Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (Xbox Series X|S)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): September 26, 2023
- Release Date (EU): September 26, 2023
- Publisher: CD Projekt Red
- Developer: CD Projekt Red
- Genres: RPG
- Also For: Computer, PlayStation 5
Game Features:
Cyberpunk 2077 has experienced a rollercoaster reception, to say the least. From its extravagant multi-year pre-launch marketing hype, through its infamous launch riddled with bugs and PS1-esque polygonal pop-ins to its recent apparent redemption arc following two years of patches, this game has been on the consciousness of gamers and non-gamers alike, and not always for the best reasons. Now CD Projekt Red’s latest gaming IP is back in the news for a new update to its base game as well as a story expansion, Phantom Liberty. Does this represent a back-to-form CD Projekt Red?
Phantom Liberty: a call of duty
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty reunites us with V while they are still dealing with their relic issue. A sliver of hope presents itself when our protagonist receives a mysterious call from a netrunner going by the alias Songbird who claims to know about V’s neural time bomb and could help provide a cure. But Songbird’s assistance will only be available after V helps her with another urgent matter: extracting the President of the New United States of America (NUSA) from the semi-autonomous district, Dogtown, where she isn’t particularly welcome.
The situation - or sitch in Cyberpunk parlance - is that the orbital shuttle in which the NUSA President and Songbird were flying in has been hijacked and is on course for a crash landing in Dogtown. As other comms means were down, Songbird’s only contact option was through V’s relic, making V the only contact on the ground who could provide any assistance.
With the promise for a cure to the malfunctioning relic, V takes on the assignment but things take a turn for the worse. Songbird goes missing, escorting the President out of the hostile Dogtown gets tougher and more machinations behind the attack on the president start to unravel. As the prospect of a cure hangs on Songbird’s prowess, V remains in the game and goes deeper into investigating these happenings. This leads them to get paired up with sleeper agent Solomon Reed as they embark on a quest of political espionage.
An immersive cyberpunk spy thriller in the year 2077
Across its 13 main missions and around 25h runtime, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’s narrative is a gripping one. Its intricate tale of espionage and political machination, with the lingering backdrop of enigma, is expertly executed with a cinematic approach that kept me hooked throughout. This was particularly the case considering its originality and its setting in a new, yet familiar location supplemented by atmospheric soundtrack.
While Dogtown distinguishes itself from the rest of Night City’s district by the absence of mega-corporations, it is a beast of its own. Despite Kurt Hansen’s and his Bargest troop’s military-like grip on the district, lawlessness abounds in what was originally destined to be a luxurious getaway for the capitalist elites. As a semi-autonomous region that functions outside of the purview of megacorps, it attracts those lured by its semblance of freedom but also those hiding from the law and those who can’t integrate elsewhere.
Despite its own take on social strata, Dogtown is a bustling city-within-a-city. Its uniquely-designed towering structures - some unkempt, others in ruins - that harken to unfulfilled promises of luxury serve diverse purposes from business placements, entertainment centres and shelters. While some faction-occupied areas can be more hostile than others, Dogtown abounds with its own side quests as well as new and recurring characters.
Among the highlighted cast of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is Idris Elba, who plays as Solomond Reed in the expansion; and he does not disappoint. Elba does a stellar representation of the sleeper agent bringing the character to life. Reed also serves as a contrast to Johnny Silverhand who still gets you to second-guess your actions in Phantom Liberty. Reed stands out as a more composed and reliable companion with an unwavering sense of duty while still shrouded by a veil of mystery.
Phantom Liberty’s other cast from NUSA President Myers to Alex and more are also deserving of praise. Their performances flesh out the characters as well as the plot, and as the story progresses you learn more about their personalities and motivations. You also get to learn more about recurring NPCs too from fixers to Johnny.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty nails the cyberpunk spy thriller aesthetics with a stellar cast, gripping plotline and cinematic presentation. The narrative is also more polished, focused and clearer than the base game, delivering an engrossing narrative experience.
Chromed up gameplay
Along with Phantom Liberty, the base Cyberpunk 2077 game is also receiving the free Update 2.0 on new-gen consoles and PC. This update is something akin to a soft reboot as it overhauls a lot of the gameplay elements.
For example, while driving a car or motorcycle (vehicle controls are now way smoother than the base game on release by the way), you can now engage in combat and shoot pursuers. Pursuers can be factions you have picked some beef with or the police as the latter, also revamped, will now react dynamically to your illegal actions, not unlike GTA. There are also new ways for the functioning of some mechanics such as when hacking NPCs, you can now sacrifice part of your HP to use as additional RAM. Other gameplay changes include - but are not limited to - reworked perk trees, armour that is now tied to cyberware instead of clothes, and, for the expansion, a new Relic skill tree that unlocks a host of new abilities.
These gameplay updates, native to the new expansion, makes for a more cohesive experience that feels grounded in the game’s universe. The game itself works without a hitch even on the Xbox Series S on which it was reviewed.
The updated elements lend themselves well with the new expansion which itself is a stark difference from the base game, despite being part of the same overarching story. The mission designs of the main story are varied and further hammer in the spy thriller aspect. They mix up frenetic all-out combat with more tonally quiet undercover and recon sequences. I was particularly fond of an infiltration segment that had V navigate through a submerged building and help scout a safe passage for Reed. Phantom Liberty’s missions often have a flair of Metal Gear Solid or Mission Impossible with its own cyberpunk touch.
Most missions allow you to tackle them in an open-ended fashion, with some even throwing player choices at you which can even influence the course of the game. Dogtown also offers a healthy dose of side quests which are also unique in their own right from cosying up with a junior Bargest member in deep trouble to stealing cars for a secretive grander plan.
Like the story, Phantom Liberty’s gameplay feels more polished than the base game. Missions, in particular main missions, add a welcome diversity in their designs and some player choices are more impactful on the path that the story takes.
The cyberpunk game it’s meant to be
I was already a fan of Cyberpunk 2077's aesthetic and atmosphere but Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty took it a step further with a more compelling gameplay and plot that ties in neatly with the main game.
While I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the expansion, there are some downsides that are notable. Firstly, it is only available on PC and new-gen systems, leaving out a portion of the player base. Secondly, the revamped mechanics means that the developers had to reset character attributes. They aren’t lost but you’ll have to manually redistribute them, which can be a hassle if it’s been a while since you played the game. Additionally, it is not always clear which player choice leads to branching paths. I learnt it while rebooting a previous save to try to save a character during a timed choice sequence, but whichever option I opted for, the result was the same. I wish more choices would have an influence in the playthrough but the game is well executed overall.
However, I don’t blame you if you still have reservations when it comes to the new expansion to Cyberpunk 2077 and its free update. The base game launched in a questionable technical state on some systems, and certain gameplay and narrative elements didn’t seem to weave together in a satisfactory way. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the atmospheric universe of Cyberpunk 2077 and its original story when I played it at launch, only wishing that it wasn’t overhyped and tempered expectations of players. But we shouldn’t have to wait for years of patches and a new-gen-only expansion for a game to execute on its promise; even if it’s encouraging that the developer is still committed to improving the player experience.
That said, if you do give it a chance, you will find in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty a game that will delight fans of narrative-driven games with its stellar cast, gripping and expansive plotline set across varied level designs in an immersive cyberpunk world. It brings a welcome difference from the base game while continuing V’s story through a more cohesive experience. It could have even served as a sequel but it’s a welcome addition to Cyberpunk 2077 and a positive outlook at what to expect from the planned sequel; as Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a definite statement of what CD Projekt Red is capable of.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty — Official Cinematic Trailer
Verdict
- Gripping cyberpunk spy thriller narrative
- Intriguing new characters and areas to explore
- Revamped gameplay mechanics
- Some impactful player choices
- Not always clear which player choices are impactful
- Expansion available only on new-gen consoles and PC
- Character attributes reset after latest update
