Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is the first expansion to the RPG Cyberpunk 2077, once again developed by CD Projekt RED. The game introduces a new spy thriller storyline, a new district - Dogtown - and a number of gameplay improvements. The expansion is set midway through the events of Cyberpunk 2077.

Plot

The player character is, once again, a mercenary called V, contacted by a mysterious netrunner Songbird. She knows that their days are numbered and offers them help, in exchange for saving Rosalind Myers, the President of the New United States of America.

The task is difficult, as the Space Force One, the airplane carrying the politician, crashes in Dogtown - an autonomous part of Night City, made independent and taken over by ex-colonel Kurt Hansen during the Unification War. His paramilitary unit, Barghest, immediately begins hunting the President.

During these espionage-political missions V can count on Songbird and an experienced agent Solomon Reed (played by Idris Elba), only recently reawakened. It's not certain, however, that V and their companion, Johnny Silverhand, will approve of their methods.

Mechanics

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty introduces a new district - while formally part of Pacifica and Night City, Dogtown is a fully independent area with its own laws. Led by Kurt Hansen, it's inaccessible to corporations, and thus an ideal hideout for black marker arms and implant dealers. Dogtown is a unique region explorable both horizontally and vertically, through roofs and bridges between buildings. Its architecture reflects its people's resourcefulness, as that's how they deal with overpopulation.

Just like in the base game, there are many way to solve every encountered problem. Due to the expansion's espionage focus, it also introduces a new skill tree, granting us alternate ways of infiltration. The division into detectable and undetectable hacking lets us plan our moves accordingly without revealing our presence. Direct combat enthusiasts can now also fire from vehicles or drive vehicles with weapons installed.

One of the long-awaited improvements in the DLC is improved enemy AI. One of the key changes in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is police behavior - from now on, cops are much more committed when chasing V for criminal offenses. They also behave more naturally, needing to arrive at the crime scene rather than spawn right next to us.

Available platforms

Unlike the base game, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was released exclusively on the PC and ninth generation consoles. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have been omitted this time.

Last updated on 22 September 2023