Which Difficulty Setting Should You Choose?
Choosing a difficulty can be tricky, especially if you’re launching a new game you know little to nothing about.
With multiple difficulty options available in Cyberpunk 2077, choosing the right one is extremely crucial to have balanced gameplay throughout Night City.
Consider picking the difficulty level to be the beginning of your gameplay and if picked incorrectly, your whole playthrough is completely ruined.
But don’t sweat, because why else would you be here? Got you covered. Here’s a breakdown of all Cyberpunk difficulty levels.
Easy
“The right choice for players who just want to sit back and enjoy the story. Combat will pose a challenge.”
The first difficulty option available, Easy in Cyberpunk 2077 makes the game really, really easy. Trust me on that. The combat is overall easier, you can take all the time you need to polish up before facing a big boss. Tutorials are available throughout the playthrough and the game becomes a piece of cake overall so you can just lay back and enjoy the ride. Night City is unforgiving, but it will make an exception for you.
Easy is my go-to difficulty in every game. If you prefer enjoying the game to its extent with rich storytelling and an immersive world that has so much to offer, this difficulty level is for you. Cyberpunk 2077 combat can be unforgiving at higher levels which makes this difficulty level a go-to for players not looking for competitiveness. Down here, the enemies will be less aggressive and even if you end up fighting them, it will be much easier. You can focus on the story, explore Night City, and fight whomever you want without feeling overwhelmed – especially the higher bosses. Your stats will work in your favor and you can have a chill, laid-back experience.
How It Works:
- Enemies will deal significantly less damage.
- Your health will regenerate much faster.
- Boss fights are easier.
- Skill checks such as hacking are made easier.
- Street Credit, Perk, and Attribute Points are earned faster.
- More lenient stealth mechanics if you wanna play like a ninja.
Choose This Difficulty If:
- You're new to Cyberpunk 2077 or the RPG genre.
- You want to focus on the story and explore the map.
- You prefer sitting back and relaxing.
- You don’t feel like engaging in hard combat.
Normal
“Enemies will have all the tools at their disposal but primarily only enemies at a higher level will prove a challenge.”
Do you prefer exploring Night City and exploring Cyberpunk 2077 with a fair bit of competitiveness? Do you want to engage in combat where enemies give you a fair fight? Normal is the right difficulty setting for you. Night City will test your skills at certain levels.
If you’re familiar with the RPG genre and don’t mind a bit of a challenge in your playthrough, try out the normal difficulty. Out here, enemies are a little bit aggressive and can give a tough fight if provoked but they can be countered in several ways. If you’re looking for a tough fight, you will find it on higher bosses. Overall, normal is best if you want to have a little bit of competitiveness along with enjoying the storyline and exploring the city.
How It Works:
- Enemies on lower levels will be easier
- Enemies on higher levels will be harder and more challenging.
- Moderate V health regeneration.
- Street Credit, Perk, and Attribute Points are gained at a little slower pace.
- Very standard skill check difficulties
- Stealth mechanics are a bit harder but moderately forgiving
Choose This Difficulty If:
- You know a fair bit about RPGs.
- You want a fun experience with a little bit of toughness.
- You like challenging combat encounters.
- You appreciate the mix of story and gameplay.
Hard
“Combat will be substantial, you will need perks cyberware, and gadgets to survive.”
Har difficulty level is where the challenge begins. Easy and Normal levels will allow you to enjoy the gameplay but Hard level will put your skills to the test. A battle-hardened RPG enjoyer will be able to survive this gameplay because others are sure to quit. Night City will test you, do you have what it takes?
If you have completed the game on both Easy and Normal difficulty levels, I really recommend giving this level a try. The increased challenge can be both satisfying and rewarding. Enemies from lower to higher levels will give you a run for your money and you will need to use gadgets, cyberware, and consumables effectively. Combat will be harder, but not impossible. Using your equipment correctly will give you a fair edge in a firefight.
How It Works:
- Enemies are a lot more aggressive and deal much more damage.
- Higher-level enemies will be extremely challenging.
- Health regeneration is extremely slow and essential cyberware and perks are needed.
- Street Credit, Perk, and Attribute Points are gained at a slower pace.
- Stealth is much more difficult and requires you to be careful.
Choose This Difficulty If:
- You’ve completed Cyberpunk 2077 on its lower difficulty levels.
- You’re a battle-hardened RPG player who wants his skills tested.
- You can survive combat under pressure.
- You want to enjoy gameplay but don’t mind a fair bit of challenge along with it.
Very Hard
“Buckle Up For A Serious Challenge.”
The hardest difficulty level in Cyberpunk 2077, Very Hard mode is not for the faintest of hearts and ragequitters. Your skills will be put to the test every second of the way and survivability chances grow lower as the game progresses. Night City plans to chew you up and throw you out and it will succeed eventually. Will you go on with your life quietly or will you go down in a blaze of glory?
Very Hard mode is optimized for RPG veterans. Your combat, hacking, and stealth should be mastered as they will be extremely crucial for you to survive. Character build, armor, weapons, cyberware, perks, everything will be extremely necessary to be at their highest levels or you will be eaten alive. Enemies are extremely deadly and much more aggressive and you need to use literally everything at your disposal if you wanna make it out. If you’ve mastered Cyberpunk 2077, give this level a try and put all your skills to the test.
How It Works:
- Enemies are extremely aggressive and damage is much, much high.
- Extremely slow health regeneration even with cyberware and perks.
- Higher-level enemies will be a nightmare to deal with.
- Even lower-level enemies will put your skills to the test.
- You will need every bit of cyberware, perk, weaponry, and armor to survive a combat situation.
- Stealth will be extremely challenging and the smallest mistake will cost you.
Choose This Difficulty If:
- You're a seasoned RPG veteran and have mastered Cyberpunk 2077 on lower difficulties
- You can survive combat under extreme pressure.
- You like to optimize character build.
- You want to enjoy the story with a nightmarish gameplay experience.
Cyberpunk 2077 has an extremely well-written story and characters but difficulty levels will decide if you will enjoy the story or you will be one of those ragequitters who will never touch this game again. Hopefully, we’ve helped you decide on what level to begin your playthrough. Now go out there and show Night City what you are made of.
