Yes, Phantom Liberty affects the base game by introducing new story elements, characters, and gameplay features that are integrated into Night City.
So you’re diving back into Night City, eager for more, but maybe you’re wondering, does phantom liberty affect the base game? It’s a valid question before you jump in. This expansion does more than just add a new area; it weaves its narrative and mechanics into the existing world.
You’ll notice new characters appearing, and some existing ones might have different dialogue and quests linked to the Phantom Liberty storyline. It’s not just an isolated experience; it changes the game as a whole. The effects enhance the overall gameplay.
Does Phantom Liberty Affect the Base Game?
Okay, so you’re wondering if jumping into the world of Phantom Liberty will mess with your already established Night City life in Cyberpunk 2077? That’s a smart question! The answer is a bit like a good pizza – it has layers. While Phantom Liberty is a separate adventure, it definitely interacts with the base game in some interesting ways. Let’s break it down so you know exactly what to expect.
The Core Experience Remains the Same
First things first: your core Cyberpunk 2077 experience isn’t going anywhere. All the main quests, the side gigs, the fixer contracts, the map, your car collection – all of it stays just as you left it. Phantom Liberty doesn’t rewrite the main game’s story or take away your progress in Night City. Think of it as adding a brand-new building to a city you already know well. You can still roam the old streets, visit your favorite vendors, and get into trouble with the NCPD, just like before.
New Opportunities and Interactions
Phantom Liberty does more than just add a new district, though. It introduces some changes and improvements that spill over into the base game. These changes might seem small at first, but they add a lot of flavor and excitement to your old stomping grounds. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Skill Tree Overhaul
One of the biggest changes that affect the base game is the complete revamp of the skill trees. CD Projekt Red didn’t just add new perks in Phantom Liberty; they went back to the drawing board and redesigned the entire system. This means your existing V might be in need of a respec, and you’ll have some new builds to play around with. This means your character, no matter where you are in the main story, gets a fresh breath of life. You will need to experiment to find what fits your playstyle after the 2.0 update that launched alongside Phantom Liberty. Previously, some perks were kind of pointless, but now, everything seems to have more impact. That’s amazing!
- New perks: You have many more new ways to customize your V. Maybe you always wanted to be a ninja with katanas, or maybe you like hacking enemies from afar. Now, you have much more fun way to personalize your character!
- Changed Perks: Some of the old perks have been removed, and the existing ones have been adjusted. This adds some nice depth to build crafting.
- Respec option: You can reset your skill points and try out new builds with zero cost. Don’t worry about permanently messing with your character, you can always change it.
Police System
The NCPD is now much more realistic. Before, they just sort of appeared out of thin air when you did something wrong. Now, they’ll chase you down, use different tactics, and become a real threat. So, if you liked the car chases, now they will be more challenging. This change is applied throughout Night City, not just in Dogtown. This will bring a new level of tension when exploring Night City. They are not easy to lose. Be prepared for a challenge!
Vehicle Combat
The ability to fight from your vehicle is now in the game, and it’s awesome! Imagine shooting out the tires of other cars while driving. It is a totally new experience in the game and this works everywhere in the base game and Dogtown. It makes car chase scenes much more exciting, both when you’re on the run, or when you’re going on the hunt. Prepare for some intense car combat!
Item and Gear Adjustments
Phantom Liberty also came with an adjustment to the base game’s loot system. The way you find and use items might be slightly different. For example, some armor has been changed, the perks added to clothes have been changed, and overall, you have more weapon variants now. CD Projekt Red has made many changes to what items you get and how you use them. This means your old V build might need a little adjustment when it comes to gear. Now, you need to consider your armor and clothes perks as well.
Increased Level Cap
Your maximum level has been increased. This means you can become even more powerful! This doesn’t just affect the new Dogtown area; it lets you go back and take on any quest that you previously felt was too difficult. You get the chance to perfect your character as you have many more points to get for your skills and attributes. Prepare to become even more of a legend in Night City.
How Phantom Liberty Integrates with the Main Story
Now, let’s talk about how Phantom Liberty actually fits into your story. This isn’t just some random side quest. It’s very well integrated into the main story.
When Can You Access Phantom Liberty?
You cannot access Phantom Liberty at the beginning of the game. You need to complete a section of the main story that will unlock the Phantom Liberty content. You can access the new content once you have finished the main quest titled “Transmission” in the main Cyberpunk story. But here’s a tip: you want to be a pretty strong level to enter the new area because the enemies are tough. So, you will probably need to play the game for a while before entering the new area. If you are planning to start a new playthrough, keep this in mind.
A New Storyline with Lasting Impacts
Phantom Liberty tells a completely separate story from the main game, but your choices in Phantom Liberty can affect how your main game ends. There are a few different endings for this new adventure, and depending on what you choose, it can change the overall conclusion of Cyberpunk 2077. Your actions in Dogtown can ripple back into the rest of your game. This makes the expansion feel like a natural and important part of the overall Cyberpunk story.
Dogtown: A New Area to Explore
Of course, the most obvious change that Phantom Liberty brings to the game is the addition of Dogtown. This is a whole new district to explore. It’s a dangerous place, filled with unique characters, quests, and of course enemies. Dogtown has its own vibe and it feels totally different than other parts of Night City. This new area adds a brand-new layer to the game for you to explore. You’ll want to spend plenty of time there!
- Unique Quests: Dogtown has its own set of main and side quests.
- New Vendors: You will find new shops and vendors selling unique items.
- New Cyberware: Yes! you can find brand-new cyberware and weapons in Dogtown, adding more ways to customize your build.
- More Gigs: You will find a plenty of more gigs for you to earn money and enhance your character.
Visual and Technical Improvements
Beyond the gameplay changes, there are also significant visual and technical improvements. These changes are not exclusive to Dogtown, and are applied across the whole game.
Graphics Updates
The game looks better overall. The lighting, textures, and details have all been improved. It’s not a completely new game visually, but you will notice that things look sharper and more beautiful. Your base game will get a graphical upgrade, making Night City even more immersive. The changes made to game’s visuals make Night City feel like a lived-in world.
Performance Enhancements
If you were having performance issues in the base game before, you might notice a difference after installing Phantom Liberty. There are some improvements that are supposed to help the game run more smoothly. It is possible that with the changes to the AI and the addition of new features, some players can see some performance hits, but for the most part, the updates have made the game perform better.
AI Improvements
The behavior of the enemies has been updated. The AI is now more challenging, but also smarter and more reactive. The enemies feel like they are actually trying to kill you now. The AI improvements in Dogtown and Night City make the game feel more dynamic. You’ll need to adjust your strategies, because you won’t be able to use the same tactics to beat the enemies. The AI changes make each encounter more intense.
Starting a New Game vs. Continuing an Old Save
One big question players have is whether they should start a new game or continue with an existing save file to play Phantom Liberty. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each choice.
Continuing an Existing Save
If you already have a V you’re attached to, there’s absolutely no need to restart. You can jump right into the Phantom Liberty content and experience all the changes with your familiar character. You will already have a collection of your favorite items. You will start at the right level, which will save you some time in leveling up. You can also see how your old builds function in the game with the new mechanics. The story progression will work naturally too. You can have a much more fun experience with your old character.
Starting a New Game
Starting a new game gives you the opportunity to play through everything again and enjoy the game from the beginning with all the new changes. This will give you the opportunity to play the game with new builds that use the updated mechanics. You will also experience the story in a new light. If you haven’t played for a long time, starting a new game can be the most fun way to play through the game again. This gives you the advantage of re-experiencing the game with all of its updates.
Overall, Phantom Liberty isn’t just a tacked-on story. It’s a big addition that enriches the base game in many ways. Whether you’re jumping back in or playing for the first time, the changes make Cyberpunk 2077 a more complete and exciting experience. You are now armed with a better understanding of the changes Phantom Liberty brought to your favorite game.
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty – Before You Buy
Final Thoughts
Phantom Liberty primarily adds new content to the Dogtown area and surrounding areas. It does not fundamentally alter the core mechanics of the main game. You do not need to start a new game to enjoy it.
Existing gameplay in Night City mostly remains untouched. Certain features are tweaked, but the main narrative and map areas of the base game stays mostly the same. The expansion greatly enriches the Cyberpunk 2077 experience, but does phantom liberty affect the base game in a way that changes the overall core experience.
