Cyberpunk 2077 was at all times good. Deep down, beneath the disgraceful mess that was the last-generation model of the sport and controversy about a few of its tonal components… there was a extremely good sport. A very nice sport, even. With that stated, the general public battering that developer CD Projekt RED took for the state of that launch sport was value it. It’s much more value it now.
The worth of the crucial pillorying that the launch model of Cyberpunk 2077 took is multifaceted, however with the discharge of the sport’s official ‘model 2.0’ and its new enlargement, Phantom Liberty, we will now say an important objective that kicking served was merely to gentle a fireplace underneath the corporate behind it.
CD Projekt RED considers itself an impartial developer of honor; and the one technique to restore and keep that status was to set the sport proper. With Phantom Liberty and its accompanying free replace to the bottom sport, the darkish way forward for Night time Metropolis fulfills its potential – and truthfully, if taken as a brand new launch, it’s most likely probably the greatest video games of 2023, a very stacked yr.
Whereas my major focus here’s a overview of Phantom Liberty, I just do need to speak about model 2.0 of the primary sport for a second. In addition to eye-popping and borderline experimental graphic know-how that appears completely ridiculous should you’ve obtained a robust sufficient PC, model 2.0 is an entire overhaul of Cyberpunk’s methods. It is a giant sufficient replace that many builders would’ve undoubtedly charged for it – however this considerate reset is free to all house owners of the sport on PS5, Xbox Sequence, and PC. Final-gen gamers are sadly out of luck; Cyberpunk’s closing replace in that guise was patch 1.6.
That sucks should you purchased the sport on last-gen and haven’t but obtained entry to a more recent machine – and CD Projekt’s determination to push the sport out on consoles clearly not prepared for it can ceaselessly be a black mark towards its status. However as I stated this time final yr, that is additionally what the sport desperately wanted to do – to chop the under-powered lifeless weight – and that has basically allowed it to soar.
There’s simply… plenty of new stuff. Ability bushes have been rethought, retooled, and re-deployed with many expertise which are all-new or so totally different as to be unrecognizable. A number of issues the sport was mocked for even when it was alright, like the dearth of a correct GTA-style police response system or some fight AI goofiness, have been immediately addressed. However then you possibly can see how one factor has led to a different in developmental phrases: a correct police response means automotive chases, which in flip invitations correct automotive fight. So now you possibly can swing a samurai sword from the aspect of your bike or blast lead from the home windows of your automotive – however you can too quick-hack enemy automobiles and even strap Mad Max-esque weaponry to vehicles.
The rethink of the Cyberware and Perks system is essentially the most impactful factor, nevertheless – and it’s all smartly-done. Armor is rightly decoupled from clothes eventually, and is now tied to your Cyberware, the physique modifications that outline Cyberpunk’s world. The methods round equipping Cyberware are much less restrictive than earlier than, with how a lot you possibly can equip tying again to your talent tree decisions. Relaxation assured, it’s all higher.
Actually, as I just lately opined on Twitter, or X, or no matter bloody identify we’re now calling it – when Cyberpunk 2077 is firing on all cylinders, it’s fortunately a ten/10, a must-play, a superb sport. I’d go as far as to say it is pretty much as good as The Witcher 3. I’d go additional: when it’s good, I choose this sport to The Witcher 3. Put that pitchfork down! To be trustworthy, I felt that means earlier than. However the distinction with the most recent replace is that good modifications, modern additions, and a basic tightening up of the expertise technically and in any other case implies that you’re much more usually capable of take pleasure in the most effective of Cyberpunk with out distraction.
So, with replace 2.0 famous, we will now speak about Phantom Liberty in earnest. The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine enlargement particularly is among the all-time greats, a subline send-off to Geralt and to the collection as an entire for an organization understanding it was going off to the tough job of incubating an all-new property. Now, even with sequels on the horizon, Phantom Liberty is a farewell to Cyberpunk 2077 – however I additionally suppose it’s one thing of a promise of what this universe can do.
Phantom Liberty is just like the primary sport in tone, however provides simply sufficient distinction to face aside. It’s much less about company and gang warfare and is extra of a correct ‘espionage’ thriller that sees V contacted by a mysterious determine who guarantees they’ll treatment V’s ailment – one thing that’s attainable in the primary narrative of the core sport, however solely at nice value. Night time Metropolis has no comfortable endings, it appears – however the DLC entices the participant and protagonist alike with the promise that this time, maybe, issues will be totally different.
The journey takes V to Dogtown, a previously-inaccessible, heavily-guarded space of Night time Metropolis. Dogtown is throughout the metropolis limits, however isn’t underneath the management of the town itself. It’s mainly a fiefdom of a mercenary king. As a substitute of police, his personal militia retains a fragile peace by way of drive and hearth. Night time Metropolis is supposed to be the worst place in America – however its streets really feel completely managed and calm in comparison with Dogtown.
The beginning of the DLC provides some cinematic storytelling up there with a few of Cyberpunk’s greatest, rivaling issues like the large heist mission, the Johnny flashbacks, and the sport’s finale. V has to sneak into Dogtown, after which watches helplessly as a jet carrying the President of the New United States is downed, crashing inside Dogtown’s limits. Thus begins a mad scramble to achieve and save the President from bloodthirsty mercenaries who need to gather on her.
As soon as united with the President, there’s a beautiful part of both stalking or combating by way of streets, bypassing checkpoints meant to cease the chief of Cyberpunk’s free world from escaping to a secure home. It’s tense, tightly-wound stuff, and an ideal playground to check out 2.0’s new talent bushes, together with the Phantom Liberty unique ‘Relic’ tree that unlocks notably highly effective new skills.
The President arranges a meet with agent Solomon Reed (Idris Elba), and from there Dogtown opens up. V turns into free to come-and-go, and at this level Phantom Liberty is now not only a rollercoaster of a narrative – there’s an entire new metropolis zone so that you can discover, full with Cyberpsychos, new automobiles, shops, garments, weapons, aspect quests, gigs, and extra. There’s even a few all-new mission varieties. In the meantime, the espionage journey continues in ever-escalating, brilliantly-designed fundamental missions.
Throughout the aspect content material, one factor I actually like is how Dogtown meshes with Night time Metropolis as an entire. When you’re free to return and go as you please, aspect quests and missions will often criss-cross out and in of Dogtown’s borders, again to the town correct. On this, it feels much less like an remoted ‘enlargement house’ and extra a part of the Cyberpunk story correct.
A number of DLCs like this really feel self-enclosed – however by way of sending you again into Night time Metropolis right here and there and by having the odd acquainted character present up, even when it’s simply fixers, Dogtown feels correctly rooted to the primary sport. It didn’t really feel bizarre when, partway by way of my Dogtown spelunking, V’s cellphone rang and it was Judy, with a fateful name from the primary story that from previous expertise I knew I had to answer instantly. I hopped in a automotive, handed the scans at Dogtown’s heavily-guarded border, and raced again to the town correct. It feels proper within the move of the sport.
The principle story missions, in the meantime, are chic. Elba is having plenty of enjoyable, which certain helps. However actually, that is the most effective type of DLC: a staff that has experimented with and mastered its sport methods and engine – and now is aware of the right way to stretch them to their most potential. Phantom Liberty is sort of a Cyberpunk 2077 best hits bundle – with wonderful new stuff sprinkled atop it. There’s extra spectacle, extra problem, and extra likelihood to flex your RPG muscle groups with attention-grabbing character builds. I ought to notice, too, that this logic crosses over into a few of the enlargement’s aspect missions, too. I discovered a few gigs with battles and dilemmas that felt akin to fundamental story missions.
The purpose, anyway, is that Phantom Liberty is a developer on its A-Recreation, decided not solely to offer a previously-troubled sport a great send-off, but additionally clearly eager to reveal what it may do. It’s a bittersweet feeling, too, as a result of we all know that CDPR plans to desert its RED Engine, which powered The Witcher and Cyberpunk, for Unreal. this now system-rich and incredible-looking sport and enlargement (although I’m operating it on a 4090 with DLSS and every little thing maxed, to be clear), it’s exhausting to not really feel a pang of unhappiness that this actual setup will not be used once more, given how good Phantom Liberty is.
For those who’ve already performed Cyberpunk, this enlargement is an effective sufficient purpose to return, and when mixed with Replace 2.0’s modifications, will truly serve fairly nicely to make it really feel like an entire new expertise. For those who skipped it again in 2020 as a result of of all the issues, the excellent news is that that is now not a sport with potential or a great sport that hints at true greatness – it’s not actually nice. It’s lastly the follow-up I hoped for – nay, anticipated – from the staff that made The Witcher 3. It’s a must-play.