A Cyberpunk 2077 modder has added an entirely new romance, using a minor character from one of the base game's gigs. 8ug8ear Romance from Nexus Mods user RMS lets you hook up with the netrunner you meet earlier in the game, and even adds a new storyline attached to the romance.
This is just the latest example of Cyberpunk fans endlessly expanding the world of Night City, sharing mods that make the world feel more alive, lived in, and interactive. From new jobs, activities, and now, of course, new romantic interests, fans are working hard to add more depth to V's life, giving players far more options than we get in the vanilla game.
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8ug8ear is a netrunner that you meet during the Gig Getting Warmer. Here, Wakako sends you to retrieve her from her apartment, as she's surrounded by Tyger Claws. In order for her to survive the mission, you have to inject her with coolant before disconnecting her from the Net, and then return her to Wakako for safety.
Typically, this is when you're association with 8ug8ear would end, making her a pretty minor character. However, this mod will have her reach out to V after the gig is wrapped up, unlocking a new storyline and even the opportunity to visit her apartment.
The relationship is told through more than 200 new text messages, although the modder wants to leave most of them as a surprise. From what we can see in the screenshots, 8ug8ear has new tasks for V, some of which will even involve making choices. The consequences of these choices will impact your relationship with 8ug8ear, potentially ending the romance arc.
Judging by the player comments on Nexus, it seems that there's plenty to get up to with this mod - and plenty that can go wrong during the romance. So mind what you say, and be an attentive partner. It seems that 8ug8ear expects more from V than the vanilla romances.
However, if you want to stay loyal to your current beau, then you're in luck. Every base game romance has an expansion mod courtesy of Nexus user Deceptious, making these love stories feel a little less robotic towards the end of their questline. The one that fleshes out River's interactions with a romanced V is perhaps the most essential, as all five of us who got with him can attest to the fact that this one clearly had the least amount of effort put into it. Seriously, his niece and nephew still T pose all day, it's unsettling.
When fans aren't adding more story content to the game, they can often be found improving its performance. If that's more your speed, check out this mod that increases the crowd density - a setting that seemed to be planned in the most recent update, but was cut for whatever reason. It might get official support in the new year, but in the meantime, you can test it out yourself.
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