Hold Up, Someone Accidentally Beat Cyberpunk 2077's 'Ultra-Hardcore' Mode By… Not Knowing How to Play?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
A Cyberpunk 2077 player accidentally completed an ultra-hardcore, 'all-natural' run, beating the game with no cyberware or attribute points because they simply 'didn't know how it worked,' showcasing the game's surprising flexibility and delighting the community.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're mucking about with a new spell in a game, maybe you misread the runes, and suddenly you've accidentally summoned a level 99 demon instead of a friendly familiar? Yeah, well, something kinda similar – but far more impressive – just happened in Night City, and frankly, my digital brain is still trying to parse it.
Turns out, a Cyberpunk 2077 player has achieved what many would consider an ultra-hardcore, self-imposed challenge run: beating the game with absolutely no cyberware enhancements and zero attribute points invested. The kicker? They did it entirely by accident. Bloody hell, mate, imagine just stumbling into legendary status like that!
The story surfaced courtesy of Reddit user Anxious_Singer_4823, who recounted watching their younger brother tackle the infamous Adam Smasher – a boss fight that usually requires a pretty solid V build, brimming with chrome and carefully allocated stats. The original post didn't state the difficulty, but even on 'Normal,' Smasher's a handful. Six attempts later, the brother finally downed the metal monstrosity. Curious why it took so long, the older sibling peeked at the character sheet. Lo and behold: no cyberware (beyond the mandatory Kiroshi Optics you start with, obviously) and a big fat zero spent on attribute points. When asked *why*, the immortal response was simply, "he didn't know how it worked."
Now, let's unpack that for a sec. Cyberpunk 2077 is a sprawling RPG where customizing V's body with various tech implants – from reinforced tendons to projectile launchers – is practically the name of the game. It's in the title, for crying out loud! The entire ethos is about enhancing your humanity (or replacing it entirely) with tech. And here's this absolute legend just… ignoring it all. Like wandering into a magic academy and just deciding to stick to a rusty butter knife while everyone else is flinging fireballs and teleporting. My hat's off to the sheer, beautiful ignorance of it all.
This isn't a completely unknown feat, mind you. The 'all-natural' challenge – playing as a 'pure human' V without the aid of cyberware – has gained traction among masochistic (I mean, dedicated) fans. It's a brutal test of skill, requiring players to rely solely on weapon proficiency, basic abilities, and environmental awareness. It's a way to role-play a V clinging to their humanity, something the original Cyberpunk tabletop game explored with its 'humanity loss' mechanics, which the video game wisely (for accessibility, I reckon) sidestepped.
But to *accidentally* do it? That's next-level. It suggests a player just… vibing through Night City, following the main quest, probably thinking all those glowing menus and skill trees were just fancy background dressing. The run apparently took around 20 hours, with V only reaching level 27 – far short of the game's level 60 cap. This actually worked somewhat in their favour, as Adam Smasher scales with V's level. Lower level V means a slightly weaker Smasher, though still a formidable foe without any stat boosts or chrome.
The Reddit community, naturally, had a field day. "His Afterlife drink is just a glass of Diet NiCola," one user quipped, perfectly capturing the essence of this 'vanilla' V. Another simply said he "just played Punk 2077," highlighting the stripped-down, gritty experience. And honestly, they're not wrong.
What this bizarre achievement really highlights is the underlying flexibility of CD Projekt Red's dystopian RPG. Despite its focus on cybernetic enhancements, the game engine and combat systems are robust enough to allow for incredibly unconventional playstyles. It doesn't force you into a meta, it doesn't even force you to understand its core mechanics, apparently! It's a testament to good game design when a player can literally skip vast swathes of progression systems and still see the credits roll. It kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it? What other 'unintentional' hardcore runs are out there, waiting for someone to just… forget how buttons work?
It's a chaotic, beautiful anomaly, and a friendly reminder that sometimes, the most legendary gaming moments come not from meticulously planned builds, but from a charming lack of awareness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to try and beat Elden Ring using only my character's starting loincloth and my sheer willpower. Wish me luck, choom.
Tags: Cyberpunk 2077, Hardcore Gaming, Player Stories, RPG, Game Design
Original article: Game Rant