Exploring the dystopian landscape of Night City requires more than just high-tech weaponry and combat cyberware. To truly understand the deep lore and complete specific quest lines, players must interact with the various data storage items scattered throughout Cyberpunk 2077. Knowing how to efficiently access and read these items ensures that you never miss a vital piece of world-building narrative or an essential puzzle clue.
How to Access the Shards Menu on All Platforms
Finding the designated sub-menu can sometimes be confusing due to the expansive nature of the game interface. To open it on a PC, players should press the designated menu key to bring up the main hub screen, then hover over the Journal option and click directly on Shards. If you are playing on a modern console, navigating to the main hub area and pressing down on the directional pad while highlighting the Journal section will expand the side selections.
This layout helps keep your inventory tidy by separating mission logs from miscellaneous readings. Navigating through the categories regularly will prevent important clues from being lost among junk items. Consistently checking this menu remains the easiest method to review updates collected from defeated enemies and hidden stashes.
Understanding Encrypted and Text Shards
Not every document collected on the streets of Night City can be read instantly upon pickup. Many items contain encrypted security protocols that require manual hacking via the Breach Protocol minigame to decipher their contents safely. Successfully cracking these codes often rewards players with hidden coordinates, specialized weapon crafting blueprints, or bonus eurodollars.
Standard narrative documents offer valuable backstories regarding corporate warfare, gang rivalries, and civilian life. Reading through these logs fills out missing context that main character dialogue might omit entirely. They bridge the gap between simple side activities and the overarching cyberpunk universe.
Why Reviewing Shards Changes Gameplay
Ignoring these digital entries can occasionally lock players out of unique choices during complex infiltration missions. Certain gigs require you to read specific data files to discover passwords for locked terminal screens or safe boxes. Utilizing this intelligence lets you bypass heavy security areas entirely without triggering hostiles.
Furthermore, dedicating time to your collection enhances overall character progression by providing experience points for specific skills. The developers hid numerous world-building details inside these optional descriptions to reward curious explorers. Keeping track of your database makes survival in the dangerous metropolis far more manageable.
