Unlocking the Mysteries of Night City's Cyberpunk Tarot

In spite of the futuristic world filled with advanced technology and artificial intelligence, Cyberpunk 2077 surprisingly provides a glimpse of spiritual beliefs that may have significance in the game's universe. Although there are only a few indications of spirituality in the game, the most significant is the presence of tarot cards that serve as collectibles and provide clues about the forthcoming events in the story. It is worth noting, however, that obtaining all of the tarot cards is not possible, as only 20 of the 22 cards can be found through a side quest known as The Fool on the Hill. While this may be disappointing for players who strive for completion, the game's decision to limit the availability of tarot cards likely reflects some of its underlying themes.

Getting Closure in a Place Like Night City

In Cyberpunk 2077, the game's story emphasizes that there are no perfect paths in Night City, and even if V survives, their time is limited. Tarot cards symbolize the player's journey and offer hints about the characters and events they will encounter. While most cards reference events that will happen regardless of the plot, those tied to different endings suggest potential futures. The Judgment card, which is obtained by raiding Arasaka Tower, is linked to most endings and represents renewal and change. This suggests that no matter which path V chooses, their life will undergo significant changes and may even reignite their will to live. The Star ending implies that V's time will be fulfilled to its fullest potential, regardless of how much time they have left.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the card also symbolizes the possibility of breaking free from cycles, which is evident in the various endings players can choose from. These options range from letting Johnny Silverhand take complete control of their body to leaving Night City with the Aldecaldos. Additionally, the card can foreshadow the future of Night City, as Arasaka suffers a significant setback with the loss of Mikoshi and Adam Smasher, indicating that their long-standing dominance can be challenged. However, if V accepts Hanako Arasaka's offer to separate their engram from their body, the card's meaning can be interpreted in the opposite way. This decision ultimately leads to V becoming a mere shell of their former self with limited time left to live. The only alternative is to become an engram for Arasaka, living longer but as a prisoner of the very corporation that brought about their current state in the game.

Choosing Hanako's deal in the ending leads V to align with certain factions that hinder their personal growth, as hinted by The Devil card. Although it may not be possible to uncover all the cards in one playthrough, the game benefits from this limitation as the meanings behind Judgment and The Devil are contradictory within the context of the story. The narrative focuses on achieving closure, even if it's difficult, as seen with Mama Wells and Misty grieving for Jackie, and Johnny grappling with his relationship with Rouge. The fact that V can only encounter the Judgment card in Arasaka Tower is a clever detail that suggests they can only find closure in Cyberpunk 2077's story by not choosing the path that involves The Devil.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.