I felt a little bit of trepidation previous to writing our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty evaluation. Partly, it’s attributable to how the bottom recreation was mired in lots of controversy throughout its preliminary launch three years in the past, together with quite a few technical points that endured. Likewise, I debated simply how I’d critique this growth, contemplating that one of many largest updates, Replace 2.0, vastly adjustments the sport’s mechanics.
Nonetheless, I took be aware of what Phantom Liberty actually supplied, in addition to how new adjustments have been applied. Ultimately, I used to be left awestruck by what I can solely take into account top-of-the-line tales in a futuristic, cyberpunk-themed role-playing recreation (RPG).
You can begin the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty story when you’ve progressed a bit additional into the primary quest. Alternatively, there’s an choice to leap straight into Phantom Liberty’s arc upon beginning a brand new recreation, and also you even get pre-selected abilities. In my case, nevertheless, I had already performed Cyberpunk 2077 when it was initially launched, clocking in round 70 to 80 hours or so. As such, I had a nifty save ready for me simply previous to the marketing campaign’s level of no return.
Meet The New Chooms
Phantom Liberty’s quest begins with a name from a mysterious stranger, So Mi Track, alias Songbird, who claims that she will help the participant character, V, with their life-threatening drawback. From there, you meet a exceptional forged of characters, akin to President Myers, the chief of the New United States of America (NUSA), a disgruntled operative named Alex, and Colonel Hansen, the de facto chief of Dogtown (extra on this setting later).
There’s additionally Solomon Reed, performed by Idris Elba (The Wire, Thor, Pacific Rim). The beefy and hulking Reed casts an imposing shadow, additional bolstered by his uncompromising beliefs. He exudes a presence each time he seems, which triggered me to assume twice about going in opposition to his plans. This performs off properly with Songbird’s dilemma, and what it is advisable do together with her.
Maybe the one draw back right here is that there are not any new romanceable characters. Within the base recreation, I used to be impressed by the budding relationship between V and the chooms (Judy, Panam, Kerry, and River). In Phantom Liberty, there have been actually some quiet bonding moments, however these have been merely to determine relationships amongst allies.
The Stakes Have By no means Been Larger
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty presents a high-stakes marketing campaign of espionage: it begins with the downing of the president’s spacecraft, earlier than resulting in a rescue deep within the seedy underbelly of Dogtown. This zone is cordoned off from the remainder of Evening Metropolis after being taken over by Colonel Hansen.
In comparison with the brilliant lights and towering skyscrapers of Evening Metropolis, Dogtown has been largely left to destroy, although amenities, akin to a pyramid on line casino and a stadium are nonetheless used as bases. All of the whereas, Hansen’s Barghest mercenaries and mechs patrol the streets. I genuinely felt immersed within the setting, as Dogtown felt distinct sufficient from what you’ve come to count on from the primary marketing campaign.
The overwhelming majority of missions, in addition to new facet gigs, additionally happen in Dogtown. V is additional lured right into a battle that’s been brewing between NUSA and Hansen’s faction and, alongside that, the frayed relationship between Reed and Songbird. The performances themselves have been impeccable, additional encapsulated in tense foremost quests that had me involved for the fates of the characters.
Aims vary from a secretive first assembly with Reed and sneaking previous flying drones, to 1 that’s impressed by Mission Inconceivable and On line casino Royale, full with masking your id as you gamble in a on line casino. There are even briefings the place you’re given a rundown of areas that it is advisable infiltrate, in addition to a piece the place Reed has to silently make his method by means of a facility whilst you take out the opposition.
One other key issue is the position of Keanu Reeves’ (The Matrix, John Wick) Johnny Silverhand. Initially, I felt that Silverhand’s appearances within the base recreation have been necessary however sporadic at greatest. In Phantom Liberty, nevertheless, he reveals up extra usually, and with extra consistency, to the purpose that he actually embodied V’s conscience, a satan whispering in your ear, or simply somebody who acts like a complete a-hole each time he feels prefer it. All these interactions made for a story that pulled me proper in, one which was lacking within the base recreation outdoors of a handful of arcs (sure, I’m speaking about Judy and Kerry).
The Metropolis Is Your Playground
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’s narrative beats are tremendously complemented by Replace 2.0, an enormous patch that overhauls most of the recreation’s techniques. As you journey from one location to the following, you possibly can interact in firefights with the police, proper all the way down to hacking autos in an try to manage or blow them up.
There’s additionally a brand new Relic system, which grants new talents, akin to boosts to your Mantis Blades strikes and Optical Camo invisibility. Furthermore, you possibly can mess around with completely different builds, because of a revamped ability system, and Cyberware implants.
Likewise, fight engagements have been frantic and thrilling; though just a few new weapons have been added, I nonetheless relied totally on my good ol’ Ba Xing Chong shotgun with its explosive shells. However, the Rasetsu, a high-tech sniper rifle with a charged shot that may pierce by means of partitions, greater than made up for it.
I genuinely had just a few chuckles after seeing armored troopers get blasted with clear headshots by means of pillars and obstacles.
Moreover, in the event you’ve achieved most of what Evening Metropolis has to supply, Phantom Liberty provides repeatable airdrops and courier missions, which grant extra loot.
Three years in the past, we famous in our official evaluation that “gentle RPG mechanics and customary fare gameplay techniques” held again the bottom recreation. Now, each Phantom Liberty and Replace 2.0 present a stellar expertise like no different.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Assessment | Closing Ideas
Evidently, I nonetheless had just a few qualms with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Firstly, there have been goals that required you to “wait/do just a few duties” earlier than you’re contacted by one other character. As a result of the directions weren’t that clear, I needed to skip time for a number of days in-game simply to set off the following step. Extra particular timeframes (i.e. wait 24 to 48 hours) would’ve been higher.
Secondly, the sport continues to be fairly demanding, even on fashionable techniques. I’ve an Nvidia RTX 3080, Intel 10900K, and 32 GB of RAM, and with ray tracing enabled at 4K decision, I bought wherever from 30 to 40 fps in exterior areas (DLSS – Efficiency was chosen).
With ray tracing disabled, although, issues have been extra manageable, at 60 to 75 fps. Efficiency did typically take a success, particularly when opening menus or activating photograph mode. However, these slowdowns additionally ceased after a few seconds.
Lastly, as has been publicly reported earlier than, Phantom Liberty does result in one other ending for the bottom recreation. In my case, I used to be in a position to acquire two of Phantom Liberty’s endings (the small print of which received’t be spoiled in our evaluation). Sadly, solely a type of arcs introduced a brand new conclusion for the bottom recreation. I used to be genuinely disillusioned with the end result of the opposite resolution, owing to what transpired upon finishing the marketing campaign as soon as extra.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was reviewed on PC with a replica offered by the writer over the course of 26 hours of gameplay. All screenshots have been taken through the means of evaluation.