After the long awaited PS5 release of Cyberpunk 2077, I finally had the pleasure of playing CD Projekt Red’s futuristic RPG. A significant part of my enjoyment came from Cyberpunk’s emphasis on Night City and what its people are capable of with futuristic technology and cybernetic enhancements. One type of technology and the most popular form of entertainment in Cyberpunk is braindance, which the game describes as “The transfer of the conscious experiences of the person who recorded (or ‘scrolled’) them to one who ‘relives’ them.” In action, braindance allows the user to experience someone else’s memories. They see, feel, and live the moments in the memory as if it were their own. People can use braindance in a myriad of ways including for porn, the experience of being a celebrity, and in the case of extreme braindance, for much darker purposes. But for the player, braindance is underutilized in Cyberpunk 2077 and I felt disappointed in how little you use it considering how popular it is. In this article I’ll discuss how I’d incorporate it more to reflect the game’s emphasis on this technology.
Braindance has numerous uses within Night City and since its introduction in an early story mission, “The Information,” I have found the concept of braindance, or BD for short, to be fascinating. While it’s mainly used as entertainment where people can pursue their pleasures and desires through another consciousness or experience, it can also be used to uncover information and pursue a lead. Braindance was one of the more interesting ideas and it’s a shame that it was barely in the main game, outside of a handful of missions.
**MINOR STORY SPOILERS BELOW**
Player Use of Braindance
There are only a few instances where you use the technology and it’s a shame because I think the concept is fascinating. In the main story job “The Information,” you’re introduced to a braindance editor named Judy Alvarez. She plays out the memory like a normal braindance and then she opens the memory for analysis. The editor mode allows you to examine the memory from the outside as if you were watching through editing software. As the editor you can move about the memory as you examine visuals, sounds, and thermal readings that may provide important information or clues. As the player’s introduction to the concept, you partake in a robbery where you’re killed as you walk out of the convenience store. By moving about the memory you learn how you died and the player character talks about how real the memory and experience feels. And Judy remarks that people will pay for content like this because it’s a means of entertainment in Night City.
Braindance is used again much later in the main story during an intense mission and then with two side quests, but ultimately those are the only times in which you use it in Cyberpunk. After seeing how useful and engaging the idea is, I have to wonder why it was seldom used in the entire game. When you consider that it’s such a large part of Night City’s culture and identity, I wish there were more opportunities for us to see the memories of others and experience the appeal that draws so many to braindance in the first place.
Uses In Night City
The most frustrating thing is how ingrained braindance is within Night City’s identity, but the player can’t utilize its full potential. For example, Lizzie’s Bar is a famous club in the Kabuki sub district of Watson, one of Night City’s numerous districts. According to the game’s database, “The club boasts high quality braindances to use in the comfort of specialized booths.” When you walk into the club, there are numerous groups of people enjoying the pleasures of a braindance. And when you explore Lizzie’s you come across a shard about braindance. Titled “Why Be Me?: Confessions of a Braindance Addict,” author Sergio Morales discusses the opportunities that braindance provides its users in a brief excerpt. “In a braindance, you can be anyone. A broker who manages a portfolio worth trillions. An elite soldier who blasts his enemies out of existence with a tech shotgun. A suave rockerboy whom the whole world lusts after…” (Morales)
This shard perfectly illustrates my complaint that braindance is underused for the player. I want to use the technology for myself to experience being the world’s most popular artist for a night, or to be a scientist who makes a monumental discovery. You can purchase numerous braindances from vendors throughout Night City. However, all of them are “Incompatible with your software,” according to the description. Why make these so readily available if they’re just going to be relegated to something that you can disassemble into crafting materials? Some of the names for them sound cool, too. Conqueror 9000? Count Destroyer? What happened within these memories, and what appeals to consumers that they’d purchase them?
What I’d Like To See
As for how I would like to see the technology be used more, my initial thought is that braindance could be used to solve crimes. With the use of a braindance technician and editing software, crimes could be solved by analyzing the sights and sounds within the memory. The editing aspect allows you to look at the memory from different angles and perspectives, and in one of these angles you may find a missing clue or piece of audio that the original memory didn’t pick up. As for other uses, it could be fun to live as another person at a crucial moment in their life. Whether it’s an athlete making the big play, or as an actor during their career defining performance. So long as the technological means within Night City are available, the braindance possibilities are endless.
I adored my time with Cyberpunk 2077. I thought Night City was such a cool and distinct location full of interesting storylines and activities to do. Part of the allure of Night City is its technology, where people can experience other memories. Even though braindance is all the rage in Night City, it didn’t feel that way for me. For as much as the game wanted to assimilate me into its culture, I felt a disconnect because there weren’t more opportunities to use braindance. Cyberpunk can tell me all about braindance through text entries and exposition, but ultimately I don’t want to be on the sidelines as others relish in the fun. Hopefully there will be more opportunities with Cyberpunk’s upcoming expansion. But until then, I’ll be waiting and imagining what kind of experiences could be had through braindance. As always, thank you for reading and remember to enjoy in moderation!
The following sources were used in this post:
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Features Braindance Editor Investigations – Fextralife
Video Games | Craft Beer | Liquor 