Summary
As an adaption,Cyberpunk 2077gets a lot of things right. The tone and aesthetic of the game do the tabletop game justice, while looping in other inspirations like 80s science-fiction films and best-selling novels likeNeuromancer. This unique blend of influences and memorable lore helps makeCyberpunk 2077a great RPGfor both old and new fans of the genre, but it does leave out a few notable elements of the source material.
V and Johnny’s adventure is certainly a memorable one, but it doesn’t actually exist in the original tabletop game series, with in-game V filling the role of a player-created character and not showing up in the traditional RPG. That said, pretty much all of the TTG’s biggest lore elements are present in the game, with significant entities and characters like Arasaka, Johnny Silverhand, and Adam Smasher all appearing in the tabletop version, and are mostly similar to their in-game counterparts. That said, theCyberpunk 2077game retconsand recontextualizes many of the elements it adapts from its source material, sometimes leaving out key details altogether.
The Next Cyberpunk 2077 Game Needs Morgan Blackhand
Fans ofCyberpunk 2077’s tabletop inspirations know how iconic Morgan Blackhand is. In the original lore, Blackhand is a legendary Solo, or unaffiliated mercenary, following his time spent in the military. He is often viewed as the quintessential merc, literally writing the book on the lifestyle. He also penned several other publications about weaponry and Solo tactics. Blackhand is often considered one of the most famous “Night City Legends.”
Despite his legendary status in the tabletop games, he makes no appearance inCyberpunk 2077. Some fans believed that he would show upin thePhantom LibertyDLC, but that didn’t end up happening. He is mentioned only a handful of times in the game, with the most notable nod being near the beginning of the main story, when Claire Russell confirms that he is still MIA following his 2023 disappearance. This could be seen as frustrating for fans who wanted to see the character fully fleshed out in the gaming medium, but it leaves the door open for him to appear in the sequel.
BeforePhantom Liberty, manyCyberpunk 2077fans believed that the game would receive multiple DLCs, likeThe Witcher 3before it. However, CD Projekt Red has been clear that there will be no more post-launch content forCyberpunk 2077, definitively closing the book on an in-game version of Blackhand.
How Morgan Blackhand Could Show Up in the Next Cyberpunk 2077
Blackhand has quite a bit in common withCyberpunk 2077’s unforgettable antiheroJohnny Silverhand. Morgan Blackhand, like Johnny, is ex-military, using his combat training for a decidedly less patriotic purpose. Silverhand and Blackhand, in the original lore, worked together, with Blackhand being part of Silverhand’s attack on Arasaka, though his involvement is absent from this operation in the video game. Even their monikers, Silverhand and Blackhand, come from the same sources: their respective prosthetic arms.
Given all these similarities, it’s possible that CDPR simply decided that there was only room for one unstoppable, grizzled rebelinCyberpunk 2077’s story. That said, perhaps the next game in the series could have Blackhand fill a similar role as Silverhand, aiding and ushering the player throughout and using his street smarts to progress the narrative. Saving the character for a new entry would make a lot of sense, as the game would have to explain what happened after he went missing in the original lore. This, naturally, is quite a task, as CDPR would need to account for several in-universe decades. To do Blackhand justice, the developer should have him play some sort of role in the sequel toCyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
