Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review: excellent expansion enhances an overhauled game

CD Projekt RED; PC, PS5, Xbox
The stylish RPG has undergone a radical transformation, and the expansion starring Idris Elba makes the best of the game's new features

Like a Night City gangster after a botched cyberware installation, Cyberpunk 2077 emerged from development as a half-finished pariah. When it was released in the dismal winter of 2020, the game's stunning virtual metropolis and cinematic storytelling were spoiled by its fundamental inability to satisfy as an RPG. Its open world lacked dynamism and didn't reward exploration. Its progression systems were tedious and uninspired. It had more bugs than a dead Netrunner. The PlayStation 4 version barely worked at all.

Given that Polish developer CD Projekt RED built one of the best games in existence with The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk was a comparative disappointment and the studio took a reputational pounding. Yet CD Projekt was known for improving its games post-release and in this regard, we were assured, Cyberpunk would be no different.