With Cyberpunk 2077 version 2.0 and Phantom Liberty combined, the result is undeniable: this game is excellent. The original game is drastically improved, if not transformed, by the combination of the free 2.0 and paid Phantom Liberty additions. Meanwhile, Phantom Liberty itself is an all-time great expansion, taking all of the best elements of Cyberpunk 2077 and cranking them all up to eleven into an excellent stand-alone narrative in its own right. If Cyberpunk 2077 had released in this state, it might’ve been lauded as an instant classic, an all-time great - but the fact that this has arrived two years late shouldn’t detract too much from the strength of the experience.
Phantom Liberty is an excellent follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077's story. The expansion heavily benefits from coming at the best time the game is having right now thanks to a slew of technical and creative updates it received since launch, boasting new interesting additions to gameplay with the Relic system. Phantom Liberty introduces sensible and well-written characters that heavily impact V, while, at the same time, cement themselves as a few of the best characters on CDPR's game.
OK played the entire story, actually amazing.
Immersion has never been that great in a video game, I mean it.
Even far better than the original game (which is already amazing).
Same for character design and story (PL story is spy-thriller James Bond style btw).
Gameplay has improved in an amazing way.
The new district is 100% perfect, it absolutly has life, very unique, very memorable, just god tier.
Music is also godlike, as good if not even slightly better than the original game.
Gigs are much better, much more unique and much more enjoyable.
The new random activities make the game feel much more alive, but mostly in Dogtown (the new district), the base game feels slightly more alive but not THAT much.
Game is much more balanced, not 100% balanced of course and fortunatly, you'll tell me that a solo game doesn't need balance.
I disagree for a reason : some players want balance, others don't want it : well what is good is that there is a settings for difficulty, and even mods.
This way, everyone is happy.
The graphics look even better, and let's be honnest, CP 2077 has always looked gorgeous, and now it's even better.
Am I currently disappointed of some things here ?
YES => bugs and crashes : I'm on PC, don't have the best specs but clearcly not the worse, clearly enough for what I'm playing there. But hell, experienced many bugs (clearly not as much as the original game launch, it's fine ^^'), but not just funny ones, some which softlocks (a main story quest boss fight doesn't start for exemple, even if I reload a previous safe, had to do niche things to fix that bug), characters which disappear and appear 1min after, I can tell you it breaks the immersion when it happens at the end of the DLC, my character was talking alone, and I mean alone, not with Johnny.
But I decided not to drop the ratings because the rest is TOO GOOD to drop it to 9, and also because I believe CDPR will fix these bugs at some point.
The second disappointment is kinda obvious => it's finished with CP 2077, no more DLC, no more 'real' updates, more likely just fixes or some very minor additions, so yeah, time to say goodbye to CP 2077.
CDPR made this choice because they didn't want to use RedEngine anymore (in order to go to UnrealEngine).
But at least, another AAA Cyberpunk game is planned by CDPR, the project is currently named Cyberpunk Orion, probably will arrive somewhat in 2029 I guess.
But overall amazing DLC, everything was stunning, for sure one of the best games to play this year, most likely the best DLC to play this year.
I'd absolutly recommend to play this game, but I'd also recommend to wait something like 3-4 months to get the bug fixes in order to enjoy the DLC at 100%.
Thank you for reading this and may you have a lovely day, peace <3
Cyberpunk 2077 was able to listen to critics and went to see a ripper doc to come out in a 2.0 version that is repaired, augmented, enhanced and completed with a brilliant Phantom Liberty expansion driven by an outstanding Idris Elba who does justice to Night City and its legends.
Phantom Liberty is everything we expected from a Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, if not more. This techno-thriller immerses players in a gripping story that will have an unprecedented impact on the game universe. The ruined neighborhood of Dogtown is not to be outdone with its post-war atmosphere where the law of the strongest reigns supreme. master. Rich in content for around twenty hours of play, this DLC masterfully concludes V's dystopian epic in Night City.
Phantom Liberty is a fitting send off for V, Night City, and Cyberpunk 2077 as a whole. After a rocky launch, CD Projekt Red has delivered with an incredibly dense and impactful expansion to one of the medium's best cityscapes, even if the narrative choices on offer hold it back a smidge.
Phantom Liberty is a good expansion that adds an intriguing storyline filled with memorable characters and that, together with the 2.0 version, manages to also improve the gameplay, adding new features and changing existing ones that help Cyberpunk come closer to what we were promised years ago.
Loved the base game but this expansion hit strong with characters and motives. Love how it also effects the main storyline and gives the player choice. I would say its good but higher priced in my opinion. Love the night city environment and would love if there are more stories to be said in the city.
Better expansion that has fixed quite a bit of the stale and poorly designed choices of the original game... and sacrified it's ARPG identity to make it play like a modern shooter laced with weapon pros/cons, skills (which about half just boost your health+health regen), and put funny broken things like having so many grenades you could beat the entirety of the game by throwing only grenades — on cooldown.
Additionally, the weaponized cars are fantastic and loads of fun to use!
From 8 hours or so of the new expansion, you're thrust into an espionage plot where you work for imperialists while you try to find a relic cure. In which may have a "don't sell your soul for the devil" moral.
I'm not exactly sure of the message in the grand scheme of things because CD Projekt Red's official stance is the antithesis of the game's message.
Ever since I donwloaded Phantom Liberty my game will crash every so often. Happened 3 times within 30 min. The game is fun.....when it works. I just find it unacceptable that after 3 years i'm having to deal with a broken game YET AGAIN!
"You cannot have a good ending because dystopian settings must always be written as depressing 100% of the time"
Uninstalled, my in game choices were worthless in the end
SummaryPhantom Liberty is a spy-thriller adventure for Cyberpunk 2077. When the orbital shuttle of the President of the New United States of America is shot down over the deadliest district of Night City, there’s only one person who can save her — you. Become V, a cyberpunk for hire, and dive deep into a tangled web of espionage and political i...