In Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City, the Sinnerman quest offers players an intriguing story of justice and redemption. Quest director Pawel Sasko reveals the numerous subtle details and nuances in this quest, which introduces players to convicted murderer Joshua Stephenson. The quest, along with two accompanying missions that culminate in a crucifixion, explores themes of existentialism throughout Cyberpunk 2077’s world.
Quick Facts
- Every character movement, line, and ray of light in the Sinnerman quest serves a purpose.
- Stephenson’s journey is filled with iconic moments and characters from the Christian Bible.
- Players are given a choice on how to approach spiritual moments in the game, such as joining Stephenson in prayer.
While Stephenson never claims to be a messianic figure, his quests are filled with iconic moments and characters from the Christian Bible. These include a scene inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper painting and a Judas-like character. At one point, players have the opportunity to join Stephenson in prayer, with a choice on how to approach this spiritual moment in the game. Later on, Stephenson asks players if they will perform his crucifixion, a role that can be accepted, denied, or observed.
Originally, the quest ended with Stephenson being dropped off at a braindance studio for his death to be recorded and made available to Night City citizens. However, Sasko wanted to expand on this idea and purposefully designed the lead-up to this moment so that players would agree to Stephenson’s final request. He explained that the key to building a good story is to backtrack and determine the necessary scenes and elements to introduce beforehand, ensuring that players are well-prepared for the main moment.
This is just one example of the extensive work that went into Cyberpunk 2077 during its development. The game is set to conclude in September with the launch of its only DLC expansion, Phantom Liberty, which adds new story content to Night City and substantially rewrites its DNA for a fresh experience. After Phantom Liberty’s release, CD Projekt Red will shift gears to the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, with development on that project being led by Sasko.
