In Defense of Cyberpunk 2077’s Epistrophy Quest

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 19, 2025 30 Views 6 Min Read
In Defense of Cyberpunk 2077's Epistrophy Quest



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Summary

  • Completing the Epistrophy quest in Cyberpunk 2077 is worth it for the unique storytelling and rewards.
  • The quest adds humor, drama, and world-building, letting players explore Night City and earn experience/money.
  • Unlocking the follow-up “Don’t Lose Your Mind” quest presents a moral choice that also impacts V’s relationship with Johnny Silverhand.

2025 will mark five years since Cyberpunk 2077 launched. In that time, CD Projekt Red’s ambitious title has undergone an array of fixes and improvements that firmly put its famously rocky release in the rearview, capped off by the recent and final Update 2.2. As Cyberpunk 2077 fans now look forward to what the studio is planning for the future of the franchise, it’s a good time to reflect on some of the highs and lows contained in CP2077, specifically looking at one quest that has proved somewhat divisive within the fanbase, but ultimately is worth doing for multiple reasons.

Among the many side jobs and gigs in Cyberpunk 2077 that players can take on, the Epistrophy quest on the surface seems like a fairly standard variation of one seen dozens of times in open-world RPGs. However, it’s the presentation, strength of writing, and satisfying moments contained throughout Epistrophy that give the quest great context and make it one of the better ones for players to engage with.

César Diego Ruiz from Cyberpunk 2077 Beat the Brat quest

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Why The Epistrophy Quest in Cyberpunk 2077 Is Well Worth Investing In

Delmain’s Dilemma in Cyberpunk 2077

Fans are introduced to Delmain early on in Cyberpunk 2077‘s adventure, with protagonist V hopping into one of the AI’s automated cabs on their way to the heist that kicks off the main campaign. Later, Delmain will contact V asking for assistance with solving an issue that has arisen in its programming. A group of rogue personalities controlling a fleet of cabs have split off from Delmain’s central core, and are causing havoc in Night City with their unpredictable antics. It’s a setup that perfectly encapsulates Cyberpunk 2077‘s vibe and offers some excellent storytelling along with tangible rewards if fans see it through to the conclusion.

Cyberpunk 2077’s Epistrophy Quest Covers A Lot of Great Ground

Accepting Delmain’s request starts Epistrophy, and has fans tracking down the wayward cabs, wrangling them back to be reunited with the “main” Delmain. At face value, Epistrophy is essentially a fetch quest, and while that means it can feel a bit repetitive, it’s the attention to detail and resulting narrative weight behind it that elevates it beyond the usual fare. Each splinter AI is unique and often amusing, even if in off-putting ways, with one highlight being a personality that is basically GLaDos from Portal as a fitting reference and fun Easter Egg.

Though it’s a familiar design, Epistrophy injects some excellent moments of both humor and drama into Cyberpunk 2077‘s setting and story, while letting players experience a little chaos along the way, par for the course. The quest also provides fans with an organic reason to explore Night City, fleshing out the world building by sending them on a tour of its major districts to become better acquainted with the map. Finally, each cab captured and reunited nets a decent amount of experience and money, providing a good way to level up V more quickly.

Arguably the best reward, though, is the follow-up quest that Epistrophy unlocks: Don’t Lose Your Mind. Returning all the vehicles sees Delmain confronting an existential quandary and gives players a moral choice to make for it. Once all the personalities are reunited, V is presented with the decision of how to deal with Delmain’s altered outlook and its wishes for itself. What fate V decides for Delmain even influences the relationship they have with Johnny Silverhand, making it more substantial on top of all the other aspects.

Cyberpunk 2077‘s Epistrophy and its related quest touch on philosophical angles and themes intrinsic to the cyberpunk genre. It explores the nature of AI, how it could either help or present problems, and asks how much humanity and morality can be assigned to an artifical intelligence that has gained its own wants and needs. At the end of the day, the strengths of the Epistrophy quest outweigh its less enjoyable elements, and make it one well worth completing in every playthrough.

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