Quick thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty + 2.0 + New Ending (Spoilers included)
For the last few days I've been playing Phantom Liberty, slowly taking my time I get to know the new characters, delving deep into the game mechanics and just immersing myself in this new expansion and fucking hell, I swear to god, I have it really well cemented in my brain that in Night City it's kill or be killed, and they still got me by the throat with how the story concluded, and the airport mission - IYKYK - was a banger, on some peak kino banger shit.
Which speaking of, about the expansion itself, great acting - I at first Idris sounded a bit stiff, but I got used to how that integrated well with his character's roughness -, the spy thriller element alongside the writing are so top tier, it's genuinely insane how they manage to keep it very human in the sense of how everything and everyone is unpredictable regardless of personality or intentions, the new music is so fkn glorious, like Adamczyk and Jacek fkn killed it, the new 2.0 changes and updates literally turn the game more mechanically significant, as in you can now more finely tune your builds now that clothing doesn't have stats + the skill tree, it's honestly immense the amount of work that went into overhauling the main game + the expansion too, I had so much fun.
And the song credits too omg, it's all fun and games until the Polish man starts singing lol
Now the new ending, I don't really feel it's as bleak as people say it is, not as bleak as having your complex trapped in Arasaka's servers, but man, it still hits like a truck. V is no longer able-bodied the way she used to be, all of your friends have moved on, the most understandable being Panam who is distraught and angry, the most depressing being Vick, the most empathetic being Judy - I played fem V and dated her - and the most happy being Misty, I really love her new design which seems to be a mix of her and Jackie's style with the jacket, she looks so cool.
It's kinda like a second chance at life ending, now V can leave Night City, free of any shackles the way I see it, and pursue other stuff, I really like it. Also, "Think we can in our heart forgive each other ?", genuinely the most beautiful thing Johnny has said, it'll stay with me the most no doubt. It got me and my friend discussing how choosing to befriend Johnny throughout your playthrough really makes for the best interactions the game has to offer, and I really don't think I could ever be an asshole to Johnny, no matter how many playthroughs I do, I just love seeing him either happy, really sassy or genuinely mad and concerned when time calls for it.
A part of me does feel conflicted with my personal feelings and V's intentions cuz their dream was to be a legend in NC and having that stripped away must be soul crushing no doubt, especially when you lose almost everyone you loved in the way stuff isn't what it used to be, but me personally I'm just happy they get a second chance and just figure shit out on what to do next, but if there's an ending I definitely see as canon/"good ending" where both our POVs align, it's the one you part ways from NC with the Aldecados and go away with Judy and Panam to live your last days.
There really is no other dev like CDPR man, I love em
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