River Ward rant (warning, long post)
I know I've like never posted about Cyberpunk 2077 but I kind of have to get this one thing off of my chest.
Something pretty common that I've heard about River compared to the other love interests is that the developers did him dirty by not giving his story and romantic journey as much attention as everyone else's, or that everyone finds him boring or creepy or other such things. But there is something that I noticed that I don't think I've seen someone talk about so I'm going to. (I'm not saying that it hasn't been talked about but that I haven't seen anyone talk about it).
In the ending where V gives Johnny his/her body, the only romanceable character that even notices that he/she is gone is River.
In all of the calls that V receives in the ending credits, River is the only romanceable character that worries so much to do something about it. (Even in the Arasaka ending on the orbital station, the only one who cares to even vow to come and retrieve him/her is River.) Kerry has obviously called enough to notice that he's only getting through to V's voicemail, while Judes and Panam don't even seem to notice that anything is wrong. In River's call, he talks about how he's checked every hospital, every shelter, every single place he can think of that V might be, and is still trying desperately to call or make contact. Idk if this is just because River's the one I romanced, and if I had romanced Judy (since the other two would not have responded romantically) that her call would have been different, and if that is the reason feel free to tell me.
One of the arguments I've seen against River is people complaining that there's nothing to indicate that him and V should even have formed a connection strong enough to become partners, but then the character who you could argue has the least chemistry and connection to is the only one to even care or realize or do anything regarding the fact that V is missing is that same guy? I have to wonder if that was intentional or not - If it spoke to how people see things differently.
Think about it for a second with me, I know the post is already long but bare with me. We play as V, in V's perspective, the people most involved with V, who are the most beneficial are Panam, Kerry, and Judy, because they are more involved with V's ultimate mission (to be free of the chip, to uncover the mystery that is Johnny Silverhand, to survive, etc.). They stand out more because they are have more to offer, while with River, that person is instead V. V is the one that he runs into that has all of the answer, the one who can help him find his nephew, the one who can prove that the mayor's (I think it was the mayor?) death or at least details of it was covered up, the one who comes over and spends time with his family and is there when things get tough. If we played as River, instead of V, would we have the same perspective that we have now of how their relationship looks or how much chemistry they have?
With the other romanceables, they are the answers to questions, quests and mysteries in V's life. With River, V is the answer to his. The person who was there for him when life was against him disappears, his lifeline, his support. Yes, V helped and supported and fought for the other romanceables, but in the end it was much more transactional than with River. Judy helped us find Evelyn, V helped her fight Cloud. Panam helped V shoot down the carrier, V helped her get back her truck and family. Kerry got his career/life back, V helped Johnny come to terms with what his life was now. V didn't get anything from River, not really, but River? He got everything from V. His regained sense of justice, his family, his life.
So yes, the developers might have done him dirty, they might not have given him as much time, but was that intentional? To show how people sometimes view their own relationships irl? How sometimes, we leave a bigger impact on others than they do on us? Something I've thought about, I wonder if anyone else agrees.
