In my original 1.x review of Cyberpunk 2077, I noted that I enjoyed the game, but it wasn’t without it’s flaws.
At launch the game was plagued with issues; bugs, limited ability to actually play your preferred playstyle, and console players were almost complete screwed over until the game could be better optimized.
Now, however, we have Cyberpunk 2077 2.0: A massive (and free) overhaul of the game, coinciding with the release of the first (and only) DLC: Phantom Liberty.
Let’s get into the meat here and see why I think Cyberpunk 2077 is definitely worth playing now.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Update: What changed to make it better?
Beyond general optimization, the 2.0 update features a number of core changes to the game that makes replaying it 100% worthwhile.
The skill & attribute system has been changed dramatically, first of all. Builds now can have much more general synergy between skills, and skill progression is much more interesting. Systems such as hacking and stealth have been overhauled by such a degree that the core gameplay style has changed for both..
..Oh, and throwing knives are actually useful now!
Cyberware and equipment have also received overhaul, chiefly with a new tier system.
Originally, things like weapons were part of a more loot-shooter style; you’ll constantly be trying to get the latest & greatest, and if you liked a specific weapon, you’d need to invest heavily in crafting in order to keep it useful.
Now, however, we’ve got a much better tier system that – most importantly – doesn’t require investment in specific skills in order to continue to maintain your equipment.
Additionally, driving has changed quite a bit. Controlling vehicles is much better, but now you’ve also got vehicle control hacks, vehicle weapons, and more.
That’s just scratching the surface of the changes, however.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Update: Expanding gameplay
Missions and the like have expanded as well. There are now more side gigs you can run for fixers, and more random interactions (such as NCPD scanner hustles) play out in a much more logical fashion (in my opinion).
This means there’s a lot more to do in the game beyond the main story.
Additionally, many of the new side gigs are much more detailed and longer than they were previously. I found myself getting more out of these new ones than the old ones I had experienced in the 1.x version of the game.
This means replaying the game to try different builds is much more interesting now; you have a lot more to try out and do this time around.
Added to the game was a new way to get vehicles, as well, tied to a mission giver called Muamar “El Capitán” Reyes.
These missions basically call on you to go steal vehicles and bring them back to a specific location; they sometimes have time limits, and also may require you to lose tails before you can complete the mission.
Complete enough of these and you’ll unlock new vehicles for purchase, or even get some for free. You’ll also earn special discount coupons, making buying new vehicles even more enticing when you drop their price by significant amounts after collecting some coupons.
These missions aren’t perfect, however; Sometimes the timer just isn’t long enough to be able to get the vehicle to the garage in time. I had one particular mission where I had a 3 minute timer to get a slow-as-molasses boat of a car to a garage a significant distance away, and it wasn’t even close. Still, I got some reward, even if it wasn’t the full one.
Speaking of missions, let’s talk about the Phantom Liberty DLC, which, spoiler alert: is absolutely worth it.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC is totally worth it
I wasn’t originally going to play Phantom Liberty, but decided that since I needed to recreate all my guides for the game I’d go ahead and play Phantom Liberty as well.
I am – without a doubt – glad I did.
I’m going to avoid story spoilers here, but I do want to say this: The Phantom Liberty DLC storyline blows the original main story out of the water.
I rarely get excited for main questlines in games, but this one? Wow. It is incredible. The writing, gameplay, and cinematics are absolutely top notch.
Speaking of gameplay, the DLC does open up a number of other side missions, a new region, new cyberware, and a new skill tree (that progresses differently from the main skill tree).
I can’t speak more highly of the Phantom Liberty DLC. If more games produced DLC like this, I’m sure they would get much less crap for having DLC in general.
Let’s wrap things up, though.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0: Final Verdict
Ultimately, Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.0 update is welcome and reminds me of No Man’s Sky dramatic recovery post-launch.
It doesn’t excuse the rougher-than-normal launch, but it does redeem the game and CD Projekt Red in my eyes.
Not everything is sunshine and roses, however: The overhaul did introduce new bugs. Most I encountered were in the early game, but there were a handful I experienced later, including some that required reloading from an earlier save. Thankfully I never got the point to where I had to go back to an old manual save; Typically hopping back to the latest quick/auto save was enough.
If you’ve played the original release of Cyberpunk 2077, but didn’t feel like replaying it.. Give it a shot now.
If you held off playing it previously, definitely grab it.
If you’re just wondering if Phantom Liberty is worth it?
It is, by a massive stretch.
The game can provide hours upon hours of fun; It took me about 40 hours to get halfway through the main story again and finish the Phantom Liberty DLC.. And that doesn’t include all the extra stuff you can do on the side.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to planning another playthrough with a new build!