Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Between a more sophisticated level of storytelling with excellent performances, smarter insights on the cyberpunk genre and its dystopian themes, and landing on top of a much-improved gameplay experience thanks to its fresh 2.0 update, Phantom Liberty marks a new chapter for Cyberpunk 2077 and is finally close to what I’d hoped it would be when I first sat down to play three years ago.

Cyberpunk 2077 had an unfortunate launch and as a result there are many who have written off a game that should have been remembered as being one of the top games of 2020. It’s a shame because with all the patches, fixes and updates, the game seems to be running how it should have at launch. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty delivers a massive amount of new content which is at the same high level of quality. The main story in Phantom Liberty is engrossing to the point I was hesitant about what choices to make because I had become invested in the characters.

Phantom Liberty is a fitting send-off for V, Night City, and Cyberpunk 2077 as a whole. CD Projekt Red has delivered a dense and impactful expansion to one of the medium’s best cityscapes, even if its branching narrative structure stumbles.

Phantom Liberty is Cyberpunk 2077 at its best. CD Projekt Red has taken the lessons from the original release and focused on the parts that mattered most to deliver a thrilling and impactful experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. And although it fits into the original story, it leaves a lasting impact that rewrote my perception of Cyberpunk's world.

Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty is a great expansion, with a conclusion that easily secures it a spot on CD Projekt Red’s track record for great expansions. The spy thriller tale works well, the story beats hit, and the new perspective on Night City adds a good reason to return for those who’ve already seen Cyberpunk 2077 through once.

Phantom Liberty doesn't reinvent Cyberpunk 2077, but it is CD Projekt firing on all cylinders to tell a great RPG story.

The result is an expansion that reflects, refracts and enriches the game around it. If you've never played Cyberpunk 2077 before and buy the expansion, Phantom Liberty is an absurdly lush, thrilling, 20-hour-long side quest; if you have played it before, it's an unmissable opportunity to check in on old friends, and to make a few new ones, in Night City.

Phantom Liberty is a thoroughly excellent swan song for the tumultuous saga of Cyberpunk 2077. And after playing, you will be glad that CDPR has already greenlit a sequel, despite the fact that the initial release could have sunk the entire company. It’s a redemption story on the level of No Man’s Sky or Final Fantasy XIV, and deserves to be experienced for yourself, no matter what you may have thought of Cyberpunk three years back.