Once considered a meaningless system of the game, the police have received massive improvements with the 2.0 update in Cyberpunk 2077. The NCPD now actually stands for something. If you are running around Night City with a high wanted level, the Night City Police is sure to stop you from wreaking havoc.
Whether you want to attract the police’s attention or just want to clear your wanted levels to start fresh, here is everything you need to know about the new crime prevention system of Night City.
How police wanted levels changed with Update 2.0
As mentioned before, update 2.0 has led to massive changes in the police system. The most notable change perhaps in Cyberpunk 2077 is the wanted levels, as now they actually mean something.
Depending on your offenses, you get a rating ranging from 1 star all the way up to 5 stars. A 1-star rating could mean a couple of police officers come to apprehend you, with you being easily able to escape them. On the other hand, a 5-star rating would involve armored vehicles and a very powerful MaxTac squad that can use all kinds of offensive maneuvers against you.
In addition to this, Police now also patrol the streets, making it seem a more accurate depiction of how the police are supposed to operate. Also, after update 2.0 the police do not miraculously appear right behind you. They now spawn further away, making a timely escape a viable option. Update 2.0 also makes the police vulnerable to quickhacks now, giving you an added method to fight them off.
How to clear wanted levels in Cyberpunk 2077
To escape the police means essentially clearing out the wanted levels. While the NCPD now poses a bigger challenge, escaping them is possible, nonetheless.
Of course, the method of escape and its effectiveness depends on your wanted level, a higher wanted level being more difficult to clear out. Here’s how you can escape the NCPD and clear out your wanted levels.
Leave the Crime Scene
Crucial to clearing out your wanted levels is leaving the crime scene, and doing so as soon as you can. Do not stick around for the police because that will lead to a confrontation and possible escalation of the situation. This could lead to you getting a higher wanted level, making escape all the more difficult.
Use Vehicles
When escaping the NCPD, vehicles are your ally. Get in a fast car and drive as far away from the police, which will be visible on your minimap, as possible. However, at higher wanted levels, you have to face roadblocks set by the police.
Also, at a 5-star wanted level, the police can breach and disable your vehicle. In this case, try to access another vehicle and continue your escape. Furthermore, bikes are extremely useful when escaping, and weaponized vehicles are even more so after Phantom Liberty.
Hide out in buildings
Facing the police in the open is most likely a bad strategy and leads to a bad end. What would be a good strategy, however, is hiding out in and using buildings and stores to your advantage. Move from one building to another, being as discreet as possible, and eventually, you’ll lose your wanted levels in Cyberpunk 2077.
Alleys
Dark and narrow, alleys make for a good escape route and hiding place when being chased by the police. Duck into alleyways and try to stay under the radar. Be cautious of the blue spots on your minimap, which represent the police.
Elevators
Sometimes, distance is not just horizontal. Getting in an elevator and climbing onto higher levels inside buildings will also increase the distance between you and the NCPD, and perhaps lead to your wanted levels being cleared and a successful escape.
How to gain wanted levels in Cyberpunk 2077
Gaining wanted levels in Cyberpunk 2077 and reaching the max wanted level is a relatively simple process. Killing or injuring civilians would alarm the police, and you would gain a 1-star wanted level.
From there onwards, you can cause utter mayhem. Attack and kill the police, as many of them as you can. Use weaponized cars during the chase. Also, using explosives and raking in mass kills will increase your wanted level.
Ultimately, the more havoc you wreak, the more damage you do, and the more people you kill, the more your wanted level increases.
Some users experience a bug where they do not get a wanted level even if they kill tons of NPCs. In this case, make sure that when you do kill them, the police are around. If that doesn’t work, a temporary fix is going through the security gates at Corp Apartment Plaza. That tends to fix the bug for some reason.
