20 Video Game NPCs You CAN'T Afford To Lose

9. Sandayu Oda - Cyberpunk 2077

Death is perhaps as important of a theme in Cyberpunk 2077 as its dystopian future aesthetic. Characters die tragic deaths all the time, and even the protagonist, V, has their inevitable demise looming over their head like those creepy commercials for body mods that you see on every elevator and street in Night City.

Still, some of the deaths in the game are preventable, and if you’re going for one specific ending, then you might want to be especially careful when deciding the fate of Arasaka’s cyberninja bodyguard, Sandayu Oda.

Oda appears in the mission “Play It Safe” as a boss fight at the end of V’s infiltration of Arasaka’s parade in Night City.

Although the cyberninja is ruthless, upon defeating him your partner Goro gives you the option to spare Oda, and while you might be tempted to take him out anyway, incapacitating Oda comes with a secret reward.

When you reach the end of the game and side with Hanako Arasaka, Oda will actually reappear and join you and Goro in your assault on Arasaka’s headquarters.

The extra blade can come in handy during this rather tough fight, plus having an extra ally is certainly better than making Goro sad for slaying one of his old friends.