So there I was, minding my own business in Night City—probably trying to find a decent pair of shoes—when River Ward, the cop with a heart of gold and a voice like gravel, hits me up. Again. 🙄 "Hey, V, wanna break into a police lab and analyze a serial kidnapper's dreams?" And I'm like, "Sure, why not? I had nothing better to do than dive into the subconscious of a psychopath."
That's how The Hunt side job begins. And let me tell you, it's a wild ride from start to finish. If you haven't played it yet, buckle up. If you have, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Either way, here's my completely biased, first-person account of how to get through it without losing your lunch.
The Break-In: Because Why Knock When You Can Hack?
First things first: you need to finish I Fought The Law to even get this quest. Once you do, River calls you up and asks you to meet him near the NCPD offices. He shows you a video of some creep codenamed "Peter Pan" getting nabbed, and—get this—the victim in his car was wearing shoes that belonged to Randy, River's missing nephew. So naturally, we're off to the NCPD Laboratory to break in and analyze Anthony Harris's (that's Peter Pan's real name) dreams using a braindance player.
We get caught by Yawen, an old buddy of River's who reluctantly helps us. But there's a snag: Harris hasn't been dreaming lately. So we need to make him dream. How? By digging into Randy's trailer for clues about who this guy really is.
Randy's Trailer: A Masterclass in Snooping
Inside Randy's trailer, your scanner is your best friend. Here's what you do:
-
Grab Randy's Key from the kitchen.
-
Open the bedside drawer.
-
Find the laptop under the bed.
Now, you can either pass an Intelligence check or find the password. The easy way? Turn on the record player outside the bedroom. That unlocks the dialogue option with the song's name: Liberatum Arbitrium.
Once you're in, do this:
-
Read all entries in Emails and Files.
-
Visit the Net and click the weird image on the left.
-
Go to Files and look for a familiar filename.
-
Back on the computer, check the ATT_CART_VIDEO file—it matches the website filename.
Optional: River suggests getting the website owner's IP, which needs another Intelligence check. Not required, but hey, bragging rights. Then River sends everything to Yawen, and you wait until morning.
The Braindance Trio: Three Scenes, One Creepy Farm
Morning comes, Harris finally dreamt, and you've got three braindances to dissect. Here are the critical points you need to observe to nail the location of the farm:
School Cafeteria Braindance
| Location/Point Of Interest | Braindance Layer | Timestamp |
|---|---|---|
| The Teacher | Visual Layer | Any point |
| Cafeteria Billboards | Visual Layer | 1:17 |
| School Trophy | Visual Layer | 1:21 |
Childhood Barn Braindance
| Location/Point Of Interest | Braindance Layer | Timestamp |
|---|---|---|
| Sick Cow | Visual Layer | 0:02 |
| Console | Visual Layer | 0:07 |
| Anthony Harris' Father | Visual Layer | 0:08 |
| Injection System | Visual Layer | 0:54 |
| Dietary Supplements | Visual Layer | 1:03 |
| Old Cartoon | Visual Layer | 1:55 |
Adult Barn Braindance
| Location/Point Of Interest | Braindance Layer | Timestamp |
|---|---|---|
| Cables | Visual Layer | 0:24 |
| Clock | Visual Layer | 0:30 |
| Electrical Parts | Visual Layer | 0:30 |
| Fuel Barrels | Visual Layer | 0:34 |
| Victim | Visual Layer | 0:38 |
| AV Sounds | Audio Layer | 0:40 |
| Injection Pump | Visual Layer | 0:42 |
| Second Victim | Visual Layer | 0:44 |
| Third Victim | Visual Layer | 0:45 |
| Fire Department Certificate | Visual Layer | 0:46 |
| Computer | Visual Layer | 0:48 |
| Crawling Victim | Visual Layer | 0:53 |
| Numbered Sign | Visual Layer | 0:55 |
| Towers Of Light | Visual Layer | 1:12 |
If you didn't catch it, the answer is 'Edgewood Farm'. Don't worry, I didn't get it either until I stared at that damn clock for five minutes.
Edgewood Farm: The Rescue Mission
Off we go to Edgewood Farm, which is surrounded by fences and armed to the teeth. Here's the plan:
-
Enter the house on the right by hacking and deactivating the code panel.
-
On the second floor, turn off the switch under the desk to reveal a hidden room.
-
Use the computer there to turn off the turrets and mines.
-
Approach the barn and scale the ladder on its left side.
-
Drop down through the roof, turn off the main computer, and rescue the victims.
After an emotional scene, River leaves with the Trauma Team to get his nephew patched up. Quest over. But if you think that's the last you'll see of River Ward, you're dead wrong.
Final Thoughts: Why This Quest Still Haunts Me in 2026
Look, I've played Cyberpunk 2077 more times than I care to admit, and The Hunt remains one of the most disturbing and brilliantly written side jobs in the game. It's not just about shooting bad guys—it's about diving into the twisted mind of a killer and saving an innocent kid. And yeah, it's also about me being a terrible detective who needs a record player to crack a password.
So if you're replaying the game in 2026 (or playing for the first time, you lucky choom), don't skip this one. Just maybe keep a bucket nearby for the braindance scenes. 🤢
And remember: always check under the bed. You never know what you'll find. 🕵️