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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

The Hunt

The Hunt is a Cyberpunk 2077 side mission in which V helps River Ward search for his missing nephew, Randy, and uncovers a disturbing series of braindance clues.

RoleInvestigation and rescue mission involving River Ward, Randy Ward, and the identity of the kidnapper known as Peter Pan.
Statusavailable
Importancesupporting
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • Primary activityInvestigation
  • Key mechanicBraindance analysis
  • Main partnerRiver Ward
  • Primary riskMissing the correct farm
  • Missable outcomeRandy's fate

The mission has no reliable published completion-time or reward figure in the supplied source pack.

Key takeaways

The mission rewards methodical investigation. The most important clues are found before V and River leave Randy's home.

  • Search Randy's space carefully The investigation does not end when the obvious room has been checked. Examine the computer and surrounding objects so the available braindance evidence and online clues are not overlooked. Randy's room
  • Treat the braindance as an investigation The braindance is not only a story sequence. Move through its timeline and inspect visual and audio evidence, especially details that can identify the farm connected to the kidnapping. Braindance evidence
  • The farm choice matters V must use the clues gathered during the investigation to select the correct farm. Choosing poorly can prevent the rescue from ending as well as it could. Farm identification
  • The mission affects River's storyline The result of The Hunt changes what happens to Randy and influences River Ward's later relationship with V, including access to the continuation of his personal quest line. River's aftermath

The Hunt overview

V joins River Ward in a search for his missing nephew, Randy, following the events of I Fought the Law.

The Hunt is one of River Ward's central missions in Cyberpunk 2077. River contacts V after the investigation in I Fought the Law and asks for help locating his nephew Randy, who has disappeared under troubling circumstances. The mission begins as a missing-person investigation, but the evidence quickly points toward a deliberate abduction rather than an ordinary disappearance.

The investigation combines exploration, conversation, computer searches, and braindance analysis. V and River examine Randy's living space, reconstruct the clues surrounding his disappearance, and follow an online trail connected to the name Peter Pan. The braindance sections are especially important because several apparently minor details determine which location V should investigate later.

The final section takes V and River to a remote farm connected to the abductions. The mission's outcome depends on whether V identifies the correct farm and reaches the victims in time. The Hunt can therefore affect both Randy's survival and River's later personal storyline, making careful clue-reading more important than simply following the next objective marker.

Where this sits

PrerequisiteI Fought the Law
InvestigationRandy's disappearance
BraindanceFollow the evidence
RescueReach the correct farm
AftermathRiver's personal storyline
  1. 1I Fought the LawprerequisiteThis earlier mission introduces River Ward.
  2. ●The HuntcurrentV investigates Randy Ward's disappearance.
  3. 3Following the Riverfollow-upThe later River Ward mission can depend on the outcome here.

The Hunt follows River's first major investigation with V and precedes the later personal mission Following the River.

Requirements

The Hunt becomes available through River Ward after the relevant earlier investigation.

  • RequiredComplete I Fought the LawRiver Ward's request to investigate Randy's disappearance follows the events of this mission.
  • RecommendedBe prepared to investigate indoorsThe early portion relies on searching Randy's living space and examining interactive evidence rather than sustained combat.
  • RecommendedInspect braindance cluesThe later destination is determined through evidence gathered in the braindance sequence, so rushing through it can make the final search less reliable.

Objectives

  1. Meet River Ward and discuss Randy's disappearance.River explains why he believes Randy is missing and asks V to assist with the search.
  2. Search Randy's room and living space.Look for physical and digital evidence that can explain Randy's last known movements.
  3. Analyze the braindance.Review the recording and inspect its timeline for clues about the abduction and its perpetrator.
  4. Identify the farm connected to the evidence.Use the information from the investigation to distinguish the correct site from the other possible locations.
  5. Rescue the victims.Reach the farm, locate the captives, and stop the abduction before the situation becomes irreversible.
  6. Speak with River after the rescue.The concluding conversation establishes the immediate outcome and leads into River's continuing personal storyline.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Meet River Ward

    Meet River Ward

    Travel to the meeting point and speak with River Ward to begin the search for Randy. Let River explain the circumstances before moving on, because the conversation establishes why the disappearance is being treated as a serious investigation rather than a routine missing-person case.

    Location: Meeting point with River Ward

    TipListen to River's account before exploring the surrounding area so the investigation context is clear.

  2. 02

    Search Randy's room and living space

    Travel with River to Randy's home

    Follow River to Randy's living space and enter when prompted. The area contains the evidence needed for the next phase, so do not treat the first objective marker as permission to leave immediately after the initial conversation.

    Location: Randy's home

    Checkpoint
  3. 03

    Search Randy's room

    Search Randy's room

    Inspect the room and nearby interactive objects for signs of Randy's interests, recent activity, and disappearance. The important evidence is distributed across the space rather than presented as one single mandatory-looking item, making a slow sweep more dependable than moving directly toward the exit.

    Location: Randy's room

    TipCheck computers and unusual objects as well as the obvious central items.

  4. 04

    Search Randy's computer

    Examine Randy's computer

    Use Randy's computer to review the available messages, files, and online material. The digital evidence connects Randy's disappearance to the Peter Pan identity and supplies information that becomes useful when the braindance is examined.

    Location: Randy's room

  5. 05

    Analyze the braindance

    Review the braindance

    Enter the braindance and move through its timeline instead of watching it passively. Pause at significant moments and switch between the available sensory layers when possible; visual and audio details can reveal information that is easy to miss during a first viewing.

    Location: Braindance playback

    Watch outLeaving the sequence without reviewing its evidence can make the later farm-identification step harder.

  6. 06

    Find clues about Peter Pan

    Inspect the braindance evidence

    Look for details that identify the recording's source and the location where the victims are being held. The investigation is built around connecting environmental clues, online references, and the Peter Pan material rather than relying on a single dramatic reveal.

    Location: Braindance playback

    TipUse the timeline deliberately and revisit sections when a clue is mentioned in dialogue.

  7. 07

    Find the correct farm

    Choose the farm indicated by the clues

    After the braindance investigation, select the farm that matches the evidence you have collected. The mission presents multiple possible locations, and the correct choice is the one supported by the recorded details rather than the one selected at random.

    Location: Investigation map and farm leads

    Watch outA wrong farm choice can lead to a failed rescue outcome and put Randy's survival at risk.

    Missable
  8. 08

    Go to the farm

    Travel to the farm

    Go with River to the selected farm and prepare for a hostile infiltration. Once the approach begins, the mission shifts from evidence gathering to rescue, so finish any investigation you want to complete before committing to the site.

    Location: Remote farm

    Checkpoint
  9. 09

    Search the farm

    Enter the farm carefully

    Advance through the farm and use cover, stealth, or direct combat according to V's build. Watch for hostile occupants and avoid pushing so far ahead that River's position or the rescue objective is left behind.

    Location: Farm grounds

    TipScan the area before engaging so you can identify routes through the compound and avoid an unnecessarily exposed approach.

  10. 10

    Find the kidnapped children

    Locate the victims

    Continue through the farm until you find the room or area where the kidnapped children are being held. The rescue is the mission's time-sensitive objective, so prioritize reaching the captives over searching every side area once their location becomes clear.

    Location: Farm interior

    Missable
  11. 11

    Rescue the victims

    Stop the abduction

    Deal with the remaining threat and release the victims. Keep the rescue objective in view during the confrontation, because winning the fight is not enough if the captives are left in danger or the mission's critical timing is allowed to run out.

    Location: Farm interior

    Watch outThe victims' condition determines the quality of the mission outcome.

  12. 12

    Talk to River

    Speak with River after the rescue

    Once the farm is secure, regroup with River and talk through what happened. This conversation confirms Randy's fate, closes the immediate investigation, and determines whether the later River Ward storyline can proceed toward its best outcome.

    Location: Farm and post-rescue area

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The Hunt's main mechanical shift is from environmental investigation to braindance analysis and then to a rescue operation. The early search rewards interacting with computers and objects in Randy's home, while the braindance asks the player to interpret evidence rather than defeat enemies. This makes the mission feel closer to a detective sequence than a standard combat contract.

Braindance review is most useful when approached as a timeline. Pause on relevant moments, inspect the available layers, and connect what appears in the recording to the information found on Randy's computer. The game does not require V to build a formal case file, so the player must remember which details point toward the correct farm.

The final approach is flexible. Stealth can reduce the pressure of entering the farm, while combat-focused builds can clear the compound directly. Regardless of approach, the rescue objective should take priority once the victims' location is known, because optional exploration is less important than reaching the captives safely.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The mission gives River Ward a personal investigation with stakes beyond routine police work.
  • Its braindance section rewards observation and connecting clues across different evidence sources.
  • The farm finale supports different approaches, including stealth and direct combat.
  • The result carries forward into River Ward's later storyline.

Weaknesses

  • The correct farm can be difficult to identify if the braindance is watched without pausing to inspect evidence.
  • The investigation can feel unclear because the game does not present every clue as a conventional quest item.
  • The rescue outcome is missable, so rushing through the final approach can have lasting consequences.

Best uses

  • Review the braindance methodically before selecting a destination.
  • Use scanning and cover during the farm approach.
  • Make a manual save before the farm decision if you want to compare outcomes without replaying the entire investigation.

PhasesSpoilers

  1. 1

    Investigation

    Starts: Arriving at Randy's home with River

    V searches the living space and examines the available personal and digital evidence.

    • Search the room fully before leaving.
    • Interact with Randy's computer and inspect the surrounding evidence.
  2. 2

    Braindance analysis

    Starts: Starting the braindance review

    V reconstructs the evidence connected to Randy's disappearance and the Peter Pan trail.

    • Pause often and inspect the timeline.
    • Review more than one sensory layer when the interface allows it.
  3. 3

    Farm infiltration

    Starts: Selecting a farm and arriving at the site

    V and River enter the compound and deal with hostile occupants while searching for the captives.

    • Farm hostilesTell Hostile occupants react as V approaches or is detected.Answer Use cover, stealth, or controlled bursts of combat rather than advancing blindly.
    • Scan the compound before committing to a route.
    • Prioritize the rescue objective over optional searching.
  4. 4

    Rescue and aftermath

    Starts: Finding the kidnapped children

    V must secure the victims and then speak with River to resolve the investigation.

    • Confirm that the rescue objective has completed before exploring further.
    • Stay with River for the concluding conversation.

Choices and consequencesEnding spoilers

  • Identify the correct farm from the investigation evidence.

    V can reach the kidnapped children and secure the strongest rescue outcome, including Randy's survival.

    Spoiler
  • Select the wrong farm or fail to reach the victims in time.

    The rescue can end badly, including Randy's death, and River's later storyline is affected.

    Spoiler
  • Complete the rescue and support River during the aftermath.

    The mission can lead into Following the River and preserves the opportunity to continue River Ward's personal storyline.

    Spoiler

Checklist

  • Meet River Ward and hear the full request.Do not rush through the opening explanation.
  • Search Randy's room and surrounding living space.Inspect interactive objects instead of checking only the main objective marker.
  • Read the available material on Randy's computer.The computer contributes to the investigation's online trail.
  • Review the braindance timeline carefully.Pause and inspect evidence in the available sensory layers.
  • Confirm which farm matches the collected clues.The destination choice is consequential.
  • Make a manual save before the farm decision.Useful if you want to preserve the investigation outcome without replaying the entire mission.Optional
  • Reach the victims before spending time on optional exploration.The rescue is the time-sensitive priority.
  • Speak with River after the rescue.This closes the mission and supports the follow-up storyline.

Failure conditionsSpoilers

  • Choose the wrong farmThe farm selection is based on clues from the investigation and braindance. Selecting a location that does not match the evidence can prevent the best rescue outcome.
  • Fail to reach the victims in timeThe final section is time-sensitive once V reaches the farm. Delaying the rescue can result in a fatal outcome for Randy and the other victims.
  • Allow the rescue objective to failThe mission's conclusion depends on securing the captives, not merely entering the compound or defeating visible hostiles.

On failure

The mission contains investigation and rescue checkpoints, but the supplied source pack does not verify the exact reload points or checkpoint names.

RewardsSpoilers

  • River Ward storyline progression
    Completing The Hunt advances River Ward's personal arc and can open the follow-up mission Following the River.
  • Rescue outcome
    The principal reward is narrative: successfully identifying the farm and reaching the victims preserves Randy's survival and the strongest aftermath.

Characters in this mission

AftermathEnding spoilers

The rescue changes River's storyline

The outcome at the farm is not isolated to The Hunt. If V identifies the correct location and reaches the victims in time, Randy survives and River's later personal storyline remains available in its strongest form. A failed rescue can instead produce a tragic result and change the follow-up content.

Trivia

  • The Hunt is structured around a missing-person investigation but uses braindance analysis as its central evidence-gathering tool.
  • River Ward's role changes across the mission: he begins as the person requesting help, becomes V's investigation partner, and then takes part in the farm rescue.
  • The Peter Pan identity links the mission's digital evidence, braindance material, and final investigation.
  • The mission is one of the clearest examples of how a side mission in Cyberpunk 2077 can alter the availability or outcome of later character content.

Relationships

characters