5 Fan Challenges To Make Cyberpunk 2077 Harder

Cyberpunk 2077 takes players to a gloomy yet fashionable dystopian future set in the megalopolis of Night City. Crime and corruption go hand in hand here, constantly putting citizens in danger and making it a less than desirable place to live. The perils of Night City are something the game often expresses through its gameplay. Players frequently face unfavorable odds at inopportune times, making the overall experience a grueling and unforgiving challenge. However, many skilled and seasoned players believe the game is not hard enough.

Many seek to make Cyberpunk 2077 a much more challenging experience. While a simple means of doing so is to ramp up the difficulty, some find that even that is not enough. This desire to make the game harder has caused many fans to develop unique challenges that they implement into their playthroughs⁠. These self-imposed tests have players follow a set of rules, often impractical or not optimal. Most of these fan challenges are demanding yet feasible, but few stand out as the most effective methods of making Cyberpunk 2077 harder.

5 The All-Natural Challenge

The All-Natural Challenge has players go through Cyberpunk 2077 without Cyberware, a cybernetic technology popularly used in Night City that enhances the body dramatically. This challenge has players complete the game without any Cyberware enhancements, save for the ones they receive at the beginning. Moreover, they are not allowed to hack anything unless necessary to further the overarching storyline. This challenge leaves players at a significant disadvantage as Cyberware plays a pivotal role in and outside combat.

Cyberware is the most prominent and impactful element of Cyberpunk 2077. Nearly every character in the game relies on these cybernetic enhancements as they make the difference between life and death. With Cyberware, people can heighten their senses, improve their formidability, and ultimately turn their bodies into living weapons. Being unable to rely on these cybernetic enhancements forces players to use their wit against far superior opponents unbound by the same restriction. The All-Natural Challenge is perfect for those seeking an impossibly demanding yet intriguing test of skill.

4 The Netrunner Challenge

The Netrunner Challenge has players embrace the tech-savvy role of a Netrunner, a skilled hacker with a keen understanding of Cyberware and other futuristic technologies. This challenge tasks players with completing Cyberpunk 2077 using hacking and nothing else, meaning weapons and the like are not allowed. However, there are some instances throughout the storyline where players cannot get by with hacking alone. This challenge dramatically hinders players because while hacking is a powerful and versatile ability, weapons offer better protection.

While hacking has offensive capabilities, they are nothing compared to the vast array of weapons in Cyberpunk 2077. It is a phenomenal tool capable of outstanding feats, but it is supposed to support players, not be their sole means of offense. Even if players focus their efforts on the Intelligence Skill Tree, hacking will still prove inferior to armaments in terms of damage. Relying on hacking alone will prove difficult for players who must combat foes wielding weapons that can also breach and compromise their own Cyberware. The Netrunner offers a unique approach to the game that is engaging but also exceedingly difficult.

3 The Pacifist Challenge

The Pacifist Challenge has players rethink their approach to the game entirely as they must avoid conflict. This challenge requires players to go through Cyberpunk 2077, doing others little to no harm and not killing them ⁠— a seemingly impossible task in the violent and relentless Night City. There are exceptions to this challenge, as players cannot be pacifistic during particular storyline segments. Players must use non-lethal weapons or avoid conflict altogether, which is far more testing than letting loose and obliterating anything that stands against them.

Cyberpunk 2077 presents players with numerous opportunities to take a more diplomatic approach, but conflict is a constant in the game. There are moments in the story where players have no choice but to fight or die. It is at these points that this challenge becomes especially trying. Players can only use non-lethal weapons, which are much less effective, and other armaments such as grenades are a no-go. These hindrances force players to be more calculating and cautious with their approach as they cannot be gung-ho. The Pacifist Challenge provides an uncharacteristic experience that tests a player's skill and determination.

2 The Pugilist Challenge

The Pugilist Challenge has players rely on nothing more than their fists and some handy Cyberware enhancements. This challenge tests players by having them complete Cyberpunk 2077 with their hands being their only offense against all sorts of formidable foes. There are a few instances throughout the storyline where players must use other weaponry, but these moments are the challenge's only exceptions. While there are ways for players to improve their pugilistic abilities, fists are lesser than other devastating and versatile armaments.

Cyberpunk 2077 boasts a wide range of weapons, which prove more effective and adaptable than fists. Cyberware can transform a player's fists into deadly tools for melee combat, but they still fall short in many regards. Players will have no choice but to engage in close-quarters confrontations, which proves difficult as many adversaries utilize ranged weaponry. Such an approach puts players at a glaring disadvantage, especially against numerous enemies or those with snipers and the like. The Pugilist Challenge is undeniably a fun yet demanding test of a player's capabilities.

1 The Slaught-O-Matic Challenge

Cyberpunk 2077 Slaught-O-Matic Challenge

The Slaught-O-Matic challenge has players utilize a popular and concerningly convenient machine found throughout Night City. This challenge limits players to using a cheap and disposable Slaught-O-Matic pistol from Spontaneous Craving Satisfaction Machines or S.C.S.D.'s for short. There will be segments in the storyline where players cannot use this weapon, granting players few exceptions to the challenge. This challenge is exceptionally arduous as it is considerably limiting and costly to players, especially at the beginning of a playthrough.

The Slaught-O-Matic is among Cyberpunk 2077's most disappointing weapons, being a lackluster automatic pistol worth 630 Eurodollars with only 36 rounds which becomes inert upon expending its ammo. Even the most basic armaments in the game are far superior to this disappointing all-around handgun. Players will need to stockpile Slaught-O-Matic pistols and use their ammo wisely lest they will be without a weapon, which is challenging, especially against formidable bosses. The Slaught-O-Matic Challenge will test a player's resourcefulness and skill with a handgun while proving the most expensive thing in Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available on PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

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