Phantom Liberty impact on base game

[gajos]

Hi,

I pre-purchased CB2077 before its release but never really had time to play it. Started twice but never had time so it was always very beginning of the game.
Now I want to make another approach (if life allows...) but hearing that with 2.0 it's better to start from scratch.
So different question: will base/main game be any different if played with Phantom Liberty purchased or no difference here? I don't want to start again and then hear about different experience if I'd start game owning DLC.
Just asking. Thanks.

 

[oDARKSEIDo]

The opening of the game is unchanged and the DLC Story doesnt start until after completing the Main Story's Evelyn Parker Quest Line. The suggestion to start from scratch is primarily focused on the revamped features in the 2.0 update not necessarily to the DLC. The DLC makes no difference really if its a fresh start. Especially if youre not that far into the game to begin with. I have heard that it opens up a new secret ending for the main story but I haven't gotten that far to confirm and have avoided looking up spoilers. But, the main reason I've seen that you would want to start fresh is regarding Cyberware Capacity which determines which pieces of cyberware you can install on your body. You increase this capacity by leveling up and collecting Shards that specifically increase it. I think you're better off starting fresh so that you have ample opportunity to increase that as much as possible. A low capacity really can hinder the fun to be had with various builds.

 

[gregski]

Considering that you haven't advanced too far in your previous attempts I would suggest starting from stratch. 2.0 brings some important changes to the base game.

 

[gajos]

Sure, but having Phantom Liberty would make any difference?

 

[oDARKSEIDo]

Sure, but having Phantom Liberty would make any difference?

No. The 2.0 update is what makes all the difference in the main game. Phantom Liberty hardly affects the Main Game at all beyond this potential new ending that I havent confirmed myself yet. Otherwise, the 2.0 update changes are the main focus for the base game and your reason to start fresh.

 

[Martind_Forlon_]

Cars stealing & delivery is coming with PL and happens around whole Night City … I quite liked doing these missions from time to time.

Beside it there are more things which makes much more sense with PL. Personally I feel that CP is incomplete without PL expansion and imo should be part of the game from beginning … my pov, I understand there are numerous reasons including technical state of game (when CP released) why things are as is now.

Whole base game would greatly benefit from things added in expansion. Missions templates, random events, Boss fights etc… list of stuff can be very long. I really enjoyed PL, in fact still playing bcs not finished yet. Personally I only think that this game have still very huge potential to be better as is … but that’s another story

 

[Franksteen4]

I've played thought the game 3 times before Phantom Liberty/2.0. I have started the game using a saved game just prior to entering Embers (a point of no return for the original game). At this point, I have completed all of the important quests and would normally sail though to the end of the game as I have done before.

Outside of Embers before entering, I've gotten the phone call about Dog town, I made a save, having finished all other important quest objectives besides finishing the main quest.

I have read about unlocking the Phantom Liberty endings, but from what I've read, I don't like these endings, so I want to do is to jump into Phantom Liberty explore it's quest line, and whether I unlock these new endings or not, I want to return to Embers and finish the game with the original Along the Watch Tower ending.

Is this possible or does unlocking the Phantom Liberty endings, lock you out of the original base game endings? So bottom line, I'm looking for the quest sequence that allows me to accomplish this. Thanks!

 

[tavellone]

I've played thought the game 3 times before Phantom Liberty/2.0. I have started the game using a saved game just prior to entering Embers (a point of no return for the original game). At this point, I have completed all of the important quests and would normally sail though to the end of the game as I have done before.

Outside of Embers before entering, I've gotten the phone call about Dog town, I made a save, having finished all other important quest objectives besides finishing the main quest.

I have read about unlocking the Phantom Liberty endings, but from what I've read, I don't like these endings, so I want to do is to jump into Phantom Liberty explore it's quest line, and whether I unlock these new endings or not, I want to return to Embers and finish the game with the original Along the Watch Tower ending.

Is this possible or does unlocking the Phantom Liberty endings, lock you out of the original base game endings? So bottom line, I'm looking for the quest sequence that allows me to accomplish this. Thanks!

Without spoiling anything, yes there are choices that you can make in Phantom Liberty that will lock you out of base game endings.

 

[Franksteen4]

Without spoiling anything, yes there are choices that you can make in Phantom Liberty that will lock you out of base game endings.

So I'm looking for an easily described method to go explore the Phantom Liberty Quest line but not lock out the base game endings, if that is possible? Thanks!

 

[Zem]

So I'm looking for an easily described method to go explore the Phantom Liberty Quest line but not lock out the base game endings, if that is possible? Thanks!

You have nothing to worry about. It's exactly like the base game endings. You get a pop up box "point of no return" that occurs after everything in PL is done (in fact like a day or two after it's done) and you can turn away from this and go do base game endings at that point if you want.

If you choose to experience the PL ending, it's again just like base game, you can return to the point-of-no-return save and continue playing from there.

Caveat: There are choices you make DURING play of PL's quests that determine which of its four endings you can get. Without spoiling anything, not all of them result in the point-of-no-return ending. If you want to be sure you can go back and experience all of PL's different endings without replaying the whole game, you will want to set aside a savegame at the start of the PL mission called "Firestarter". The actual decision point is during that mission so you could also make a save closer to the decision point once you find it but just to be safe, set aside a save at the start of the mission. This choice locks you into two of the four endings. A later choice much closer to the end determines which of the remaining two endings you get. But again, the point of no return is AFTER all of that. So just play as you want.

 

[Hayashi.226]

In PL you will have to make a choice, but while the story goes in different directions you have the opportunity to unlock the new ending on either path. Like the endings from the base game, you can choose this one when you're up on the roof at MIsty's. Actually, the opportunity to get this ending is available once you've completed PL main quest, you just need to activate it. Doing so however brings you straight to that ending's epilogue and you skip the rest of the game.

 

[Zem]

So different question: will base/main game be any different if played with Phantom Liberty purchased or no difference here?

Installing PL doesn't change anything in the base game automatically.

Starting the Phantom Liberty quest after completing the Evelyn Parker story in Act 2 does change some things. You get access to the Relic perk tree as well as repeatable car theft missions and a quest from El Capitan associated with it. And of course you gain access to new gear that is usable in the base game too.

In other words, PL does come with goodies that would benefit your base game if you choose to start the PL quests before having completed everything in the base game. And as noted above, you are in no danger of locking out anything in the base game just by playing PL.