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MissionmajorMain storyEasy

The Ride

The Ride introduces V and Jackie to Dexter DeShawn and sets up the two jobs that drive the next stage of Cyberpunk 2077's main story.

RoleMain-story mission that establishes Dexter DeShawn's plan and directs V toward The Pickup and The Information.
Statusreleased
Importancemajor
RewardProgresses the main story and unlocks the next major jobs from Dexter DeShawn
  • Mission typeMain story
  • Primary locationAfterlife
  • Main contactDexter DeShawn
  • Combat focusMinimal
  • Follow-up jobsThe Pickup and The Information
  • DifficultyEasyThe Ride is principally a briefing and travel mission.

The mission has no conventional boss encounter. Its importance comes from the setup for the next stage of the story.

Key takeaways

The mission is short in combat terms but important for understanding the structure of the opening act.

  • Meet Dexter DeShawn The central task is to attend Dexter's briefing at the Afterlife and hear his proposal for V and Jackie.
  • Two jobs follow Dexter sends V toward two separate preparation missions: The Pickup and The Information.
  • Dialogue sets the tone Conversation choices can make V sound confident, skeptical or more cautious, but the briefing proceeds regardless of the selected attitude.
  • Prepare for what comes next The Ride itself is relatively safe; the more consequential planning and confrontation occur in the missions Dexter assigns afterward.

The Ride overview

The Ride is an early main-story mission in Cyberpunk 2077 that brings V and Jackie Welles into Dexter DeShawn's orbit.

The mission follows The Ripperdoc and serves as V's introduction to Dexter DeShawn, a prominent fixer preparing a high-risk operation. V and Jackie travel to the Afterlife, where Dexter explains that he has work suitable for ambitious mercenaries who want to move beyond small-time jobs in Night City. The meeting is primarily conversational, but it establishes the people, stakes and rivalries that shape the missions immediately ahead.

Dexter's proposal divides the operation into two separate jobs. One concerns obtaining a military-grade Flathead from the Maelstrom gang, while the other concerns meeting Evelyn Parker and learning more about a planned job connected to Arasaka. These threads become The Pickup and The Information, and the player can generally choose which lead to pursue first after the briefing.

The Ride is not built around a combat arena or a boss fight. Its purpose is to establish the crew, explain Dexter's expectations and place V at the start of a chain of decisions involving Maelstrom, Militech, Evelyn Parker and the Konpeki Plaza heist. Dialogue choices during the meeting affect how V presents themself, but the mission's central outcome is the launch of Dexter's plan.

Where this sits

Act 1 setupV and Jackie begin working with Dexter DeShawn.
Dexter's planThe Ride
Preparation jobsThe Pickup and The Information
  1. 1The Ripperdocprevious
  2. ●The Ridecurrent
  3. 3The Pickupnext
  4. 4The Informationnext

The Ride is the briefing point between V's early introduction to Night City and Dexter DeShawn's larger operation.

Requirements

Complete The Ripperdoc to reach this early main-story mission.

  • RequiredComplete The RipperdocThe mission becomes available as part of the opening main-story progression after V receives the early cyberware introduction.
  • RequiredReach the AfterlifeThe objective requires V and Jackie to attend Dexter DeShawn's meeting at the Afterlife.
  • OptionalCombat buildNo particular weapon, cyberware setup or attribute investment is required because the mission is focused on travel and dialogue.

Objectives

  1. Meet Dexter DeShawn at the AfterlifeTravel to the Afterlife with Jackie and enter the venue for the scheduled meeting.
  2. Listen to Dexter's proposalStay with the briefing as Dexter outlines the operation and introduces the two preparation jobs.
  3. Discuss the plan with Dexter and JackieUse the available dialogue options to question or respond to the proposal, then finish the conversation.
  4. Begin Dexter's assigned jobsAfter the meeting, The Pickup and The Information become the next major paths in the operation.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Reach the meeting point

    Travel to the Afterlife

    Follow the mission marker to the Afterlife and meet Jackie outside or near the entrance. The route is not a combat challenge, so there is no reason to spend ammunition or healing items before the meeting.

    Location: Afterlife

    TipUse the objective marker rather than searching Night City for Dexter; the mission is designed to move directly into the briefing.

  2. 02

    Meet Dexter DeShawn

    Enter the club and find Dexter DeShawn

    Go inside the Afterlife and follow Jackie toward Dexter's meeting area. Approach Dexter to start the conversation, then remain nearby while the briefing begins.

    Location: Afterlife

    Watch outLeaving the marked meeting area can delay the next dialogue trigger, but it does not normally create a permanent mission failure.

  3. 03

    Hear the job briefing

    Listen to Dexter's proposal

    Dexter explains that he wants V and Jackie to take on a major operation rather than another routine mercenary job. The conversation introduces the Flathead acquisition and Evelyn Parker's lead as separate parts of the same larger plan.

    Location: Afterlife

    TipRead the dialogue options before selecting one if you want V to sound supportive, doubtful or more direct; the broad assignment remains the same.

  4. 04

    Clarify the plan

    Discuss the two preparation jobs

    Continue the conversation with Dexter and Jackie until both leads have been explained. One path points toward the Maelstrom deal in The Pickup, while the other begins with Evelyn Parker in The Information.

    Location: Afterlife

  5. 05

    Complete the briefing

    Leave the meeting and follow the next lead

    Finish the conversation and exit the briefing area when the mission directs you onward. The Ride concludes by setting up Dexter's next jobs, so open the Journal if you need to confirm which objective you want to pursue first.

    Location: Afterlife

    TipThere is no need to hunt for a hidden reward inside the Afterlife during this mission; the meaningful progression reward is access to the follow-up jobs.

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The Ride is a dialogue-led mission rather than a combat encounter. Its principal mechanic is information delivery: Dexter explains the operation, V can challenge or accept parts of his pitch, and the game then converts the briefing into two distinct mission threads. Because there is no extended firefight, the mission is a useful point to adjust equipment, read the Journal and decide which lead to investigate first.

The two follow-up missions are designed to approach the same larger operation from different angles. The Pickup deals with the gang and the , while The Information introduces Evelyn Parker and the braindance investigation. Treating the jobs as separate preparation paths makes it easier to understand why the game presents both objectives after Dexter's meeting.

Dialogue does not require a special attribute, weapon or cyberware configuration. V's responses mainly shape the tone of the exchange and provide context about Dexter's reputation, the value of the proposed job and the risks involved. The more substantial branching decisions are found in the follow-up missions rather than in The Ride itself.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • Introduces Dexter DeShawn and his role in V's early rise through Night City's mercenary network.
  • Clearly separates the operation into two follow-up missions with different locations, contacts and risks.
  • Uses the Afterlife meeting to establish the tone and social hierarchy of the main story without requiring a difficult combat sequence.

Weaknesses

  • The mission offers limited action, so players expecting a conventional shootout may find it deliberately subdued.
  • Most of its practical consequences are deferred to The Pickup and The Information, which can make the mission feel more like a briefing than a standalone job.

Best uses

  • Use the mission to learn the names and purposes of the next two main-story objectives.
  • Treat the end of the briefing as a preparation point for changing equipment, checking the Journal and choosing the next lead.

Choices and consequences

  • Respond to Dexter's proposal with confidence or skepticism

    The selected responses change V's conversational tone and provide different characterisation, but they do not prevent Dexter from outlining the operation.

  • Choose which follow-up mission to pursue first

    After the briefing, V can generally approach The Pickup or The Information first. The order changes the immediate sequence of events, while both jobs remain part of Dexter's preparation plan.

  • Question Dexter about the risks and payment

    These dialogue options add context about the job and Dexter's expectations. They do not turn The Ride into a combat branch or remove the two follow-up objectives.

The Ride checklist

  • Complete The Ripperdoc before looking for this mission.This is part of the opening main-story sequence.
  • Reach the Afterlife with Jackie.The mission marker leads to the meeting venue.
  • Speak with Dexter DeShawn.The briefing cannot progress until the conversation is started.
  • Listen for the Flathead assignment.This points toward The Pickup and the Maelstrom deal.
  • Listen for Evelyn Parker's lead.This points toward The Information.
  • Finish the conversation before leaving the venue.The next objectives appear after Dexter's briefing is complete.
  • Check the Journal after the meeting.Use it to select the next preparation mission.

Failure conditions

  • Do not reach the meeting areaThe mission cannot advance until V arrives at the Afterlife and approaches the marked meeting point.
  • Leave before the briefing is completeWalking away during the conversation can pause progress until V returns to Dexter and completes the required dialogue.
  • Combat or police interruption during travelAn unrelated hostile encounter can delay the meeting, but The Ride itself does not impose a combat timer or require V to defeat a named enemy.

On failure

The mission is forgiving because its key progression occurs through a meeting. If the objective appears stalled, return to the marked area and finish the active conversation before travelling elsewhere.

Rewards and drops

  • Main-story progression
    Completing the briefing advances V's relationship with Dexter DeShawn and moves the opening operation forward.
  • The Pickup
    Dexter's Flathead-related assignment becomes available as a follow-up mission.
  • The Information
    Dexter's Evelyn Parker-related assignment becomes available as a follow-up mission.

Characters in this mission

Aftermath

Dexter's plan is now in motion

The Ride ends with V and Jackie committed to Dexter DeShawn's operation. The next stage is not a single linear errand: The Pickup and The Information approach the plan through different contacts, and their order can shape the immediate flow of Act 1.

Trivia

  • The Ride is one of the first missions to frame V's work as a deliberate attempt to enter Night City's higher-paying mercenary circles.
  • The Afterlife is both a bar and an important meeting place for fixers, mercenaries and other figures in Night City's criminal economy.
  • Dexter's briefing introduces the Flathead before the player has to negotiate for or recover it in The Pickup.
  • The mission's title reflects the transition from V's introductory jobs into a larger criminal operation rather than a standalone vehicle objective.

Relationships