Summary
Usually, when a game gets a DLC, it serves as more of an attachment at the end of the game, acting as a bonus to the original content shipped with the title. Very rarely is there a near-total overhaul of the game like the team at CD Projekt Red plans to do withCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Every gamer knows the troublesCyberpunk 2077went through upon its release, as it became the victim of many ridiculing memes and biting review bombings, and the title’s reputation has still not quite recovered all these years later. The expansion is the developer’s plan to put every criticism to shame, andPhantom Liberty’s featurescould be a turnaround the title desperately needs.
Seeking to take advantage of the expanded gameplay options afforded by new-gen consoles, Phantom Liberty is eliminating some of the problems in the base game by only appearing on newer issues. Along with performance boosts and bug fixes, the expansion is incorporating a flurry of new items to the title, includingPhantom Liberty’s new Dogtown region, which is a stark contrast from the bustling neon metropolis of Night City. Additionally, a new story quest is gracing the DLC, taking the form of a James Bond-inspired spy thriller with appearances from Keanu Reaves and Idris Elba.
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Phantom Liberty’s Revamp Could Usher in a New Dawn for Cyberpunk 2077
Elba plays the role of Solomon Reed, a NUSA federal intelligence agent blurring the lines between loyalty and duty. Next in Phantom Liberty’s debutant lineup is Kurt Hanson, the leader of a new faction known as the Barghest. Kurt is a former NUSA Colonel, and the expansion’s events are centered around his rebellion against the unification program. Alongside the thrilling story quest and its additional side missions, Phantom Liberty boasts improvements to priorCyberpunk 2077features, including a more robust and detailed skill tree with a Relic system for increased visual enjoyment.
For instance, players equipped with strength-enhancing cyberware can use their characters to bulldoze through a pile of enemies in a graphical representation of their strength. On top of these new features, the update is also introducing an edge meter that indicates players' closeness to cyberpsychosis, in a nice touch to add limits to the novelCyberpunk 2077cyberware system. A common grouse in the fan base withCyberpunk 2077was the lack of pronounced vehicular combat, and this oversight compounded the title’s woes in the gaming community. However, Phantom Liberty comes equipped with a new vehicle battle system, and the possibility of firing rockets while driving is too great an allure to ignore.
The expansion also touts an improvement in the NPC AI, cutting down on the bugs that plagued the characters in the base title and adding more responses to their interactions. For instance, the Police AI is more sensitive to crimes and puts in more effort to apprehend criminals with the help of a reworked wanted level system, meaning fun car chases are on the cards, mirroringgames likeGTA 5. Choice systems are on the rise in gaming, and Phantom Liberty plans to use the mechanism in the DLC to generate as many unique outcomes as possible for personalized gameplay experiences.
The plethora of new features and tweaks to existing dynamics show a willingness from CD Projekt Red to rectify its most high-profile error, practically tearing the drawing board apart and rebuilding the game in the upcoming expansion. With the allure of espionage in the story mode and enhancements in gameplay mechanics,Cyberpunk 2077could put review bombings in the rearview mirror once and for all, marking a new dawn for the troubled franchise.
Cyberpunk 2077is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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