Going Hands-on With Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty 

Xbox Games Showcase was introduced by Keanu. Phantom Liberty Cyberpunk, 2077S will be getting a massive expansion.|S on September 26. S will be getting a massive new expansion on September 26. Phantom LibertyIn a half hour of first-person gameplay, you’ll be able to experience the thrills and spills. 

But let’s set things up: V, still stricken with a Relic chip slowly eating him away, is whipped into a conspiracy, with shadowy elements of the (all-new) Pacifica Combat Zone vying to kill off the President of the New United States. V’s guided by a new character, Songbird, who appears to have as much access to his head as Johnny Silverhand, phasing in and out of view as she helps him. CD Projekt Red promised to deliver a complete spy thriller in Phantom LibertyThe glimpse that I saw confirms this. 

Beginning with Songbird helping V to reach a roof in the Dogtown area, the demo is rife with moments of pure action cinema – a dramatic crash as the President’s personal plane (Space Force One, perhaps?) is shot down on its way out of orbit and careens inches above your head, a pitched battle between robotic guards and would-be assassins, and ends just as you convince the President you’re there to save her… and immediately get engulfed in an explosion. It’s a demo that sets this expansion’s stall out – Phantom Liberty All-action swapping Cyberpunk’s moodier moments to become an all-out thriller. 

I play as a tanky Solo, toting a shotgun, a devastating light machine gun that comes with the added bonus of setting my targets on fire, and a sledgehammer for those more… intimate moments. I’m immediately rewarded for my choice, being thrown into firefight after firefight (and making liberal  use of the Berserk mod my pre-built character comes equipped with). It’ll be interesting to return to these action set-pieces with my own Netrunner save – scattered cover will make for a lovely experiment in predator stealth. 

The gunplay is what I see. Phantom Liberty’s quieter moments, too. I pass through the Dogtown Black Market, a location that’s clearly learned from Cyberpunk’s players that some of its greatest achievements lie in world-building. The Market, with its chatty, glowing NPCs and detailed details, is an amazing example of the dingy-chic style. Even speaking to the local weapons dealer offers meaningful interaction, as he shows off his mods, explains how he’s cyberkinetically connected to every piece he has on sale, and even gives me a demonstration of his elbow-mounted flamethrowers. 

It looks to offer a new side to the game’s already spectacular world – a darker, seemingly more dangerous location to test out your chosen brand of augmented damage dealing. I get less of a chance to see the changes the developers have made to the sandbox itself, but we’re promised new weapons, new cyberware, reworked police systems, and vehicle-to-vehicle combat. 

Solomon Reed is a brand new character, played by Idris. It’s a wonderful show of confidence – CD Projekt Red is clearly content to show off its expansion on its own merits as a game, not just as a vehicle for its latest Hollywood star. From the little I’ve played, that decision is validated – this is a very new side to Cyberpunk 2077, and I’m eager to see more of what it has to offer. 

S will be available on September 26, 2009.|S on September 26. 

Cyberpunk 2077

CD PROJEKT Red

☆☆☆☆☆
1741

★★★★★

$59.99

$29.99

S UPDATE AVAILABLE!|S UPDATE AVAILABLE!
Cyberpunk, a free-to-play action adventure RPG, is set in Night City’s megalopolis. In this game, you take on the role of a cyberpunk soldier in an epic battle for survival. With all-new, free content and improved gameplay, you can customize your own character. As you complete jobs, gain a good reputation, and unlock new upgrades, it allows for a more personalized experience. Your choices and relationships will influence the plot and world. Legends are created here. What legend will you be?

Create your own cyberpunk
Becoming an urban criminal with cybernetic upgrades and building your legend in the streets of Night City.

Discover the City of Tomorrow
Night City offers a wide range of things to see and do. You can also meet new people. And it’s up to you where to go, when to go, and how to get there.

BUILD YOUR LEGEND
You can embark on thrilling adventures, and form relationships with characters who will forever be remembered for the decisions you make.

EQUIPPED W/IMPROVEMENTS
Cyberpunk is a new game that features a variety of improvements and changes to the gameplay, economy, city, map, and other areas.

Included is a free supplemental content
Enjoy a variety of new items, such as guns and melee arms. There are also extra customization possibilities and other goodies.