Night City is colorful in more ways than one. Despite the visual splendor of Cyberpunk 2077's urban cesspool, the real attraction is its people. This metropolis has so many quirky citizens that players are bound to lose track.
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That said, the city itself is a vast, complex network of corners and alleys, making it the perfect place to disappear. This setting is so dense that even the weirdest individuals can stay hidden for years. Plus, some of them only come out for specific conditions. Never underestimate gamers' determination, though. Thanks to painstaking detective work (or just dumb luck), fans have found some of the most elusive characters in Night City and brought them to light.
10 Hideo Kojima
Players probably aren't looking for secrets during the game's introductory segments. The heist on Arasaka is generally guided, so they're just trying to progress past the story beats so that they can explore the city.
Those who venture off the beaten path early on will find one of gaming's biggest names (for better or worse). In the bar of Arasaka's lobby lies Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear and Death Stranding fame. He's surrounded by admirers and open to ideas.
9 Karim, Silverhand Super-Fan
This guy goes on and on about Johnny Silverhand, boasting how his music was different than the tripe nowadays. He'd probably pay big money for the singer's stuff that players find. Despite that, his shop of musical merchandise is practically indistinguishable from his peers. Players only hear about Karim by sparking a conversation with Johnny.
Wandering Night City, V can happen upon a guitar player on the street, which causes Silverhand to reminisce about the old days. Indulging the rocker leads to the Rainbow Cadenza club, a popular venue for Johnny's band. It's now a hub for street vendors. Ironically, this is where Karim wants to stand out (pun intended).
8 Roy Batty, The Renegade Replicant
It's no secret that Blade Runner was a huge influence in crafting Cyberpunk 2077. The evidence is festooned across Night City with the neon lights and techno aesthetic. Even with so much coming from that film, few gamers expected its villain to show up.
Out of the blue, V can encounter Roy Batty in the Vista Del Rey district. The rogue Replicant recites his iconic speech from the movie's climax, making fans pine for the crossover that could have been. Granted, this cameo has a criminal lack of Rutger Hauer, but what can you do?
7 Mr. Blue Eyes, The Illuminati
This enigmatic individual is supposedly part of the mysterious group invading the minds of Elizabeth and Jefferson Peralez. If players believe Johnny's story, then this party has secretly guided the events of Night City for decades. It makes sense that they wouldn't be easy to find.
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Indeed, V can only meet Mr. Blue Eyes during one of the game's endings. This is no simple task given the number of conditions required to attain each one. Those who do make the necessary choices might be surprised to find a (seemingly) flesh-and-blood human speaking for Illuminati. This goes against Silverhand's tale of shadowy AIs, but maybe CD Projekt is saving that for the sequel.
6 Cats
Most animals disappeared from Night City prior to the game. One look at all the litter, drugs, and diseases, and it's easy to see why. V explains that cats were supposedly the last ones to vanish. However, eagle-eyed players can still spot a few felines hiding in the city, inevitably leading to a fan theory or two.
V can adopt one of these little guys. Near the apartment, simply place some cat food in a bowl. This will eventually lead Nibbles the cat to become V's pet, lounging around the apartment whenever they come back. That means bragging rights for all cat lovers.
5 Alt Cunningham
Although this anti-corporate fighter was well-known to Johnny, V doesn't encounter her in the flesh until later. Even then, they still don't. The closest that players come is a bunch of pixels.
Arasaka used the experimental Soulkiller on Alt, sending her mind into cyberspace. All that's left is her digitized personality in the Net, and V can only access this place during the more climactic story missions. By default, this makes Alt one of the most elusive folks in Night City. Since she and Johnny get into a pixelized lover's quarrel, maybe that's a good thing.
4 A Bridge Baby
An in-game likeness isn't the only nod Kojima gets; players can also find a Bridge Baby from Death Stranding. This little child of science predictably lies in a clinic. V breaks into this clinic during "The Hunt," one of the quests involving a child-napping serial criminal known as "Peter Pan."
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The BB container is tucked away in a corner room of the building. Those breaking and entering may not want to venture off the beaten path for fear of getting caught. Others might think it's worth it since the baby in question can apparently detect spirits.
3 Michelle And Howard From 10 Cloverfield Lane?
Night City has no shortage of secret rooms. These compartments are scattered throughout both the main cityscape and the outskirts. One underground bunker in the southeastern Badlands, however, is more ominous than the rest.
Inside are the bodies of a woman and a man, both of whom bear a striking resemblance to the characters in 10 Cloverfield Lane. The paranoid notes near the corpses only cement this impression. Of all the nods in Night City, this one might be the most random. Does this mean gamers can expect aliens in the sequel?
2 Melissa Rory, The Teaser Trailer Girl
A lot can change between a game's initial promos and the final release. Come to think of it, tweaks also come afterward through patches. These changes can range from revised character designs to entirely new types of gameplay. Regardless, the early footage is the first impression that drew many people to Cyberpunk 2077 in the first place, and players are naturally curious about how much made it into the game.
The teaser trailer's female cyber psycho did make the final cut, just not in the way one would expect. MaxTac apparently arrested and repurposed Melissa Rory as a policewoman. She's fully armored as a cop when V meets her outside the Jinguji store, so most players probably won't recognize her. For those who've followed Cyberpunk for years, though, this is a neat little bit of continuity.
1 Dirty Harry and John McClane?
Apparently, Cyberpunk 2077 has its own versions of Dirty Harry and Die Hard, two movies about smart-mouthed cops who don't play by the rules. V can actually meet the stars of these flicks, albeit in simulation form. Even then, doing so calls for a committed friendship with River.
After progressing through the detective's questline, he'll invite V over to his house. This leads to an intense VR shoot 'em up with his relatives, whose in-game characters are Henry Callahan and Joan McClane. If only these two were on the job full-time, then Night City would be a much safer place.