You may know the name Solomon Reed in connection with Cyberpunk 2077, but if you’ve been paying attention over the last year, you’ve probably heard that Idris Elba has joined the game’s cast for the new Phantom Liberty DLC. Solomon Reed does indeed have the vocal talent and digital likeness of Idris Elba, and considering how often he appears in the promotional materials, it’s safe to assume that CD Projekt Red knew he would be a big draw for the add -on would be on the theme of spy thrillers.
So you’d be forgiven for thinking that Solomon Reed is the main event of Phantom Liberty. And while that’s probably true, you won’t exactly run into someone who looks like Idris Elba on your way to the streets of Night City to go shopping. If you’re curious about exactly how and when you’ll meet Phantom Liberty’s new hero, then read on, but watch out for mild spoilers for the new DLC storyline!
How to Meet Solomon Reed in CP2077 Phantom Liberty
The good news – and this may not surprise you – is that you will encounter Solomon Reed at some point, unless you skip the Phantom Liberty DLC content entirely. Complete the Dog Eat Dog mission when the bell rings to enter the new Dogtown region on the Night City map and you’ll be in Solomon’s home territory.
From here on out, it’s just a matter of patience. There is nothing you can do to speed up your acquaintance with Solomon Reed, but continue the main quest line of Phantom Liberty until the fourth main mission, “Lucretia My Reflection”. Your new friend and NUSA President, Rosalind Myers, tasks you with contacting one of her agents who has been operating in Dogtown for years – Solomon Reed himself.
Secret agents aren’t known for being easy to get in touch with, and there are a few hurdles to overcome before Solomon agrees to meet in person.
First, you are sent to an abandoned restaurant in the area, the CapitÁn Caliente. When you get there, the place is locked, but there are a few ways to gain entry. Scan a panel at the entrance with orange wires sticking out of it and you’ll get an optional objective to disable the fuse box and force open the door.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
The wires are fairly easy to trace, but the fuse box is high up on another level of this semi-derelict mall, and some promising-looking paths lead to dead ends. To get where you want to go, go right from the restaurant entrance and climb a cleverly placed piece of crumbling concrete walkway to go up one level.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
Follow this path around the entire upper plaza until you’re roughly above CapitÁn Caliente – there are some makeshift walkways connecting the various structures in the plaza, and at one point you have to jump over a person who is quite reckless sits in your way. The level ends just beyond her, but turn around and climb over more rubble to get to the next floor.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
On the third floor bridge, resist the temptation to climb another level and instead go right onto the metal walkway next to the broken section of the bridge wall. This walkway is more or less hidden until you stand right next to it, but you can spot it by the two yellowish barriers nearby.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
Follow the path and jump over a place where the temporary planking has broken and fallen until you reach the fuse box in an alcove. Scan it and interact with it to open the door to CapitÁn Caliente.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
If all of this seems too tedious, there is a less elegant but possibly quicker way to get there. At the CapitÁn Caliente entrance, turn left and follow the building until you reach the dumpsters. Behind one of the dumpsters there is a hole in the wall that takes you into one of the back rooms of the restaurant.
Next, you need to search the inside of the restaurant to find a specific phone that you can use to contact Solomon. The phone you are looking for is an old-fashioned landline phone and is located in the storage room, which you can access through a door to the right behind the restaurant counter. You must first scan a shelf and push it aside.
Photo credit: / CD Projekt Red
It takes V a moment to get to grips with this piece of analog technology, but with Johnny’s help you manage to dial the phone number Myers gave you (0931). After a brief conversation, Solomon instructs you to meet him at a nearby basketball court, which is marked on your map as the next quest objective.
Head uphill to the court and interact with the seat in the stands to begin the scene where you finally meet Solomon. I don’t want to give too much away here, but if you’re a fan of Idris Elba (and/or have always wanted to see him on screen with Keanu Reeves), you’ll be happy to see how this quest line continues.