First evaluations of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

First Impressions of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – 90 out of 100 on OpenCritic

On September 20, 2023, six days before the release of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, reviews of the expansion surfaced online. The average DLC rating on OpenCritic stands at 90 out of 100, based on 50 reviews. All journalists recommended the expansion for playthrough.

On Metacritic, the average score for Phantom Liberty is 90 out of 100, based on 28 reviews.

All reviewers unanimously agree that in Phantom Liberty, developers have crafted an incredibly engaging story with colorful and memorable characters. The expansion offers a “dynamic and thrilling spy thriller” in which players will have to make numerous tough decisions. Furthermore, in some missions, the main character will face “truly challenging and even contradictory choices,” as noted by one of the reviewers.

The authors of Phantom Liberty seamlessly integrated the events of the expansion into the main storyline, enhancing the overall atmosphere of Night City – the setting where the main events unfold.

In their reviews, critics praised the 2.0 update, set to release on September 21. Altered mechanics, including improved crafting, revamped perks, and implant systems, promise a fresh gaming experience, even for those who’ve played the game multiple times. The updated AI of the police force is now functioning as it should, according to the CoveredGeekly reviewer. He confirmed that law enforcement no longer magically appears behind the player.

However, Windows Central reported that the AI behavior in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty still leaves something to be desired. According to the reviewer, even after the 2.0 update, enemies aren’t effective in taking cover or surprising players with tactical decisions. On the other hand, several journalists mentioned that the AI has indeed improved.

Many reviewers noted encountering minor bugs and glitches during their playthrough of Phantom Liberty. Developers couldn’t completely eliminate these technical issues. However, based on the reviews, the number of bugs is relatively small.

The Verge’s reviewer stated that after the release of Phantom Liberty and patch 2.0, CD Projekt RED’s game “became what it should have been from the start.” The journalist expressed immense pleasure from playing the enhanced and expanded version of Cyberpunk 2077. IGN’s author also concluded that players now have the opportunity to experience the best version of the action game.

Completing the main story of Phantom Liberty, consisting of 13 missions, takes anywhere from 15 to 25 hours, depending on difficulty and playstyle. Additionally, the expansion introduces 17 substantial side quests that can extend the gameplay by another 10-20 hours. Some journalists even reported spending more than 40 hours in the expansion but hadn’t explored all of its content.