Few updates have changed how a game plays and will likely be received quite like the overhaul headed for Cyberpunk 2077 as part of its 2.0 update.
Scheduled for September 26, the Phantom Liberty expansion doesn't just promise a fresh storyline starring the ever-so-dashing Idris Elba, who, by the way, insists that he's not starring as James Bond, as Solomon Reed. More than that, it pledges a holistic reinvention of the gaming experience. The gameplay footage showcased at this year's Gamescom Opening Live, New Ways to Play, could've easily been retitled and called, The Game You Were Promised.
When Cyberpunk 2077 first launched in 2020, it filled gamers worldwide with anticipation and dreams of a technicolor playground in the future's gritty neon glow. But the reality failed to match the dream painted in the trailers. Now, it seems, CD Projekt Red seeks redemption with the release of Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 update.
Players are introduced to redesigned skill trees that appear to address a previously a somewhat half-baked approach to RPG mechanics. Forget the underwhelming minor percentage improvements; the update now takes a much deeper dive into dynamic character builds that range from hacking and stealth tactics to full-throttle combat. The trailer wasn't just a boring slideshow of new additions - it dazzled with protagonist V leaping from a motorcycle, sending shockwaves that resembled a fusion of sci-fi Dishonored and the visceral Mortal Kombat.