Cyberpunk 2077 allows you to develop romance with different characters, some with dating, some with one-night stands, and others with simple flirting.
This article will walk you through all the romance options in the game and rank them from worst to best.
Cyberpunk 2077 romance options ranked
Honorable Mention: Alex
Alex isn’t a legitimate option for romance in Cyberpunk 2077, but she’s the closest thing you get in the Phantom Liberty DLC. There’s an on-and-off tension with her, and in one scene at the close of Phantom Liberty, she flirts heavily with you and even dances at the jukebox in her bar. You have the option to dance with her, but she has too much on her mind to make it into anything. The tension, mysterious nature, and bittersweet sadness would’ve made this romance one of the best in the game, probably making it to number two or three on the list.
6) River Ward
Oh River. It’s not that he’s bad-looking, it’s just that it’s a shame that the only option for those playing a female V who like guys is a man who—despite living in 2077— embodies an early 2000s version of cool. He looks like if Vin Diesel in The Fast and the Furious and Brad Pitt in Fight Club had a kid. He looks like if Lenny Kravitz joined the WWE.
Sure, the bald-head and muscles is a type for some. But when you consider the fact that River is an officer of the law, you can see why not everyone would be happy, especially in a game that’s often so rebellious and anti-establishment. You can kiss him after your missions with him on a water tower, which will lead to an intimate encounter and potential feelings.
5) The Joytoys
Listen: We understand that the Joytoys are only interested in one-off encounters. But we appreciate Cyberpunk’s forward look on sex workers as opposed to previous depictions of them in games
The Joytoys rock some fantastic outfits. The combination of traditional “hot” attire with vibrant colors from the neon world of Night City is aesthetically pleasing. The actual intimate scenes with the Joytoys also have a level of this play with color.
On top of this, each Joytoy is bisexual, so everyone gets to romance them. With the long overdue (and still incomplete) shift of how we view sex workers in the public eye, we can appreciate the Joytoys as working class icons who look great on the job. Rock on.
4) Panam Palmer
Panam Palmer is a fan favorite, and you can easily see why. She’s pretty and mysterious, a nomad who doesn’t usually let herself get too close to anyone. Though it’s pretty conventional as far as sci-fi romances go, many players enjoy it because it takes a little of work to come by and has an effect on the end of the game.
Ultimately, we feel that the intimacy scene between you and her in the ship feels a little bit awkward and forced, but that’s us. Panam is a solid romantic option, if a conventional one.
3) Meredith Stout
Here’s a controversial take. Many players aren’t big fans of the romantic encounter with Meredith Stout because it’s a one-night-stand that doesn’t go anywhere. We say: So what? What if you want to roleplay V as a mercenary who doesn’t have time for a relationship? Or just simply as a V who enjoys casual encounters? It’s a video game after all; the love isn’t real. Might as well have fun.
And that’s exactly what this romance is—it’s fun. A bisexual, powerful, initially cold woman who knows what she wants, Meredith is the last person the player expects they might get to romance. Which is what makes it so exciting.
Merideth meets up with you in a motel and is already dressed for the encounter. After it’s over, she’s gone with no romantic options and just a text. Some lists have put her encounter lower down for this, but we think it’s so in-character for her that it just works. The reason why we find it fun is the reason why many might not find it exciting—we’re used to being the protagonist in games like this who can enjoy and dispose of characters at our will. Meredith turns it around and does the same to us.
2) Kerry Eurodyne
Endlessly cooler and more modern than River Ward is Kerry Eurodyne: by far the best male romance option in the game. In the present, Kerry sports tattoos, chains, and studded leather jackets. In the past, he looks like a Filipino version of Prince. But sorry lady V players, Kerry is only interested in men.
Kerry’s a rockstar, formerly a member of Johnny Silverhand’s legendary band Samurai. He’s an integral part of the plot and the complicated past that V walks into, so players don’t get just an exciting romance but a fulfilling one a well. With the option to jam with Samurai on stage, Kerry’s romance becomes a complete and fulfilling experience.
1) Judy Alvarez
Judy Alvarez is the one exclusively lesbian option in Cyberpunk 2077. Thankfully, she’s also the best romance option in the game. She’s an editor in the world of Braindance and influences the plot with her knowledge of tech.
To get this romance going, you have to pay a lot of attention to her. Call her to check on her whenever you can and take every chance you get to see her.
One of the most satisfying things about this relationship is just how much it feeds into the ending of the story. Judy’s a sweet person who brings a lot of fun into the game through her romance.
