Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Things The Game Doesn't Tell You About Maelstrom
In Cyberpunk 2077, Maelstrom is one of the many gangs found in Night City and certainly one of the most terrifying. Maelstrom's reputation and threat level are extreme. The citizens of Night City know it's better to just steer clear from their crosshairs, which, most of the time, means certain death.
Dressed in leather and chrome and geared with intimidating cyberwares, just the sight of a Maelstrom member alone is enough to send chills down an ordinary person's spine. Beyond their extreme appearances and lust for blood, the Maelstrom gang is one worth learning about. They may be psychotic, but in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, that makes them all the more interesting.
10 A Merger Of Other Gangs
In Cyberpunk 2077, Maelstrom consists of what's left of a different gang that's been wiped out in the past, and recruits from other groups as well. The gang was initially formed by the remaining members of the Metal Warriors. As time passed, they also managed to acquire members from the Red Chrome Legion and Ironsights.
In 2077, it is estimated that the gang consists of about 1,300 members. Most of these members come from other gangs, and some of them are fresh recruits, but all of them have one thing in common: an obsession with cyberwares.
9 The Inquisitors
The Maelstrom gang is hostile to just about anything and anyone, but they are the most antagonistic towards the Inquisitors. The Inquisitors are more of a cult rather than a gang. They hate cyberwares more than anything, considering them evil and blasphemous, which makes them the perfect nemesis for the Maelstrom.
The Inquisitors were actually responsible for the eradication of the Metal Warriors, the Maelstrom's precursor. Aside from the Maelstrom, the Inquisitors is pretty much hated by almost every single gang in Night City.
8 Most Of Them Are Cyberpsychos
Members of the Maelstrom gang are very obsessed with cyberwares. It's one of the main reasons why someone would join the gang in the first place. Due to this intense obsession, a lot of them have developed clinical cyberpsychosis.
In Cyberpunk 2077, cyberpsychosis is a mental illness developed by those who have existing psychopathic tendencies, coupled with an overload of cyberware enhancements. It is estimated that a third of the gang's members are cyberpsychos.
7 Honor Lost
The Maelstrom gang was founded by a man named Hammer, a former member of the Metal Warriors. The Metal Warriors were considered to be men of honor. They centered their activities around a "warrior's code." Their enhancements, combat methods, and rituals were all ritualistic.
Hammer kept this principle when he started the Maelstrom. However, for whatever reason, Hammer was thrown out of the gang, and their code of honor went with him.
6 They Are Smugglers
Maelstrom, like all of the other gangs of Night City, constantly engages in nefarious crimes and activities to earn a buck and gain a reputation. The members constantly perform hit jobs, raids, and cargo escort. However, the gang's main stream of income is smuggling.
Those who want drugs and medicine illegally smuggled into Night City can turn to Maelstrom's services. They also occasionally smuggle weapons. Really, the gang will smuggle just about anything to earn eurodollars so they can fund their cybernetic mania.
5 Nordic Inspiration
Aside from their unhealthy obsession with cybernetics and the overall mysteries of the cyberspace, the Maelstrom gang also seems to take interest in Nordic mythology and the occult. The symbols of the Maelstrom, in particular, gather imageries from Norse mythology.
The Maelstrom's tattoos and graffiti are also very Nordic-inspired. The behavior of most Maelstrom members mimics that of old Viking warriors known as Berserkers. Like the Berserkers, a Maelstrom gangster will tear down anything in its path, often out of impulse rather than reason.
4 Extreme Threat Level
Despite not being the largest gang in Night City, the Maelstrom is the only gang in 2077 that has an "Extreme" threat level. While they may lack the numbers, sophistication, and intellectual prowess, their innate psychosis, unpredictability, and bloodlust make them one, if not the most dangerous gang in Night City.
Unlike other gangs who often work for megacorporations for the sake of power, Maelstrom will often turn on their backs, especially if it rewards their cybernetic obsession. They will attack and kill just about anyone. Barry Lewis, an NCPD officer, once said that he once saw a Maelstrom ganger kill a young individual just for laughs.
3 Black Market Braindance Records
While the Maelstrom gang is more known for illegal smuggling as its main source of income, there are reports and rumors stating that the group is also involved in the production of black market braindance records. It is said that these records are highly disturbing and violent. They are apparently so intense that they produce "numbness," a sensation of emotional void that places one in a strange state of mind.
Of course, these are all just rumors as of yet. The NCPD has yet to find concrete evidence backing this up. However, if it were true, it wouldn't exactly be uncharacteristic of them.
2 Declan "Brick" Griffin
Declan Griffin, also known as Brick, is a character the players will meet in Cyberpunk 2077. Well, not all of them. In order to meet Brick, the player will have to do extra effort during "The Pickup" main mission.
Brick is the former leader of the Maelstrom before he was overthrown by Royce. If the players engage and kill Royce during "The Pickup" mission and choose to save Brick before blowing the place up, the latter will become an ally to V later on. At the end of the game, the players can find an epitaph of Brick in the Columbarium. This says that Brick, in life, had more friends than enemies. This goes to show not every single Maelstrom member is a complete monster.
1 The Totentanz
The Totentanz is a club in the Watson District the players can visit in Cyberpunk 2077. By 2077, the place has become one of Maelstrom's bases of operation. They will allow anyone to get inside, for as long as they respect the authority and the directives of the Maelstrom.
Unsurprisingly, the Totentanz is a highly dangerous place. It is said that at least a dozen of people die at the club every night, and anything less is considered a dull affair.
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