Software:Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

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Short description: 2023 video game expansion
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty cover art.jpg
Developer(s)CD Projekt RED
Publisher(s)CD Projekt
Director(s)Gabriel Amantangelo
Programmer(s)Kacper Kościeński
Artist(s)Paweł Mielniczuk
Jakub Knapik
Writer(s)Tomasz Marchewka
Composer(s)
  • P.T. Adamczyk
  • Jacek Paciorkowski
SeriesCyberpunk
EngineREDengine 4
Platform(s)
ReleaseSeptember 26, 2023
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is an action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt RED. An expansion pack for Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), it introduces a new district and a new quest line. Set in a dystopian cyberpunk universe, the player assumes the role of "V", a mercenary who must rescue the President of the New United States whose aircraft has crashed in the lawless district of Dogtown. It was released for Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S in September 2023. The game received critical acclaim, and it has sold more than 5 million copies since release.

Gameplay

Similar to the base game, Phantom Liberty is an action role-playing video game played from a first-person perspective. The story of the game is set in a new district named "Dogtown", which has its own unique characters, quests and gigs.[1] Phantom Liberty introduces a new Relic skill tree with nine abilities. To unlock new Relic skills, players must progress the story of Phantom Liberty, or access restricted data terminals found in Dogtown.[2] The DLC also raises the level cap to 60, and adds new weapons and vehicles into the game. New quickhacks are also added to the game, allowing players to perform actions such as air dashing, seeing through walls, or changing V's appearance on the fly.[3] Vehicular combat is also added, allowing players to drive cars armed with missile launchers.[1] Depending on player's decision, a new ending for the base game will be unlocked.[4]

Plot

After concluding the Voodoo Boys business in Pacifica, V is contacted by Song "Songbird" So Mi (Minji Chang), the aide of NUSA President Rosalind Myers (Kay Bess). She explains that their transport, Space Force One, has been hacked over Night City and is about to crash in the lawless district of Dogtown. Songbird asks V to help rescue Myers in return for her assistance in preventing the Relic from destroying V's brain. Songbird also warns V that the warlord who rules Dogtown, Kurt Hansen (Eliah Mountjoy), will likely attempt to use the opportunity to kidnap Myers. V is able to extract Myers from the crash site and escort her to a safehouse, but they lose contact with Songbird on the way. At the safehouse, Johnny warns V that Songbird and Myers may be hiding secrets from them.

The next morning, Songbird is still missing in action. A concerned Myers asks V to make contact with Solomon Reed (Idris Elba), a NUSA sleeper agent stationed in Dogtown. Reed agrees to help, but V learns that Reed was abandoned by the NUSA in Night City after Reed narrowly survived an assassination attempt by Arasaka. They enlist the aid of a fellow agent named Alexa "Alex" Xenakis (Yvonne Senat Jones) and an underworld netrunner named Slider, who traces Songbird's trail. He is shocked to discover that Songbird penetrated the Blackwall, the firewall that protects the world from rogue AIs inhabiting the old Net, to make contact with V. Slider is able to reestablish contact with Songbird, who tells V she is in Hansen's custody, but Slider is killed when his connection short-circuits.

V regroups with Reed in his safehouse, where he reveals that the NUSA ordered Songbird to sell him out to Arasaka. He also discloses that Songbird has been probing the Blackwall under Myers' orders, which is prohibited by international law. Regardless, Reed wants to rescue Songbird, so he and V infiltrate Hansen's headquarters. They meet Songbird, who explains that her mind has been corrupted by the Blackwall, but Hansen possesses a device called the Neural Matrix that can cure both her and V's conditions. Songbird sets up a plan to steal the matrix from Hansen, while Reed and V realize that the plane crash was orchestrated by Songbird so that she could reach Hansen and acquire the matrix to save herself. V then has a choice: let Songbird complete her objective or betray her using an icebreaker given to them by Reed.

If V betrays Songbird, she will secure the matrix but succumb to cyberpsychosis after recognizing V's treachery. Songbird alerts Hansen, who then kills Alex. V kills Hansen in pursuit of Songbird, but cannot stop her from fleeing to Cynosure, an old Militech bunker facility meant to counter Soulkiller. By the time V catches up, Songbird is already succumbing to the Blackwall's effects. Depending on V's choices, they either euthanize Songbird to prevent her from falling into NUSA custody, or hand her over to Reed so he can help her.

If V goes along with Songbird, Alex kills Hansen while V and Songbird flee the area. Songbird then enlists V to help her escape from Night City's spaceport to the Moon. On the way there, Songbird admits to V that the matrix will disintegrate after being used once, so it can only save one of them. V is left with the decision to surrender Songbird into Reed's custody or assist Songbird's launch to the Moon, the latter of which leads to a standoff with Reed dying.

If Reed and Songbird both survive, a new ending to the game is unlocked. Myers congratulates V for completing their mission and Reed informs them that the matrix can be used to cure V. If V accepts, NUSA surgeons use the matrix to successfully remove the Relic from V's brain, but the surgery fully deletes Johnny, puts V in a two-year coma (during which most of V's friends move on), and causes irreparable damage to V's brain that renders them unable to use combat implants. Being unable to return to their old life as a mercenary, V is forced to accept that they must live quietly as a regular civilian from now on.

Development

Development of Phantom Liberty cost more than $60 million[5] On 6 September 2022, CD Projekt Red confirmed that Phantom Liberty, would be released for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 in 2023. It is the only planned expansion for the game, with Reeves reprising his role of Johnny Silverhand.[6][7] On 16 November 2022, it was confirmed that Phantom Liberty will be a paid expansion pack, akin to Witcher 3 expansions Blood and Wine and Hearts of Stone.[8] A trailer for Phantom Liberty was released during The Game Awards 2022 which revealed Idris Elba had joined the project.[9] A release date of 26 September 2023 for the Phantom Liberty expansion was revealed during the 2023 Xbox showcase as part of the Summer Game Fest.[10] Pre-orders of Phantom Liberty grant the player a bonus in-game vehicle.[11] Ahead of the release of Phantom Liberty, CD Projekt released a major title update titled Update 2.0 on 21 September for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, which introduces the features that were announced alongside Phantom Liberty.[12] In December 2023, CD Projekt RED released Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which bundles Phantom Liberty and the base game together. Phantom Liberty was designed to be the sole expansion for Cyberpunk 2077.[13]

For the development of Phantom Liberty, the team was inspired by spy thriller. Dogtown is described to be a "rougher area" ruled by a militia leader, and a place where "unsavory characters escape to" because the corporals and the police are denied entry. The area, therefore, was designed to be "oppressive"[14] Speaking about the game's story, senior writer Magda Zych added that Phantom Liberty's narrative supplemented the base game's themes by "extending them to politicians at higher levels and to state agencies".[15] Idris Elba joined the project fairly early during its development.[16] He portrayed Solomon Reed, a spy for the NUSA. Elba described him as the player character's "guide, or protector in some cases", but they do not know if he is fully trustworthy. Elba, which had a side-career as a DJ, picked music for the in-game's radio station as well as creating three unique tracks for the expansion.[17] P.T. Adamczyk and Jacek Paciorkowski composed the score.[18] Dawid Podsiadło created the theme song for the game.[19]

Reception

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
MetacriticPC: 89/100[20]
PS5: 87/100[21]
XSXS: 91/100[22]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid8.5/10[23]
Game Informer8.5/10[24]
GameSpot10/10[25]
GamesRadar+4.5/5 stars[26]
IGN9/10[27]
PC Gamer (US)87/100[28]

Phantom Liberty received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, while the Xbox Series X/S version received "universal acclaim", according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[20][21][22]

Ted Litchfield from PC Gamer described Phantom Liberty as "a tense spy thriller" filled with "gruesome" choices, and "a thrilling capstone for Cyberpunk 2077's 3-year redemption arc".[28] Wesley LeBlanc from Game Informer praised Phantom Liberty, along with the 2.0 update as a "culmination" of work CD Projekt spent on reworking Cyberpunk 2077 following its initial launch in 2020. He liked the new ending, and praised the gameplay improvements which made stealth gameplay enjoyable.[24] Writing for GameSpot, Michael Higham gave the game a perfect score, giving strong praise to the game's story, side content and characters. He concluded his review by saying that "Phantom Liberty is Cyberpunk 2077 at its best", and praised it for respecting genre traditions and delivering a story that is "cruel, sobering, and bittersweet"[25]

Sales

As of October 2023, Phantom Liberty has sold 3 million units in a week after release.[29] By November 2023, Phantom Liberty had sold 4.3 million units.[30] In January 2024, CD Projekt Red announced that the expansion had sold over 5 million units.[31]

Accolades

Award nominations for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Year Award Category Result
2023 Golden Joystick Awards 2023[32] Best Game Expansion Won
Best Trailer Won
The Game Awards 2023[33] Best Narrative Nominated
Best Performance (Idris Elba as Solomon Reed) Nominated
Best Ongoing Game Won
Player's Voice Nominated
2024 New York Game Awards[34][35] Big Apple Award for Game of the Year Nominated
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game Nominated
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Nominated
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game (Idris Elba as Solomon Reed) Nominated
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC Won
27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards[36] Role-Playing Game of the Year Pending
22nd Visual Effects Society Awards[37] Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project Pending

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fenlon, Wes (September 22, 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 vs Phantom Liberty: What changes to expect from each update". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-20-vs-phantom-liberty-what-changes-to-expect-from-each-update/. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  2. ↑ Orr, Jessica (September 28, 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Relic Point locations for Relic skill tree". Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-relic-point-locations-skill-tree-9313. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  3. ↑ Livingston, Christopher (June 14, 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty adds cyberware that lets you air-dash, see through walls, and 'change your appearance to lose the heat'". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-adds-cyberware-that-lets-you-air-dash-see-through-walls-and-change-your-appearance-to-lose-the-heat/. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  4. ↑ Martin, Sean (September 28, 2023). "How to unlock the new Cyberpunk 2077 ending in Phantom Liberty". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-new-ending-phantom-liberty/. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  5. ↑ Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (2023-10-06). "CD Projekt spent over $120m to save Cyberpunk 2077" (in en). https://www.gamesindustry.biz/cd-projekt-spent-over-120m-to-save-cyberpunk-2077. 
  6. ↑ Egan, Toussaint (7 September 2022). "Phantom Liberty is the 'only planned expansion' for Cyberpunk 2077" (in en-US). https://www.polygon.com/23340860/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-only-planned-expansion-cd-projekt-red. 
  7. ↑ "Cyberpunk 2077 expansion Phantom Liberty announced, Edgerunners update now available – Niche Gamer". 6 September 2022. https://nichegamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-expac-phantom-liberty-announced/. 
  8. ↑ Jones, Ali (16 November 2022). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will be a paid expansion". https://www.gamesradar.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-will-be-a-paid-expansion. 
  9. ↑ The Game Awards [@TheGameAwards] (8 December 2022). "We pledge our allegiance to the New United States of America… this is Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty! @Cyberpunkgame #TheGameAwards". https://twitter.com/TheGameAwards/status/1601059059477585921. 
  10. ↑ S. Good, Owen (11 June 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty gets a launch date at the Xbox Showcase". Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/23757105/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-release-date-price-dlc. 
  11. ↑ "Phantom Liberty Release Date and Pre-Order Details". Vulkk. 11 June 2023. https://vulkk.com/2023/06/11/phantom-liberty-release-date-and-pre-orders-details. 
  12. ↑ Wales, Matt (14 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077's major 2.0 update arrives next week". Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/cyberpunk-2077s-major-20-update-arrives-next-week-on-xbox-series-xs-ps5-and-pc. 
  13. ↑ "Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Premieres This Year". 2023-11-21. https://www.cdprojekt.com/en/media/news/cyberpunk-2077-ultimate-edition-premieres-this-year/. 
  14. ↑ Bailey, Kat (August 26, 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Interview: The Most Important Improvements, Making Dogtown, and More". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-interview-the-most-important-improvements-making-dogtown-and-more. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  15. ↑ Parijat, Shubhankar (November 27, 2023). "The Big Interview – CDPR on Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's Development, Update 2.0, Cyberpunk's Future, and More". Gaming Bolt. https://gamingbolt.com/the-big-interview-cdpr-on-cyberpunk-2077-phantom-libertys-development-update-2-0-cyberpunks-future-and-more. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  16. ↑ Shepard, Kenneth (June 12, 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077 Devs Wrote Idris Elba's Phantom Liberty Role Just For Him". Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/cyberpunk-2077-idris-elba-solomon-reed-keanu-reeves-1850525501. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  17. ↑ Skrebels, Joe (September 14, 2023). "Idris Elba Interview – How Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Attracted Another Hollywood Superstar". Xbox Wire. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/09/14/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-dlc-idris-elba-interview/. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  18. ↑ "CYBERPUNK 2077: PHANTOM LIBERTY ORIGINAL SCORE AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE NOW". Milan Records. September 14, 2023. https://milanrecords.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-original-score-available-everywhere-now/. Retrieved December 31, 2023. 
  19. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (October 27, 2023). "How The Team Behind Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's Score Created A Spy-Thriller Soundtrack". Eurogamer. https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/2023/10/27/how-the-team-behind-cyberpunk-2077-phantom-libertys-score-created-a-spy-thriller. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (PC)". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (PlayStation 5)". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (Xbox Series X)". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Van Allen, Eric (2023-09-20). "Review: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty" (in en-US). https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-pc/. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 LeBlanc, Wesley (20 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Review". Game Informer. https://www.gameinformer.com/review/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty/so-long-night-city. Retrieved 24 September 2023. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Higham, Michael (20 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Review - The Songbird Sings". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-review-the-songbird-sings/1900-6418116/. 
  26. ↑ Loveridge, Sam (20 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review: "The culmination of CD Projekt Red's efforts"". https://www.gamesradar.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-review/. 
  27. ↑ Kim, Matt (20 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Review". https://www.ign.com/articles/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-review. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Litchfield, Ted (20 September 2023). "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review". https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-review/. 
  29. ↑ "Cyberpunk 2077 clears 25m sales and Phantom Liberty hits 3m in its first week" (in en-GB). 2023-10-05. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/cyberpunk-2077-clears-25m-sales-and-phantom-liberty-hits-3m-in-one-week/. 
  30. ↑ "CD Projekt says Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty has topped 4.3 million sales" (in en-GB). 2023-11-28. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/cd-projekt-says-cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-has-topped-4-3-million-sales/. 
  31. ↑ Romano, Sal (January 4, 2024). "Cyberpunk 2077 expansion 'Phantom Liberty' sales top five million". https://www.gematsu.com/2024/01/cyberpunk-2077-expansion-phantom-liberty-sales-top-five-million. Retrieved January 4, 2024. 
  32. ↑ Batchelor, James (November 13, 2023). "Larian Studios and Baldur's Gate 3 sweep Golden Joystick Awards". Gameindustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/larian-studios-and-baldurs-gate-3-sweep-golden-joystick-awards. Retrieved December 9, 2023. 
  33. ↑ Spangler, Todd (November 13, 2023). "The Game Awards 2023 Nominations: Alan Wake 2, Baldur's Gate 3 Lead the Pack With Eight Noms Each (Full List)". Variety. https://variety.com/2023/gaming/news/game-awards-2023-nominations-alan-wake-baldurs-gate-full-list-1235787390/. Retrieved November 18, 2023. 
  34. ↑ Kerr, Chris (January 4, 2024). "Alan Wake II and Baldur's Gate 3 lead 2024 New York Game Awards nominees". https://www.gamedeveloper.com/console/alan-wake-ii-and-baldur-s-gate-3-lead-2024-new-york-game-awards-nominees. Retrieved January 5, 2024. 
  35. ↑ McEvoy, Sophie (2024-01-24). "Baldur's Gate 3 wins big at New York Game Awards 2024". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/baldurs-gate-3-wins-big-at-new-york-game-awards-2024. 
  36. ↑ "27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/27th_dice_awards_finalists.asp. 
  37. ↑ Giardina, Carolyn (January 16, 2024). "'The Creator' Leads Visual Effects Society Feature Competition With 7 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/visual-effects-society-2024-nominations-list-1235788527/. Retrieved January 16, 2024. 

External links



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