Ulasan terkini oleh Don McGee

Similar to the base game, this DLC evokes mixed feelings within anyone who plays Cyberpunk 2077 with an open yet rational mind.

First and foremost, I need to state that this DLC is not worth $39.99. No chance at all. For comparison, CDPR released Blood and Wine for The Witcher 3 seven years ago at a price of $19.99. That DLC added approximately 40-80 hours of content (depending on how willing you were to explore everything), while also fundamentally expanding beyond the conclusion of The Witcher 3. Phantom Liberty is more akin to Hearts of Stone (also from The Witcher 3) in terms of content and presentation towards the main game, and that DLC was released for a price of $9.99.

Hearts of Stone added approximately 30 hours of new content, and as for Phantom Liberty, it took me approximately 15 hours to complete the main quest, and an additional 5 hours to complete the gigs and side missions. I will throw in an extra 10 hours for exploration (which I did not feel compelled to do), and this DLC is approximately 30 hours of new content. The fact that they priced Phantom Liberty for $39.99 feels genuinely insulting to anyone who has become invested with this game. However, that is beyond the point, and a completely separate topic.

I'm willing to overlook the price because of the cast they had for this DLC--I know for a fact that having Idris Elba play a role definitely required more money, but I always believed that having famous actors doesn't necessarily equate to a better product. In fact, the Voice Actor who played So Mi was far more phenomenal in her role than Idris Elba, but that's very subjective. Along with the price, I'm also willing to see past the bugs, and the lackluster gameplay, because I'm more interested in talking about the story and characters of the DLC itself.

If you're someone who does not mind paying that much for a very compelling story and you also don't mind going through a roller-coaster of emotions, similar to what the base game endings put you through, then absolutely, this DLC is worth your money. If you're someone who wanted an expansion beyond the base game as opposed to a mere "stretch" of what is already present, then I recommend waiting for a sale, and seeing for yourself.

This concludes my review that excludes any form of spoilers. If you're willing to read on, be warned, as there are spoilers moving forward.

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As one would expect, CDPR absolutely nails the writing. The story and the characters are all masterfully crafted. The soundtrack induces goosebumps. It truly is incredible. The two major characters of this DLC, Songbird and Solomon Reed, are both fundamentally flawed in their own ways, and that's what makes the story of this DLC a masterclass in writing.

Songbird is a netrunner who is losing touch with her humanity due to continuous breaches on the Blackwall. You will realize that she is chromed to the absolute max because she is practically a vessel for an AI to use in the physical world. She describes herself as being able to calculate the fractal structure of a snowflake, but not being able to remember her mother's name. In essence, she is losing her soul. Her survival, her "wish" to maintain her humanity is the main driving force behind this DLC. She is willing to betray everyone she knows to cling onto whatever is left of her soul.

Solomon Reed is an FIA agent who is teetering on the line between following his principles, or the orders given to him by those who command him. He had been betrayed once before by the people he serves, yet he continues to serve and follow orders as if nothing had happened before. It's what makes his character a fundamentally interesting character; his motivations are very unclear. You simply cannot tell if he wants to do the right thing, or if he's willing to turn a blind eye to what he is presented with because he's wired to follow orders.

Alongside these two characters, the third major character, in my opinion, is President Myers. Her desire to "win" a unification war is what brought her to weaponize Songbird in the first place. She was also the one who gave the order for the agency's betrayal towards Solomon. She wants to win a second unification war, and is willing to give up everything and everyone she knows to see it through.

Three characters with clear motivations seemingly set the ideal stage for what appeared to be the perfect DLC. However, it all fell apart because they commited one fatal flaw with the way this DLC was presented towards the game--it takes place within the plot of the main game. As someone who has played this game since its initial release, and all throughout its "Early Access", I genuinely found it difficult to suspend my disbelief and incorporate this DLC within the premise of the main story.

I kept telling myself that this DLC, despite offering a new ending, truly doesn't matter because in my mind, my "canonical" ending is one where V runs away with Panam. I felt indifferent towards everything that was happening, and everyone in the story of Phantom Liberty. I simply did not care. I chose not to care.

This raises an important issue that Cyberpunk 2077 has committed since the start; despite having a grandiose world with various themes to explore, the game still forces the Relic to be a part of everything. Think of it as trying to run a marathon with shoelaces untied--it limits movement. In this case, CDPR tying everything to the Relic limits their creative freedom.

Personally, I would've been just as invested in helping Song So Mi attain her freedom even if she told me that there is no cure involved for me--just the thought alone that V could play a part in preventing a Weaponized Netrunner from falling in the wrong hands and being unleashed is enough to be the basis of this DLC.

The best solution would have been to introduce this DLC as a continuation of the base game. If you chose to help Songbird during the quest Firestarter, she later reveals to you that someone approached her willing to help her escape her predicament. She described that someone to appear Corpo, with black hair, and Blue Eyes. If you've completed a base game ending involving V becoming an NC Legend, that someone is none other than Mr. Blue Eyes.

I personally think it would have been better if this DLC picked up right off from the base game ending (depending on which ending the player chooses) with Mr. Blue Eyes putting V in contact with Songbird, and being the one who helps Songbird escape to the Moon to develop a prototype cure for both V and Songbird. However, this all comes at a cost.

Consider this: you choose the nomad ending as your base game ending, and you live happily with Panam. However, this gig forces you to go back to Night City with Panam, threatening her life. Siding with Songbird forces NUSA to kidnap Panam and hold her ransom in exchange for Songbird. Now what do you do? Do you stick with Songbird who has a cure for you, or do you drop everything and save Panam, leaving you doomed forever? What are you willing to give up to survive? This allows you as a player to genuinely weigh the decisions you can make, as opposed to just helping Songbird out of the goodness of your heart.

I'd be willing to bet that Phantom Liberty was originally meant to be a part of the initial release, but was not polished at Cyberpunk 1.0, hence why it was not released with it. However, after three whole years, they finally completed the game, and decided to insult us by releasing it for $39.99. Look, I love Cyberpunk 2077. It's one of my favorite games. I want it to succeed. I'm still probably going to play it even more. But now, I'm even starting to question how much I'm willing to allow myself be played for a fool.

EDIT: Added a few more points after reviewing DLC content, and re-worded my review so that I can convey my points better.

Thought it was funny to hear about truck drivers playing this game on their downtime, but man, I get it to be honest.