River Ward: Romance Guide and Side Quests

This is a guide on River Ward, a character in Cyberpunk 2077. Learn about how to romance River with our full romance guide, what Side Quests and choices are needed to romance River, how to have a romantic hangout, and River's effect on the ending of the game.

How to Romance River

River Can Be Romanced

River Ward is available as one of the Romance options, but only for Female body type V. If you're hoping to romance River Ward, be sure to choose a Female character at the start of the game, as this aspect cannot be changed at any time. You can, however, choose the Male voice and still romance River.

River Ward Questline Choices

I Fought The Law
Meet River	This will come naturally as part of the quest, so simply go through this quest as normal to get started on River's romance.
The Hunt
Always Side With River	During the conversation with Dr. Packard be sure to take River's side when she goes off on him, so choose the following dialogue options when they appear: "Hasn't let me down yet." "I wanna see for myself." These are timed choices so be sure to pick fast. You will have one more choice later with Johnny that affects this, saying "River's all right."
Hit Me With A Beer	During the car ride choose "Sign me up for that beer." when River mentions it.
Edgewood	When you view the braindance, scan all of the clues. Finding all of the clues will have River drive directly to the farm, but in the chance that you don't, choose Edgewood when prompted or you won't be able to move on to the final quest.
Help River	After rescuing Randy you have the option to help him out in getting to Harris. Pick "I'll help you." during the conversation to trigger the next quest.
Following The River
Respond to River's Text	When River eventually texts you, respond with "How about a new record?" then continue the conversation. Regardless of your responses, flirty or not, he will call you after some more time passes with the quest.
Accept His Invite	This goes without saying, but when River calls accept the invite to start the quest and choose the dialogue options that make you seem more interested.
Kiss the Boy	You'll have some opportunities during this quest to give River a smooch. If you're looking to romance him then do it. Keep choosing the choices that show you're interested and after the second kiss, you'll be in a relationship with River.

How to Romance All Characters

River Ward Romantic Hangout

Available After the Following The River Quest

Romantic hangouts will be locked until you have completed a character's romance path. For River Ward, you will need to complete the Following The River quest before you can invite him to hangout.

Following The River Quest Walkthrough and Rewards

Invite River by Responding to His Message

Pull up your phone and open your messages with River then respond with which apartment you want to hangout with him. Head to the apartment you agreed on to begin your romantic hangout.

Hangout with River in your apartment

Once in the apartment with River, take a seat beside him and you can start catching up together. You can talk about his private detective career, what its like being a cop in Night City, and how things are with Detective Han.

You can also talk to him about your mission with President Myers but only if you've completed the Phantom Liberty DLC. Apart from talking with River, you can also cuddle, kiss, and dance with him in your apartment.

Romantic Hangouts Guide

Does River Ward Affect the Ending?

Affects the Credits Sequence

River Ward is one of the possible characters who can appear during the credits sequence. River Ward's dialogue in the credits changes based on their relationship with V and your choices during the game, so players will need to maximize their relationship with River Ward to get the best possible dialogue here.

The Sun Ending

If you romanced River you can choose to call him during Nocturne OP55N1. If you choose Rogue's route, he will appear during Path Of Glory before V leaves for space in the Sun ending. He will also still appear in a message to V during the end credits.

All Game Endings and How to Unlock

River Story and Side Quests

River Side Quests

I Fought The Law

V meets the NCPD Detective River Ward after V gets hired by Jefferson Peralez, the running mayor of Night City, to investigate the death of the previous mayor. He's seen first in a braindance killing the cyberpsycho who attempted to kill the mayor before his death. V then meets him at a diner and he helps V investigate the matter.

In the process, he finds out his partner helped cover up the mayor's death, and he's distraught by this revelation. He thanks V nonetheless and goes on his own way for a while.

I Fought The Law Quest
Walkthrough and Rewards

The Hunt

Some time later, V gets a call from River asking for his help. Once they meet up, River reveals that a notorious kidnapper has just been apprehended, and his nephew Randy was a victim of that kidnap. The two then break into a lab to find details on the kidnapper, where it is revealed to V that River is suspended.

Afterwards, they proceed to Randy's house where they find clues about the kidnapper. They find something to jog his memory, and then explore his dreams and memories via braindance, then rescue Randy and the other boys.

The Hunt Quest Walkthrough and Rewards

Following the River

Following that, V is later on invited by River to have dinner at Randy's house. They spend time cooking and playing with River's nephew and niece, then they end up chilling at the top of the nearby water tower overlooking Night City.

If V is female and made the right decisions to show interest in River through the course of his questline, he becomes romanceable during this scene and the two can enter a relationship together.

Following The River Quest
Walkthrough and Rewards

River Profile and Background

River Ward
Full Name	River Ward
Job	Detective
District	-
Gender	Male
Affiliation	NCPD
Voice Actor	Robbie Daymond

In-Game Description

Quest Appearances

Cyberpunk 2077 Related Guides

List of Characters

All Character Profiles

Phantom Liberty DLC Characters

Rosalind Myers	Songbird	Solomon Reed
Alex	Kurt Hansen	Mr. Hands
Aurore Cassel

All Phantom Liberty Characters

Main Characters

V

Jackie Welles

Johnny Silverhand

Romance Options

Judy Alvarez	Kerry Eurodyne	Meredith Stout
Panam Palmer	River Ward	Rogue

Story Characters

Adam Smasher	Alt Cunningham	Anders Hellman
Anthony Harris	Claire Russell	Delamain
Dexter DeShawn	Elizabeth Peralez	Evelyn Parker
Finn Gerstatt	Goro Takemura	Hanako Arasaka
Jefferson Peralez	Joshua Stephenson	Lizzy Wizzy
Lucius Rhyne	Maiko Maeda	Mama Welles
Mama Brigitte	Misty	Mitch Anderson
Oda	Oswald “Woodman” Forrest	Placide
Royce	Saburo Arasaka	Saul Bright
T-Bug	Us Cracks	Viktor Vector
Weldon Holt	Yorinobu Arasaka

Fixers

Dakota Smith	Dino Dinovic	Muamar “El Capitan” Reyes
Padre	Regina Jones	Wakako Okada

All Cyberpunk 2077 Guides