A comprehensive survival guide for rescuing Takemura, unlocking the Devil achievement, and mastering Cyberpunk 2077’s critical mission path.
The Critical Choice: Saving Goro Takemura
From the moment you first meet him after the disastrous Relic heist at Konpeki Plaza, Goro Takemura becomes a persistent and complex figure in V’s journey. His fate, however, hinges on a deliberately obscure and optional objective during the ‘Search and Destroy’ mission. Many players, focused on the primary goal, miss this critical branching path entirely. Unlike more obvious story choices, saving Takemura requires proactive deviation from the expected route and ignoring direct narrative cues, making it one of Cyberpunk 2077’s most consequential hidden interactions.
This guide will not only walk you through the precise steps but will also explain the why behind each action, common pitfalls that lead to failure, and how this decision ripples through the rest of your game, specifically locking or unlocking the The Devil achievement.
Step-by-Step Rescue Protocol
To successfully extract Takemura from the Arasaka assault, you must follow this sequence precisely. The mission environment is dynamic and hostile, so hesitation or misdirection will likely result in his death.
- Navigate the Initial Assault: Proceed directly toward the initial blue objective marker. Upon reaching it, resist the instinct to turn right as the mission might suggest. Instead, immediately pivot left toward the distinct red flare visible in the middle distance. This is your first and most crucial deviation from the standard path.
- Infiltration and Engagement: Crouch to maneuver through a narrow structural gap into the adjacent chamber. Here, you’ll encounter an Arasaka fireteam of four soldiers. You have full tactical discretion: eliminate them with lethal force, use a quickhack to disable them non-lethally, or employ stealth to bypass them entirely. For a combat-focused approach, weapons like Dex’s Plan B Iconic Pistol or any high-damage, rapid-fire SMG are highly effective in these close quarters.
- Ascension to the Apartment: Traverse the room according to its layout to locate the central stairwell access. Climb the stairs to reach the floor containing Takemura’s apartment. At this point, Johnny Silverhand will manifest and vehemently insist that “Takemura is beyond saving.” You must disregard this warning. If you are on the correct path, the optional objective “Save Takemura” will now appear in your journal and on-screen.
- Corridor Clearing and Apartment Entry: Fight your way through the corridors, which are now populated by the Arasaka Assault Squad. Clear all hostiles to create a safe path. Enter Takemura’s apartment to find him in a fierce last stand against several Arasaka soldiers. Assist him in defeating these final defenders.
- The Escort and Extraction: Your objective updates to escorting Takemura out of the crumbling building. Follow the new objective marker on your minimap closely. Takemura will follow you; your role is to lead and clear any remaining resistance that appears during the exfiltration. His survival is paramount—ensure he exits the building with you to formally complete the rescue and conclude the mission.
Strategic Insights & Common Pitfalls
Why This Is Easily Missed: The game strongly nudges you toward the right-hand path after the blue marker. The red flare is easy to overlook amid the chaos, and Johnny’s persuasive dialogue makes the “correct” choice feel wrong. Many players assume his death is scripted.
Critical Mistakes to Avoid:
- Delaying at the Blue Marker: Lingering or exploring the right path first can sometimes trigger progress that locks out the rescue option.
- Taking Too Long: While not explicitly a timer, prolonged combat during the ascent may lead to Takemura being overwhelmed off-screen.
- Leaving Hostiles Behind: During the escort, failing to clear corridors thoroughly can result in enemies flanking and killing Takemura, who is not as resilient as V.
- Ignoring the Optional Objective Prompt: If “Save Takemura” doesn’t appear after reaching his floor and hearing Johnny, you may have taken a wrong turn and need to reload.
Optimization for Advanced Playthroughs:
- Stealth Builds: Using Optical Camo, Reboot Optics quickhacks, and non-lethal takedowns can allow you to bypass most enemies, making the escort phase cleaner.
- Netrunner Approach: Mass Vulnerability quickhacks like Contagion or Short Circuit can wipe groups of Arasaka soldiers efficiently before you even enter a room.
- Weapon Choice: For sheer speed, a Sandevistan build with a katana or a Tech shotgun to blast through doors and enemies is extremely effective.
- Know the Fail State: If you see a notification that Takemura has died, or if you exit the building without him, the rescue has failed. Your only recourse is to reload a save from before entering the building.
Long-Term Consequences & The Devil Achievement
Successfully saving Goro Takemura is not merely a feel-good moment; it is a hard requirement for specific narrative outcomes and one of the game’s major achievements.
The Devil Achievement/Trophy: This achievement is unlocked only by choosing the Arasaka-centric ending path, which requires Takemura to be alive. If he dies during ‘Search and Destroy,’ this ending branch and its associated achievement become permanently inaccessible for that playthrough.
Impact on ‘Nocturne Op55N1’: During this critical final mission at the rooftop of Misty’s Esoterica, your available ending choices are directly influenced by who is alive. A living Takemura will present the option to side with Arasaka, leading to the ‘Path of Least Resistance’ and the aforementioned Devil ending sequence.
Epilogue Content: If you select the Arasaka path, Takemura will play a significant role in the assault on Arasaka Tower and will later meet you in the epilogue with a specific proposition that reflects your mutual history. His dialogue and demeanor change based on your actions throughout the game, making this rescued relationship uniquely nuanced.
No reproduction without permission：Tsp Game Club » How to save Takemura in Cyberpunk 2077 (Search and Destroy) A comprehensive survival guide for rescuing Takemura, unlocking the Devil achievement, and mastering Cyberpunk 2077's critical mission path.