Few games have ever launched to such severe criticism as Cyberpunk 2077. The long-awaited action-adventure RPG was one of the most anticipated games of all time. And when it launched in December 2020, what awaited fans was a slew of crippling bugs and missing features. Despite this, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to the game. And it is about to receive its first major expansion — Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. But is Phantom Liberty a sequel and when does it take place?
Firstly, it’s important to note that Phantom Liberty isn’t just an expansion of the game’s story. It is, in fact, a comprehensive update for Cyberpunk 2077 that promises a significant overhaul of many of the game’s systems.
Previews of Phantom Liberty are largely glowing, such as these from Gamespot and VGC. It reportedly corrects many of the complaints players had regarding the game’s skill trees, perks, vehicles, AI, law enforcement, and more. And, best of all, owners of the base game will receive these enhancements without needing to own Phantom Liberty itself.
In addition to these much-needed improvements, Phantom Liberty will also introduce a brand new story and area to the game.
What is Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty about?
Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller about a mission to save the President of the New United States of America from Dogtown — the “deadliest district of Night City”.
Espionage and politics will be a key feature of Phantom Liberty‘s story beats, which revolve around the “highest echelons of power” and “brutal world of black-market mercenaries”.
Players can expect to meet numerous new characters, including FIA sleeper agent Solomon Reed (Idris Elba).
Phantom Liberty will also feature new quests, gigs, and gig types. Additionally, players can look forward to new vehicles, technology, cyberware, and weapons, as well as a new Relic skill tree. According to CDPR, this provides “even more freedom for crafting one’s own unique playstyle”.
Is Phantom Liberty a sequel?
Phantom Liberty is not a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077. It is set during the Cyberpunk 2077‘s main story and does not require you to have completed the game.
Exactly how Phantom Liberty impacts the main game’s narrative isn’t entirely clear — we’ll have to wait to play it to fully understand its implications. However, Gabe Amatangelo (Game Director and VP at CDPR) told Wccf tech: “You get to a certain point in [Cyberpunk 2077] and [Phantom Liberty] unlocks”. Regarding Phantom Liberty‘s conclusion, Amatangelo said it has “different endings based on how things play out.”
Amatangelo also confirmed that Phantom Liberty does influence the ending of Cyberpunk 2077: “based on the ending within Phantom Liberty, you can unlock a new ending in the base game.”
Phantom Liberty launches on 26th September 2023.
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