Cyber-Adventures in Dogtown

I finally decided that I was feeling like starting up a new CyberPunk 2077 adventure so that I could check out "Phantom Liberty."  (Funny/dumb thing:  my addled millennial brain keeps thinking "Phantom Menace" and I have to stop and correct myself way more than I want to admit) Very, very briefly I was intrigued by the option to start a new adventure at the point that "Phantom Liberty" begins--not like I haven't played through the entirety multiple times, but this seemed completely blasphemous.  I'm not completely through the DLC, but V is definitely deeply embroiled in the Dogtown drama.

Since I haven't fully completed the DLC, I thought I would just cobble together some thoughts about my impressions so far.

1.) The initial story mission starts off with a big, action-packed bang--tons of gun battles, a harrowing boss fight, and several notable and intriguing characters.  It's a lot of fun and very different from much of the mainline content.

There is a stunning array of full face masks, helmets, and chest holsters in
"Phantom Liberty."

2.) Dogtown is really what Pacifica should have been and I wish that the two zones were one conhesive zone (even though for story reasons that wouldn't really work).  The vibes in Dogtown are post-apocalyptic Las Vegas-esque with a dash of anarchy.  There are the standard gigs and side missions, but they decided to introduce some discovery/exploration oriented aspects.  There are no scanner jobs--because there's no NCPD in Dogtown--instead it's worthwhile to just wander around and check out the sites.  You can opt to go after one of the drones that periodically get shot down over the zone--marked by a plume of red smoke--but you'll have to fight off any other potential seekers.  Going after drones is generally pure chaos with different groups battling it out for control of the loot.  Or, you might accidentally stumble across a "heavily guarded" stash--it's marked by a new icon that sort of looks like three skulls and you can only find them if you're close enough; they don't automatically appear on the map.  Unlocking the stash requires taking out all the enemies in the area.  This generally includes some sort of big baddie/minor boss fight.  Tackling these locations is definitely worthwhile as they can hold unique legendary weapons and one of the new dataterms that give you "relic" points that reward enhanced abilities.

3.) They decided to throw in more "boss" style battles and I've found the combat to be more challenging.  I'm enjoying it except for the fact that I've opted for a stealth/melee weapons build that isn't the best for this scenario.  

4.) There are new unique legendary weapons and tons of new clothing items.  One of my favorite activities is messing around with the wardrobe function and making outfits for V.  They added in a literal boatload of very hideous head gear though...it's boggling.

V also gets a large selection of formal wear cuz every merc needs some
fancy duds.

5.) You can add vehicle theft to V's extensive list of criminal activities!  "El Capitan" now offers up random cars to steal and return to a certain point.  A random steering wheel shaped icon appears on the map and usually you'll have to fight off a few guards.  It's a repeatable mission so you can steal as many cars as you feel like.  As a reward you get some cash and an offer of a discount when purchasing vehicles through "El Capitan's" website.

I will write up a full review once I've finished V's fun times in Dogtown, but so far I'm having a dandy time.