Cyberware is a big deal in Cyberpunk 2077, both in terms of gameplay and setting. The game world revolves around futuristic tech in all its splendor and ugly details, with cybernetics being one of the most visible and iconic element of the archetypal cyberpunk setting. V has access to a wide array of Cyberwear throughout the course of the game, most of which can enhance their combat abilities, while some provide non-combat benefits, or may even be purely cosmetic.
Cyberware or Cybernetics are various implants and prosthetics surgically grafted into or onto a human body to enhance its base attributes and give it entirely new abilities. A cybernetic eye will let you see more, switch between what light-band is visible or scan enemies. Augmented limbs can provide you with raw physical strength way beyond anything an unaltered human could possess. Cyberware can also have various side effects, the most dangerous of which is Cyberpsychosis, which will feature prominently in Cyberpunk 2077.
The game's designers applied the same four style archetypes as they did to the environmental and character design - Entropism, Kitsch, Neo-Kitsch and Neo-Militarism - to cyberwear in-game. You'll find various cybernetic enhancements from each visual style, which also informs the kind of role they fill. When not fighting, it still pays to keep an eye out for what kind of cyberwear players you encounter have equipped - it will tell you a lot about their character.
In Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberware is used to improve player stats and give an advantage during combat - or a better chance of avoiding combat altogether. Some Cyberware can also serve a non-violent role, or simply be a fashion statement. Using Cyberware Cyberware in Cyberpunk 2077 is broken down into three categories in terms of functionality, which determine how they affect V's performance and how you can use them during gameplay. Active - These kinds of implants need to be activated by the player if they want to use it. Unless you use them, the game won't do it for you. These include scanners, Mantis Blades that act as weapons and Nanowire. Triggered - These activate on their own when a specific criteria - the "trigger" - is met. Some cyberware gives you a buff automatically whenever you dodge an attack, or when your health drops to a specific point. Passive - Passive cyberware doesn't need to be activate at all, since simply equipping them will impart a stat bonus or some kind of other benefit. The various Cyberware upgrades in Cyberpunk 2077 are categorized by rarity. The less common a piece of Cyberware is, the more powerful and useful it is bound to be. The categories are common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary, with legendary Cyberware being the hardest to get - and also among the most prominently featured in marketing materials. Coincidence? Equipping Cyberware Cyberware works a little differently than regular items do. You'll need to visit a ripperdoc to apply the new Cyberware - this process is, essentially, surgery - to equip it. There are 14 ripperdocs working throughout Night City, with Victor being the first one you meet.
