It has been almost half a decade since Cyberpunk 2077 was released to the world. While it wasn’t the smoothest launch in video game history, it was still a content-rich RPG journey that overcame my technical hurdles. Despite the “unplayable” drama it stirred in 2020, some players (including me) pushed through the broken launch and found themselves face-to-face with two of the most disturbing questlines in gaming history.
“Sinnerman”
What begins as a seemingly straightforward quest about revenge turns into a gruesome story of twisted repentance. Sinnerman’s questline is a textbook example of something going from “0 to 100” very quickly. It is best experienced blind, but for those curious, there is one major highlight toward the end that cements it as one of the most bizarre quests ever written.
Throughout Sinnerman, a serial killer is seeking to repent for all his sins, and his chosen path to redemption is a literal crucifixion. As extreme as that sounds, it goes even further. A local film crew is dedicated to capturing the entire crucifixion scene, with V being the one to perform the “nailing” so they can sell it as a snuff film to Night City’s morbid consumer market. It’s exactly how you imagine it if you push through the plan, and it’s a harrowing experience.
You can attempt to talk him out of this delusional plan, but that is a less memorable outcome for a game that thrives on the darkness of its dystopian future. Overall, it is an unexpected and unsettling quest that leaves you unsure how to feel by the end.
“The Hunt”
If Sinnerman was a slow burn that escalated rapidly, The Hunt is disturbing from the very start. Part of River Ward’s storyline, it follows V and River as they search for his missing nephew.
This quest features another serial killer, but unlike Sinnerman, there is no angle of repentance here. The Hunt is about the horrors a person can commit out of pure malice.
Peter Pan, Night City’s most unsettling serial killer, lures unsuspecting men and women through online chats, posing as someone in emotional distress and asking for help. Once they meet in person, he abducts them, forces them to wear cattle masks, and tries to “fix” them through prolonged sedation. Those he cannot “fix” are killed with tools typically used by farmers to slaughter livestock. There’s even a bizarre rubber hose animation cartoon that’s integral to the quest, and it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth whenever I see it.
The Hunt is a grim exploration of childhood trauma and abuse, and how such experiences can warp a person’s sense of reality. Peter Pan was once a victim himself, but instead of breaking the cycle, he perpetuates it in horrifying ways.
The questline ends when the killer is finally caught and brought to justice, but the damage and trauma he inflicted on his victims, and my poor innocent mind, will never heal.
While Cyberpunk 2077 has other disturbing quests, such as Disasterpiece or the Perez household conspiracy, none match the psychological weight and lasting impact of Sinnerman and The Hunt. With Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel coming in a few years from now, I’m expecting to see more of these quests that go above and beyond.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming features.