On Sept. 27, the massive single-player, science fiction RPG “CyberPunk 2077” got its first and last expansion titled “Phantom Liberty,” almost three years after the initial release of the game in late 2020. The game, made by CD Projekt Red, has you play as a young mercenary in the ever-awake NightCity as you shoot, loot, bribe and hide your way to the top of the food chain. Upon its initial release, the game was packed full of glitches and bugs that made the game close to unplayable. Because of this, it received heavy criticism from fans insofar that, even though the game’s release date was pushed back multiple times, it became a fully-fledged game a little too late. Anyone who played the game around the time of its release would agree that the game was enjoyable, not something you would expect to play after buying a full-priced Triple-A game, especially from the prestigious developing company, CD Projekt Red, who also made the widely celebrated game “The Witcher 3” back in 2015.
This is not to say that the new downloadable content (DLC) “Phantom Liberty” leaves the same disappointing taste in your mouth. On the contrary, the game developers took the three years between the game’s release and the release of the new DLC to fix the countless issues in an update they called Cyberpunk 2.0 that dropped alongside “Phantom Liberty.” This update completely revamps the skill tree, changing each skill from some character’s forgettable statistic change into a new usable ability that becomes integrated into your gameplay practically instantaneously. This change made the gameplay much more fun and fast-paced.
The DLC will cost you $30, so plenty of new content is expected for returning players, and that’s what the developers delivered. This content pack adds a whole new burrow to the city for you to explore, as well as a new quest that is heavily related to the story’s main objective. “Phantom Liberty” is complete with all new side missions, shops and incredibly interesting characters with both familiar and new faces to work alongside.
Something that “Cyberpunk 2077” did very well was utilizing popular actors like Keanu Reeves to deliver wonderful performances. The “Phantom Liberty” DLC used well-known actor Idris Elba to help make the story feel more thoughtful and intimate. These recognizable faces make gameplay feel like a movie at times, and it’s hard to think that these changes, especially in “Phantom Liberty,” were inspired by the success of the Netflix series “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” that came out in September of last year.
That being said, the storyline is one of the strongest elements in “Cyberpunk: Phantom Liberty.” Each mission is full of action-packed sequences and cutscenes that are seamlessly integrated into the game. The DLC is a high-stakes espionage story that takes you around the new burrow of NightCity. Coupled with the new gameplay mechanics released in Cyberpunk 2.0, the DLC makes for a very fun and engaging experience.
CD Projekt Red turned their game around after the initial negative reviews they received for releasing an unpolished game full of bugs and glitches. It is now safe to say that “Cyberpunk 2077,” in general, is an enjoyable open-world game. And with the addition of “Phantom Liberty,” it has become even better. It is a shame that the developers at CD Projekt Red have decided to move on and have stated that they will not be releasing anything more for this game, making “Phantom Liberty” the first and last DLC.
Verdict: Cyberpunk 2077 has made a huge comeback with their rework of critical game mechanics and the release of “Phantom Liberty,” turning the game into a much more enjoyable and exciting experience.
