Descent into the Maelstrom Cyberpunk 2077 - a task with the largest number of options for completion. The further development of the main storyline and the appearance of side quests, including one very piquant one, depend on the choice made.
When choosing options for behavior in each specific situation, you can act intuitively or familiarize yourself with the possible consequences in advance. The manual presented a detailed walkthrough of the mission Descent into Maelstrom, describing all available options for the development of events.
How to start the Descent into the Maelstrom quest in Cyberpunk 2077
The quest “Descent into Maelstrom” appears in the quest log automatically after completing the quest “The Trip”. You must complete the mission to obtain a flat-headed spider-like robot called “Bolt” - you will need it to further progress through the main storyline.
Walkthrough of the mission Descent into the Maelstrom in Cyberpunk 2077
For the mission “Descent into the Maelstrom”, the passage options do not affect the following mandatory actions:
- Meet and talk with Jackie;
- Get with Jackie to the All Foods factory, where the Maelstromites are located, and call the intercom to gain access inside;
- Follow the navigator to the elevator, wait for Jackie and go up together;
- Get to the main production workshop.
Otherwise, there is a lot of variability: there are 8 different ways to complete the task. Next, we will analyze them all in order.
Support Meredith Stout
The most eventful and effective in terms of the amount of loot is the passage option with the support of Meredith Stout.
Contact Meredith Stout
After receiving the quest “Descent into Maelstrom”, the telephone directory will be replenished with the contact of Meredith Stout, an employee of Militech, who is investigating the robbery of a corporate convoy by Maelstrom.
Having opened your contacts, you need to call and set up a meeting, which will not be cordially, but will ultimately allow you to receive an offer of cooperation, a Meredith Stout chip with enough funds to purchase Bolt, and also software that allows corporates to detect the location of Maelstrom’s base.
Defeat Royce
With the chip in hand, you can go to meet Royce at the All Foods factory. Having reached the place, enter into a conversation with Dum-Dum, during which you need to avoid provocation against Jackie - ask your partner to sit on the sofa, then a shootout will not happen.
Having agreed on a deal with Royce, who was watching from the side at the beginning of the dialogue, give him Meredith Stout’s chip - as soon as the data is loaded, the alarm will be activated, the Maelstrom men will begin to attack, and the gang leader himself will retreat.
Shoot all the aggressors, collecting useful loot along the way, and get to the last room, which resembles a hangar with columns - there you will meet Royce in the Mech suit.
To make the battle with the boss easier, weaken his defense by disarming the power block on his back in one of the following ways:
- Sneak up in stealth mode and press “F”;
- A targeted shot from a sniper or assault rifle.
After defeating Royce, you can finish off the enemy or simply collect trophies and leave the factory.
As soon as you get outside, you will see that Maelstrom's base is surrounded by Militech, led by Meredith Stout. Before you start a conversation with her, make sure Jackie has left the building, otherwise he will be locked inside.
Aftermath
This option will allow you to obtain unique items and weapons from the body of a defeated Royce. Meredith Stout herself will highly appreciate the result of the work and offer to work for the corporation. In addition, you can later open the mission “Venus in Fur” and see spicy scene with a Militech employee.
Break the contract with Meredith Stout
If all actions, up to the conclusion of the transaction, are performed as in the previous case, but when choosing a payment method, you do not use the chip in the Descent into the Maelstrom, then the agreement with Meredith Stout will be violated. Further events will develop according to the same scenario, except for the consequences.
Aftermath
After defeating Royce, you can receive similar trophies. The only difference from the first version of the passage is that Meredith Stout will remain unhappy, and the sex scene with her participation will become unavailable.
Betray Meredith Stout
If, after meeting with Meredith Stout, you open your inventory and examine the chip with Militech data, it becomes clear that it can be hacked - after dealing with the security system, you will find out that in addition to money, it has the “Synapse Melting” program.
Give the hacked chip to the leader of the Maelstrom gang and tell him about the corporate plans, for which you will receive Bolt as a reward completely free of charge. After this, help Royce repel the attack of Militech, who was monitoring V's movements. With this development of events, the alarm at the factory will not go off, which means that all rooms will be accessible, including Royce’s office with the safe where the money is.
The opponents in this version of the passage are Militech fighters, and the final bosses are a pair of minotaurs who must be destroyed in a team with Royce, who is able to cope with this task alone.
How to hack a Militech chip
Hacking the Militech chip, like any terminal in the game, is a solution to a matrix in which you need to sequentially select code values from rows and columns.
For example, in the case shown in the screenshot, you should start hacking from the bottom line, selecting the options sequentially: BD, BD, FF, 55. When you select cell “55,” two values will be closed at once: the last one from the bottom line and the first one from the top. All that remains is to enter two parts of the code: 1C, E9.
About all the nuances hacking in Cyberpunk 2077 described in detail in a separate manual.
Aftermath
By hacking the Militech chip, you will receive Bolt and the Synapse Melting script for free, but you will be left without unique items and weapons that can be obtained for defeating Royce. After the defeat of Militech, you can talk to Anthony Gilchrist and find out that Meredith Stout is dead, which means the quest “Venus in Fur” will be unavailable. As for Royce and Dum-Dum, they will remain alive and will meet later in side missions.
Have a shootout with Dum-Dum
If you do not avoid conflict at the beginning of the conversation with Dum-Dum, when he provokes Jackie, then the shootout with Maelstrom will begin before the Melitekh chip is activated.
In this case, events will develop similarly to the “Support Meredith Stout” scenario, until the final dialogue with the corporate woman. The only exception is that the Maelstrom men will not have time to turn on the alarm, as a result of which:
- All rooms, including Royce's office, will be available for exploration;
- You can find the Bolt in the room to the right of Royce's room.
Aftermath
By arranging a shootout, you can get all available items, including loot in rooms that are closed by alarm. At the same time, keep the chip, which can still be hacked to obtain the script and transfer money. Meredith Stout will be pleased, offer cooperation and invite you to an intimate meeting.
The attack is open
In the game, you have the opportunity not to try to negotiate with Maelstrom, but simply come to the factory and shoot everyone one by one. At the same time, meeting with Meredith Stout is not necessary; dialogue with her can only affect the completion of the mission.
Aftermath
All items will be available, including loot in rooms that are locked by alarm. Royce will not be able to escape in time and will fight without the Mech armor, but gives the same gear.
If before the attack on the Maelstrom citadel you managed to meet with Meredith Stout, then:
- The chip will be saved and can be hacked to obtain the script and transfer money;
- Meredith Stout will be pleased, offer cooperation and invite you to an intimate meeting.
Kill Royce
After talking with the Militech employee, complete all the previous steps in the “Support Meredith Stout” scenario until the moment when Royce enters the dialogue about buying the Bolt. As soon as this happens, take out your weapon and shoot the gang leader.
Effects.
In this case, the Maelstromites will not have time to sound the alarm, so after killing them, all rooms for collecting loot will be available. There will be no final boss fight because Royce has already been killed. At the same time, save the chip, which can be hacked, receiving the program and money, and also improve your relationship with Meredith Stout.
Defuse Royce
If the Strength skill is pumped up to 6 points or more, then in the dialogue with Royce the opportunity will open up to neutralize and eliminate it, after which events will develop according to the force scenario.
Aftermath
Similar to the “Kill Royce” passage.
Pay for a bot
For pacifists who prefer to avoid violence, the optimal scenario would be to buy Bolt for cash, which will keep all the Maelstromites alive. The scenario is the most humane, but the most ineffective, because you will have to spend 10 of your own money, which is quite difficult to earn at this stage of the game. Additionally, the sex scene with Meredith Stout will no longer be available.
Aftermath
You can only collect those items that no one is watching. There will be no battle with the boss, which means there will be no loot from him either.
How to free Brick
Saving Brick in Cyberpunk 2077 is a minor task, the outcome of which will affect the further plot, in particular the side quest “Second Conflict”.
The mission can be completed if you have chosen a forceful method to resolve the issue with Maelstrom, otherwise there is no point in spoiling relations with the gang. It will be possible to find the former leader Maelstrom after destroying the attackers in one of the rooms of the factory, locked with a four-digit combination lock.
Where to find the code for Brick's door
The password for Brick's door can be found in the laptop, which is located in the room to the right of the camera. In one of the emails you will find the code for the door in the Descent into Maelstrom - 9691.
An alternative way to save Brick is to use the “Remote Deactivation” script if it is installed in the cyberdeck.
How to deactivate a mine
After opening Brick's dungeon, find out that the former leader of the Maelstrom cannot leave the cell due to a laser mine - it will detonate with any wrong move.
There are 3 ways to defuse a mine in the game:
- When you get close to the mine, select the “Deactivate” option in the pop-up menu - it will be available if the Technique skill is leveled up to level 7 or more.
- Scan the mine and use the “Remote Deactivation” script if available.
- Return to the room with the laptop, find a detonator in it lying on a metal table and, with its help, deactivate the mine.
Should I kill Brick or not?
Killing Brick will negatively affect the development of the plot for the following reasons:
- Maelstrom needs a leader, and Brick is best suited for this role, being a fairly balanced leader.
- Living Brick will be useful when completing the side quest “The Second Conflict”.
Who to choose: Meredith Stout or Anthony Gilchrist
When choosing between Stout and Gilchrist, you should weigh all the advantages and disadvantages. If you side with Meredith, you will need to destroy all the Maelstromites, including Dum-Dum and Royce, as a result of which:
- Dum Dum and Royce will be unavailable in a later side quest;
- There will be an opportunity to save Brick, who will be useful in the plot;
- An additional quest will appear with spicy scenes performed by Meredith Stout;
- You can get additional gear and weapons after defeating Royce;
- Gilchrist, who does not give additional quests, will be killed.
If you choose Anthony Gilchrist, you will need to ally with Maelstrom, resulting in:
- You will meet Dum-Dum and Royce in one of the future side missions;
- There will be no way to free Brick, which means he will not be able to help in the task;
- Don't get extra loot because Royce will still be alive;
- Gilchrist, who does not give new tasks, will live.
- At the factory you can find a file that indicates Gilchrist's involvement in the robbery of the Militech convoy;
- Subsequently, find out that Stout, who could open an additional quest, was cemented and drowned.
Make your choice based on your personal preferences, but keep in mind that the option with Meredith's support will bring more in-game rewards and new plot twists.
Read on:We hope the article helped you complete the Descent to Maelstrom mission in Cyberpunk 2077 and decide who to support: Meredith Stout or Anthony Gilchrist. If you have any questions, ask them at comments – we will definitely answer. Read others guides and walkthroughs for Cyberpunk 2077 in the relevant section of our website.