Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Phantom Liberty is how you do DLC. It compliments but never erases the base game's experience. In fact, for me, Phantom Liberty's shorter, more concentrated length, themes, lighting, sound design, story, and just about every aspect completely eclipses the base game. Phantom Liberty ditches the petty grudges of mega corps and rebellions and ups the ante to the big leagues with assassination attempts on the President of the New United States of America (NUSA) and undercover operations against the tyrant of Dogtown.

I cannot praise CD Projekt Red enough for just how deftly they weave espionage, thriller, and, surprisingly, horror so effortlessly that other developers should look on and take notes. Stealth, psychology, battles of sheer will, Phantom Liberty showcases newcomers Idris Elba (as Solomon Reed) and Minji Chang (as Songbird) in such spectacularly heartbreaking stories that will have you by the balls (or ovaries, and, ew, I've made myself uncomfortable).

Twists, turns, you'll be exposed to it all, and, just when your nose is pressed right to the screen, CD flips from spy thriller to techno-horror and your expectations for both will never quite be the same (for this, I recommend siding with Reed when it comes, you will not be sorry). Update 2.0 for Cyberpunk 2077 was an apology for the broken state it released in, but Phantom Liberty is a promise to try and avoid those mistakes in the future. If it weren't DLC and 2023 weren't so packed with fantastic gaming experiences, Phantom Liberty would be a serious contender for Game of the Year. Heck, in some places, it still might grab that title.

I, like many people, had a bad experience with Cyberpunk 2077 during it's initial launch, but after these last three years, it's become one of my top favorite games, and Phantom Liberty takes everything I liked, and maxes it out. I can't explain how much I loved it, so try it for yourself if you're interested, there's so much fun to be had. Idris Elba is absolutely fantastic, possibly one of my favorite video game characters that I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. He's so multidimensional, and it truly adds to the realistic feelings and relationship V has with him. Phantom Liberty has so much side content as well, but I never felt overwhelmed by it, because it was always so much fun.

This is a pretty good expansion, with a great and emotional story to add to the already emotional story of the main campaign. I think it isn't 100% needed to fully enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 (unlike Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion).

There are some nice missions in this expansion, and some of the spy stuff reminded me a lot of James Bond and even a little Metal Gear Solid. The new characters are interesting and they all have two sides to them. It makes them all pretty unique.

So the main story of this is pretty good, the downside is Dogtown itself. It really doesn't look any different from other parts of Night City, sure it looks a tad bit more "Mad Max" like, but it isn't like Witcher 3's Toussaint map, which was almost the completely opposite of the dark and bleak world of the main game. Dogtown isn't interesting, there isn't anything cool to do there, and I thought this expansion was gonna open up the map more towards the outer top right area (since it was blacked out in the original).

Also Dogtown is extremely, extremely small, you can drive through Dogtown in maybe 30 seconds if you were to just go straight. I can't express just how tiny Dogtown is. Just imagine maybe 7 - 10 Night City blocks (squared).

Anyways, it adds a new but depressing ending, multiple choice regular endings, and a few cool missions and action set pieces, especially one in an airport (that is all I'm gonna say).

9/10 (I recommend fans to play this game, but casual players can probably get through Cyberpunk 2077 without going through this story)

This game is worth every penny and worth the wait that it took to get fixed. The whole cyberpunk universe is such an amazing experience. Thank you cdproject red for fixing this game. It became one of the most amazing journeys. In a way, the cyberpunk game opens your eyes to real challenges of upcoming technologies and it makes you see first hand how society is related to technology vis-a-vis social interactions. Thank you Mike pondsmith for creating this beautiful world. I would recommend to unlock the secret ending, even if you had to play it 2 or 3 times. Lastly, i would like to point out that even though this game was released in a bad state, the phantom liberty expansion was just a proof how well CDPR were committed to this game. Huge thanks for that.

While playing "Cyberpunk 2077", I somehow stumbled into "Phantom Liberty". It actually took me a little while to realize I was already deep into the expansion. What stuck with me right away was that fantastic first mission that kicks off this whole new branch of the universe. The adventure starts with a bang - thrilling, cinematic, and most importantly, mysterious. And then comes the introduction to Dogtown, which is when I finally understood: the DLC had officially begun.

Dogtown isn't just another neighborhood of Night City - it's a whole different world with its own laws, vibe, and unwritten rules. Gritty, grim, but full of character. It stands in sharp contrast to the rest of Night City, and that's what makes it so great - fresh and different. Just walking through its streets feels like a mini-adventure.

The story of the DLC genuinely surprised me. It's not just a pack of missions, but a real spy thriller with a sci-fi edge. Conspiracies, double agents, moral dilemmas, and twisty dialogues - it's all here. Idris Elba lends his face and presence to one of the central characters - Solomon Reed, an FIA agent - who comes across as charismatic, layered, and, most importantly, compelling. Every time he shows up, the whole narrative feels weightier. You can almost sense high-stakes political games lurking around every corner. The other leads shine too: Songbird, a netrunner asking the protagonist to help the President, and Alex, a secret agent recruited by Reed. There are plenty of other well-written characters, but in my eyes, these three are the real driving force behind the story.

Tone-wise, if the base game was a kind of cyberpunk tragedy with a philosophical undercurrent, "Phantom Liberty" feels more like a slick spy movie - think Bond or Bourne, but with implants and a futuristic twist. There are tons of atmospheric missions you actually want to do and striking locations you want to explore. The visual design is top-notch, fully on par with the base game.

Graphics? As expected - fantastic. Same engine, same ambition. But what really hooked me was the music. Near the finale, one track hit me so hard I immediately had to look it up. Now it lives in my playlist - probably for a long time.

Gameplay-wise, everything you expect is here: guns, gadgets, dialogue with consequences. Missions are varied and exciting. There's always something to do, see, and think about. The DLC blends seamlessly into the main game, never feeling out of place - and in some moments, it even outshines it. The ending, of course, depends on your choices, and true to "Cyberpunk 2077", those consequences can be rewarding... or pretty heavy to stomach. Either way, the weight of your decisions is real.

"Phantom Liberty" is an expansion with real personality - a great story, its own atmosphere, and its own spark. I enjoyed it a lot, and it's definitely one of those rare DLCs you don't want to just rush through.

8 out of 10.