When creating your character for the first time in Cyberpunk 2077, you must choose a story background for yourself. There are three different life path options that you can pick. These origin stories are Nomad, Streetkid, and Corpo. Each origin story starts your game off in a different location and introduces you to Night City from a completely different angle. Even afterward, your life path will continue to shape how you experience Cyberpunk.

Therefore, this decision gives you an entirely separate introduction, setting, and side story throughout Cyberpunk 2077. In this guide, you will find a brief description of every origin story and a list of the unique dialogue choices and missions later on in the game. These stories decide who your V was and who your V has the potential to become. That said, they will not affect the ending in any way. But, it does unlock some content you wouldn’t see if you chose a different path.

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Nomad Origin Story Explained

In this origin story, V has left their Nomad clan and is looking for a new purpose. The Nomad path starts with V in a dingy mechanic shop in a small town in the middle of nowhere, and they aren’t very welcoming to Nomads.

It’s up to you to get your car fixed and meet your cargo client by the name of Jackie. The two of you try to get illegal goods past the border, but the situation quickly escalates. After this crazy opening, you form an unlikely partnership with Jackie. After this point, the rest of the intro is virtually the same for all three life paths.

What’s Different In Nomad Cyberpunk Experience

This origin is almost like the hippie path, living on the outskirts of nowhere away from society. Nomads live in mobile communes across the wastelands. They are loyal to their clan and tend not to venture far from their people. Seeing as they are free-spirited, Nomads answer to no higher power. This path unlocks unique conversation opportunities, mostly with characters living outside Night City. For instance, you could gain extra information for a quest if you talk with a fellow Nomad. As for when you are in Night City, well, you will feel more like an outsider.

There is another exclusive quest in the Nomad life path called These Boots Were Made For Walking. This quest will pop up after your second visit to the Afterlife bar. In this quest, you will retrieve your car from the introduction, a chance to see content creator Alanah Pearce’s in-game character.

There are dialogue choices throughout the game that are exclusive to Nomad V. These are the most origin-revealing and quest-changing choices:

  • The Pickup - Find the mole for Meredith Any Quest With Panam - Because Panam is also a Nomad, you are given many chances to confide in Panam about Nomad life Gimmie Danger - Discuss your childhood with Takemura Pyramid Song - Share Nomad traditions with Judy

While the Nomad origin story can change the context for some endings, it will have no real bearing on how the game ends. If you want to increase the depth of your role-playing, you can buy some Nomad clothes and vehicles.

Streetkid Origin Story Explained

The Streetkid path opens with V inside a Night City bar, beat up and eager to drink. Right from the start, things are not going your way, your nose is busted up, and you are on your last dollar. It would seem like V is stuck and going nowhere. You’re friends with the bartender and aim to settle his unpaid debts to a man named Jenkins.

When trying to settle your friend’s debts, you run into Jackie Welles, another Streetkid having a rough go of it. Of course, you don’t meet on the friendliest terms, which causes the job to fall apart. Naturally, both of you end up beaten once again. But as Jackie says, nothing a drink and some food can’t fix. After this short intro, the rest of the game will follow the same story beats.

What’s Different In The Streetkid Experience

You’re used to fights and illegal activity. The thrill and camaraderie of the streets are all you know. In this path, you meet a crime boss named Padre. The two of you have history. Padre is someone you can trust in the future, and he is like family. Throughout the game, you can choose Streetkid dialogue to prove to other Night City residents that you can handle yourself. Heavy guns aren’t necessary when you have a sharp tongue and bruised fists.

The other exclusive quest for the Streetkid life path is called Small Man, Big Mouth. In this quest, you will settle some debts with Kirk Sawyer.

There are several dialogue choices exclusive to Streekid V. These dialogue options reveal some background information about V and can open some unique quest options. These are the most origin-revealing and quest-changing choices:

  • The Space In Between - Get inside the clinic by pretending to be a gang member Gun Music - Figure out the trap sooner based on intuition Only Pain - Persuade the police to let you handle things Woman of La Mancha and Raymond Chandler Evening - Intimidate using gang affiliation

The Streetkid life path is perhaps the default life path in most senses. Its transition to the main story is the best compared to all three life paths. But, this life path is not drastically different from any other path for most of the game.

Corpo Origin Story Explained

The Corporate path immediately puts you into a relatable moment of trying to calm oneself down at work in the restroom. Your life of crunching and obeying orders proves enough to have stress-induced vomiting on a Monday evening.

Tension at your job is at an all-time high, and your boss orders you to do something risky. The only person who can help you is your trusted friend, Jackie Welles. Things don’t go as planned, and your life of riches and paperwork disappears in seconds. It’s time to work your way back up with your best friend’s help. After you reconnect with Jackie, the game is mostly the same across all three life paths.

What’s Different In The Corpo Experience

You’ve lived with selfish, power-hungry people all your life. You may even be one of them yourself. After the introduction, you have left the Corpo life behind. You’re a dead V walking with a price on your head now that you’re an ex-Corpo. But your ability to sus out other Corpo’s true intentions is still there. The rich — especially your boss Jenkins — are no stranger to backstabbing. The Corpo path unlocks dialogue about the white-collar life. Tall buildings and shiny cars are all you know. Or you used to know, anyhow.

This path unlocks the chance to see a magazine about retro video games with Ciri from The Witcher on the cover. This easter egg can is in the introduction sequence on your desk. Additionally, there is one exclusive quest for Corpos called War Pigs. This quest unlocks after you complete the Never Fade Away quest. War Pigs is a short quest, like all the other exclusive quests, but it follows up on your relationship with Frank, another Corpo you worked with before.

There are dialogue choices for Corpo V that can reveal some backstory and can affect the way a quest goes. These are the most origin-revealing and quest-changing choices:

  • The Ride and The Pickup - See-through Meredith and debate with her on equal grounds Down On The Street - Can persuade Wakako and Oda Pisces - Ability To Side With Maiko Last Caress - Can bypass security with Corpo information

Lean into your life path dialogue options because they will make that choice feel more substantial. The Corpo life path has a fun opening, but its impact on the story feels the least impactful. That said, if you are going to be an evil version of V, this back story might be the best.

Does Your Starting Story Matter In Cyberpunk 2077?

The Cyberpunk 2077 life paths only significantly affect the beginning of the game. Throughout the main story, you’ll have some moments to call back to your origin story, but these moments do not drastically affect the story overall. Cyberpunk 2077 has multiple endings, none of which are affected by your life path, but the context of these endings can change depending on how you started the game. You have the choice to play against your background or into it, which can change how you feel about the ending you choose.

Though each Cyberpunk 2077 origin story comes together as one, which is virtually just the Streetkid life, there are still some sprinkles of backstory to uncover. The path you choose can end up being the lens you see V’s story through, but it is not game-changing. So this decision is more or less just for fun. Whatever backstory you choose, you will still get to play 99.9% of everything Cyberpunk has to offer. The greatest impact your backstory makes is the stories canon inside your head.

NEXT: Best Games Set In CaliforniaCyberpunk 2077 is available for PC on GOG.COM, Steam and Epic, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Stadia from December 10, 2020. When you buy Cyberpunk 2077 on GOG.COM, 100% of your money goes to CD PROJEKT Group and supports their future projects.

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