The video game Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was released in 2023, greatly improving the original game's experience. The original game's release was marred by a myriad of glitches and unfinished game systems, making the city of Night City technically inferior to Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto 3. One notable bug was that the game's police would randomly appear and start shooting when the law was broken, sometimes becoming impervious to player attacks.
In 2023, Phantom Liberty made significant changes. The police behavior now feels more natural, akin to a real open-world game. Instead of randomly appearing and shooting, their reaction now depends on the player's behavior, with a higher 'wanted rating' leading to more intense responses, a feature that existed in games way back in 2001.
CD Projekt Red has also adjusted the game's skill tree system, making it more enjoyable for players. Instead of offering sheer passive benefits, new points now provide new abilities leading to a more engaging gaming experience. A new and exciting feature in this expansion for those who purchase it is an additional skill tree that unlocks as you enter the new area, Dog Town.
The new game addition starts off interestingly with a mysterious hacker, Songbird, assigning the main character, V, a mission to save the president of the New United States crashing into Dog Town. This addition feels closer to the classic John Carpenter film Escape from New York, and Dog Town is analogous to the Manhattan Island in the film.
The revamp kills off the confusing array of characters and the often incomprehensible street talk. There is, however, no tutorial for new players who want to skip the original game, which could lead to difficulties for newcomers trying to get into the game dynamics instantly.
Phantom Liberty improves on the original game by delivering a faster-paced and clearer narrative wherein choices have a profound impact on the storyline. This expansion introduces players to a new character, spy Solomon Reed voiced by Idris Elba, with whom players must continually decide who to trust.
Despite its improvements, Phantom Liberty introduces vehicle fights, which is a doubtful experience mainly due to a less steady frame rate at high speed and wobbly control. Also, sneaky crawling can sometimes be incredibly implausible. However, the game now plays much smoother, and the immersive gameplay outweighs these minor glitches. Extra credit goes to the phenomenal sound design, which feels unprecedentedly high quality for a game. The expansion and the current state of the original game have revealed CD Projekt Red's potential to deliver a complete and immersive gaming experience.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.
In 2023, Phantom Liberty made significant changes. The police behavior now feels more natural, akin to a real open-world game. Instead of randomly appearing and shooting, their reaction now depends on the player's behavior, with a higher 'wanted rating' leading to more intense responses, a feature that existed in games way back in 2001.
CD Projekt Red has also adjusted the game's skill tree system, making it more enjoyable for players. Instead of offering sheer passive benefits, new points now provide new abilities leading to a more engaging gaming experience. A new and exciting feature in this expansion for those who purchase it is an additional skill tree that unlocks as you enter the new area, Dog Town.
The new game addition starts off interestingly with a mysterious hacker, Songbird, assigning the main character, V, a mission to save the president of the New United States crashing into Dog Town. This addition feels closer to the classic John Carpenter film Escape from New York, and Dog Town is analogous to the Manhattan Island in the film.
The revamp kills off the confusing array of characters and the often incomprehensible street talk. There is, however, no tutorial for new players who want to skip the original game, which could lead to difficulties for newcomers trying to get into the game dynamics instantly.
Phantom Liberty improves on the original game by delivering a faster-paced and clearer narrative wherein choices have a profound impact on the storyline. This expansion introduces players to a new character, spy Solomon Reed voiced by Idris Elba, with whom players must continually decide who to trust.
Despite its improvements, Phantom Liberty introduces vehicle fights, which is a doubtful experience mainly due to a less steady frame rate at high speed and wobbly control. Also, sneaky crawling can sometimes be incredibly implausible. However, the game now plays much smoother, and the immersive gameplay outweighs these minor glitches. Extra credit goes to the phenomenal sound design, which feels unprecedentedly high quality for a game. The expansion and the current state of the original game have revealed CD Projekt Red's potential to deliver a complete and immersive gaming experience.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.
Written by:
Samira Khan
Samira Khan is a narrative enthusiast with a keen eye for storytelling in games. Her literary approach to game criticism examines themes, character development, and plot structure, earning her a following among gamers who appreciate the art of narrating.
Read more articles from Samira Khan
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