The neon-drenched streets of Night City in 2026 remain as unforgiving as ever, especially for those mercs daring enough to tackle Cyberpunk 2077 on its most punishing difficulty. Playing on 'Very Hard' ain't for the faint of heart—enemies pack more firepower, sport advanced cybertech, and display tactical AI that'll make even veteran edgerunners sweat. From corporate heists gone wrong to showdowns with full-borg psychos, certain missions will test every ounce of a player's skill, build, and sheer determination. For those who think they've got the perfect chrome and reflexes, here are the trials that separate the legends from the flatlined.

The Haunting Hunt: Psycho Killer - Letter of the Law

When fixer Regina Jones sends V to a seemingly abandoned garage in Heywood, things quickly go from 'investigation' to 'survival horror'. The 'Letter of the Law' mission throws players into a deadly maze of landmines and tripwires, culminating in a boss fight against Gaston Phillips—a cyberpsycho who's more machine than human. The data shards scattered around tell a tragic tale of corporate exploitation and crushing debt, but by the time V arrives, all that's left is carnage and a brutally efficient killing machine.

Gaston's kit on Very Hard is absolutely bonkers:

• Teleportation abilities via advanced cybertech

• A devastating SMG that melts health bars

• Aggressive rush-down tactics that punish hesitation

Players must juggle RAM management for hacking environmental traps while avoiding explosives and his relentless assaults. Without a late-game cyberdeck, this fight becomes a nightmare of split-second decisions. Pro tip: Use the environment—those explosive barrels aren't just for show!

The Infamous Heist: When Everything Goes Sideways

Despite being an early-game mission, 'The Heist' on Very Hard is where many players hit their first major wall. What starts as Dexter DeShawn's 'big score' quickly spirals into one of the game's most intense sequences. The problem? V lacks the tools that make later challenges manageable.

The deck is stacked against you:

• Limited quickhacks and cyberware (Act 2 upgrades aren't available yet)

• No stealth perks to speak of

• Swarms of armored Arasaka guards on high alert

• Destructible environments that eliminate cover

• A final boss fight against a heavily armed mech

This mission forces players to get creative with early-game resources. That grenade you've been saving? Time to use it. That single-use health item? Don't hoard it. The Heist teaches brutal lessons about resource management that pay off later—if you survive.

Street Brawls Turned Deadly: Beat on the Brat

Most of Night City's boxing matches are a walk in the park for Body-focused builds, but the 'Beat on the Brat: Arroyo' mission flips the script on Very Hard. The local champion, Buck, isn't just another punch-drunk fighter—he's a tank who can drop V in three hits while absorbing punishment like a sponge.

But here's the real kicker: if you convince Buck to bet his prized gun during negotiations, the fight becomes something else entirely. After the final bell rings (assuming you win), Buck and his crew immediately open fire, giving V zero time to recover. Suddenly, a fistfight becomes a desperate firefight where the only way to claim your winnings is to loot Buck's corpse. Talk about a sore loser!

Key challenges in this matchup:

• Limited space to maneuver in the fighting arena

• Buck's punishing combo attacks

• The sudden transition to gun combat without warning

• Multiple enemies attacking simultaneously post-fight

DLC Mayhem: Phantom Liberty's Ultimate Test

The 2023 Phantom Liberty expansion brought new stories and characters to Night City, but it also introduced 'Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos'—arguably the most chaotic mission in the entire game. On Very Hard, this mission's conclusion is pure, unadulterated madness.

After freeing a key character from a transport vehicle, V faces off against four MaxTac officers simultaneously. These aren't ordinary cops; they're cyberpsychos recruited into law enforcement, each with:

• Unique attack patterns and abilities

• Bullet-dashing maneuvers that close distance instantly

• Coordinated tactics that overwhelm solo players

Idris Elba's character, Solomon Reed, provides covering fire from above, but this is largely V's fight to win. The burning wreckage provides limited cover, and the four enemies attack from multiple angles. This mission demands:

1. Perfect build optimization (no half-baked specs allowed)

2. Lightning-fast reflexes for dodging and countering

3. Strategic target prioritization (take out the healers first!)

4. Resource conservation (you'll need every heal item)

The Grand Finale: Storming Arasaka Tower

The game's final mission is tough on any difficulty, but choosing specific dialogue options to go it alone creates what veterans call 'the secret ending'—and it's widely considered the ultimate challenge in Cyberpunk 2077. This isn't just hard; it's 'throw-your-controller-at-the-wall' difficult.

The deck is stacked against you from the start:

• V's health constantly drains due to Relic malfunctions

• No teammates for backup (you chose this path, remember?)

• Some of the game's toughest enemies in endless waves

• A strict time limit before V flatlines permanently

• The final boss, Adam Smasher, with boosted stats

What makes this mission particularly brutal is the permanent death mechanic. If V dies during the assault, there are no checkpoints, no respawns—just credits rolling over your failure. The reward for success? One of the game's most satisfying conclusions and serious bragging rights.

Survival Strategies for Very Hard Veterans

After years of patches and balancing, here's what 2026's top edgerunners recommend for conquering these nightmares:

Build Essentials:

General Tips:

• Don't sleep on consumables—those temporary buffs save lives

• Environmental awareness is key—use cover and vertical space

• Save often (except in the secret ending, obviously)

• Experiment with different approaches—sometimes stealth beats brute force

• Upgrade your cyberdeck early—better quickhacks change everything

Night City in 2026 remains a brutal playground for those seeking the ultimate challenge. Whether you're facing cyberpsychos in abandoned garages or taking on MaxTac solo, these missions represent the pinnacle of Cyberpunk 2077's difficulty. They demand perfect execution, optimized builds, and nerves of steel. But for those who conquer them? You earn the right to call yourself a true legend of the Afterlife. Now get out there and show Night City what you're made of, choom.