Playing For Time is the 9th main story mission in Cyberpunk 2077 (CP77). This walkthrough will guide you through all objectives, paths, dialogues, choices and endings of the Playing For Time Main Job.
Area: N/A
Quest Giver: N/A
Requirement: Complete Love Like Fire
Reward: XP /Street Cred, all of Night City is now available to be explored
Mission Info: Don’t trust that Takemura. Mett with him, sure, check him out, but keep your eyes open. He’s a corporat, meaning he’s looking to use you.
Well, border, looks like we got ourselves into a real fix. No chance in hell I’m wriggling myself out of this one, but you’re still alive. And as Misty says, “As long as you’re alive, there’s hope”. Fate’s given you a second chance, so use it – get back on your feet. Do that, and consider your best friend’s last wish fulfilled.
Objectives:
- Approach the stranger
- Dig yourself out
- Neutralize the motorcyclists
- Survive the attack
- Talk to the stranger
- Crawl towards the pills
- Leave the apartment
- Stock up on ammo [Optional]
- Open your inventory and put on some clothes [Optional]
- Check your email [Optional]
- Talk to Takemura
- Meet with Takemura
- Talk to Takemura
Approach the stranger
At the start of this mission, you are in what looks like a braindance recreation of the Arasaka tower from the prior chapter. Follow the Stranger all the way upstairs.
When you reach the end of the hallway, interact with them to continue.
Dig yourself out
You wake up buried under a large amount of garbage. Interact with each prompt to pull yourself out.
Hold 
to pull yourself forward, then you’ll have some short scenes and dialogue.
Dialogue:
- Help me… > Timed choice, both options have the same outcome.
- Fuck… > Timed choice
Neutralize the motorcyclists
When you regain control, Takemura will have handed you a pistol and you need to defend the car against a pair of enemies on motorcycles. These enemies take a huge amount of damage (and this section is very scripted overall) so just keep putting damage into them as your driving until the section more or less finishes on its own.
Survive the attack
When one of the enemies jumps on top of the car, just keep putting damage into, then the section will also end in a scripted manner.
Dialogue:
- [Finish it off] > Timed choice, selecting it or not the outcome is the same
- I remember you. > Timed choice
- Know a decent ripper. > Timed choice
- Viktor can help.
- Did pretty well back there. > Optional
- [Call Delamain] I’ll call Delamain.
- Why don’t you leave me behind? > Optional
After this dialogue, there are a number of non-interactive scenes before you get dialogue again in Viktor’s Clinic.
Dialogue:
- I feel… like something ain’t right.
- Fuck… > Optional
- They killed me. > Both options have the same outcome.
- Night City looked… different.
- How’s that even possible? > Both options have the same outcome.
- Mean to say there’s a terrorist in my head?
- What is, then? > All three outcomes have the same outcome.
- First time ever I’ve seen you scared.
- Doubt you can top the terrorist in my brain…
- You’ll fix me up, right? > Both options have the same outcome.
- You’re talkin’ bullshit.
- Why do I have to die? > Both options have the same outcome.
- I want to know the detes, all of ’em.
- You don’t just die and then rise from the grave. > Both options have the same outcome.
- So I’m Frankenstein. Great.
- So what am I supposed to do?
- Cant’ we just remove the chip? > Optional
- It’s that shard from those TV ads! > Optional
After speaking with Vik, Misty will take you back to your apartment and you’ll have some dialogue with her.
Dialogue:
- [Lie down] I’m exhausted.
- Givin’ me pills’ that’ll kill me? > Optional
- You’re lovely.
- About Jackie… > Brings up more dialogue to talk about Jackie.
- He was my best friend. > All three options have the same outcome.
- He talked about you, lots.
- I’m so fucking sorry he’s gone.
- Got a terminal case of bad luck. > Optional
- [Sleep]
Talk to the stranger
When you wake up, you’ll now have another conversation with the new visitor in your head.
Dialogue:
- [Get up]
- How did you get here? > Both options have the same outcome.
- I don’t smoke.
- [Take meds]
Crawl towards the pills
Johnny has knocked the pills across the room, hold to crawl towards them.
Dialogue:
- I’m gonna kill you. > Optional, both dialogue options have the same outcome.
- Get out of my head.
- [Take meds]
Leave the apartment
You wake up in the shower, and you can just head right out if you want, or complete some optional objectives beforehand.
Stock up on ammo [Optional]
Go into the stash room and check on the left side of the counter where you can grab some extra ammo from the box.
Open your inventory and put on some clothes [Optional]
Since you woke up in the shower, you won’t actually be wearing any clothes. Not that you are required to put any on before you leave, but you can, only if you want to.
Check your email [Optional]
If you use the computer directly right of the apartment door, you can check on V’s emails under the Messages tab.
When you’re ready to continue, head out of the apartment.
Talk to Takemura
If you finished all the optional objectives in your apartment or once you leave, Takemura will call you.
Dialogue:
- Why would I do that? > Both options have the same outcome.
- Maybe another time.
Meet with Takemura
At this point, you gain access to a number of more Side Jobs and gigs which you could run around and do, or go down to Tom’s Diner to meet Takemura to continue this mission.
Talk to Takemura
Sit at the table when you’re ready to speak to Takemura.
Dialogue:
- What do you want?
- Why’d you help me? > Optional
- Is this about the biochip? > Optional
- Just answered your own question. > Both options have the same outcome.
- Been lookin’ for her?
- No idea. > All four options have the same outcome.
- Think so, yeah.
- Don’t think so, no.
- Askin’ too many questions.
- [Stand] Ok, got a life to save – my own, so… > Both options have the same outcome.
- [Stand] Better be goin’.
- Want me to accuse Yorinobu in front of Arasaka execs?
- What if I say no? > Optional
- Anders Hellman – mean those kinds of people?
- What kind of people we talking about? > Optional
- [Calm Takemura] Chill. > Timed choice
- Need time to think it over.
- STREETKID: Tom’s a good guy. > Optional
- Shouldn’t draw attention to ourselves. > Optional
- Try my luck with Evelyn Parker. > Both these sets of options are gone through before continuing.
- Relic’s engineer knows more’n anybody else.
- Why were you looking for Hellman?
- You know more than I thought. > Optional
- She spot the corpo in you? > Both options have the same outcome.
- No experience talkin’ to people like that?
- Why were you looking for Hellman?
Takemura leaves, and Johnny comes out for a bit to talk to you.
- We buddies now? > Both options have the same outcome.
- Leave me alone!
- You can help me? Puh-lease.
- I don’t trust you. > Optional
- [Stand] There is no “us”!
This finishes Playing For Time main quest in Cyberpunk 2077 (CP77). Now the next quests Automatic Love, Ghost Town, and Down on the Street (after a period of time has passed) become available.
For all other Quest Walkthroughs, check out the complete Cyberpunk 2077 Walkthrough.
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