Cyberpunk 2077 guide: Which Lifepath to choose

The first choice you’ll make in Cyberpunk 2077 (after difficulty) is your Lifepath. You have literally no experience with the game at this point, so this feels like a pretty weighty decision.

In this Cyberpunk 2077 guide, we’ll introduce you to the three Lifepaths and what they mean for your character.

The effect of Lifepaths

In a lot of games, the choice you make here — a choice that will look a lot like this one — determines your class and has long-lasting effects on your play style. That is not what’s happening here.

As we mentioned in our beginner’s guide, Cyberpunk 2077 is a role-playing game first, and an action game second. Choosing your Lifepath is where the role-playing begins.

The Lifepath you choose doesn’t have any effect on your stats or abilities. All you’re choosing is (your version of) V’s personality and, for lack of a better word, upbringing.

Image: CD Projeckt Red via Polygon

You’ll choose between:

• Nomad. “Roaming the Badlands, looting the scrapyards, raiding fuel depots — life on the road wasn’t easy. But growing up in a nomad clan has its perks. Honesty, integrity, and a love of freedom — qualities that few in Night City possess, and no amount of money can buy.”
• Streetkid. “They say if you wanna understand the streets, you gotta live ‘em. Gangs, fixers, dolls, small-time pushers — you were raised by them all. Down here the law of the jungle dictates the weak serve the strong — the only law in Night City you have yet to break.”
• Corpo. “Few leave the corporate world with their lives — fewer still with their souls intact. You’ve been there — you’ve bent the rules, exploited secrets, and weaponized information. There’s no such thing as a fair game, only winners and losers.”

Lifepath effects on gameplay

Like we mentioned, your Lifepath doesn’t effect your stats, ability, or even your character, really. Your Lifepath will determine your introductory mission to the game. Each path has a different mission, but they all result in the same ending — befriending Jackie.

After that, the only place you’ll really see your Lifepath is in conversations. You’ll have Lifepath-related dialogue occasionally that results in additional details or insight.