Games worth discovering

Our first look at Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - We played It, and you'll want to.

2K View2023-06-13

We were privileged enough to get an exclusive invitation from CD Projekt Red to play the highly anticipated DLC set of Cyberpunk 2077, "Phantom Liberty", ahead of its release. This first-hand experience at CD Projekt Red’s headquarters in Warsaw, Poland offered us a renewed glimpse into the notorious Night City with its infamous shadows. The new DLC comes at a critical time as it looks to rewrite the narrative that has been prevalent since the troubled launch of Cyberpunk 2077.

The original game, with its highly anticipated release, quickly became a victim of its own hype, punctuated by multiple delays, optimization issues, downgrades, and bugs that painted the Internet red. The game's dramatic launch became an industry fable, simultaneously breaking records on Steam while being skewered on social media platforms.

Fast forward to now, Cyberpunk 2077 stands updated with fixes and features that make it a much more enjoyable experience than at launch, but CD Projekt Red aims to bring back players to Night City with the new DLC set, "Phantom Liberty". The official trailer released at the Xbox showcase set high expectations for this DLC, aiming to return to the narrative richness and immersive storytelling that CD Projekt Red is known for.

"Phantom Liberty" introduces us to "Dog Town", a stark contrast to the vibrant nightlife of the central Night City. The narrative spins around the crash of the new U.S. President's private plane in Dog Town, thrusting V into the middle of an unfolding drama. The gameplay demo provided insight into the updated equipment, cyberware, and skill systems that add a new layer of complexity and strategy to the gameplay. Notably, the cyberware system has evolved, adding a new level of depth and realism to V's interaction with technology.

The DLC set also introduces a brand-new vehicular combat system, enhancing the gameplay and adding another layer to the already rich open-world content. The RELIC skill branch, a previously inaccessible feature, appears to play a significant role in the DLC set's story, introducing a mysterious new character, Alt Cunningham.CD Projekt Red has always excelled in delivering rich, complex narratives, and "Phantom Liberty" promises to follow suit. The new DLC set also attempts to address the unresolved issues in the main storyline, which could make this an essential experience for fans of the game.

Despite the limited demo playtime, the new DLC set made a strong impression. It seems CD Projekt Red is trying to return to its roots with a narrative-driven DLC. This is reminiscent of "Blood and Wine", an DLC of their previous title "The Witcher 3", which offered an enriching and immersive gaming experience.

However, "Phantom Liberty" arrives in a different era of gaming, with the industry facing a shift in development trends and payment models. Major, story-driven DLC sets are becoming a luxury in AAA games. If done right, "Phantom Liberty" could provide a much-needed closure to the tumultuous journey of Cyberpunk 2077, allowing CD Projekt Red to put past controversies behind them.

With this DLC, CD Projekt Red is reaching out to players for another chance, asking them, like Johnny Silverhand did in the original game, "Who are you?" This time around, the renowned V, and by extension CD Projekt Red itself, is getting a chance to redefine their narrative. It is a leap of faith, but one that could pave the way for redemption. The question remains: Are you ready to take this journey with them?

Disclaimer: This article was originally published by Youyanshe (YYSTV). Youyanshe (YYSTV) is a gaming media company based in Asia dedicated to telling the most interesting stories for all gamers across cultures. Check out their awesome content here!

Mentioned games