Remember the days when Cyberpunk 2077 had just come out to instantly become a massive, shocking disappointment? We were one of those people who bought the Day 1 edition and were all set to dive right into the futuristic, rock-punk world shown to us in trailers, snippets, and teasers. Instead, what we got was a steamy load of unfulfilled promises, choppy graphics, and an unnecessary amount of dildos peppered throughout Night City.
Cyberpunk was, to put it mildly, a waste of money. Many from the gaming community fought for refunds and many wrote harsh reviews aimed at calling the game a rushed, nonsensical creation.
All that, however, is now in the past, as CD Projekt Red has spent well over three years to fix their wrongs. The company spent around 125 million dollars to clock in overtime, collectively, and supply their game with DLCs, patches, free content, and streaks of bug fixes to bring it, eventually, to a point where it was not only playable but effectively portrayed the soul of the game.
Now, Cyberpunk 2077 has received its first and only expansion titled Phantom Liberty and it is a breath of fresh air. Not only that, it’s arguably a completely new game with a fresh storyline, interface, and lots of new mechanics. It could very well be the redemption that CD Projekt Red needs.
So read on through as we shed light on Cyberpunk’s action-spy-thriller!
Mature Storytelling & Storyline
Cyberpunk’s main storyline starts off with a very inexperienced freelancer mercenary called V. Long story short, he goes through the trials and tribulations of Night City, gradually transforming himself from a riffraff to a full-blown merc with a thirst to survive. Literally.
By the time Phantom Liberty starts, V has changed. For the better. His decisions (or rather yours) are now more calculated, his networking is much better and he has lots of experience stacked up from his encounters throughout the city. Granted that Dogtown is nothing like Night City and will literally chew the player up and spit them out as a mangled heap of chrome, V has all he needs in his inventory to establish that he is a force to be reckoned with.
Weighty Decisions
Since Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller, the main storyline revolves more around dialogue. Of course, there is no shortage of action, but verbal communication is key in deciding what scenario V will tip the storyline toward next. Every decision has a reaction and it only makes sense that Idris Elba, or his in-game character, Solomon Reed, are the ones influencing the player’s decisions.
Be wary though, almost every main character in this expansion is a spy so you can bet your bottom Eddie that there’s always more to what meets the eye in Dogtown. With action aplenty and deception aplomb, one must be careful with how they will maneuver through this god-forsaken part of Night City.
Lots to Explore
Even though the newly introduced map is no match for Nigh City’s expansive area, CD Projekt Red did a good job of stuffing in good, engaging material in all the right spots. Presented as a grunge-er version of NC, Dogtown is chock full of rampant crime, spray-painted roads & walls, and the infamous faction called BARGHEST that acts as the local crime-fighting body.
It’s quite possible to get so happily lost in Dogtown that you won’t be fast-traveling anytime soon. There’s danger lurking around every corner and some type of weapon, collectible, or clothing item is ready to be looted in every enclosed space.
New Look & Feel
CD Projekt Red made it a personal mission to revamp Cyberpunk 2077 from the ground up. Small stuff like the interface of V’s phone to the sounds each individual car makes to even how the buildings look overall has been tweaked to look extra clean. The entire expansion is a massive 20 GB plus update for consoles like the PS5 and still has smaller patches coming in because of how much fun the developers are having now.
Make sure to hook yourself up with a speedy Wi-Fi like one of the WOW Internet plans that enables a swift download and minimizes the time you spend downloading the update and maximizes the time you spend enjoying the game. WOW! is dedicated to providing blazing-fast speeds that help its customers get right back into the action. Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that will have you craving the adrenaline shots it brings with its package. Put two and two together and you’ll realize these two work well side by side.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on all we have for you pertaining to Cyberpunk’s latest expansion, Phantom Liberty. Make sure to check out the game’s reviews, which are now significantly better than last year. The overall game has been overhauled to provide the best console experience one can get from next-gen consoles so go ahead, spend some, and enjoy some futuristic action in a dystopian world out to get you!