Cyberpunk 2077 had a rough launch, leading to the massive hype the game managed to build pre-launch being partially lost. Since then, CD Projekt Red has been working to improve every aspect of the game, and now with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, they are looking to breathe new life into a popular experience. Refreshing the look and feel of the game, as well as adding a hefty new story to the experience, Phantom Liberty is far more than DLC and has everything a fan could hope for to bring new excitement to the title.
The first thing the developers at CD Projekt Red said when we sat down to demo Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was that it was not just DLC. From minute one of the demo, anytime I would say DLC, the team on site would correct me, assuring me there is much more to Phantom Liberty than a bit of extra content.
This is the first full expansion for the game and brings with it a host of new features, not least of which is the large single-player component featuring Idris Elba as Reed, along with the return of Keanu Reeves as the iconic Johnny Silverhand. It feels very similar to the expansions we used to get back in the day, offering a whole new experience for those who got everything the game had to offer.
“The first thing the developers at CD Projekt Red said when we sat down to demo Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was that it was not just DLC.”
Set during the events of the base game Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty adds Dogtown, a whole new section of the city to explore and experience. It is filled with new characters, missions and sidequests galore that could easily add hours to your Night City RPG journey.
Jumping into the game on an Xbox Series X, the demo waists no time plunging players into the action. The demo was specially set up to give journalists a taste of the new content while giving just enough backstory for it all to make sense. When the actual game launches, it will be more seamless as a part of the Cyberpunk 2077 experience.
With an offer of a job, V is in the middle of a political game of cat and mouse, with the potential safety of everyone in Night City hanging in the balance. It all sets the stage perfectly and gives an idea of the potential stakes of every action you take in this new content. The segment also gives a good taste of what to expect from Dogtown, an area of the city that was once planned as a haven for the wealthy but now sits unfinished and ravaged by time and the many inhabitants of the district.
With V now tasked to save the president of the New United States, it is hard not to feel the weight thrust upon you as you jump back into Cyberpunk 2077. Don’t get me wrong, even with this new goal, V is not going to roll over and just fall in line with power. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is still packed full of choices and options for every mission and task you choose to accept. As the devs kept saying though the session, this is a game about choices and options, and even in the DLC, you have countless ways to take on anything.
“Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is still packed full of choices and options for every mission and task you choose to accept.”
The polish and production value in Phantom Liberty are just as breathtaking as the current Cyberpunk 2077 base experience. The full voice work and detail in every scene are simply amazing. Even with all the new additions, it never loses the look and feel that the game is known for. Love it or hate it, Cyberpunk 2077 is an iconic franchise, and it carries that forward into Phantom Liberty.
Beyond the story, CD Project Red has taken the time to revamp almost every aspect of the game, improving the game in many ways, right down to the menus and skill trees you can utilize on your quest. The systems have been greatly streamlined with the update, and from our time with the game, it was immediately apparent just how much has been improved.
If you have not played Cyberpunk 2077 before, the skill, cyberwear and talent trees could be considered a little confusing, with some aspects feeling less than intuitive at the best of times. Thankfully, CD Project Red has listened to the feedback and overhauled everything. It was honestly night and day compared to the launch day experience, with it being much easier to understand and utilize the many ways to build your character.
Moving to the game world of Phantom Libery, Dogtown feels fresh and offers a new setting ripe for exploration. From the paramilitary presence throughout the district to the new wanted system added to the game, you will have plenty of new challenges to enjoy as you take on the many new missions.
Even with a new, challenging world to contend with, you are not going in empty-handed and now have new ways to take down the many things that stand in your way, including vehicle combat. You heard me right—you can now drive gun-equipped cars for a new level of destruction on the streets of Night City. It was over the top, clearly, and I am incredibly excited to see just how over the top it is when the expansion hits September 26th.
CD Projekt Red has also brought a new wanted system to Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. As you cause mayhem and chaos in the streets, the authorities will now come down hard to try and eliminate you as a threat. It’s hard to say how much of a factor this will be when you actually play the game, but from the sounds of it, it works in a similar way to Grand Theft Auto, with it getting more intense as you push your luck and tear through the many levels of enforcement you find yourself up against.
Phantom Liberty’s implementation in the main campaign is as smooth as it is clever—woven into the existing framework in a way that allows players the flexibility to explore this new storyline at their leisure. It’s the kind of narrative enrichment we’ve come to expect from CD Projekt Red, expertly melding new lore into the fabric of the existing narrative.
For a game this size, it is always hard to know what to expect out of a game preview, but Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty managed to impress me. There were a few minor bugs we saw during our session, but with the team seemingly working hard to bring this expansion to life, there is plenty of time to iron out any issues in time for the fall launch. From what I experienced, I am excited to see where Cyberpunk goes next. Now, let’s just hope they can nail the landing.
