Back in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the most controversial releases in the gaming world. From the vast amount of bugs and lack of core features, the game caused a storm of complaints and refunds from its disgruntled player base. Three years later, CD Projekt Red has finally returned with the title’s first DLC expansion, Phantom Liberty, and with it comes a ton of new additions that have given some hope for the future of the franchise.
Players will be jumping back into the mysterious world of Night City, where they will be introduced to a whole new collection of weapons, new vehicles, and a new district to explore, along with an overhauled perks system that will change the way you build your V. There are also plenty of features that will be added to the base game in the same update, so if you choose not to buy Phantom Liberty, you’ll still be able to enjoy all that this new-look Cyberpunk 2077 has to offer.
Although it hasn’t been revealed which features will be free for base game enjoyers, here are all of the additions that Cyberpunk 2077 will be getting in the upcoming Phantom Liberty update.
All Cyberpunk 2077 feature additions in Phantom Liberty
Dogtown, Night City’s newest district
Dogtown has been introduced as the newest district in the game, which is an area located east of the Pacifica subdistricts. Although it was originally going to be a tourist destination filled with hotels, shopping malls, and resorts, this area has now become a combat zone filled with mostly abandoned, half-destroyed, crime-ridden areas with plenty of unique stories to discover.
There are, however, plenty of people who have found treasures within the turmoil. Black market dealings happen all the time within the districts walls, featuring fearsome new weaponry, fantastical cyberware, and plenty of trouble to discover along the way.
It’s a dangerous place to be, but an even better place to build your legend—if you dare.
New vehicles and vehicle combat
One of the biggest complaints that players had with the base form of the game was the lack of real dynamic situations with vehicles. I noticed early on that V could never really get into any unscripted car chases or car-to-car fights like what was presented to the public in the early trailers for the game.
It was a disappointing void that pulled me away from my immersion, since I could hop into a vehicle and drive away from any fight or crime that I wanted, knowing that I would never be chased. This time around, however, players are promised destructive combat on the speedways for Night City.
In the new trailer, players are getting a new catalogue of vehicles just in time for one of the most-requested features of the game: car chases and vehicular combat. Players will finally get chased down by enemies in a plethora of different vehicles, adding a whole new layer of authenticity to gameplay moving forward.
V is able to hack into enemy cars as they give chase, can fire weapons while driving, and some vehicles can even be equipped with rocket launchers and miniguns. It should bring new life to a game that has so many different places to drive, from alleyways and dirt roads to freeways with neon koi fish in the sky above.
Revamped police presence
When I first played Cyberpunk 2077, the game’s police system was practically a joke. Unlike other games of the same genre, law enforcement wouldn’t take time to show up to the scene of a crime. Instead, they would simply spawn nearby and run over to apprehend the suspects. In fact, in the earliest iterations of police in Night City, the game would simply spawn cops behind you when you weren’t looking, even if you were at the top of a massive skyscraper.
Related: Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty overhaul impresses at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023
Night City’s police presence seems to be completely overhauled. Police will now need time to respond and arrive to certain calls, and they will now give chase to players that are driving in their own squad cars. They will also set up roadblocks on the streets to stop fleeing players, and the worst offenders will be met with an elite special ops division called MaxTac—with lethal force authorized, of course.
Redesigned perks and cyberware
The perk system and cyberware systems in Cyberpunk 2077 have been given a new lease on life with update 2.0, featuring a ton of new options to customize your playstyle.
From hand-to-hand proficiency, sniper aficionados, knife enthusiasts, and everything in between, players can enjoy a whole new menu of changes and new perks that should help streamline their builds while still remaining as deadly as ever. Want to throw an enemy at other enemies like a rock? Dash through the air while blasting your foes? Deflect bullets with a sword? This new system promises to bring endless possibilities for your combat needs.
There is also a new Relic Perks system that will give you special powers, including superhuman durability and strength and an arm cannon that shoots multiple rockets.
Storyline additions, increased level cap
Not only will Cyberpunk 2077 get hit with a new overarching storyline, but players will now find plenty of different side missions and gigs to sink their teeth into. There will also be new dynamic events that players can run into during their adventures, and finally, there will be an increased level cap for those looking to grind out their character to their limits.
Ultimately, Cyberpunk 2077 is ready to usher in a whole new era when the Phantom Liberty DLC releases on Tuesday, Sept. 26.
