That Ending Tho--Part 2

This summer I finally decided it was time to invest in the "Phantom Liberty" DLC for CyberPunk 2077.  Yeah, I'm a bit late to the party, but I wanted to see how everything shook out before dropping an additional $29.99.  I did enjoy the DLC, but thanks to a recent conversation with a student about video games, I realized that I never wrote up a reflection on the "new" ending that's one of the added bonuses of purchasing the DLC. (Here's the link to my "Phantom Liberty" review--link) Spoiler warning:  This post will reference ALL endings to CyberPunk 2077.  Read on with caution!

Like any good RPG/CD Projekt Game, the end of "Phantom Liberty" forces V to make some heavy decisions about the key characters wrapped up in the events taking place in Dogtown.  There's Solomon Reed, the sleeper FIA agent whose loyalty to the NUSA seems unwavering (voiced and modeled after the excellent Idris Elba).  And, of course, there's So-Mi "Songbird," an enigmatic netrunner type whose motivations are hazy at best.  Your choices of endings comes down to decisions made during the last mission of the "Phantom Liberty" DLC--you can choose to help Songbird escape or to work with Solomon to capture Songbird.

I opted to help Songbird escape and if you're someone who enjoys intense combat, I would highly recommend choosing it as an option.  To help her escape, V must travel to the lunar launch port (a referenced, but inaccessible part of the base game) and infiltrate it so that Songbird can make it to a rocket that will help her escape to the moon.  The downside is that the FIA/NUSA is onto the plot and once V makes it to the port, it's crawling with goons--things fall apart quickly and escaping turns into a desperate sprint/battle through hordes of NUSA soldiers.  The entire thing culminates in one of the most intense combat sequences in the game--one last defensive stand against waves of soldiers trying to capture Songbird.  I've gotta admit, it's a rough battle (you probably want to holdout on starting "Phantom Liberty" until later in the game for the best combat abilities).  V, with Songbird's ability to utilize the dark magics of hacking the Blackwall, holds out long enough to escape...but Songbird is in rough shape and is barely hanging on.

Dogtown has its own vibe.

Once V and Songbird arrive at the shuttle, none other than Solomon Reed appears for one last plea--V must turn Songbird over to the NUSA.  He makes very few guarantees of her safety and dangles a big bonus to the deal--if V turns over Songbird, they can have access to the best doctors and scientists in the NUSA...specialists who could likely extract the Relic and save V's life.  Alternately, you can shoot Reed and put Songbird on the shuttle to the moon.  There's no deal, but Songbird lives.  Since I wanted to experience the "new" ending, I opted to turn Songbird over.

One of the most interesting aspects of opting for Reed's deal is that it seems like you don't even have to play through the rest of the game (if you choose to).  You can call him up at any time and the new ending will play out (that's the impression I got anyway).  I did choose to play through the rest of it and when you get to the point of making the "big" choice with Johnny you can opt to call Reed.  Reed shows up with a helicopter and a doctor who can assess V's condition.  There's an uncomfortable discussion that's basically Johnny's goodbye--V can apologize for the choice but Johnny's pretty salty about simply disappearing.  I don't love Johnny, but it feels bad to just cut him loose to save V's life.  V's condition declines and the doctor is forced to give them an anesthetic...everything cuts to black.

The next scene starts with V waking up in a hospital room.  A few seconds later, Solomon Reed appears and explains the situation to V--the surgery was a success, the Relic is gone (and Johnny with it).  The bad news...V has been in a coma for three years...plus, the Relic caused so much damage to V's nervous system that they will never be able to utilize any cyberware.  He then presents V with some options--they can choose to stay and take a desk job with the FIA or they can return to Night City.  Before the choice is made, a scene that is slightly similar to the Arasaka ending plays out.  V can call up some of their former pals from Night City.  The first call my V made was to her romantic partner, Judy.  Judy is shocked to hear from V, but the reality is that three years have gone by...life, and Judy, has moved on.  Judy is happily married and has left Night City.  It's a bit of a bummer, but V can still try to contact their other pals--calling Panam results in no answer (weird for someone who was best pals with V).  Viktor does answer and offers up his medical expertise to try to see if V can actually use cyberware.  Solomon then re-enters the room and you can make your final decision--stay or return to Night City.  I opted to have V return.

Upon returning to Night City, V is greeted with a city that has obviously been overtaken by Militech interests (there are some newsy type of references that imply that Arasaka withdrew from the NUSA thanks to internal family turmoil)--the streets are crawling with Militech soldiers and mechs.  V arrives at what used to be Misty's store to discover that it's gone--replaced with a Zetatech tech store.  It turns out that Viktor finally chose to sell out to the corporate interests and is now under their employ.  V manages to negotiate a quick visit with Viktor and heads down to his shop.  Viktor is pleased to see V and assesses her condition...unfortunately, Reed was correct, V's system is beyond repair and they can't equip any cyberware.  The whole situation ends awkwardly when a Zetatech client shows up and Viktor has to essentially push V out the door to handle them.

V is understandably shook and is trying to navigate the narrow alleys around the shop when they are confronted by two street thugs (a common occurrence in Night City).  V of the past wouldn't even blink at these two fools, but current V is cyberware-less and still recovering from a three year long coma.  V takes a beating, but luckily a bystander shows up...it's Misty, but a much different Misty--she's lost her punk aesthetic.  They're shocked to see each other and strike up a conversation--V asks about the store and Misty discusses Viktor's decision to sellout.  Of course Misty was adamantly opposed and it has strained her relationship with him.  In fact, Misty is there because she's saying goodbye--she's leaving Night City for good.  Misty's always good for a deep conversation and V reveals their inability to wield cyberware.  Misty implores V to accept things--yeah, V can't be the badass, edgerunner that they wanted to be, but they still have a life...even if it is bland, normal one.  Misty grabs a cab and departs...V blends into the crowd of nobody's walking the streets of Night City.

Like any good CD Projekt Red ending...it's a mixed bag.  This is the only ending where V gets to live (longer than a few months and as themselves--not Johnny's consciousness in V's body).  The obvious downside is that V's dreams of climbing the ladders of Night City success have been completely dashed.  I guess it does really come down to Dex's two choices--would you rather live fast and die young as a Night City legend or live a long, boring life?  V's faced with the long, boring life choice (but is that such a bad thing?  It definitely feels like it in this context).  I was vaguely excited for this ending because I had seem someone comment that they cried...I thought they meant that in a good way!  It turned out to be a bit of a bummer.

It's nice to have another ending after having played through ALL of the others (and honestly, none of them are "perfect").  I like to envision V as staying in Night City and becoming a top fixer.  At least that's semi-positive.

The Dog(town) Days of Summer

I've finally finished up my even more epic playthrough of CyberPunk 2077 featuring the "Phantom Liberty" DLC.  Whew!  It was quite a journey thanks to the fact that I had to delay for a week or so due to some unforeseen technical issues.  So, what's the official verdict?  Is it worth your cash to spend another $29.99 on CyberPunk?

What is it?

The one and only DLC for CyberPunk 2077.  It introduces a new area to the already large Night City as well as an action-packed story, new friends and foes, as well as a plethora of new items (weapons, cars, clothing...the whole she-bang).

How long does a playthrough last?

Depending on playstyle (sticking only with the main storyline vs. being a completionist) I would estimate between 20 and 40 hours.

Pros:

The Heavy Hearts Club is a notable Dogtown landmark.

+ Dogtown is what Pacifica really should have been--it's the rotting bones of the partially completed mega-hotels and ruined entertainment venues.  Honestly, I wish the two zones were one cohesive area (but, thanks to the lore/story in "Phatnom Liberty" that's not a possibility) because I was a bit underwhelmed by Pacifica in the core game.  Visually it has some variety--there's the swanky Heavy Hearts Club with it's Egyptian theme (and obviously Las Vegas Luxor style inspo); there's the more down-on-your lucky feeling containerville with its stacks of homes; and of course there are the huge cranes and looming bulk of the giant hotels.  There are some notable, visually unique places--Terra Cognita features multiple technology expo buildings.

+ The vibes in Dogtown are slightly different than the rest of Night City.  The area is ruled by what basically amounts to another gang, Barghest.  (*A nice nod to The Witcher that also features a similar color scheme to the legendary beast--fluorescent yellow) There aren't any police and there's a hint of anarchy (but Barghest basically act as the law).  One regular feature is drones being shot down over the area--you can audibly hear when this happens and see the downed drone crash.  The location is marked with a giant plume of red smoke and you can choose to pursue it.  If you do...better be prepared for a fight because there's usually at least one faction in the mix battling it out.  The reward--some semi-swanky loot.  (I think I went after one drone and that's it, but it is kind of fun)

Since the NCPD is not a presence in Dogtown, there aren't any scanner jobs.  (Bet you're bummed about that since there are about 500)  There are multiple gigs though as well as the introduction of a new side activity that you can choose to participate in--stealing random vehicles for Muamar "El Capitan" Reyes.  I enjoyed the gigs and I've always loved stealing cars in games.  Before I played "Phantom Liberty" I found the vehicle combat to be superfluous, but it factors into the auto theft jobs.  Typically once you've hopped into a vehicle you'll be pursued by some angry baddies and need to either lose them or fight them off.  Alternately, some missions have an optional timer that you can beat to earn a bonus.  After you've completed the first vehicle theft job they will start appearing on your map at random.  Why do them though?  They've added in several new vehicle models that can only be purchased once you've completed a certain number of vehicle theft jobs.  There are some pretty flashy cars on offer if that's your jam.

Sorry Kerry...V's the star here!

+ The story and gigs are much more combat focused.  Very early on in the story you face off in one of the tougher fights of the game.  Gigs also tend to have moments akin to cyberpsycho fights where you're facing off against one "boss" type of enemy.  If you ever felt frustrated that the core game didn't feature enough "difficult" combat opportunities, it's like "Phantom Liberty" tried to correct that.  Stealth is still an option in many scenarios, but you should fully expect that you'll be battling it out at some point.

+ Hidden opportunities in Dogtown.  There is a new set of special "Relic" talents introduced in "Phantom Liberty."  They provide upgraded abilities with a special focus on cyberware--augmenting your arm blades, launcher, or monowire.  However, you don't earn them with traditional experience points and have to locate special Militech dataterms scattered throughout Dogtown.  In order to find these terminals you have to explore--some are easy to find and others are located in special areas populated by enemies (that generally includes one of the aforementioned "boss" type of fights).  The locations do not show up on your map and you have to be in the general vicinity for them to even pop up (although the terminals themselves do make a very notable beeping noise).

+ An action-packed story with plenty of difficult choices.  Similar to the core game, there are multiple endings to choose from...and, in typical CDPR fashion, they're all a mixed bag of positive and negative outcomes for V and the other characters.  The story missions see V doing all kinds of crazy things--incorporating special face-shifting technology and attending a fancy dress party (my favorite story missions are the balls/fancy dress party ones).

+ Engaging new characters--Idris Elba is the model and actor for Solomon Reed, a veteran FIA agent (the fictional CIA equivalent); So-Mi "Songbird" is a netrunner who works for NUSA president Rosalyn Meyers (both are interesting characters); and there are many others who figure into the story as both major and minor characters.

+ Making certain story-based decisions in "Phantom Liberty" unlocks a new ending in the core game.  I won't spoil anything, but after experiencing all the other endings in previous playthroughs, it does offer a bit of a refresher on the same ol', same ol'.

The mysterious Mr. Hands.

+ Mr. Hands gets a cool makeover, a very awesome base of operations, and a less cheesy vibe.  He's the fixer for Dogtown and Pacifica (with "Phantom Liberty") and you get the chance to meet him in person.

Cons:

- Bug-tastic...even after all this time. They are no longer patching CyberPunk, and the last time I played through it I felt like it was probably in the best, least buggiest state that I had seen it.  This time though...I encountered numerous bugs.  Probably one of the most annoying bugs I encountered is one that has been known almost since release--the dreaded "unavailable" fast travel terminals.  Luckily, this issue worked itself out after at least 1 in-game day had passed, but it was obnoxious.  There's a certain vehicle called the "Blackbird" that is part of the vehicle theft missions from "El Capitan" that is notorious for bugging out.  The vehicle in question is capable of hacking and disabling enemy cars but you have to stay within proximity for a certain amount of time--basically, you're chasing down a speeding vehicle that is shooting at you.  Twice I had the hacking counter get to 60 or 70% and then it wouldn't advance any farther.  Searching this issue revealed that those missions are notoriously buggy (skip them if you have problems--you don't have to do them).  I had an issue in the core game where I couldn't talk to Judy in her apartment (once I had chosen to romance her)--she was standing at the window with the shutter closed and was basically stuck.

It's a bit frustrating that these bugs persist...especially those that have been a known quantity for several years.  Don't expect a "perfect" experience and remember to save frequently.

Additional Features:

If it has been awhile since you fired up CyberPunk you'll probably notice some other changes that were added in as bonus content in major patches that were released with/after "Phantom Liberty."  I thought I would mention a couple.

1.) "Quality over quantity." Your chosen romantic partner will reach out to V to spend some quality time together.  You can choose from any of your rented locations and invite them over.  At the location you can chat, cuddle, dance, shower, and sleep together.  It's kind of nice to have this added because many people griped that V's interactions with his/her romantic partners felt kind of short and lacking.  The downside is 1.) your partner texts to hang out fairly frequently 2.) there's very little/no new dialogue.  If you have "Phantom Liberty" installed there is a little bit about the events in it, but other than that...it's the same.

2.) They've added a few new music stations, which is nice.  They've also made it so your radio plays pretty much all the time--even when you're in the open world.  It will toggle off when there's dialogue you need to hear/participate in, but it automatically turns on.  I was a bit irritated with how often I had to turn it off (I didn't check the settings to see if there was something to toggle it) because I prefer the in-game music.  It also shares a hotkey with something else so you'll want to change that setting.

Recommendation:

I think the $29.99 price tag for "Phantom Liberty" is fair for the content you get.  The story is enjoyable with lots of cool/fun moments, there's more of a combat focus, and Dogtown offers up some variety from the rest of Night City.  If you enjoyed the core CyberPunk experience you'll like "Phantom Liberty."  Don't be surprised if you encounter some bugs though...sadly.

Temporarily Sidetracked

I had fully intended to be continuing trucking through my "Phantom Liberty" playthrough of CyberPunk 2077 (which, I have actually finished the core of the content but wanted to experience the "new" ending that is tied to "Phantom Liberty) but have unfortunately had to put it on hiatus due to some technical issues.  While enjoying my adventures I had noticed that my PC seemed to be a bit on the hot side--I chalked it up to the fact that it is summer and is in fact well, hot.  Generally I run a fan in my gaming room/office to help keep things cool (because anyone who is gaming in the summer months knows that the combination of hot weather + a nice, toasty warm PC can make a sweaty, uncomfortable experience) and it tends to drown out a lot of external noise.  Then, on a cooler morning, I decided that I didn't need the fan and started CyberPunk up only to discover a somewhat alarming, grindy noise coming from my PC.  After some case deconstruction I isolated the source of the bad noise--one of the fans on my GPU is apparently coming to the end of its life cycle.  My PC is getting a bit long in the tooth at 5 years old, so it's inevitable that something will wear out.  The good news is that my GPU is still working--I've been limiting myself to titles that aren't graphically demanding in the hope of repairing my ailing 2070.  I've decided to attempt to replace the fans (you can easily find new fans online) in the hope of not having to invest in a new, expensive GPU.  (*This is not something I would recommend to anyone who still has a GPU that is under warranty--send it back for your warrantied repairs.  Yes, it's a PITA and takes time, but it's undoubtedly better to have professionals do it. My card at 5 years old is well out of warranty range and I figured it would be worth trying a $30 repair before having to spend several hundred dollars for a new card.)  Basically wish me and my poor, ol' 2070 luck with our repairs.

While I wait for my replacement fans to arrive (all the way from China), I've been occupying myself with the newest installment of the SteamWorld series--SteamWorld Heist II.  I've been very excited about the release of Heist II because the first game was my favorite in the multi-genre spanning series.  Thus far my Heist II adventures have been challenging, but enjoyable.  (Added bonus that it's not graphically demanding and my GPU fans don't need to spin up at all) I'm looking forward to writing up a full review once I've finished up a playthrough.  If you haven't heard of the SteamWorld games, look them up on Steam.  I would highly recommend playing the first Heist game before checking out the second (although, it's not something that you need to have played first to have an idea about the second game.  It's very accessible to new players)

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.  

Cyberpunk Hype

I'm still blithely plugging along with my Mass Effect: Andromeda playthrough, but as the release date for Cyberpunk 2077's first (and apparently only) DLC creeps closer I've been seeing more Phantom Liberty news.  I've been feeling a hankering for a re-play of Cyberpunk but it's looking like it's better to wait for a little while.  There has been some good news--especially if you're like me and not intending to pounce on Phantom Liberty immediately (it releases on September 26th).

According to this PC Gamer article, the 2.0 update to the core game will make a new playthrough completely worthwhile.  The highlights for me--a total rework of the talent system!  Let's be real, the talent system was pretty blah--it's hard to get excited for abilities that are like "increase x ability by 3%," but the new system sounds like it adds in some legitimate skills to make V feel like a cyberware sporting badass.

This is an outfit with the best stats that my V sported for awhile.
Would you be scared of this person?

Other highlights include the fact that armor is no longer tied to clothing and instead is part of cyberware stats.  Personally, this is a change I'm stoked for.  All too often my V wound up looking like a goober because the gear with the best stats (which were mostly tied to armor) wasn't the best looking.  Although it's purely cosmetic, it'll be nice to let V look cool.  Also, they added in the ability to pet cats!  Definite plus there.

The 2.0 update is scheduled to release on September 21st, so it's not long until we'll get to see all these changes in action.  One thing I'm a little bit worried about is the fact that they've said that they're dropping HDD support.  My PC is getting a little bit long in the tooth and when I built it (almost 5 years ago), I decided to go with a larger, cheaper HDD as my game storage drive, and that's starting to look like it might be a problem.  Starfield released with a SSD requirement and the HDD is going the way of the dodo.  SSD's are now much cheaper than they were 5 years ago, so adding another wouldn't be too much of a budget crunch.  Another worry is the fact that they bumped the specs up a bit for Phantom Liberty (but in the core game too).  My PC still falls the range of requirements, but it's more toward the minimum side now.  We'll see how it goes.

If you haven't seen it, a new cinematic trailer for Phantom Liberty dropped a couple of days ago.  It's pretty intense and definitely makes me curious about the story and characters.  Take a gander if you haven't already:

I'm looking forward to checking out all the 2.0 changes to the core game.  I'm probably going to sit on Phantom Liberty for awhile and see how it shapes up (and if it'll actually work with my HDD).  Happy gaming!

Phantom Liberty and the Death of an Ol' Reliable Friend

The hot, breaking news of the week was tied to some kind of summer games announcement/preview-fest (I don't rightly remember which one and sort of don't really care).  If you've been keeping an eye on Cyberpunk news, then you undoubtedly saw the 9 trillion articles, trailers, sponsored ads and whatnot--I know my social media feeds have been chocked full!  It finally looks like the Phantom Liberty DLC is happening and the hype train has officially left the station.  There were definitely a few pieces that stood out to me, so let's dig in!  Here's a shiny new trailer (I mean, if you haven't already seen it a dozen or so times):

1.) Expect a $29.99 price tag.

If you were hoping that Phantom Liberty would be like the DLC for The Witcher 3 in that it was very reasonably priced, well, just keep hoping because that era is over.  However, it does sound like there's going to be quite a bit of new content including new cyberware (including some that adds interesting abilities like changing your appearance as a disguise or allowing you to "air dash") and talent trees.  The story takes place in a new part of Night City, so there's also new locations that will include side missions and scanner jobs.  Apparently it's much more difficult to design content that includes a lot of verticality as opposed to the flatter terrains in The Witcher 3, so that's part of the price justification.  (Source)

2.) The system requirements for the entire game are changing.

In order to utilize all the new, shiny graphical bells and whistles (ray tracing, DLSS, etc.) the entire game is getting an upgrade.  This announcement gave me some palpitations because my 4 year old PC isn't exactly cutting edge anymore (not that I was ever running it on super-high settings).  Luckily, I should still fall somewhere on the low to medium end of things.  If you're running an older machine, you might want to check them out.  This update should be happening prior to the release of Phantom Liberty.  (Source)

3.) The age of the HDD is ending.  RIP old buddy.

One of the interesting pieces of news that hasn't just been tied to Phantom Liberty is the fact that new release games seem to be moving away from support for old school, hard disk drives.  Part of the system requirement announcement mentioned that they will be dropping support for HDD's and are pushing for people to use solid state drives (SSD's).  The game will still work if you are using a HDD but they won't be testing it or offering support for HDD based systems.  I am still using a HDD for my game storage, so maybe it's time to start looking into swapping over to a SSD (I've read that there's really not a great difference in load times...but I guess they're trying to push people into the 21st century).  Bethesda's upcoming space-Skyrim, Starfield, also includes a similar requirement, so get to upgrading those old drives if you want to be rocking the triple-A titles.

So, what?  Should we all run out and pre-order?

No, please don't do that!  I plan to keep the ol' peepers peeled and wait awhile to see what happens--it sort of doesn't seem that many people are doing that since both Phantom Liberty and Starfield shot up to the top of the Steam charts...and they're not even close to being out!  Patience, people...patience!  People who got a chance to play Phantom Liberty are saying positive things about it, but don't forget the absolute train wreck that was the Cyberpunk release.