For a non-combat character (i.e. lockpick / speech / hack.) the entire thing is brutal.  You didn't plan out a "fighty-character" and yet are forced to fight.  If you aren't building specifically for stealth, you can't get through it with sneak. The companions aren't strong enough to defend you if you're non-combat so either you expected everyone to build for combat or stealth.. or every player so far has missed a "peaceful solution" through the relay.  It sure feels like there should be a mostly non-combat way through the relay that I've missed.  At any rate, it feels bad. Makes you feel like you've built the wrong type of character. Something just feels off. 

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by vyvexthorne

This was my experience playing on Very Hard. Playing a non-combat character, this is where I got hardstuck and had to grudgingly move down to Hard difficulty.

You can get through most of the relay without fighting, except for one room.

Spoiler

The security room where you reprogram the security card.

You can get in there without being detected, but not back out.

Short of investing most of your skill points into damage, I don't think there's actually a way to survive the fight with the guards outside either.

The health (and armor?) of heavy protectorate soldiers is like fighting a raid boss. Doesn't matter what damage type you're using, they tank all of it with no sweat, and you can't get better weapons until you leave Eden.

Very Hard difficulty speaks for itself. I also got wrecked when bossfight in Vox. But after 10 attempts I managed to kill final boss. All you need is bunch of smoke grenades to revive your mates without beeing spoted. Also make sure that you killed all non-boss hostiles in that room before attacking him. Use weapon with corrosive damage and then switch to electric or plasma when armor will be destroyed