How far into Cyberpunk is play it safe?
As an avid Cyberpunk 2077 player and content creator, I‘ve been asked many times – how far do you have to progress to unlock the Play It Safe main job? And just how long does it take to complete? In this deep dive, I‘ll cover everything you need to know.
Where Play It Safe Fits in the Main Story Arc
Play It Safe is the 24th main story mission, landing about halfway through the critical path. Here‘s some context:
- There are around 45 main jobs total, so Play It Safe puts you around the 50-60% mark in terms of main missions
- It unlocks after completing Life During Wartime and Gimme Danger – two missions focused on the mysterious chip in V‘s head
- Play It Safe continues this overarching narrative thread regarding the chip and V‘s relationship with Johnny Silverhand
- So thematically and narratively, you‘re firmly into Act 2 and approaching the pivot point into Act 3
To put it plainly, the first half focuses on the initial mystery surrounding the relic chip while the back half deals with finding a way to remove it before it consumes V‘s body and mind.
Mission Progression Around Play It Safe
Here‘s a quick look at the main missions directly before and after Play It Safe:
| Previous Main Job | Play It Safe | Next Main Job |
|---|---|---|
| Gimme Danger | Play It Safe | Search and Destroy |
So you can see it comes right in the middle of that escalating conflict around the chip and Johnny.
Play It Safe Mission Length and Objectives
Getting more specific – Play It Safe will take most players 1-2 hours to complete. Here‘s an overview of the goals:
- Infiltrate the Bazaar in Japantown – Meet up with Takemura and prepare to infiltrate the den of netrunner Placide, who has info on the chip
- Eliminate Lookouts and Snipers – Stealthily take out three snipers around the bazaar without being detected
- Confront Placide – Reach the netrunner, disconnect him from the net, and defeat his bodyguard Oda in combat
- Interrogate Placide – Finally, question Placide on specifics about the chip and return to Takemura to discuss next steps
It‘s a dense mission spanning stealth, action, and story. I‘d budget 1-2 hours to comfortably complete it while also exploring Japantown.
How Far into Everything is Play It Safe
While Play It Safe may come halfway through the critical main jobs, it likely won‘t signify halfway through your entire playthrough.
Here‘s why:
- There are dozens and dozens of side jobs to take on across Night City‘s six districts
- You‘ll spend a lot of time simply exploring the expansive open world, meeting characters, and unwinding in your apartment
- My first playthrough was over 50 hours and I still had tons of things left to do when I finished the story
So I tell new players – don‘t worry about main story progress. Just soak in the ambience of Night City at your own pace. There‘s no rush to blaze through just the critical path.
That said, Play It Safe does come as you‘re cresting the wave into Act 3, so the game world does open up even more afterwards.
What to Do Before and After Play It Safe
If you‘re looking for recommendations on how to spend your time before and after the Play It Safe job, here are my tips:
Before Play It Safe
- Complete story missions for Judy, River, and Panam to open up their side jobs
- Focus on raising Street Cred to unlock vendors and features
- Do gigs to earn cash for cyberware and vehicles
- Spend time customizing weapons and clothing
After Play It Safe
- See more of Johnny‘s backstory playing in Samurai band (after Chippin‘ In)
- Investigate the mysteries of Mr. Blue Eyes and Peralez
- Focus on loyalty missions for Judy, River, Panam etc
- Try different life paths and builds on another playthrough
So in summary – the Play It Safe mission itself represents a midpoint, but the abundance of action before and after means your personal play length depends on playstyle.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to chat more Cyberpunk.
