Cyberpunk 2077 – Phantom Liberty Review
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a brilliant redemption story and one of the most recent expansions. It combines top-tier action set pieces with an equal flair for intimate character drama and philosophical questions about loyalty and self-preservation in a dystopian future.
The main plot starts when Songbird, a Netrunner hired by the President of the New United States, crashes into Night City’s walled-off Dogtown district.
It’s a good story.
Unlike other games, Cyberpunk 2077’s strengths were never hidden behind a sea of lootable dildos or a sprawling open world with gameplay that often felt unwieldy. The DLC’s bounded scope helps it lean into tried-and-true spy thriller tropes and make the most of its cast of shady, cynical characters who think they’re doing the right thing. Its mercenary protagonist, Johnny Silverhand, is a gratifyingly complicated, grey-shaded character who makes you sympathize with his anarchist philosophy even though he snaps necks and smoothly talks his way through situations.
Phantom Liberty’s story begins with the President of the New United States crashing in a self-governed district called Dogtown and V being hired to rescue her from Hansen’s henchmen. It’s a setup that works perfectly within the expansion’s opening hours and is one of the game’s most exciting and compelling missions. Overall, Phantom Liberty delivers on its promise of a high-stakes thriller with some of the best-scripted action in video game history.
It’s a good game.
Despite its many bugs and difficulty swings, Cyberpunk 2077 shines brightly from time to time. Its sprawling, dense world is fascinating, and its mix of gameplay systems works well together. Unfortunately, the game’s tonal inconsistencies and misogynistic writing detract from its potential.
Phantom Liberty opens up a new district of Night City called Dogtown, run by a violent Militech colonel named Hansen. The expansion’s main quest is a fast-burn spy thriller. V is tasked with saving the President of the New United States after Space Force One crashes in the seediest area of the corpo-run city.
Phantom Liberty’s set-piece missions are as entertaining as they are high-stakes. In one mission, you’ll play as a super-stoked version of James Bond in a heist that feels like it’s straight out of Mission Impossible, infiltrating an opulent party to hijack two millionaires to steal their vehicle, then coax information out of them over several games of roulette. Sticking around to eavesdrop or make dialogue choices also opens up small, rewarding moments that add depth and color to the story.
It’s a good expansion.
Whether eavesdropping at a park overlooking Dogtown’s unfinished skyscrapers or simply chatting with Songbird, your companions in Phantom Liberty have some of the best dialogue and character arcs Cyberpunk 2077 has to offer. Even characters from the main game, like Solomon Reed and Johnny Silverhand, portrayed by Keanu Reeves, are given their own hefty stories. The expansion also smartly embeds much of its story and combat sequences within Dogtown, a newly added district that feels curated and purposefully designed, rather than the chaos and randomness that plagued the base game’s world.
With its punk-rock verve and meticulously crafted spy story, Phantom Liberty elevates Night City to the height of its ambitions. Its wild energy, excellent gameplay, and stunning visuals create an experience that rewrites my understanding of what it means to play a sci-fi hacker. I can’t wait to explore its many, many other faces in the future. And it’s all thanks to the wise, risk-taking work of CD Projekt Red.
It’s a good DLC.
The DLC’s story is compelling, and the characters are memorable. The expansion doesn’t shy away from a brutal future but offers hope and a glimpse of humanity. This is a sobering and powerful story, and it will stick with players long after they put down their guns.
The story of Phantom Liberty is a perfect swan song for Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red delivers a gripping tale of power and politics, betrayal and loyalty, and the thorny question of what it means to fight for a world that doesn’t always deserve our help.
This DLC takes full advantage of the revamped game’s combat systems and elevates its intimate dialogue-driven elements. Its action set pieces feature top-tier sets that let the game’s new gameplay mechanics sing, while its conversations with NPCs are profoundly moving and resonant. Even small choices, like eavesdropping on one of Songbird’s meetings or picking a dialogue option, open up a range of meaningful and memorable outcomes.