paul Leonard-Morgan, featuring a blend of electronic, industrial, synthwave, and rock elements reflecting Night City's atmosphere. Features an extensive list of licensed tracks from various artists (real and fictional in-universe bands like Samurai, fronted by Johnny Silverhand) across multiple in-game radio stations covering diverse genres. Sound design emphasizes futuristic tech, distinct weapon sounds, and the cacophony of a bustling, dangerous city.

Features a diegetic and streamlined tactical HUD. The Warden's suit spine illuminates energy nodes indicating available Phase-Dash charges and armor integrity, while weapon ammo counts and essence reserves are projected via holographic readouts on firearm receivers and the wrist-mounted Harvester interface.

Features a diegetic first-person HUD integrated into V's optical implants, displaying health, ammo, mini-map, objectives, and contextual hacking prompts. The inventory, character (skills, cyberware), journal, and map are accessed through a menu system. Braindances offer a unique investigative UI. Extensive use of in-world UIs on screens and advertisements.

Extensive accessibility suite including individual sliders for combat aggression and enemy damage, customizable auto-aim and target snapping, visual sound indicators for footsteps and monster growls, colorblind rendering modes, full input remapping for controllers and keyboards, and scalable subtitle fonts with speaker tagging.

Offers a robust suite of accessibility options, including extensive subtitle customization (size, background, speaker names), control remapping (full on PC), aim assist options, options to reduce camera motion and screen effects, colorblind modes, UI scaling, options for hold vs. toggle for actions, and various gameplay difficulty modifiers.

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. DirectX 12 is required. Solid-state drive (SSD) installation is mandatory for fast level streaming and seamless phase-teleport traversal.
• Laptop Performance Note: Unreal Engine 5 Nanite geometry and Lumen dynamic lighting demand steady mobile GPU power; a sustained 75W+ TGP is strongly advised to maintain 60 FPS during intensive combat brawls.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: 60W minimum mobile TGP for 1080p 60 FPS; 95W+ TGP recommended for high refresh 1440p displays.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Ensure elevated laptop chassis and unrestricted intake vents to curb CPU thermal throttling during multi-enemy particle collisions.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Sustained 40W CPU power delivery avoids micro-stutter when rapid teleport dashes stream high-poly brutalist assets.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Activating discrete GPU mode via MUX switch significantly cuts input lag for responsive dodge counters and quick-turn aiming.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Features native support for NVIDIA DLSS 3.7 (Super Resolution and Frame Generation), AMD FSR 3.1, and Intel XeSS.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Lumen Global Illumination, Volumetric Fog Quality, and Screen Space Reflections exert the heaviest GPU impact.
• Game Name: Cronos: Lazarus

• Official system requirements from CD Projekt Red (updated post-2.0 patch and Phantom Liberty). Performance can vary significantly depending on specific hardware, settings, areas in-game (especially dense city centers), and background applications. An SSD is MANDATORY. The game is very demanding, especially with Path Tracing (Overdrive Mode).
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of listed desktop GPUs may work if their performance is comparable, but TGP (Total Graphics Power) and cooling are extremely critical. **Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most graphically and CPU intensive games, particularly with advanced ray tracing. High-end, modern laptop hardware is essential for an enjoyable experience at higher settings.**
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is crucial for performance.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is essential to prevent severe thermal throttling, especially during prolonged sessions.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Laptops with sustained high CPU power limits and good single-core performance will perform better.
• Laptop Consideration: R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM (DDR5 preferred) significantly benefits performance, especially with high CPU load.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended for optimal framerates.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS (including Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation - DLSS 3/3.5), AMD FSR 2.1, and Intel XeSS 1.1.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Ray Tracing (Reflections, Sun Shadows, Local Shadows, Global Illumination, Path Tracing/Overdrive Mode), Screen Space Reflections Quality, Volumetric Fog Resolution, Crowd Density, Texture Quality, and Level of Detail (LOD) heavily impact performance. Using upscaling is highly recommended for higher settings/resolutions, especially with any form of ray tracing.
• Game Name: Cyberpunk 2077

• Upscaling Tech: Features native support for NVIDIA DLSS 3.7 (Super Resolution and Frame Generation), AMD FSR 3.1, and Intel XeSS.
• Key Settings Impact: Lumen Global Illumination, Volumetric Fog Quality, and Screen Space Reflections exert the heaviest GPU impact.

• Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS (including Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation - DLSS 3/3.5), AMD FSR 2.1, and Intel XeSS 1.1.
• Key Settings Impact: Ray Tracing (Reflections, Sun Shadows, Local Shadows, Global Illumination, Path Tracing/Overdrive Mode), Screen Space Reflections Quality, Volumetric Fog Resolution, Crowd Density, Texture Quality, and Level of Detail (LOD) heavily impact performance. Using upscaling is highly recommended for higher settings/resolutions, especially with any form of ray tracing.

• G P U T G P: 60W minimum mobile TGP for 1080p 60 FPS; 95W+ TGP recommended for high refresh 1440p displays.
• Cooling Thermals: Ensure elevated laptop chassis and unrestricted intake vents to curb CPU thermal throttling during multi-enemy particle collisions.
• C P U Power Limits: Sustained 40W CPU power delivery avoids micro-stutter when rapid teleport dashes stream high-poly brutalist assets.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Activating discrete GPU mode via MUX switch significantly cuts input lag for responsive dodge counters and quick-turn aiming.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is crucial for performance.
• Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is essential to prevent severe thermal throttling, especially during prolonged sessions.
• C P U Power Limits: Laptops with sustained high CPU power limits and good single-core performance will perform better.
• R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM (DDR5 preferred) significantly benefits performance, especially with high CPU load.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended for optimal framerates.