Summary

  • Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC showcases the future of DLC development with its immersive new stories and adventures within the game.
  • The addition of new characters like Solomon Reed and President Myers brings depth and life to the DLC, expanding the lore of Cyberpunk 2077.
  • Phantom Liberty proves that DLCs can be just as important as base games, setting a new standard for downloadable content in the gaming industry.

When it comes to DLCs, Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty is a fantastic demonstration of how the landscape of extra content is changing. As one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2023, Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC is selling amazingly, proving that the team at CD Projekt Red has finally gotten the once controversial game back on its feet. The initial release of the game was one of the biggest gaming stories of 2020 due to many players being unhappy with the state the game launched in. However, after a series of updates and the release of Phantom Liberty, Cyberpunk 2077 is now the game so many fans were waiting for.

Obviously, the best part about a DLC is getting to experience new content within a game, and Phantom Liberty is filled with hours of new adventures and story. The DLC was released just a few days after the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 update back in September, and the two combined have given the game a fresh start. However, when it comes to DLCs, Phantom Liberty is a crash course in what the future of DLC development should look like.

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New Cyberpunk 2077 Update Coming Soon

Signs seem to suggest that Cyberpunk 2077 is receiving an update soon, as some users hope for newly-introduced bugs to be addressed.

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Phantom Liberty is Now a DLC Blueprint

It's no secret that a DLC can greatly enhance a game, but Phantom Liberty is something different. Instead of just feeling like some extra content, Phantom Liberty feels like a game within a game. The addition of Night City's lawless subdistrict of Dogtown is exciting enough, but the story that unfolds around its setting is where the DLC shines. The narratives wrapped within the DLC are incredibly compelling additions that ultimately give players an even deeper insight into Night City and the New United States of America (NUSA).

All-New Characters Breathe Life Into Phantom Liberty

When it comes to crafting a DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty could have easily just added Dogtown in order to introduce additional missions, but CD Projekt Red takes the DLC even further by introducing new characters who have their own beautifully crafted stories. There are a total of seven new characters added to the game, but the most important ones in Phantom Liberty's story are found in FIA agents Solomon Reed and Songbird, NUSA President Rosalind Myers, and the overlord of Dogtown, Kurt Hansen.

The initial announcement of Phantom Liberty drew a lot of excitement from fans due to the reveal of Idris Elba taking the role of Solomon Reed, a sleeper agent for the FIA who currently resides in Dogtown. The story that unfolds around Solomon and his one-time partner Songbird is one of the most interesting narratives players can experience in Cyberpunk 2077. Additionally, the way Phantom Liberty builds Cyberpunk 2077's lore with the introduction of President Myers and Kurt Hansen adds a layered chapter to an already filled game.

Future DLCs Should Take Note

The entirety of 2023 saw an impressive year for gaming, and Phantom Liberty is proof that DLCs can be just as important of a release as a base game. However, CD Projekt Red isn't the only studio changing how DLCs are approached. Santa Monica Studio has also showcased what the future of DLCs should look like with the surprise release of God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC, but Phantom Liberty is the ultimate showcase of what can be accomplished with downloadable content.

It's amazing to see how far Cyberpunk 2077 has come since those rough first days of its launch back in 2020, and Phantom Liberty gives the game an extra layer of lore that fleshes out more of its world in a fantastic way. Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 update have given Cyberpunk 2077 a great story of redemption, and it will be exciting to see how other development studios follow suit with future DLCs.

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6 /10

Cyberpunk 2077
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RPG
Action
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
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Released
December 10, 2020
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Publisher(s)
CD Projekt Red
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Genre(s)
RPG, Action