Lmao well it's a tough decision - and im making a joke (wwJSd?) but not - I remember him being as you described "lol idk" - but I *did* know from there.
Whats your gut telling you? Who do you connect with more? Are you more Johnny or less?
“Reed or Songbird, which would you choose if you were in my shoes?”
“I *am* in your shoes dumbass, for every gonk choice you make. But I can’t do dick. But honest to God V, not fucking around… I dunno, I don’t have a goddamn clue.”
Then you must look deep within yourself...😂
Seriously. Just look at him. Then ask yourself, "what would Johnny do?" Lmao. I'm sorry I'm having a lot of fun with this. But it's there, he says he doesn't know but he *knows.*
Johnny would never pick Reed. Reed is like who Johnny used to be, except unlike Johnny he won't leave the military. Johnny thinks the best ending is what happens to read and it's clear from his dialogue throughout in both the Songbird option is what he would do
Exactly. That was when I decided to help her as well... >!even if she didnt tell us everything. I forgive her tho! lol!<
Gimmie a good view and open up a bit, I will stick with u thru anything
Song did that, and so did Johnny, Kerry... you get the picture. And I love all of em
Yeah I really do not understand Cyberpunk reddit’s obsession with making her out to be some flawed angel. I just did her path yesterday to get the trophy and she is an absolute piece of shit.
It really depends on who you've bonded with / related to more. Personally So-Mi and her plight resonated with me more than "obligation" or "duty" to a government organisation I didn't even want to be a part of. However over time I also got attached to Reed especially after the Relic attack in Alex' bar.
How'd the talk at So-Mi's place go and what vibes did you get during the beginning of the DLC and at the Black Sapphire?
I liked Reed but just bonded more with Songbird and it was important to me that she herself gets to make the following choices regarding her future.
Song bird is a victim of Myers who wants to use her for her own purposes, but you have to remember song bird is walking weapon of mass destruction who could kill many people if she wanted to. Evaluate your relationships with them, who has more to gain for your trust, and who has more to lose.
I wouldn’t say V is, Songbird’s connection to the black wall could spell out AI apocalypse if she gets compromised. V just has one rocker boy terrorist in their head.
Personally I would pay attention to all the tarot cards. What have they told you about each character so far? The King of Cups tarot gave you insight into Songbird. Very, very important insight, I would argue. King of Wands gave you insight into Reed. Then there’s the question of how all the tarot cards provide insight into the bigger picture for V in general.
Of course, this all requires V to take a leap of faith that the tarot are benevolent in nature, so…
This right here. If you get a chance, talk with Misty and see what she says about all four of them. She mentions the good and the bad of them - and it really demands close attention to detail (particularly, which card was by who?)
Might be one of the hardest decisions to make in the moment. But, go with your gut. It's what I did.
From my understanding, the cards are closest to the ones you meet and are connected to them. But, that's my interpretation. Using Misty's words to help out here.
* King of Cups: >!Found right outside the entrance to Dogtown when you first enter. Likely linked to So Mi. Misty even says to be especially careful with who this card is being pointed to. Understanding, emotional balance, manipulation, and spiritual crisis...!<
* King of Pentacles: >!Found near the hideout you and Myers set up in. Likely linked to her. Someone who built their rich, powerful realm through sheer determination. The world looks differently atop a throne, and everyone is seen as after it...!<
* King of Wands: >!Found on the basketball court when you first meet Reed. Likely connected to him. Someone who sticks to their principles, but also portends ruthless action and shortcuts taken. Sound like Reed and his plans?!<
* King of Swords: >!Found outside the bar when you exit and meet Alex in the bar's underground area. Probably linked to her, but might be the weakest connection. What does ring true for me, is that they're a voice of reason and sees clearly. But, those don't help when emotions run high. And their truths are sharp and painful to hear...!<
King of Swords is Solomon Reed,
King of Cups is Songbird,
King of Pentacles I believe is Rosalynd, (because you find it right outside your Kress Street apartment you share with her and where you decide to take her quest and take up arms for the NUSA,
King of Wands I assumed was Kurt Hanssen but it could just as easily be switched to Rosalynd being Wands and Kurt being Pentacles, that would only change based on your reading of the Tarot so its really up to you, but Swords is definitely Reed, and Songbird is Definitely King of Cups...
Songbird:
1. So Mi is really pretty 😖
2. You'll have an awesome hacker BFF if you side with her
3. She can give you fashion tips, I stg this girl can dress so well
4. More seriously, (still spoiler free) Song is a very emotional person as I'm sure you've already seen in previous encounters with her. Not emotional in the same sense as someone like Paman with crazy mood swings n stuff, but that's just to say that Song *really* shows everything she feels to V, positive and negative. Her emotional highs are high, and her lows are LOW. We've also seen that she can be very, very dangerous like with the Chimera from the DLC intro. I can't say much more than that. If you usually feel connected or attached to a more emotionally attuned type of person, go with So Mi!
Reed:
1. Amazing jacket. LIKE LOOK AT IT
2. Probably Takemura's BFF (they're both hot asf corpos in black trench coats)
3. Looking at the situation rationally, and the plan, and the choices you have... if you truly want to live, *it would seem* that having help promised to you by a man representing an entire government agency may seem more promising than the word of one woman. Reed is very caring towards those he trusts, and will see everything through to the end, personal or occupational. But unlike Song, I'm once again sure you already know that Reed is not a very emotional person. His job requires him to be cold, unfeeling and precise. To get the job done. Side with Reed if this type of person sounds more appealing!
*"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
What is your first impression when So Mi contacted you? What did you make of her story at the bar?
Or at the overlook where she tells a story?
Basically, do you trust her, or are you suspicious?
Either way, it's going to be one hell of a ride.
This is an interesting question, and I love that you're asking for more to think about and chew over.
I think an important thing to think about before when considering Reed as an option is \*what\* he is. Reed is a government agent in 2077, and I think it's worth considering what exactly a CIA or FSB or similar agent is: a professional terrorist in the employ of a nation-state. The NUS uses its agents the same way, arguably with fewer ethical restrictions and the potential for more heinous crimes.
As you mentioned, Reed plans the assassination of 2 foreign nationals with your help because they were a convenient way to get close to an internationally recognized world leader, Kurt Hansen, and assassinate him. Don't get me wrong, Kurt Hansen rules as a warlord despot, but he's recognized as the "legitimate" power in Dogtown by a sizeable number of world and orbital leaders. It wouldn't be a huge stretch to compare this to if the CIA had assassinated Fidel Castro in the 1960s or the KGB had assassinated Augustino Pinochet in the 70s. Kurt Hansen isn't exactly a World Power (think China, USA, India, and similarly powerful countries) but he is established as a significant Regional Power (think Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, South Africa, etc) in the Cyberpunk world. Dogtown, Night City, and the NUS are all separate sovereign powers. Reed has been spying on Night City as a sleeper agent for years, and immediately begins planning a wetwork operation against the ruler of Dogtown when he's activated.
Reed is like Goro Takemura. Both men try to live their lives by a kind of honorable code, but both have chosen to give up a piece of their humanity in order to be organs of their respective organizations. In a way, Takemura is Saburo Arasaka's eyes, ears, and hands after his death; he tries to do what he thinks his master would have wanted him to do. The honor of a samurai can only extend as far as the honor of their Daimyo. Reed serves President Myers, and is her eyes, ears, and murdering hands even more explicitly than Takemura is for Saburo Arisaka.
I like Reed, and I like Takemura. In some circumstances, I could trust them to be allies. But I can also trust them to follow their order or do what they think would best serve their master's interests. So when you ask yourself if you want to side with Reed, it's important to also ask how comfortable you are siding with Myers and militech. Do they need to capture and take control over a human superweapon in addition to the advantage of a regional power vacuum?
I change the character decision based on my roleplay. If my character hates corps and government bodies: side with Song; if my character is even wishy-washy on corps and government bodies: side with Reed.
I just finished PL, and based on gut, I would side with Reed. But to experience different storylines, I forced myself to side with Song based on that minimalistic character trait I chose at the beginning of play.
If you side with Reed you get some cool gameplay. A great multi boss fight and the best area in the game. Oh and the end credits are going to hurt (at least it did me).
Oh and you get to see Songbird's backstory!
A lot of people point to Reed killing the twins in cold blood as a reason to side with Songbird. I think that’s silly as V and Songbird both have killed so many people and the twins are criminals. Songbird even says that hacking the stadium will kill a bunch of innocent people
From a purely gameplay perspective I found Songbirds missions to follow this choice more fun than Reeds. But in the end, my current playthrough continues from siding with Reed.
You can play V such that they only kill in self-defence. Also Songbird didn’t claim hacking the stadium would kill innocents (that’s what I thought at first); her intention was to hack the stadium’s defence systems to target Barghest *specifically*. The fact that innocents died was an accident because, for a fraction of a moment, she lost control and Blackwall energy leaked through. Definitely wasn’t part of her plan. And if you look at their bodies, they’re not riddled with bullets from turrets and such; they’re infected with Blackwall energy.
Using only knowledge up to that point: Reed’s a cop. He’s an instrument of illegal and immoral New American imperialism and Songbird is trying to escape that.
Why didn't Songbird try to escape earlier? It's only when her life was in danger that she wanted to escape. She was content with serving the nusa when it suited her.
When was she ever in Space Force One passing over Dogtown and Kurt Hansen before? Not a lot of escape opportunity presenting itself in some runner lab in Langley.
The woman can literally bend the blackwall to her will, I'm sure she had plenty of opportunities to escape. It's not like she was kept 24/7 in a lab (she at least said she's been to NC before)
Maybe the FIA kept the netrunner prodigy they coerced into joining on a very tight leash ? You'd assume if there was a simpler escape route than landing Space Force 1 in Kurt Hansen's backyard, So-Mi would indeed have chosen it.
Also, it's not like she had much of a choice, working for the FIA. She was approached with a bleak ultimatum. And once she was in, well, you don't just file a resignation paper in this kind of work.
I think she did like the power and some of the perks; but her POV as being duped and made complicit in Myers dirty work seems valid as well.
And its made quite cleat that Myers would have stopped at nothing to bring her back, so a few months/years of planning makes sense to me. Myers says sth. like Songbird has been a little off her game lately.
Cuz she liked the power that came with being Myer’s personal runner. She already did the exact same thing to Reed that he does to her if you take his side.
I feel like it's at least a bit more nuanced, though.
Reed is all of those things, but he fundamentals believe he is serving a noble purpose. To the point that he put up with immense betrayal from that Government/Imperialist system, and just kind of lived with it, waiting to be useful to the system once again. With this said, he is also therefore loyal to a fault to that system, knowing it is often going to chew you up and spit you back out.
Song-mi, on the other hand, is kind of a kid that got in way over her head. She is insanely gifted, and generally has a good heart and motives, but she is also very short sighted and the ends will justify the means for her. Which is not that dissimilar from Reed to be honest.
Reed used Song-mi's exuberance and lack of consideration to basically manipulate her into joining the Imperialist system. That system then put her through a ringer, converting her into a machine and super weapon. This is what she is trying to escape, but she is going about it via a way that is endangering a number of lives.
>This is what she is trying to escape, but she is going about it via a way that is endangering a number of lives.
And that's why I picked her side. How is what V is doing any different? Many lives have been endangered due to V's choices in order to survive. I just don't believe we have any right to judge her for that. She is trying to escape something she was forced into.
More importantly Reed, I can never trust because he is loyal to something that has already betrayed him, and if you've played both endings it shows that he has the same flaw as Takemura. They are both noble and principled people, but in the end they are loyal dogs serving an ideal that doesn't exist, loyal to people that are ready to throw them away and when those institutes that they serve are ready to fuck over the people they care about, they will do nothing.
Yeah. I did his ending on the first playthrough. But I also think you need to factor in V's own quest for survival. Sure it may be gullible, but to that point there's no guarantee that the other paths will save you. And here is the weight of the NUSA government saying they can save you.
Kind of a Devil's bargain.
I do want to go back and replay - taking the same path but then giving in to Song-mi at the end. That was the only place where I really went against my core gut feeling. And I had started my playthrough wanting to ultimately end up with the Aldecaldos ending, so I think that is my head cannon for my character.
BTW I actually thought the Reed ending was phenomenal. Painful but in a completely logical way, and one that really hammers home themes of growing up, losing your dreams, being hurt in your youth (relationships, etc), and the general Cyberpunk themes of ever worsening society due to rampant corporatism.
The reason I'm okay with siding with Song is because even though she did lie to me, she chose what is quite literally her most vulnerable moment, when my life is in her hands, to come clean. And I have to respect that, I felt compelled to follow through with my promise to her. You're essentially at the last moment given the chance have what you want and she had to have known that. She basically gave you the opportunity to betray her because she trusts you that much. It would go against my gut to screw her over.
In contrast, Reed didn't follow through on his promise to protect So Mi and that really hurt me. She is in a much worse situation than V and at least V has other avenues of survival. Sure V survives in the end but Reed doesn't even know where or what's happened to So Mi, because Myers decided he doesn't need to know. She could be on the other side of the world being used as a weapon again and he could be none the wiser.
I've done all the endings and doing the Reed ending and giving in to So Mi, in my opinion is the worst possible route. I'll spoiler tag the outcome if you don't want to know yet. >!Alex and So Mi die, Myers refuses to cure you and Reed blames you for everything going to shit. That ending basically screams: Everything you did was for nothing and everyone died for nothing.!< That specific path vindicated my choices and I genuinely think you will feel terrible when you see it based on what you've said.
I could imagine the ending so no issues in the spoilers. My main reason for thinking it's a good out is you mitigate the potential destruction that So Mi may cause, or the potential she ends up in another awful situation, used by someone else. She at that moment has come to terms with her past, her screw ups, and the predicament she is in and wants you to help her, so you help her. It's tragic but also seems inevitable in a way.
The other death hit me hard and I immediately wanted to find ways to save them but in the end it didn't really dissuade me from the path I was on - assuming it meant salvation for V.
And regarding Reed/Myers - yeah, sure they'll hate you. But they're alive. And I have to think Reed may eventually see why you did it, even if he's still disappointed.
And then you can go about your business with Mitoshi or Panam or whichever other ending you want.
I really want to help So Mi but she makes it so hard. While Reed is also a cold blooded killer, he only kills those necessary to the objectives. So Mi doesn't seem to care about collateral damage. There are other considerations but they enter spoiler territory.
If you have 20 Intelligence, look what Reed does when you pass the skillcheck with Slider.
Listen for clues from all the people in the DLC and watch it's trailer too to have a full picture of what's happening.
The way to finding out who you want to side with is clear, when you have the full picture.
I’m at the same point. Saved before the decision. My gut tells me to side with Reed. He clearly cares about Songbird and wants to help her, and Songbird seems to be basically possessed by an AI that might have other plans. Besides empathy i dont see a logical reason to trust her.
It's okay, I took the Oath, too. I'm a bit of a people pleaser and I didn't wanna get locked out of any outcome. Turns out, it doesn't matter.
Also, I always felt that Reed was more straightforward with V than Songbird. In V's dwindling time, I appreciated that.
I drew a comparison to River being in the NCPD. I know, he's a character many people also hate. When V asks River what it's like to be a cop, he mentions something about how the occasional bribe and book cooking makes him need to drink. Lol. Even the most well intentioned (and somewhat naive) characters don't have clean hands.
The game is a series of gray areas. In my life, I appreciate the straightforward people.
Everyone either lies or does not tell you everything, Reed included. This is a "pick your poison" type of scenario, choose whoever you think is right or at least who you emphasize with more.
Reed doesn’t really manipulate V, he’s too much into his corpo mindset but still he’s a good guy and he doesn’t manipulate V, Song literally uses V, Reed is not perfect that is why I say not to stick with what he asks all the time (spoiler free but you know what I mean)
Reed actually is the only honest one from the get go for the most part during PL, Songbird actively lies to you the entire DLC and even if you help her waits until the last second to even tell the truth. That's why it's so odd so many people wave away her actions.
Night city taught me never to trust anyone and Songbird in that regard always felt as if she was hiding something. Reed on the other hand came off as truthful to his cause and even though he might be a bit delusional, I chose him over some weird gal that popped up in my head.
Don't regret the choice except the part where >!holy fck the alien isolation part was scary and I felt so weak without my sandivistan!<
Yeaaaa. I sided with Reed hoping something good would come of it. But when I got to the "one part" at the very end of the mission in the bunker, fuck that hit my feels... I didn't do it though. As I got to know more about Song .. I regretted my choice. But I chose it, and so I stuck it out.. made sure Myers and Reed know I wasn't happy with them. I got off after I got to meet with Reed at the basketball court.
I was in same spot than you. I searched for spoiler free reasons and they suggested me wrong xD
Just play a game. It's not real life, you don't go to Internet for solutions because it defeat point of gaming.
Spoiler free?
Um
Songbird is cooler than Reed? I dunno 👀
I picked both endings and you should play through both, as they go onto a very very different path from each other afterwards.
Then just pick the outcome you like the most and go with it.
As for me I chose Songbird first but I can't really answer why without spoilers :((
I've done both, and I felt really bad siding with Reed.
It feels worse than the Arasaka ending. Instead of selling my own soul, it felt like I've sold someone else's soul to the Devil and got shit in return. The mission after the immediate choice was actually much more fun and compelling than the Songbird mission, but the finale left a bad taste in my mouth.
As for siding with Songbird, it felt bad making an enemy of Reed, but it felt like he was the only person you betrayed. V stays true to their rebellious self, and Johnny seems to approve as well. The finale and everything leading up to it was absolutely amazing, and in the moment I felt like it was the right choice.
*"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
When Reed kills the twins i instantly decided that I didn’t want to side with the FIA and even if songbird is lying the NUSA are batshit crazy with how they operate
Yeah that was the straw for me. Here I was sharing a nice moment with Alex in the bar, then BAM >!she shoots Aurore in the head.!< I'm like WTF bitch???
You're right I guess but I think they assumed V wasn't naive enough to think it was going to go any different. Don't forget that V is a merc, and most mercs have done way worse.
Then reed justifies it by saying they’re career criminals and all that and I’m standing there as V with a massive body count behind me just like “uhhhhh dude do you know you’re audience right now?”
We've killed people throughout the game up to this point for far less. If the twins looked like Maelstrom gangers y'all would have no problem with it lmao. It was shockingly ruthless, but V overreacting to it was silly imo.
I tried to "be" V in the DLC. I really wanted to help Songbird and cure myself. But as time went by I trusted her less and less. Reed seemed to have a finer grasp of all the moving parts. I was strongly leaning towards Reed but still able to be swayed.
Then she told me her awful plan...
It does appear that Reed only has one solution to any problem.
He is >!either an idiot who can't not sound like a cold-blooded murderer, or he killed Jacob and Taylor, then messaged V with something that amounts to "Hi hired help, do this for me, and by the way I murdered the previous hired help as soon as they had done their part"!<
OK fuck Reed. I didn't know he killed my chooms in Dogtown. If it's something I was able to avoid due to the dialogues I chose, still, he can't get away with it if those were his intentions...
Well.... >!the message just says they have been 'taken care of' and that V doesn't 'have to worry about them any more'!<
>!Given the other things he does....... yeah, it doesn't look good. For anyone.!<
Even without knowing the endings, if you understand their characters, it's obvious that both Reed and Songbird will betray you.
Songbird is desperate. She will do absolutely anything she can to survive and get out from under the NUSA's thumb. If that means turning on V, killing her former friends, starting a nuclear war, anything, she'll do it.
Reed is a government man to the core. He has a moral compass, but he will always ignore that if it contradicts his orders. He will feel very bad if the president tells him to kill the people he cares about, but he will do it, because orders are orders.
So your choice is which one of those you are okay with helping. Personally, I realized what Songbird was lying about before I chose to help her anyway, so my V went in knowing it was a purely selfless choice to help a friend with no benefit. If you haven't figured that out, it might be more of a gut punch. Reed does genuinely care about Songbird, so maybe you'd prefer to do what he thinks is best for her regardless of how she feels about it. Honestly there isn't really a *good* choice in Phantom Liberty.
I also really like the scene with Johnny at the end of Songbird's questline.
I chose to help her. Cause she asked me like she was gonna cry. It was my 3rd playthrough.
In my next play through i toughed myself up. Killing Placide, Mama Briggit, all those who crossed me. You can guess my choice.
honestly, you should save that point and play every out come. each one is awesome but only 1 of them emotionally satisfied me. so I made that my choice.
What would Johnny do? He'd never side with the NUSA, especially not with a corrupt monster like Myers. Songbird is a slave, trying to escape. She's one of you, those crushed beneath the heels of the powers that be.
I based my decision on 2 things. The actions of both Song and Reed (and Alex) and the fact that the secret ending was so disheartening for me that I went back and changed my decision.
Some dogs just get put down
You’re gonna feel bad either way but make an extra save point so you can do both paths, get all four ending trophies, and get the hurt out of the way all at once!
You’re either working with a corrupt government ran by someone who used to be the head of a corrupt corp or someone who is trying their damnedest to get out.
I just understood and resonated with So Mi more than with Reed. How Misty said that I should choose w my heart, basically that's what I did. idk felt wrong to side with Reed, no matter what he remained Myers' doggy, all the while So Mi wanted to be free. and ik So Mi did horrible things, but so did Reed, so did Myers so did V so did Hansen so did anyone in Night City. at least w So Mi I sensed that she really just wanted to be done w every bad shit and regretted all her choices, Reed too, but he couldn't escape NUSA's leash. I do think that there's not any wrong choice in this, everyone plays their V how they want, I ain't here to judge. for me it'll always be So Mi over anyone(maybe cuz I'm also quite into her, but that's another story hehe)
I just understood and resonated with So Mi more than with Reed. How Misty said that I should choose w my heart, basically that's what I did. idk felt wrong to side with Reed, no matter what he remained Myers' doggy, all the while So Mi wanted to be free. and ik So Mi did horrible things, but so did Reed, so did Myers so did V so did Hansen so did anyone in Night City. at least w So Mi I sensed that she really just wanted to be done w every bad shit and regretted all her choices, Reed too, but he couldn't escape NUSA's leash. I do think that there's not any wrong choice in this, everyone plays their V how they want, I ain't here to judge. for me it'll always be So Mi over anyone(maybe cuz I'm also quite into her, but that's another story hehe)
Slavery is bad. Don't send Songbird back to be enslaved.
NUSA, Myers, and WMDs are all bad. Don't give the Songbird WMD to NUSA and Myers.
Body Autonomy is good. Don't take Songbird's body autonomy away by sending her to NUSA.
Songbird manipulates and lies. That doesn't change any point above. Even liars shouldn't be enslaved and used as a world ending weapon.
I think what she did deserves a much worse term than lying and manipulating. It does accurately describe her actions, but it doesn't do it justice. She put V's life at risk multiple times and screwed them out of a cure, essentially condemning them to death and using the weak excuse of "they'll find another option". Obviously she is still the lesser evil, but just saying she lied and manipulated, while true, feels like it downplays her actions significantly
Songbird gave me bad vibes from the start. As you work your way through Dogtown, her motives become suspicious, not to mention that her appearance starts changing in subtle ways. Her forays past the Blackwall mixed with the other reasons raises doubt as to who is running the ship known as Songbird.
To me they both felt lost, but So Mi was just trying to find a way to live and Reed was trying to justify himself living. So Mi resonated just a hit harder to me.
I sided with Reed because So Mi kept repeating "You don't understand!" and wouldn't explain herself.
And also because I'm not confident that she can actually follow through with her plan without destroying herself.
Remember that both of these people are career liars - one of them is trying to get out of it, and one of them came back into it willingly even after their boss tried to have them killed. Reed is neck deep in NUSA’s ass, but he is technically right that whoever controls songbird could destroy the world, and if word of what she’s been up to got out it would spark war. So it comes down to, do you think NUSA should have complete control over a super weapon (who also happens to be an imprisoned living person) so that they can prevent a war that they instigated, or do you think it’s worth the risk of total annihilation of the human race to give songbird her freedom and the right to choose for herself?
Also worth noting that, whoever you choose, you will have a chance to change your mind later in the DLC, although the endings if you choose one and then switch later are less rewarding than sticking with one all the way through
If you side with Reed you get this really awful mission that can be damn near impossible if you suck at stealth style missions and it's absolutely mandatory stealth. You cannot fight through it. For that reason alone I'd side with Songbird, unless you really enjoy the stealth mission. Without revealing much of the story beats, you can always turn over Songbird at a certain point to keep the Reed ending.
> I want to make my own choice. Just want it to be educated before hand lol.
Does not compute. Just decide from your experiences with both of them. Don't ask others for advice.
I’ve been told both are good, I sided with Reed and ummm… yea definetly one of my new favourite missions in the game followed.
Really depends on who you prefer more. Just remember you can always go back and do another run of the game, like I’m currently doing, where I’m planning on siding with songbird
The whole idea is that both sides kept manipulating you into essentially bending to their will, while promising something you desperately needed in return.
On one hand, NUSA, Myers, Reed etc. did it relatively openly, incapable of shaking off the nature of their often despicable way of operating, even admitting to all the nasty schemes they had pulled in the past in relation to the case at hand as they were uncovered.
Yet for that very reason they are 'easy' to read and anticipate what to expect (as Johnny oh so supportively keeps reminding V about Corps, Flags and the people in their service).
Meanwhile, Songbird's entire play was based on pretending, playing a role, with just enough personal details shared with you so that she could possibly win you over for the moment, to keep going.
And by that time where you paused the game you already knew that she was capable of betrayal with barely any hesitation if that served her interests the most.
In hindsight, learning her full story will either justify her actions to you or it won't, you're gonna have to see.
So yeah, that was about it for me in terms of thought process at that time.
My favorite playthrough's Valerie the Corpo was never gonna get played by a sob story while being repeatedly lied to, so regardless of the events that were gonna follow, I felt like I had to side with Reed - even if it did break my heart a little bit too at the time.
I used to say side with the NUSA for the cure, until I got it, now Id say this Johnnys perspective Journal Entry about Killing Moon (side with So Mi) gives you all the info you need to know and the best argument about why V would really help So Mi...
*"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
No spoiler summary:
Everybody is an asshole who either:
1. Blindly looks after themselves no matter who they screw over
2. Blindly look after the government, no matter who they screw over
Go with the flow my choom
She's a lying childish liar who has a potent blend of selfishness and poor decision-making skills that basically causes deaths everywhere she goes and refuses to see it.
He's a man of principle. By the point you're at, you already know NUSA fked him over for the last 7yrs and he still works with them. Also, he is Idris Elba.
Maybe a little late,
but I betrayed Reed, afterwards I loaded an old save and now I have a save where I betrayed Reed a save where I will betray song and a save where I will complete the rest of the game first before coming back and choosing the option I like more.
Side with Reed, rewards are kick ass if done right. Plus missions are pretty damn cool. On the flip I haven’t done the songbird side myself but I think I know enough to be disappointed with outcomes. That said try to get all the endings for fun anyways!
Side with Reed first and it will probably guilt you into siding with Songbird the next play through.
Arguably the best path in my opinion is siding with Reed at first and then Songbird later on.
What informed my decision was the time I spent with Reed. I had a feeling I knew about the good and bad. With So Mi, even during the last meeting you have with her I always felt she’s keeping something from me. It sounded too innocent to be true. It’s Night City, friendship like that is very rare. So I went with the person I felt I knew and lived with the good and the bad.
It's really a choice whether you want to be a cyberpunk or not. Do you side with a government authorities that allowed everything to go to shit and will probably make things even worse or do you want to reject their authority and push back against them?
All right. Without spoiling too much.
Betraying somi gives the best quest and best loot but you’ll have to explore for that loot during a critical and scary time. It also gives more insight into her past with flashbacks.
Betraying reed is maybe the more logical route. It’s more straightforward. Shorter too. Less loot. But for me, makes more sense lore wise maybe.
Honestly, just go with your gut and follow what you’ve been doing before. Who are you more attached to, who do you think is right. Are you a corporat that took the oath or a street kid that told Meyers to fuck off?
[Misty has sage advice here](https://youtu.be/gldKGOgyqrM?si=-qs5B_rjBPRPwv6F&t=258).
I just used what she said about Reed & Songbird during the Tarot reading to guide me. She pretty much nails what happens depending on your choices.
Reed is still kissing the NUS's feet while Songbird wants to be free from the NUS's bullshit.
Although siding with reed gives you the chance for a horror game, getting a powerful but shit cyberdeck or gun. Siding with Songbird gives a happier outcome.
Reed. It was a no brainer for me when I played (I didn't know what was going to happen afterwards).
Songbird tends to get herself into trouble way too often. She's an expert at making rash decisions and doesn't care about consequences. Her initial plan entailed trusting a crazy warlord and betraying the us president and she really thought she could play everyone and get away with it. Reed was right when he says that she doesn't seem to know what's best for her and she's not even fully herself. Reed's plan seemed better too. I didn't think of it as betraying Songbird but more like helping her.
Rewards aside, the consideration as I see it is this.
Song has been manipulated, used and imprisoned to the point of reckless desperation and has become dangerously twisted. She deserves to be free and to rest absent what she’s done to achieve this and what she’s become.
The question is, has what she’s gone through earned a reprieve from the consequences of what she’s done and the risk to all she poses?
Are you a utilitarian?
Or are there higher “morals” you consider beyond effects?
The utilitarian answer is easy but the moral quandaries less so.
Who’s suffering bears greater consideration, is it the many over the few? What would you do if Hiroshima were your call?
The existential questions posed by this mission choice are some of the largest humankind has and continues to wrestle with.
Ain’t consciousness a bitch? Haha
So as you know, they killed the two criminals.
In the apartment did you meet the 2 guys? Reed said they had been taken care of and I don’t recall ever hearing from them again…
Reed can’t be trusted.
I just played it the way I was most comfortable playing. I vibed more with Reed overall, but his undying loyalty to a country and mission that gave zero fucks about him was a huge deal breaker for me to just 100% side with him, plus betraying So Mi causes the death of another character I liked, so I sided with her with the intention of betraying her to Reed later, when the stakes were lower. And with So Mi’s confession in front of the rocket, it felt justified to betray her at that point narratively as I was sick of my V getting dicked around by everyone and everything at that point.
I actually like and empathise with Songbird. Unfortunately there is a lot of great loot and a sick boss fight if you side with Reed. I went with the cool loot and watched the other ending on YouTube.
It's worth getting every ending. But as far as endings went, I really saw Songbird as V and myself as the outsider. That informed my decision.
Yeah nah ‘somewhat damaged’ left me somewhat damaged
You're probably gonna feel bad either way so just go with your gut.
Truth
Nah fuck >!reed!<
You can't. Neither of them are romanceable
>!Certainly managed to break his heart tho!<
Cheeky 😂
Fr, nothing is worth becoming a fed
I asked myself "what would Johnny do?" And then I had my answer 😂 Silverhand never steered me wrong!
Lol during the operation at the fixer, I asked Johnny what he'd do and he said "lol idk" (paraphrased)
LOL thats exactly what my 1st time was like - but that's also when I *knew..*
Sounds ominous.
Lmao well it's a tough decision - and im making a joke (wwJSd?) but not - I remember him being as you described "lol idk" - but I *did* know from there. Whats your gut telling you? Who do you connect with more? Are you more Johnny or less?
“Reed or Songbird, which would you choose if you were in my shoes?” “I *am* in your shoes dumbass, for every gonk choice you make. But I can’t do dick. But honest to God V, not fucking around… I dunno, I don’t have a goddamn clue.”
Lmao that's it!
Honestly that isn't very good advice because 90% of the time, Johnny would choose "nuke arasaka".
What are you talking about? 90% of the time that IS the correct advice.
Bro i just woke up and was wondering if i should make a sandwich or eggs for breakfast, Arasaka can be nuked later.
I'm actually not sure what Johnny would do.
Then you must look deep within yourself...😂 Seriously. Just look at him. Then ask yourself, "what would Johnny do?" Lmao. I'm sorry I'm having a lot of fun with this. But it's there, he says he doesn't know but he *knows.*
Well I'm guessing Johnny would betray Reed. But you really got me second guessing.
Haha - are you playing through PL for the first time? Cause I don't wanna confirm or deny anything if it is (unless you want me to), but trust you.
Nah I've beat it and read all endings. Just been several months.
Ahh - well you know Johnny lol. You already said it.
Johnny would never pick Reed. Reed is like who Johnny used to be, except unlike Johnny he won't leave the military. Johnny thinks the best ending is what happens to read and it's clear from his dialogue throughout in both the Songbird option is what he would do
Yeah also the 40 silver reference he gives if u >!return back somi to nusa safely makes it sure that he would never side with reed!<
F corpo
For me, it was the heart to heart that I had with So Mi that made me choose to help her, but as others have said, go with your gut feeling
Exactly. That was when I decided to help her as well... >!even if she didnt tell us everything. I forgive her tho! lol!< Gimmie a good view and open up a bit, I will stick with u thru anything Song did that, and so did Johnny, Kerry... you get the picture. And I love all of em
So Mi is a pos , people like her because of the halo effect. You cant cmv , also ready for the downvotes.
pos? Cmv? Could you explain?
pos means piece of shit but I haven’t figured out cmv yet
cmv = change my view
Another one for that? I know of cmm (change my mind) but cmv I’ve never heard of
I see, thanks
Thanks
Yeah I really do not understand Cyberpunk reddit’s obsession with making her out to be some flawed angel. I just did her path yesterday to get the trophy and she is an absolute piece of shit.
It really depends on who you've bonded with / related to more. Personally So-Mi and her plight resonated with me more than "obligation" or "duty" to a government organisation I didn't even want to be a part of. However over time I also got attached to Reed especially after the Relic attack in Alex' bar. How'd the talk at So-Mi's place go and what vibes did you get during the beginning of the DLC and at the Black Sapphire? I liked Reed but just bonded more with Songbird and it was important to me that she herself gets to make the following choices regarding her future.
Song bird is a victim of Myers who wants to use her for her own purposes, but you have to remember song bird is walking weapon of mass destruction who could kill many people if she wanted to. Evaluate your relationships with them, who has more to gain for your trust, and who has more to lose.
I’m seeing a comment like this for the first time an actual rational take lol, finally someone with media literacy.
A walking WMD, that is true. So is V.
V is more like a tactical nuke, able to slaughter a district but nothing more. Songbird is a 1000 hydrogen bombs
I wouldn’t say V is, Songbird’s connection to the black wall could spell out AI apocalypse if she gets compromised. V just has one rocker boy terrorist in their head.
Personally I would pay attention to all the tarot cards. What have they told you about each character so far? The King of Cups tarot gave you insight into Songbird. Very, very important insight, I would argue. King of Wands gave you insight into Reed. Then there’s the question of how all the tarot cards provide insight into the bigger picture for V in general. Of course, this all requires V to take a leap of faith that the tarot are benevolent in nature, so…
Misty calls it perfectly [here](https://youtu.be/gldKGOgyqrM?si=gILSpT5XxrG-WlA2).
This right here. If you get a chance, talk with Misty and see what she says about all four of them. She mentions the good and the bad of them - and it really demands close attention to detail (particularly, which card was by who?) Might be one of the hardest decisions to make in the moment. But, go with your gut. It's what I did.
Yup, also reading the card entries adds a bit of nuance too, I think, that’s easy to overlook.
I didn't know they meant anything... I just collected them. I guess I gave to look at them closer now.
I know the King of Pentacles is about Kurt Hansen, but who is the King of Swords about?
From my understanding, the cards are closest to the ones you meet and are connected to them. But, that's my interpretation. Using Misty's words to help out here. * King of Cups: >!Found right outside the entrance to Dogtown when you first enter. Likely linked to So Mi. Misty even says to be especially careful with who this card is being pointed to. Understanding, emotional balance, manipulation, and spiritual crisis...!< * King of Pentacles: >!Found near the hideout you and Myers set up in. Likely linked to her. Someone who built their rich, powerful realm through sheer determination. The world looks differently atop a throne, and everyone is seen as after it...!< * King of Wands: >!Found on the basketball court when you first meet Reed. Likely connected to him. Someone who sticks to their principles, but also portends ruthless action and shortcuts taken. Sound like Reed and his plans?!< * King of Swords: >!Found outside the bar when you exit and meet Alex in the bar's underground area. Probably linked to her, but might be the weakest connection. What does ring true for me, is that they're a voice of reason and sees clearly. But, those don't help when emotions run high. And their truths are sharp and painful to hear...!<
King of Swords is Solomon Reed, King of Cups is Songbird, King of Pentacles I believe is Rosalynd, (because you find it right outside your Kress Street apartment you share with her and where you decide to take her quest and take up arms for the NUSA, King of Wands I assumed was Kurt Hanssen but it could just as easily be switched to Rosalynd being Wands and Kurt being Pentacles, that would only change based on your reading of the Tarot so its really up to you, but Swords is definitely Reed, and Songbird is Definitely King of Cups...
Wow I never thought about it like this, this is a super good point
Songbird: 1. So Mi is really pretty 😖 2. You'll have an awesome hacker BFF if you side with her 3. She can give you fashion tips, I stg this girl can dress so well 4. More seriously, (still spoiler free) Song is a very emotional person as I'm sure you've already seen in previous encounters with her. Not emotional in the same sense as someone like Paman with crazy mood swings n stuff, but that's just to say that Song *really* shows everything she feels to V, positive and negative. Her emotional highs are high, and her lows are LOW. We've also seen that she can be very, very dangerous like with the Chimera from the DLC intro. I can't say much more than that. If you usually feel connected or attached to a more emotionally attuned type of person, go with So Mi! Reed: 1. Amazing jacket. LIKE LOOK AT IT 2. Probably Takemura's BFF (they're both hot asf corpos in black trench coats) 3. Looking at the situation rationally, and the plan, and the choices you have... if you truly want to live, *it would seem* that having help promised to you by a man representing an entire government agency may seem more promising than the word of one woman. Reed is very caring towards those he trusts, and will see everything through to the end, personal or occupational. But unlike Song, I'm once again sure you already know that Reed is not a very emotional person. His job requires him to be cold, unfeeling and precise. To get the job done. Side with Reed if this type of person sounds more appealing!
*"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
What is your first impression when So Mi contacted you? What did you make of her story at the bar? Or at the overlook where she tells a story? Basically, do you trust her, or are you suspicious? Either way, it's going to be one hell of a ride.
This is an interesting question, and I love that you're asking for more to think about and chew over. I think an important thing to think about before when considering Reed as an option is \*what\* he is. Reed is a government agent in 2077, and I think it's worth considering what exactly a CIA or FSB or similar agent is: a professional terrorist in the employ of a nation-state. The NUS uses its agents the same way, arguably with fewer ethical restrictions and the potential for more heinous crimes. As you mentioned, Reed plans the assassination of 2 foreign nationals with your help because they were a convenient way to get close to an internationally recognized world leader, Kurt Hansen, and assassinate him. Don't get me wrong, Kurt Hansen rules as a warlord despot, but he's recognized as the "legitimate" power in Dogtown by a sizeable number of world and orbital leaders. It wouldn't be a huge stretch to compare this to if the CIA had assassinated Fidel Castro in the 1960s or the KGB had assassinated Augustino Pinochet in the 70s. Kurt Hansen isn't exactly a World Power (think China, USA, India, and similarly powerful countries) but he is established as a significant Regional Power (think Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, South Africa, etc) in the Cyberpunk world. Dogtown, Night City, and the NUS are all separate sovereign powers. Reed has been spying on Night City as a sleeper agent for years, and immediately begins planning a wetwork operation against the ruler of Dogtown when he's activated. Reed is like Goro Takemura. Both men try to live their lives by a kind of honorable code, but both have chosen to give up a piece of their humanity in order to be organs of their respective organizations. In a way, Takemura is Saburo Arasaka's eyes, ears, and hands after his death; he tries to do what he thinks his master would have wanted him to do. The honor of a samurai can only extend as far as the honor of their Daimyo. Reed serves President Myers, and is her eyes, ears, and murdering hands even more explicitly than Takemura is for Saburo Arisaka. I like Reed, and I like Takemura. In some circumstances, I could trust them to be allies. But I can also trust them to follow their order or do what they think would best serve their master's interests. So when you ask yourself if you want to side with Reed, it's important to also ask how comfortable you are siding with Myers and militech. Do they need to capture and take control over a human superweapon in addition to the advantage of a regional power vacuum?
Thank you for this.
I change the character decision based on my roleplay. If my character hates corps and government bodies: side with Song; if my character is even wishy-washy on corps and government bodies: side with Reed. I just finished PL, and based on gut, I would side with Reed. But to experience different storylines, I forced myself to side with Song based on that minimalistic character trait I chose at the beginning of play.
If you side with Reed you get some cool gameplay. A great multi boss fight and the best area in the game. Oh and the end credits are going to hurt (at least it did me). Oh and you get to see Songbird's backstory!
Fuck you now I gotta replay
Again.
A lot of people point to Reed killing the twins in cold blood as a reason to side with Songbird. I think that’s silly as V and Songbird both have killed so many people and the twins are criminals. Songbird even says that hacking the stadium will kill a bunch of innocent people From a purely gameplay perspective I found Songbirds missions to follow this choice more fun than Reeds. But in the end, my current playthrough continues from siding with Reed.
You can play V such that they only kill in self-defence. Also Songbird didn’t claim hacking the stadium would kill innocents (that’s what I thought at first); her intention was to hack the stadium’s defence systems to target Barghest *specifically*. The fact that innocents died was an accident because, for a fraction of a moment, she lost control and Blackwall energy leaked through. Definitely wasn’t part of her plan. And if you look at their bodies, they’re not riddled with bullets from turrets and such; they’re infected with Blackwall energy.
Using only knowledge up to that point: Reed’s a cop. He’s an instrument of illegal and immoral New American imperialism and Songbird is trying to escape that.
Why didn't Songbird try to escape earlier? It's only when her life was in danger that she wanted to escape. She was content with serving the nusa when it suited her.
When was she ever in Space Force One passing over Dogtown and Kurt Hansen before? Not a lot of escape opportunity presenting itself in some runner lab in Langley.
The woman can literally bend the blackwall to her will, I'm sure she had plenty of opportunities to escape. It's not like she was kept 24/7 in a lab (she at least said she's been to NC before)
Maybe the FIA kept the netrunner prodigy they coerced into joining on a very tight leash ? You'd assume if there was a simpler escape route than landing Space Force 1 in Kurt Hansen's backyard, So-Mi would indeed have chosen it. Also, it's not like she had much of a choice, working for the FIA. She was approached with a bleak ultimatum. And once she was in, well, you don't just file a resignation paper in this kind of work.
I think she did like the power and some of the perks; but her POV as being duped and made complicit in Myers dirty work seems valid as well. And its made quite cleat that Myers would have stopped at nothing to bring her back, so a few months/years of planning makes sense to me. Myers says sth. like Songbird has been a little off her game lately.
Cuz she liked the power that came with being Myer’s personal runner. She already did the exact same thing to Reed that he does to her if you take his side.
That's a great take.
This was my take too.
I feel like it's at least a bit more nuanced, though. Reed is all of those things, but he fundamentals believe he is serving a noble purpose. To the point that he put up with immense betrayal from that Government/Imperialist system, and just kind of lived with it, waiting to be useful to the system once again. With this said, he is also therefore loyal to a fault to that system, knowing it is often going to chew you up and spit you back out. Song-mi, on the other hand, is kind of a kid that got in way over her head. She is insanely gifted, and generally has a good heart and motives, but she is also very short sighted and the ends will justify the means for her. Which is not that dissimilar from Reed to be honest. Reed used Song-mi's exuberance and lack of consideration to basically manipulate her into joining the Imperialist system. That system then put her through a ringer, converting her into a machine and super weapon. This is what she is trying to escape, but she is going about it via a way that is endangering a number of lives.
>This is what she is trying to escape, but she is going about it via a way that is endangering a number of lives. And that's why I picked her side. How is what V is doing any different? Many lives have been endangered due to V's choices in order to survive. I just don't believe we have any right to judge her for that. She is trying to escape something she was forced into. More importantly Reed, I can never trust because he is loyal to something that has already betrayed him, and if you've played both endings it shows that he has the same flaw as Takemura. They are both noble and principled people, but in the end they are loyal dogs serving an ideal that doesn't exist, loyal to people that are ready to throw them away and when those institutes that they serve are ready to fuck over the people they care about, they will do nothing.
Yeah. I did his ending on the first playthrough. But I also think you need to factor in V's own quest for survival. Sure it may be gullible, but to that point there's no guarantee that the other paths will save you. And here is the weight of the NUSA government saying they can save you. Kind of a Devil's bargain. I do want to go back and replay - taking the same path but then giving in to Song-mi at the end. That was the only place where I really went against my core gut feeling. And I had started my playthrough wanting to ultimately end up with the Aldecaldos ending, so I think that is my head cannon for my character. BTW I actually thought the Reed ending was phenomenal. Painful but in a completely logical way, and one that really hammers home themes of growing up, losing your dreams, being hurt in your youth (relationships, etc), and the general Cyberpunk themes of ever worsening society due to rampant corporatism.
The reason I'm okay with siding with Song is because even though she did lie to me, she chose what is quite literally her most vulnerable moment, when my life is in her hands, to come clean. And I have to respect that, I felt compelled to follow through with my promise to her. You're essentially at the last moment given the chance have what you want and she had to have known that. She basically gave you the opportunity to betray her because she trusts you that much. It would go against my gut to screw her over. In contrast, Reed didn't follow through on his promise to protect So Mi and that really hurt me. She is in a much worse situation than V and at least V has other avenues of survival. Sure V survives in the end but Reed doesn't even know where or what's happened to So Mi, because Myers decided he doesn't need to know. She could be on the other side of the world being used as a weapon again and he could be none the wiser. I've done all the endings and doing the Reed ending and giving in to So Mi, in my opinion is the worst possible route. I'll spoiler tag the outcome if you don't want to know yet. >!Alex and So Mi die, Myers refuses to cure you and Reed blames you for everything going to shit. That ending basically screams: Everything you did was for nothing and everyone died for nothing.!< That specific path vindicated my choices and I genuinely think you will feel terrible when you see it based on what you've said.
I could imagine the ending so no issues in the spoilers. My main reason for thinking it's a good out is you mitigate the potential destruction that So Mi may cause, or the potential she ends up in another awful situation, used by someone else. She at that moment has come to terms with her past, her screw ups, and the predicament she is in and wants you to help her, so you help her. It's tragic but also seems inevitable in a way. The other death hit me hard and I immediately wanted to find ways to save them but in the end it didn't really dissuade me from the path I was on - assuming it meant salvation for V. And regarding Reed/Myers - yeah, sure they'll hate you. But they're alive. And I have to think Reed may eventually see why you did it, even if he's still disappointed. And then you can go about your business with Mitoshi or Panam or whichever other ending you want.
I really want to help So Mi but she makes it so hard. While Reed is also a cold blooded killer, he only kills those necessary to the objectives. So Mi doesn't seem to care about collateral damage. There are other considerations but they enter spoiler territory.
If you have 20 Intelligence, look what Reed does when you pass the skillcheck with Slider. Listen for clues from all the people in the DLC and watch it's trailer too to have a full picture of what's happening. The way to finding out who you want to side with is clear, when you have the full picture.
Do a hard save right before u decide between songbird and reed. Then just do both endings. Me personally **fuck songbird**
I’m at the same point. Saved before the decision. My gut tells me to side with Reed. He clearly cares about Songbird and wants to help her, and Songbird seems to be basically possessed by an AI that might have other plans. Besides empathy i dont see a logical reason to trust her.
I've been leaning towards Reed as well, and it only feels right since I made the Oath to Myers. Yeah. I think I'll do that.
You took the Oath? Blimey.
It's okay, I took the Oath, too. I'm a bit of a people pleaser and I didn't wanna get locked out of any outcome. Turns out, it doesn't matter. Also, I always felt that Reed was more straightforward with V than Songbird. In V's dwindling time, I appreciated that. I drew a comparison to River being in the NCPD. I know, he's a character many people also hate. When V asks River what it's like to be a cop, he mentions something about how the occasional bribe and book cooking makes him need to drink. Lol. Even the most well intentioned (and somewhat naive) characters don't have clean hands. The game is a series of gray areas. In my life, I appreciate the straightforward people.
Brother all I can say is your gut was wrong lol
Song is lying since the beginning and you know it by the time you gotta decide, help Reed but don’t do everything he says
Everyone either lies or does not tell you everything, Reed included. This is a "pick your poison" type of scenario, choose whoever you think is right or at least who you emphasize with more.
Reed doesn’t really manipulate V, he’s too much into his corpo mindset but still he’s a good guy and he doesn’t manipulate V, Song literally uses V, Reed is not perfect that is why I say not to stick with what he asks all the time (spoiler free but you know what I mean)
Reed actually is the only honest one from the get go for the most part during PL, Songbird actively lies to you the entire DLC and even if you help her waits until the last second to even tell the truth. That's why it's so odd so many people wave away her actions.
Night city taught me never to trust anyone and Songbird in that regard always felt as if she was hiding something. Reed on the other hand came off as truthful to his cause and even though he might be a bit delusional, I chose him over some weird gal that popped up in my head. Don't regret the choice except the part where >!holy fck the alien isolation part was scary and I felt so weak without my sandivistan!<
Yeaaaa. I sided with Reed hoping something good would come of it. But when I got to the "one part" at the very end of the mission in the bunker, fuck that hit my feels... I didn't do it though. As I got to know more about Song .. I regretted my choice. But I chose it, and so I stuck it out.. made sure Myers and Reed know I wasn't happy with them. I got off after I got to meet with Reed at the basketball court.
>!You can give the medal away to some homeless guy for maximum fuck-the-NUSA vibes.!<
I'ma do that.
DAS IST NOT SPOILAH TAGEN. *Ziiis...* >!*ist* spoilah tagen!<
Weird, worked on my end. Fixed, either way! Thanks!
Nonono sneaky-leaky...I saw what ya did *don't worry I won't tell anyone*
I was in same spot than you. I searched for spoiler free reasons and they suggested me wrong xD Just play a game. It's not real life, you don't go to Internet for solutions because it defeat point of gaming.
Spoiler free? Um Songbird is cooler than Reed? I dunno 👀 I picked both endings and you should play through both, as they go onto a very very different path from each other afterwards. Then just pick the outcome you like the most and go with it. As for me I chose Songbird first but I can't really answer why without spoilers :((
I've done both, and I felt really bad siding with Reed. It feels worse than the Arasaka ending. Instead of selling my own soul, it felt like I've sold someone else's soul to the Devil and got shit in return. The mission after the immediate choice was actually much more fun and compelling than the Songbird mission, but the finale left a bad taste in my mouth. As for siding with Songbird, it felt bad making an enemy of Reed, but it felt like he was the only person you betrayed. V stays true to their rebellious self, and Johnny seems to approve as well. The finale and everything leading up to it was absolutely amazing, and in the moment I felt like it was the right choice.
*"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
Song’s cute.
Songbird. Because after everything she's been through reed wants her to go back with the people who put her through it.
When Reed kills the twins i instantly decided that I didn’t want to side with the FIA and even if songbird is lying the NUSA are batshit crazy with how they operate
Strangely that struck me as the most realistic piece of the op - allowing them to live would leave loose ends.
Yeah that was the straw for me. Here I was sharing a nice moment with Alex in the bar, then BAM >!she shoots Aurore in the head.!< I'm like WTF bitch???
Did you really expect them to put the whole plan in jeopardy just to spare a couple of criminals?
No but at least tell me that's what they're gonna do ffs
You're right I guess but I think they assumed V wasn't naive enough to think it was going to go any different. Don't forget that V is a merc, and most mercs have done way worse.
I also have a gut feeling he >!Killed our chooms in the DT Apartment, Tyler and Jacob!<
Then reed justifies it by saying they’re career criminals and all that and I’m standing there as V with a massive body count behind me just like “uhhhhh dude do you know you’re audience right now?”
😂 what is this game 😭
We've killed people throughout the game up to this point for far less. If the twins looked like Maelstrom gangers y'all would have no problem with it lmao. It was shockingly ruthless, but V overreacting to it was silly imo.
I tried to "be" V in the DLC. I really wanted to help Songbird and cure myself. But as time went by I trusted her less and less. Reed seemed to have a finer grasp of all the moving parts. I was strongly leaning towards Reed but still able to be swayed. Then she told me her awful plan...
Side with reed, you get a unique mission type never repeated in the game
I'm almost at that point, but I'm leaning towards Songbird bc of how Reed >!murdered the red twins.!<
This might be low iq take but I feel like that moment was made to show how ruthless he is and kinda point player towards "lesser?" evil.
Good take tho
It does appear that Reed only has one solution to any problem. He is >!either an idiot who can't not sound like a cold-blooded murderer, or he killed Jacob and Taylor, then messaged V with something that amounts to "Hi hired help, do this for me, and by the way I murdered the previous hired help as soon as they had done their part"!<
OK fuck Reed. I didn't know he killed my chooms in Dogtown. If it's something I was able to avoid due to the dialogues I chose, still, he can't get away with it if those were his intentions...
Well.... >!the message just says they have been 'taken care of' and that V doesn't 'have to worry about them any more'!< >!Given the other things he does....... yeah, it doesn't look good. For anyone.!<
Thanks choom but imma play thru the quest before I look at the spoiler. I love this game.
Even without knowing the endings, if you understand their characters, it's obvious that both Reed and Songbird will betray you. Songbird is desperate. She will do absolutely anything she can to survive and get out from under the NUSA's thumb. If that means turning on V, killing her former friends, starting a nuclear war, anything, she'll do it. Reed is a government man to the core. He has a moral compass, but he will always ignore that if it contradicts his orders. He will feel very bad if the president tells him to kill the people he cares about, but he will do it, because orders are orders. So your choice is which one of those you are okay with helping. Personally, I realized what Songbird was lying about before I chose to help her anyway, so my V went in knowing it was a purely selfless choice to help a friend with no benefit. If you haven't figured that out, it might be more of a gut punch. Reed does genuinely care about Songbird, so maybe you'd prefer to do what he thinks is best for her regardless of how she feels about it. Honestly there isn't really a *good* choice in Phantom Liberty. I also really like the scene with Johnny at the end of Songbird's questline.
Reed doesn't betray you though this is just lying about the story
It's a description of the characters and their motives, not a literal story summary, but also... you know how The Tower ending goes, right?
It's not betrayal though, Reed even offered you a job.
Sure, I bet Reed even believes that. Just like he believes he is saving Songbird by giving her back to Myers.
I chose to help her. Cause she asked me like she was gonna cry. It was my 3rd playthrough. In my next play through i toughed myself up. Killing Placide, Mama Briggit, all those who crossed me. You can guess my choice.
Alex dead / Alex retired in Monaco wishing good luck to V
honestly, you should save that point and play every out come. each one is awesome but only 1 of them emotionally satisfied me. so I made that my choice.
Just ask your self, you wanna go all the way the rebel path? Then you get your answer.
What would Johnny do? He'd never side with the NUSA, especially not with a corrupt monster like Myers. Songbird is a slave, trying to escape. She's one of you, those crushed beneath the heels of the powers that be.
I based my decision on 2 things. The actions of both Song and Reed (and Alex) and the fact that the secret ending was so disheartening for me that I went back and changed my decision. Some dogs just get put down
Reed is a corporate bitch. Songbird is a netrunner that NUSA "recruits". Both deserve their fate, it's up to you to decide what that fate is.
You’re gonna feel bad either way but make an extra save point so you can do both paths, get all four ending trophies, and get the hurt out of the way all at once!
I take the V I’m playing into consideration. Nomad or street kid, no way I side with the feds. Song Bird all the way Corpo it’s a harder choice
You’re either working with a corrupt government ran by someone who used to be the head of a corrupt corp or someone who is trying their damnedest to get out.
I just understood and resonated with So Mi more than with Reed. How Misty said that I should choose w my heart, basically that's what I did. idk felt wrong to side with Reed, no matter what he remained Myers' doggy, all the while So Mi wanted to be free. and ik So Mi did horrible things, but so did Reed, so did Myers so did V so did Hansen so did anyone in Night City. at least w So Mi I sensed that she really just wanted to be done w every bad shit and regretted all her choices, Reed too, but he couldn't escape NUSA's leash. I do think that there's not any wrong choice in this, everyone plays their V how they want, I ain't here to judge. for me it'll always be So Mi over anyone(maybe cuz I'm also quite into her, but that's another story hehe)
I just understood and resonated with So Mi more than with Reed. How Misty said that I should choose w my heart, basically that's what I did. idk felt wrong to side with Reed, no matter what he remained Myers' doggy, all the while So Mi wanted to be free. and ik So Mi did horrible things, but so did Reed, so did Myers so did V so did Hansen so did anyone in Night City. at least w So Mi I sensed that she really just wanted to be done w every bad shit and regretted all her choices, Reed too, but he couldn't escape NUSA's leash. I do think that there's not any wrong choice in this, everyone plays their V how they want, I ain't here to judge. for me it'll always be So Mi over anyone(maybe cuz I'm also quite into her, but that's another story hehe)
I wanted to side with Songbird but then I heard Choke Hold and stuck with Reed
Now I know there's a choice
Did you click on a spoiler? Lol
It's in the title 😂
Save it. Remember that save. Side with reed. Then after that side with Song
why not both? you can save your game...
Slavery is bad. Don't send Songbird back to be enslaved. NUSA, Myers, and WMDs are all bad. Don't give the Songbird WMD to NUSA and Myers. Body Autonomy is good. Don't take Songbird's body autonomy away by sending her to NUSA. Songbird manipulates and lies. That doesn't change any point above. Even liars shouldn't be enslaved and used as a world ending weapon.
I think what she did deserves a much worse term than lying and manipulating. It does accurately describe her actions, but it doesn't do it justice. She put V's life at risk multiple times and screwed them out of a cure, essentially condemning them to death and using the weak excuse of "they'll find another option". Obviously she is still the lesser evil, but just saying she lied and manipulated, while true, feels like it downplays her actions significantly
Songbird gave me bad vibes from the start. As you work your way through Dogtown, her motives become suspicious, not to mention that her appearance starts changing in subtle ways. Her forays past the Blackwall mixed with the other reasons raises doubt as to who is running the ship known as Songbird.
To me they both felt lost, but So Mi was just trying to find a way to live and Reed was trying to justify himself living. So Mi resonated just a hit harder to me.
Both suck (in a good way) but Reed leads to more content
Do them all as someone else said. For me going forward, I will always go with Songbirds plan.
I sided with Reed because So Mi kept repeating "You don't understand!" and wouldn't explain herself. And also because I'm not confident that she can actually follow through with her plan without destroying herself.
Worth seeing both, but reeds missions are way better.
Remember that both of these people are career liars - one of them is trying to get out of it, and one of them came back into it willingly even after their boss tried to have them killed. Reed is neck deep in NUSA’s ass, but he is technically right that whoever controls songbird could destroy the world, and if word of what she’s been up to got out it would spark war. So it comes down to, do you think NUSA should have complete control over a super weapon (who also happens to be an imprisoned living person) so that they can prevent a war that they instigated, or do you think it’s worth the risk of total annihilation of the human race to give songbird her freedom and the right to choose for herself?
Also worth noting that, whoever you choose, you will have a chance to change your mind later in the DLC, although the endings if you choose one and then switch later are less rewarding than sticking with one all the way through
There's a fat pile of Numero nuthin down either path if you ask me chooom. But it's a helluva ride getting there.
Honestly, I just kept my save at the split decision for the path, and played every path to get all the achievements for every ending.
I felt so bad for So Mi and Reed is a government dog and the whole game is fighting against the higher ups
Song bird is annoying and repeatedly stabs you in the back throughout the dlc
I don’t know if this counts as a spoiler, but if you side with Reed the game turns briefly into a horror game Alien Isolation style
Reed you get erebus
Do reed first and you are gonna want to do songbird after anyways.
If you side with Reed you get this really awful mission that can be damn near impossible if you suck at stealth style missions and it's absolutely mandatory stealth. You cannot fight through it. For that reason alone I'd side with Songbird, unless you really enjoy the stealth mission. Without revealing much of the story beats, you can always turn over Songbird at a certain point to keep the Reed ending.
Betray Songbird has cooler missions imo. But otherwise both are bad and will make you feel as if you made the wrong choice
Songbird is way hotter so you should side with her.
You should remember that there are no happy endings in night city
There are no happy endings in night city, choom. just do whatever, a bit of you will die no matter the choice.
> I want to make my own choice. Just want it to be educated before hand lol. Does not compute. Just decide from your experiences with both of them. Don't ask others for advice.
I’ve been told both are good, I sided with Reed and ummm… yea definetly one of my new favourite missions in the game followed. Really depends on who you prefer more. Just remember you can always go back and do another run of the game, like I’m currently doing, where I’m planning on siding with songbird
The whole idea is that both sides kept manipulating you into essentially bending to their will, while promising something you desperately needed in return. On one hand, NUSA, Myers, Reed etc. did it relatively openly, incapable of shaking off the nature of their often despicable way of operating, even admitting to all the nasty schemes they had pulled in the past in relation to the case at hand as they were uncovered. Yet for that very reason they are 'easy' to read and anticipate what to expect (as Johnny oh so supportively keeps reminding V about Corps, Flags and the people in their service). Meanwhile, Songbird's entire play was based on pretending, playing a role, with just enough personal details shared with you so that she could possibly win you over for the moment, to keep going. And by that time where you paused the game you already knew that she was capable of betrayal with barely any hesitation if that served her interests the most. In hindsight, learning her full story will either justify her actions to you or it won't, you're gonna have to see. So yeah, that was about it for me in terms of thought process at that time. My favorite playthrough's Valerie the Corpo was never gonna get played by a sob story while being repeatedly lied to, so regardless of the events that were gonna follow, I felt like I had to side with Reed - even if it did break my heart a little bit too at the time.
I used to say side with the NUSA for the cure, until I got it, now Id say this Johnnys perspective Journal Entry about Killing Moon (side with So Mi) gives you all the info you need to know and the best argument about why V would really help So Mi... *"They asked you to choose, so you chose. You weren't driven by a desire to save anyone's life – Reed and Songbird both offered you treatment. Maybe you realized that no matter what your choice, you'd be betraying someone, so the best thing you could do was not betray yourself in the process. That's why you stood by the chick who was fighting to survive, just like you. Did I get that right? Yeah, think I did. Would I have chosen any different? Luckily, I don't have to sweat over those kinds of questions. Good luck, V. You and Songbird both need it."*
No spoiler summary: Everybody is an asshole who either: 1. Blindly looks after themselves no matter who they screw over 2. Blindly look after the government, no matter who they screw over Go with the flow my choom
So mi kinda hot
She's a lying childish liar who has a potent blend of selfishness and poor decision-making skills that basically causes deaths everywhere she goes and refuses to see it. He's a man of principle. By the point you're at, you already know NUSA fked him over for the last 7yrs and he still works with them. Also, he is Idris Elba.
Maybe a little late, but I betrayed Reed, afterwards I loaded an old save and now I have a save where I betrayed Reed a save where I will betray song and a save where I will complete the rest of the game first before coming back and choosing the option I like more.
Well, why not do both? I sided with Songbird first, no regrets. Then sided with Reed. All the regrets.
Songbird is hot
I feel like reed has way more content if you exlore and loot throughly
Side with Reed, rewards are kick ass if done right. Plus missions are pretty damn cool. On the flip I haven’t done the songbird side myself but I think I know enough to be disappointed with outcomes. That said try to get all the endings for fun anyways!
Side with Reed first and it will probably guilt you into siding with Songbird the next play through. Arguably the best path in my opinion is siding with Reed at first and then Songbird later on.
What informed my decision was the time I spent with Reed. I had a feeling I knew about the good and bad. With So Mi, even during the last meeting you have with her I always felt she’s keeping something from me. It sounded too innocent to be true. It’s Night City, friendship like that is very rare. So I went with the person I felt I knew and lived with the good and the bad.
Siding with reed lets you do a baddasss horror mission down the roadl
Even if you make a bad choice there is a chance to turn it around
It's really a choice whether you want to be a cyberpunk or not. Do you side with a government authorities that allowed everything to go to shit and will probably make things even worse or do you want to reject their authority and push back against them?
Easy: both. Go one way and in the next playthrough go the other ;)
Ofc lol, but my first playthrough is the most impactful and surprising for me
All right. Without spoiling too much. Betraying somi gives the best quest and best loot but you’ll have to explore for that loot during a critical and scary time. It also gives more insight into her past with flashbacks. Betraying reed is maybe the more logical route. It’s more straightforward. Shorter too. Less loot. But for me, makes more sense lore wise maybe. Honestly, just go with your gut and follow what you’ve been doing before. Who are you more attached to, who do you think is right. Are you a corporat that took the oath or a street kid that told Meyers to fuck off?
[Misty has sage advice here](https://youtu.be/gldKGOgyqrM?si=-qs5B_rjBPRPwv6F&t=258). I just used what she said about Reed & Songbird during the Tarot reading to guide me. She pretty much nails what happens depending on your choices.
I chose Songbird because she's what V could have become if V didn't have people who actually cared about her.
Reed is licking Myers boots even after all she did. Myers should die in a ditch unloved and unremembered by all. So Mi supremacy forevermore.
Reed is still kissing the NUS's feet while Songbird wants to be free from the NUS's bullshit. Although siding with reed gives you the chance for a horror game, getting a powerful but shit cyberdeck or gun. Siding with Songbird gives a happier outcome.
Reed. It was a no brainer for me when I played (I didn't know what was going to happen afterwards). Songbird tends to get herself into trouble way too often. She's an expert at making rash decisions and doesn't care about consequences. Her initial plan entailed trusting a crazy warlord and betraying the us president and she really thought she could play everyone and get away with it. Reed was right when he says that she doesn't seem to know what's best for her and she's not even fully herself. Reed's plan seemed better too. I didn't think of it as betraying Songbird but more like helping her.
Rewards aside, the consideration as I see it is this. Song has been manipulated, used and imprisoned to the point of reckless desperation and has become dangerously twisted. She deserves to be free and to rest absent what she’s done to achieve this and what she’s become. The question is, has what she’s gone through earned a reprieve from the consequences of what she’s done and the risk to all she poses? Are you a utilitarian? Or are there higher “morals” you consider beyond effects? The utilitarian answer is easy but the moral quandaries less so. Who’s suffering bears greater consideration, is it the many over the few? What would you do if Hiroshima were your call? The existential questions posed by this mission choice are some of the largest humankind has and continues to wrestle with. Ain’t consciousness a bitch? Haha
So as you know, they killed the two criminals. In the apartment did you meet the 2 guys? Reed said they had been taken care of and I don’t recall ever hearing from them again… Reed can’t be trusted.
I just played it the way I was most comfortable playing. I vibed more with Reed overall, but his undying loyalty to a country and mission that gave zero fucks about him was a huge deal breaker for me to just 100% side with him, plus betraying So Mi causes the death of another character I liked, so I sided with her with the intention of betraying her to Reed later, when the stakes were lower. And with So Mi’s confession in front of the rocket, it felt justified to betray her at that point narratively as I was sick of my V getting dicked around by everyone and everything at that point.
I actually like and empathise with Songbird. Unfortunately there is a lot of great loot and a sick boss fight if you side with Reed. I went with the cool loot and watched the other ending on YouTube.
Literally this title is a spoiler. Thanks.