Summary
There isn’t a gamer alive who should not be impressed byCyberpunk 2077’s Night City, a living, breathing metropolis that makes for a backdrop to the story. Yet one of the keys to success has been how this background steals the show and takes center stage. That’s no accident, the environment has been developed for eight years by people who understand that atmosphere can make or break a game.
But Night City is not just a fancy piece of artwork crafted by graphic designers. What really bringsCyberpunk 2077to life is the population that is walking, eating, laughing, and talking. As V, players will interact with a variety of unforgettable characters that lend their advice, criticize others, and make conjectures about the nature of the universe. Whether funny, clever, wise, or blunt, these words will be written on the minds of the listeners long after the controller has been set down.
Updated on June 03, 2025, by Jake Fillery:Cyberpunk 2077 has some of the best writing in video games, and the abundance of iconic and memorable quotes from the game itself are proof of that. It seems that almost every character has something memorable to say, and the best Cyberpunk 2077 quotes from the base game and Phantom Liberty present an array of emotions, from cool, to gut-wrenching, to hilarious.
30"Really, Dickweed? That Look Like A Bamboo To You?"
Johnny Teases V For Not Knowing What a Bamboo Tree Looks Like
When V is tasked with finding the bamboo plant within an apartment, their investigation allows them to examine an assortment of different plants while looking for something that, to us, would seem pretty straightforward. However, V is allowed some slack, considering plants aren’t that natural in Night City, and by 2077, they might have never seen bamboo. In response to examining the wrong plant, Johnny will provide snarky commentary, as he so often does, which never fails to make audiences laugh, even if it annoys V to feel like an idiot in front of the rocker boy.
29"Sheesh, Look At These Sheep. Baaa-Baaa."
Johnny Isn’t Impressed by Airports, or People Using Them
When V and Johnny take to the Night City Metropolitan Airport at the Orbital Space Center, Johnny will look below at all the people going about their lives, walking around with their suitcases and thinking about their seats on a plane, and comment so annoyingly about it. The fact that Johnny hates the simple act of people just going about their lives by calling them mindless sheep really emphasizes just how much of a nihilist he is, and how, despite being hilarious, he’s a pretty bad guy.
28"I Don’t Know If God Left The Meeting Happy, But I’m Pretty Certain Jackie Did."
Padre Expresses His Hope That Jackie Met God and Found Peace
Padre is a man devoted to God, and while his work may be rather sinful, he will always uphold his God above all. When it comes to Jackie’s funeral, Padre is there to show his respects, and even talks to V about God, and if he believes Jackie has met Him. Padre believes it is so, and offers words that can make a mourning V smile by saying that if Jackie and God did meet, Jackie would leave the meeting with a smile on his face, as he does in every situation, and that just maybe he gets to see the pearly gates of paradise.
27"Know What? You’re Starting To Remind Me Of Me… Fifty Years Back. Minus The Charisma… And Impressive ####."
Johnny Silverhand Brags About Himself To V
Johnny Silverhand, ever so vulgar and hateful of corpos, boasts in the back of Panam’s car about his escapades when it came to kidnapping corpos and getting everything out of them. Yet, his compliment to V’s plans cannot go without an ego check, as he finishes it off by saying how uncharismatic V is compared to Johnny, and how he’s much more well-endowed.
26"Not Askin' You To Never Give Up. Sometimes You Gotta Let Go… Just Don’t Let Anyone Change Who You Are, ‘Kay? G’night, [Vincent/Valorie]. Today Was A Good Day."
Johnny’s Heartbreaking Last Words To V
Cyberpunk 2077is an emotional journey, and V will do anything they can to save themselves, even if that comes at the cost of Johnny, the sole reason they are in this mess. By the time players manage to help Solomon Reed, they should have grown close to Johnny, developing a friendship thanks to the fact that they share each other’s every thought. V’s decision to have Johnny surgically removed is steeped in tragedy, as it may well be the only way tosave their life, but at the cost of Johnny.
Johnny dies, and he’s accepting of that. He’s actually okay with it because he wants V to live. Yet, he doesn’t want to leave his friend, his only real friend, and he parts on good terms, offering one last tidbit of advice, to never change for anyone, to always be true to yourself.
25"Before It All Goes Dark… For One Last Second, I’ll Know I Wasn’t Alone."
Songbird Finds Comfort In Her Last Moments By Being With V
Songbird’s story is nearly identical to V, both characters are fighting to stay alive, drowning underneath the weight and pressure of everyone around them, constantly demanding more, using them until they can no longer breathe. Songbird’s been corrupted beyond repair by the Blackwall, and she knows she’s dying, losing her mind to corruption by rogue AIs that will leave her with nothing, not even her memories. She pleads to V to let her die and to spend her last moments with her so that she doesn’t have to be alone, as alone as she felt for her entire life.
24"I Just Wanted The World To Know I Was Here. That I Mattered."
V Opens Up To A Doll About Their Worries Of Mortality
When V becomes a sleuth looking for Evelyn Parker, they take to Clouds and converse with one of the Dolls. In this session, V doesn’t get pleasure, but instead, what they need, which is basically just a therapy session. Here, V talks about what they want, that they want to matter, that they need to feel like they exist amongst the chaos and bustle of Night City. It’s a gut-wrenching feeling to feel non-existent, and V shows just how human their emotions are, especially with their own mortality weighing them down.
23"Apologies For The Precautions. I Only Ever Risk So Much. Sometimes It’s Just Safer To Shove The Barrel Of A Malorian Between A Choom’s Ribs, Even If He Is On Your Side. It’s Nothing Personal."
Solomon Reed Makes A Strong First Impression By Meeting V With A Gun Pressed To The Merc’s Ribs
Given that players got to see what happened to Reed in the introductory cinematic, it’s hard to blame him for being abrasive. This is a man who knowswhich guns are worth keeping aroundand which ones are worth letting go of. He knows a thing or two about discarded assets.
22"This Is Why You Don’t Bring Back Fallen Warriors. Sooner Or Later, They’re Going TO See Everything They Fought For’s Turned To S###."
Johnny, A Former Soldier, Is Disappointed At The State Of The World In 2077
Hard to believe a guy who was so focused on wrecking a city would be disappointed that the city got wrecked. Johnny seemed to believe a blank slate would have given people the opportunity to do better. Instead, they did worse. Thevendors are more usefulbut the poor are as oppressed as ever.
21"They’d Say You’re Taking Too Big A Risk. Poetically Speaking, Flying Toward The Sun To Burn Up."
Mr. Blue Eyes Speaks On The Importance Of Making Safe Bets
Mr. Blue Eyes is one of the game’s most cherished mysteries. His motives are unknown and his story is never resolved. Blue eyes are typically a sign of receiving money from a transaction, however, his are always blue. So taking monetary wisdom from him is one of V’s better ideas.
