Unveiling Phantom Liberty: A Game-Changer for Cyberpunk 2077's Initial Hiccups
Unleashing a thrilling explosion of action, Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC injects new life into the game, compensating for its lackluster beginning Experience an electrifying start that redefines the cyberpunk genre
Highlights
CD Projekt Red has taken steps to fix the issues in Cyberpunk 2077's launch, resulting in a much-improved gaming experience.
The Phantom Liberty DLC presents players with an opportunity for a renewed gaming experience, bypassing the unimpressive prologues and delivering a more exhilarating and fast-paced opening.
By opting for the DLC, players can choose to skip a significant 11 hours of gameplay, although careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages is recommended before making a decision.
Cyberpunk 2077's launch in 2020 was widely regarded as abysmal by many gamers. The highly anticipated action RPG was plagued with glitches, unbalanced combat, and other issues. However, CD Projekt Red took responsibility for their mistakes and actively sought to address and fix the problems rather than ignoring them.
To improve the game, CDPR has released updates, patches, and smaller DLCs, but it was the 2.0 update and the introduction of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty in 2023 that truly revitalized the game. These additions completely transformed the gaming experience, and both critics and fans agree that playing CP2077 has never been better. While Phantom Liberty addresses the shortcomings of the base game in many aspects, it also makes up for the lackluster opening that it previously had.
The Slow Start to Cyberpunk 2077
Similar to other action RPGs in its genre, Cyberpunk 2077 initiates gameplay by asking players to create their own protagonist, V. During this process, players have the option to select their Lifepath background, which not only alters dialogues throughout the game but also provides three distinct playable prologues. Each of these starting quests influences V's story, but ultimately leads to the same outcome: the introduction of V to Jackie, a significant non-playable character who has a crucial role in the overarching plot.
Despite the intriguing impact of player choice on the initial stages of Cyberpunk 2077, the playable prologues present some shortcomings. They all converge at the same point, resulting in a condensed summary of V and Jackie's friendship towards the end. This elongation of the prologue may feel unnecessary, as it delays the players' immersion into the main storyline until the encounter with Dex.
How Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC Stands Out Immediately
Phantom Liberty DLC now offers players who have already purchased it the opportunity to begin a fresh playthrough right from the beginning. By selecting the "skip ahead to Phantom Liberty" button when starting a new game, fans can immediately dive into the action. This allows them to jump straight to the first mission, called Dog Eat Dog, which marks the start of the extensive quest to rescue President Rosalind Myers.
Upon initiating the DLC, players are greeted with captivating cinematic cutscenes that provide important hints and details about the expansion's storyline. These scenes are much more engaging than the Lifepath prologues and effectively hold the player's attention. Additionally, Johnny Silverhand is there to assist new players who have not unlocked Dog Eat Dog in the regular gameplay. He offers a summary of the story events, making Phantom Liberty accessible to newcomers. Rather than starting from key plot points, V begins the game at level 15.
Players ultimately have the freedom to decide what they want to do, but for fans who have been eagerly anticipating Cyberpunk 2077 and are interested in playing Phantom Liberty, it's essential to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of skipping straight to the DLC. On one hand, skipping ahead saves players 11 hours of gameplay and allows them to dive right into the action, with V starting off with predetermined perks and skills. On the other hand, the beginning of Phantom Liberty offers a superior experience compared to the initial hours of the base game, and players have the option to refund the stats they used to develop V before entering the action. This is yet another player decision that contributes to shaping the expansive world of Night City, including the newly introduced Dogtown. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
