The essential thing to note here is the timing between both storylines where the main campaign paths sun star and path of least resistance set one tone while phantom liberty takes everything darker. For the base content, you're looking at key decision points during rooftop sequences and final conversations that lean towards hope, especially with the aldecaldos option. When facing solomon reed though, the patterns shift dramatically and you'll need to watch for specific dialogue triggers that branch into seriously grim outcomes. The core choice between songbird and reed happens right as the momentum peaks, and both paths lead to some seriously heavy consequences.

During the tower ending sequence specifically, you'll notice extra dialogue options unlocking based on previous choices that completely alter your character's trajectory. After the 2-year skip triggers, all cyberware functionality drops and former allies disappear which hits way harder than anything in the base paths. Maybe interesting to note that even the suicide ending from the main story doesn't go as deep into the darkness as these spy thriller outcomes. When you're approaching these final dlc choices, pay extra attention to reed's facial expressions and songbird's voice patterns since they telegraph which path you're heading down, and trust me these endings stick with you way longer than the base game's more hopeful conclusions.