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As the developer behind The Witcher 3 and other critically acclaimed titles, CD Projekt Red has a reputation for excellence. Despite that reputation, CDPR has made mistakes. The most notable of those was the launch state of Cyberpunk 2077, a notoriously buggy and incomplete game that was borderline broken on older consoles. A lot has changed since then. CD Projekt Red has put everything it has into improving Cyberpunk with the 2.0 update and the massive Phantom Liberty DLC. As a result, the game is in the best state it’s ever been in. Here are the ways Phantom Liberty has restored our faith in CDPR, in no particular order.
CDPR Overhauled Perks
After the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty, playing Cyberpunk 2077 feels far better than it did when the game launched. There are a few reasons for this, including improvements to enemy AI, a more diverse selection of weapons, and general balance changes. The biggest reason, however, is the Perk update. CDPR completely reworked all five of the original Perk trees and added a sixth tree, Relic, with Phantom Liberty. As a result, players now have more freedom and flexibility than ever in terms of how they approach combat. Gorilla Arms and shotgun builds cater to those who want something tanky and brutal, while assassin and netrunner builds cater to those who want something faster and stealthier. For the first time in Cyberpunk‘s history, your creativity feels like the only real limit, and that’s amazing.
Vehicle Combat
Cyberpunk fans have always been split when it comes to the game’s vehicles. Some feel that the controls are too floaty and cumbersome while others consider the driving realistic and enjoyable. Whatever the reality, there’s no doubt that driving has improved with the game’s recent changes. The reworked police system gives players an actual reason to jump into a vehicle and flee. Better yet, CDPR added vehicular combat, so now the fight doesn’t have to stop just behind you jumped behind the wheel. With a handful of Perks dedicated to improving vehicular combat, this aspect of the game feels far richer and more complete than it did at launch. It’s still a secondary concern compared to standard combat, but it’s a measurable and praise-worthy improvement.
CDPR Overhauled Cyberware
Another feature that CD Projekt Red revitalized is cyberware. CDPR did more than rebalance a handful of stats: it reworked how installation functions, expanded the possibilities for Technical Ability builds, and gave players a good reason to pick a Sandevistan up again. Decoupling Armor from clothing was a brilliant decision, allowing players to have the best of both fashion and function. Combined with the changes to cyberware, players now have more control over shaping V the way they like. Cyberpunk 2077 was always envisioned as an open-ended RPG where player choice mattered. These changes to cyberware exemplify that philosophy. These changes also complement the Perk rework: pairing Air Dash with double jump legs makes traversing Dogtown ridiculously fun.
Well-Written Characters
The characters have always been one of the strongest parts of Cyberpunk. CDPR established a reputation for complex, mature, and empathetic writing with games like The Witcher 3, and Phantom Liberty carries on that tradition. The DLC’s main quest is exquisitely written, with key characters just as memorable as fan favorites like Johnny Silverhand and Jackie Welles. Songbird, Myers, and Reed are all great, but great writing and voice acting bring even minor characters to life. Few games released within the last decade achieve as much in terms of story and characterization as Phantom Liberty does. After seeing how Phantom Liberty improved the core game, players once more have good reason to trust CD Projekt Red.
Dogtown
Dogtown is as compelling as Night City, so rich in detail and lore that it’s effectively a character in itself. From its hodgepodge of ruined architecture and construction sites to its ongoing violence and ever-present Barghest soldiers, Dogtown feels lost and damned. In many open-world games, cities feel like the glorified quest hubs that they are, devoid of any real life and substance. That’s simply not the case with Dogtown. CDPR has an eye for creating realistic environments, and Dogtown ranks amongst the best the developer has produced. Anti-corpo graffiti, burning trash, and prowling militias show this Night City district at its most desperate. V feels the district’s yearning for change, and so does the player. That wouldn’t be possible without CDPR’s commitment, giving players good reasons to trust the developer again.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
