The Weight of Choice: Does Phantom Liberty Qualify as an Actual RPG Expansion?
Let’s ride straight to the point—Phantom Liberty is more than a mere DLC. This is CD Projekt Red’s attempt at redemption—yet another chance to illustrate they still know what an RPG is. Not solely an attractive sandbox with weapons, but a realm where your actions trigger reactions—and sometimes in ways that have you staring at the ceiling at 3 AM contemplating your decisions.
But does Phantom Liberty, a DLC that works best if you buy Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, actually do that? And the one that counts—do you have to complete Cyberpunk 2077’s primary game to appreciate it?
Short answer: No, but those missing would be the context of the storyline.
Long answer? Let’s get into it.
Not Detached but Standalone – Clean Narrative Trap
In this case, Phantom Liberty sets you up in Dogtown, an anarchic region presided over by a warlord, where deceit and espionage serve as the main trade. You pick from somewhere, which is quite good—NUSA has hired you to extract a particular asset, and it is recruitment to some sort part. And after this, the alliances and double-crosses web spin.
Phantom Liberty also has a spy-thriller story, and if that’s all you are looking for, the DLC has it. But if you want to feel the duality of your choices in the DLC as well as the base Cyberpunk 2077, you will need the original story as context.
Are there actual forks in the road, or just cosmetic detours?
In the case of Phantom Liberty, there are actual forks in the road. Not all of them, but more than in previous CDPR games. Unlike the base game, Phantom Liberty has a handful of crucial decision points that shift the course of the storyline. These are not limited to dialogues but also include critical changes to the narrative, such as the survival or death of key NPCs and shifts in controlling factions. One decision made in the middle of the game actually splits the entire story into two paths, far apart from each other, both having different missions and returning with different allies and consequences.
But (and there is always a ‘but’)—some of these branches feel constricted. The DLC’s storyline is fully contained within Dogtown as compared to something like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and while your choices matter, outside of a couple of modified ending slides, Night City at large remains unchanged.
Is that a flaw? Depends on what you want. If you want a spy thriller with meaningful consequences, this works. If you expected Phantom Liberty to totally rewrite the power structure in Night City, then you’re in for a disappointment.
Characters: Depth vs. Convenience
A strong RPG lives and dies based on its characters, and Phantom Liberty adds some of Cyberpunk 2077’s best—and most underutilized.
Song So Mi (Songbird) is the beating heart of the Phantom Liberty DLC—a person with a desperate secret and questionable morality. Her arc is the exact type of storytelling that I enjoy, with gray moral boundaries that force you to choose between loyalty and survival.
Then there’s Solomon Reed, played by Idris Elba, the NUSA spook with a morally fatigued conscience. He’s compelling, but his development hinges on a late-game revelation that is impactful but feels rushed. Part of his backstory is behind optional dialogue, which is a pity because his conflict could have been the emotional core of the story had it more breathing room.
And then there is Alex, the kinder of the group and an undercover agent. She is relatable and easy to connect with, but when compared with Songbird and Reed, she is relatively underdeveloped. Her stakes are disclosed far too late for them to be genuinely felt as part of the narrative, which makes it seem more like a gameplay addition, lacking the nuance of a fully fleshed-out individual.
What hurts the most here is the squandered opportunity. These characters had the potential to be great if they added more screen time, but the pacing of the DLCs sometimes opts for speed rather than exploration.
Ending That Mostly Sticks The Landing
Phantom Liberty offers multiple endings without spoilers, some more tragic and some even somewhat optimistic, with one ending tying into a new base-game ending. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition includes the main game and Phantom Liberty, but it does not work for players who buy cheap PS4 games. Still, in 2025, I guess enjoying the game on Series X/S or PS5 is more or less the norm.
The best part? These conclusions feel like they were thoughtfully crafted. There is no golden path where everyone wins. Be prepared to make sacrifices of allies, burn bridges, and, true to the nature of Cyberpunk, question whether any achievement could be deemed worth it.
However, one ending seems to wrap up far too quickly, concluding a major character’s story in a manner that feels more abrupt than tragic. While not game-breaking, it serves as a reminder that even Phantom Liberet’s storytelling remains imperfect.
Final Verdict: Is Phantom Liberty Worth It?
If you are an RPG lover who seeks:
- More ethically ambiguous decisions that hold weight.
- In-depth character arcs with compelling writing, even if some arcs feel like they are left unfinished.
- An impactful self-contained narrative that enhances the base game
Then Phantom Liberty is undeniably something you need to experience.
But if you expected:
- Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City world infrastructure issues are being reworked completely.
- Every decision to transform the game instead of just the DLC’s plot
- Having a seamless pacing experience (some arcs required more breathing room)
Tame your anticipation.
Does One Need to Purchase the Whole Game?
Not really, but emotionally? Yes. The moments in the DLC are strongest when the player has already experienced V’s struggle from the start. In this sense, you should buy Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition to enjoy the best and most complete experience, remembering that it works on PC and new consoles only. Phantom Liberty does prove CD Projekt Red still knows how to design complex narratives that have a real sense of consequences. It’s not flawless, but for fans of RPGs who have been drained of mighty choices, it’s a meal worth devouring.
