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MissionsupportingOptionalModerate

Cyberpsycho Sighting: Smoke on the Water

A Cyberpsycho Sighting in Pacifica that sends V to investigate a violent incident near the Coastview waterfront and confront Diego Ramirez.

RoleOptional cyberpsycho investigation assigned through Regina Jones.
Statusavailable
Importancesupporting
RewardA completion reward from Regina Jones; the exact amount is not confirmed here.
TimeShort combat-and-investigation mission
  • Mission typeOptional
  • DistrictPacifica
  • AreaCoastview
  • Primary activityInvestigation and combat
  • Quest contactRegina Jones
  • TargetDiego Ramirez
  • Recommended approachInspect the scene, then engage carefully
  • MissableNo confirmed missable state

Exact mission number, reward amount, and encounter statistics are not confirmed in the supplied source material.

Key takeaways

Keep the investigation and the combat encounter separate: first understand the scene, then choose where and how to engage.

  • Search before fighting Inspect the waterfront area before committing to combat. Evidence and environmental information are easier to read when the target is not actively pressuring V.
  • Use the terrain The pier and nearby structures create cover and broken sightlines. Move between safe positions instead of standing in the open and trading attacks.
  • Non-lethal combat is possible V can use non-lethal tools or stop attacking once the target is incapacitated. The mission does not require a particular build, but a cautious approach reduces the risk of being overwhelmed.
  • Regina is the final contact Once the encounter is over, complete the mission by responding to Regina Jones. The follow-up is handled remotely rather than through a separate extended quest chain.

Cyberpsycho Sighting: Smoke on the Water

Investigate a cyberpsycho attack on the Pacifica waterfront and report your findings to Regina Jones.

Cyberpsycho Sighting: Smoke on the Water is an optional mission in Cyberpunk 2077. Regina Jones directs V toward the Coastview waterfront in Pacifica, where a violent incident has left evidence scattered around the area and a cyberpsycho remains nearby. The mission combines a short investigation with a focused combat encounter rather than a long sequence of objectives.

The approach is deliberately open-ended. V can examine the scene before engaging the target, use stealth to establish a safer position, or begin the fight directly. The waterfront provides room to move, but its structures and changes in elevation can interrupt sightlines, so rushing into the encounter can make it harder to track the target and avoid incoming attacks.

After the confrontation, V must update Regina Jones through the mission communication system. The mission belongs to the wider Cyberpsycho Sighting series, in which Regina collects information about cyberpsychosis incidents. The encounter can be handled with lethal or non-lethal combat methods, but the exact reward amount and some scene-specific evidence details are not confirmed in the supplied material.

Where this sits

Optional contentCyberpsycho Sighting
PacificaCoastview waterfront
InvestigationExamine the incident site
ConfrontationStop the cyberpsycho
Follow-upReport to Regina Jones
  1. ●Cyberpsycho Sighting: Smoke on the WateroptionalCurrent mission

This is a self-contained optional investigation within Regina Jones's Cyberpsycho Sighting work.

Requirements

Reach the Pacifica sighting location and be prepared for a focused cyberpsycho encounter.

  • RequiredAccess to the mission areaV must be able to travel to the Coastview waterfront in Pacifica.
  • RecommendedCombat readinessBring a weapon, cyberware setup, or quickhack loadout that can handle a single dangerous human opponent in an open waterfront space.
  • RecommendedHealing and defensive optionsHealing items, cover, and defensive cyberware are useful because the encounter can punish a direct approach.
  • OptionalInvestigation timeAllow time to inspect the scene before starting the fight; the mission is easier to understand when the evidence is not ignored.

Objectives

  1. Go to the cyberpsycho sighting in Coastview.Travel to the marked waterfront location in Pacifica and enter the investigation area.
  2. Search the area for information.Examine the scene and any available evidence before or during the encounter.
  3. Neutralize the cyberpsycho.Defeat or incapacitate the hostile target using the approach that best suits V's build.
  4. Send the information to Regina Jones.Use the mission communication prompt after the fight to close out the investigation.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Go to the cyberpsycho sighting.

    Travel to the Coastview waterfront

    Follow the objective marker into Coastview in Pacifica and approach the waterfront area carefully. The mission space is not a conventional interior dungeon, so arriving from a different direction can change the first sightline and the amount of cover available.

    Location: Coastview, Pacifica

    TipQuickly scan the surroundings when you arrive so you know where cover and escape routes are before the fight begins.

  2. 02

    Search the area for information.

    Inspect the incident site

    Look over the area for bodies, environmental clues, and readable evidence connected to the attack. Do not assume that reaching the marker immediately completes the investigation; move through the nearby space and interact with anything that presents an investigation prompt.

    Location: Waterfront investigation area

    Watch outStarting combat before checking the scene can make it difficult to return safely to evidence while the target is attacking.

  3. 03

    Prepare to confront the cyberpsycho.

    Choose an engagement position

    Use the waterfront structures to decide whether to begin from cover, from a higher position, or at close range. A stealth opening can create time for scanning and quickhacks, while a direct approach is faster but leaves fewer opportunities to control the encounter.

    Location: Waterfront near the pier

    TipKeep a clear route away from the target rather than backing into the edge of the combat area.

  4. 04

    Neutralize the cyberpsycho.

    Confront Diego Ramirez

    Engage Diego Ramirez once the investigation is complete or once you are ready to proceed. Focus on avoiding his attacks, break line of sight when necessary, and use controlled bursts of damage instead of remaining exposed for the entire exchange.

    Location: Coastview waterfront

    Watch outThe target can pressure V at close range, so standing still in the open is riskier than using cover and repositioning between attacks.

  5. 05

    Confirm that the threat has been stopped.

    Finish the encounter safely

    Continue attacking until Diego Ramirez is defeated or incapacitated, depending on V's chosen equipment and approach. Check the area after the fight rather than leaving immediately, since the mission may still require an interaction or communication step.

    Location: Coastview waterfront

    Checkpoint
  6. 06

    Send the information to Regina Jones.

    Report the result to Regina Jones

    When the combat objective is complete, use the available communication prompt to send the investigation result to Regina Jones. This report is the mission's closing step and confirms that the sighting has been processed.

    Location: Remote communication

    TipIf the report prompt does not appear immediately, move away from the active combat area and confirm that no hostile target or investigation interaction remains.

Mission mechanics

The mission rewards separating observation from combat. Cyberpunk 2077's scanning and interaction systems allow V to gather information from the environment, while the cyberpsycho encounter itself can be approached with firearms, melee weapons, stealth, quickhacks, or non-lethal equipment. No single character build is required.

The open waterfront affects combat more than a tightly enclosed arena would. Cover can interrupt incoming attacks, but it can also make the target harder to see. Keep the objective area in view when possible, and avoid chasing blindly around structures where V may lose awareness of the target's position.

A non-lethal outcome is supported by the game's broader cyberpsycho mission design. If V uses a non-lethal weapon or incapacitating effect, stop attacking once the target is down and confirm the mission objective before leaving. Exact differences in dialogue or reward presentation are not verified here.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The mission is compact and combines environmental investigation with a single focused combat encounter.
  • The waterfront gives stealth, ranged, melee, and quickhack-oriented builds room to function.
  • The encounter can be completed without requiring one specific weapon type or character build.
  • The mission contributes to Regina Jones's broader investigation into cyberpsychosis incidents.

Weaknesses

  • The open terrain can expose V to attacks if the player approaches without identifying cover first.
  • Environmental evidence is easy to overlook when the player treats the objective marker as a combat-only destination.
  • The target's movement around waterfront structures can interrupt visibility and make pursuit less controlled.

Best uses

  • Use it as a short optional activity while exploring Pacifica.
  • Complete the investigation before testing a new combat build against a single dangerous opponent.
  • Practice switching between scanning, cover, quickhacks, and direct attacks in a relatively contained encounter.

Phases

  1. 1

    Evidence search

    Starts: Entering the marked Coastview investigation area.

    V examines the waterfront scene and identifies the incident's available clues before the main confrontation.

    • Scan interactable evidence before moving into the most exposed part of the area.
    • Use this phase to identify cover and a retreat route.
  2. 2

    Initial confrontation

    Starts: Approaching the active sighting area or attacking the cyberpsycho.

    Diego Ramirez becomes the immediate threat and V must establish control of the fight.

    • Close-range pressureTell The target closes distance and forces V to give ground.Answer Break line of sight, move around cover, and re-engage when there is room to maneuver.
    • Direct attack sequenceTell The target commits to an attack while V is exposed.Answer Dodge or retreat rather than attempting to absorb the exchange in the open.
    • Do not let the waterfront edge remove your escape options.
    • Quickhacks and ranged attacks can create distance, while melee builds should rely on timing and repositioning.
  3. 3

    Resolution and report

    Starts: The cyberpsycho is defeated or incapacitated.

    The combat objective ends, but V must still verify the result and send the information to Regina Jones.

    • Check for a remaining interaction prompt before leaving the area.
    • Complete the remote report to finish the mission.

Boss encounter

  • Location
    Coastview waterfront, Pacifica
  • Health
    Not specified

Treat Diego Ramirez as a mobile human opponent rather than relying on a fixed boss pattern. Begin from cover, maintain an escape route, and use scanning to track the target when structures interrupt visibility. Ranged weapons and quickhacks can help maintain space; close-range builds should attack during openings and retreat before being surrounded by the terrain. Non-lethal equipment can be used if V intends to incapacitate rather than kill.

Rewards

  • Mission completion reward from Regina Jones

Checklist

  • Reach the marked Coastview waterfront area.The sighting is located in Pacifica.
  • Scan the area before beginning the fight.Use the investigation space to identify clues and cover.
  • Identify a safe retreat route.Avoid allowing the waterfront edge or structures to trap V.Optional
  • Defeat or incapacitate Diego Ramirez.Choose lethal or non-lethal tools according to your approach.
  • Confirm that the combat objective is complete.Do not leave while an interaction or hostile target remains.
  • Report the result to Regina Jones.The mission closes through the remote communication prompt.

Failure conditions

  • V is defeated during the encounter.Reload the most recent save or checkpoint and approach the waterfront with more cover, healing, or defensive preparation.
  • V leaves before completing the investigation or combat objective.Return to the marked Coastview area and check whether an evidence interaction or hostile target is still active.
  • V attacks before securing an approach route.The mission can become harder when the target forces V into the open; reposition rather than continuing a poor engagement.

On failure

The exact checkpoint behavior and any encounter-specific fail-state details are not verified in the supplied source material.

Rewards

  • Regina Jones mission reward
    Completing the investigation grants a reward from Regina Jones; the exact amount is not confirmed here.
  • Scene loot
    The encounter area may contain ordinary loot or readable evidence, but specific item names and guaranteed drops are not verified.

Characters in this mission

Aftermath

Send the report before moving on

The encounter is not fully closed simply because the cyberpsycho is no longer attacking. Confirm the final objective and send the information to Regina Jones; the remote report is what completes the mission flow.

Trivia

  • The mission is one of Regina Jones's Cyberpsycho Sightings, a set of optional investigations distributed around Night City.
  • The title references the waterfront setting in Pacifica rather than a separate interior location.
  • The mission supports the wider game convention of allowing cyberpsycho encounters to be resolved with non-lethal methods.

Relationships

characters

  • Diego RamirezCyberpsycho targetDiego Ramirez is the hostile cyberpsycho V must confront.

mission series

  • Cyberpsycho SightingPart of seriesThis mission is one entry in Regina Jones's Cyberpsycho Sighting investigations.