Let’s set the record straight right out of the gate: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is no mere DLC.
It’s an ambitious expansion pack from CD Projekt Red aiming to bring new players to Night City and clear up some of the chaos from the original base game following a rocky initial launch. CDPR has been very careful with this expansion, introducing an in-depth story, amping up its unique Cyberpunk style, and finishing it off with thrilling gameplay mechanics.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Storyline
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty introduces you to Dogtown, a brand-new area in Night City. With its grungy appeal, this map adds a whole new layer to Cyberpunk 2077. Dogtown is now a dilapidated district, harboring criminals, grit, and a new questline.
Phantom Liberty features a star-studded cast which I’m sure you’ve already heard about, featuring Idris Elba as Reed, and the return of Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand. You’ll be glad to know Reed and Johnny are both full-fledged characters in this expansion—there are no mere cameos here.
The demo begins as V is thrust into motion with a lethal threat on the president. From there, it is nothing but action, making your way to the crash and convincing her to let you help. As the safety of Night City is in your hands, your choices continue to carry weight. The developers from CD Projekt Red, who sat in on the demo, emphasized just how many missions there are to take on and that every choice you make can change the outcome.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Gameplay
I played the demo on the Xbox Series X, and it looks and feels as immersive as it promises to be. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is more than new content. The expansion is built directly into the base Cyberpunk experience. Everything from the graphics to skill trees to vehicle systems is completely overhauled.
This means that players new to Cyberpunk 2077 will be right at home diving into the experience. Phantom Liberty is playable at any time, and doesn’t require beating the base game to begin. Veteran Cyberpunk players can either start fresh and experience all the changes to the game right from the beginning, or they can dive into an old save with a one-time respec into the all-new talent trees.
For Grand Theft Auto fans, you’ll be thrilled to know an all-new wanted system goes hand-in-hand with Phantom Liberty’s new vehicle combat. I was right back in GTA, ripping through the streets, hitting anything in my way. However, now the cops will notice when you start to cause trouble, and you’ll have to do what you can to bring your wanted level back down before you’re safe in public again. We only saw a taste of this in Dogtown, so I’m not quite sure how it will play out overall, but it was fun while it lasted!
Cyberpunk 2077’s Rocky Launch
For those worried about the original launch of Cyberpunk 2077, I can’t tell you that Phantom Liberty was without bugs. I can say that there were only a couple of small graphical errors. For example, an NPC was walking partway into the ground. Thankfully, it was nothing game-breaking, that is for sure. Much like I said in my Assassin’s Creed Mirage preview, there are still a few months to go until the September 26th launch of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. I am confident these issues can be ironed out by then.
I firmly believe that CD Projekt Red is aware of what is at stake with the launch of Phantom Liberty. Gamers everywhere will be watching to ensure CDPR brings nothing but the best to the table. Judging by my demo. The devs are confident in what they have to show off.
With Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, CD Projekt Red has the opportunity to right the wrongs of the original launch. Phantom Liberty reminds fans why they were so excited about Cyberpunk 2077 in the first place. From what I saw at Summer Game Fest, they are on the right track.
I haven’t picked up Cyberpunk 2077 in ages. I promise I’ll see you all in Dogtown when Phantom Liberty launches.
