THERE COULD/WILL BE HEAVY SPOILERS, YOU HAD BEEN WARNED!
In this post I will give my thoughts on the main (for me, at least) characters of the Phantom Liberty expansion/DLC. I will mostly focus on the writing of the characters, but will go over some part of their involvement in the story.
CLARIFICATION:
Because the story and the characters involved in it are revolves around a government (NUSA) and it's president, also said government's secret service (FIA), I will write about those, too (sometimes in critical tone). Whatever I write, it is in the context of the game! I couldn't care less about anything from the real world that resembles the aforementioned parts of the game! Anyone who reads this can have whatever his/her opinion about any real world stuff. It is their right to be able to have opinions! Just don't push said opinion on me and on my stuff, on what I'm writing. This writing isn't political in any possible way, it's about a game, the game's story, the game's world and the characters in it!
(In an ideal world, I wouldn't feel the need to write this clarification, but I feel like we are far (and getting further) from a level-headed world...)
Solomon Reed:
Idris Elba's character is going to be one of my example of "gray" characters. He showcases multiple, non-conflicting (in writing sense!), layers that you will get to know through playing the main mission. His unwavering dedication to his job/duty and his comrades, to whom he has to remain loyal and the internal conflicts are all there, worked out (IMO) extremely well. You will get to know someone who has been betrayed by almost everyone whom he trusted and still fight's for his comrades, his values never wavered. At the same time, you will see how much of his "loyalty" (the " " marks aren't there for degrading!) are actually there to uphold an unrealistic worldview, where the preexisting system he joined (in this case, the FIA) will start to work, turn out as he on his own would expect the world would if he keeps doing the right things. For me, it relatively soon started to look like - and later became crystal clear - that his conviction and unwavering attitude are there for him not think he did something wrong. While he expresses great regret towards the situation of Alex and Songbird, most likely because he knows he had such a great part - simply by blindly following orders - in them getting where they are at the start of the Phantom Liberty storyline. What I thought was a great creative move is that his reality blocking mechanisms aren't there for him to not feel bad about himself. For me, it seemed like they are there, Reed refuse to face the reality of the FIA's world around him because that would erase any possible chance to make things even coming close to right. I got the feeling he unconsciously knew how powerless he was in the political schemes he and his comrades got involved. He never had any chance to stay true towards any of his conception of right, and the institutions never had anything to do with any of the values they said to uphold. His only way not to break down, not to burn out - and thus admitting "defeat" and leaving people behind - was to stick with delusions (mostly for himself, but also for anyone around him, especially who would challenge his worldviews), about the world, about his role in it, about the work he does. All of this becomes more and more evident as you progress through the main story of PL. I've done the Firestarter quest for both versions, and I felt like I got to see the same man I described previously in vastly different situations, thus showing me the different reactions of the same - quite complex - character.
Reed's writing, and his role in the story are the biggest highlight of PL, at least for me. Idris Elba's exceptional acting as the character, and CDPR's great work in bringing him into the game are the cherry on top! Great work!
Alena "Alex" Xenakis:
For me, the most "human" character of the whole DLC and I mean that in an absolute positive way! Many stories - games, books, movies and series - screw up the more "easily connectable" characters by making them or their involvement stick out of the main story or it's flow. With Alex, though, I never had this feeling. At first, you get to know the second experienced secret agent in the quickly set up team you are involved. You quickly get to know some of the betrayal she also had to endure from the same agency (FIA) that you had just started to work for. You get to know how much of her and Reed's past are intertwined - and complicated by the FIA. What was a - pleasant - surprise for me is that how natural her more human/less robotic nature (compared to Reed) felt like. She's the one who - aside from Johnny - give's you a heads-up about the whole FIA business, about what to expect from getting involved in this mission and with her and Reed. From the get-go she spoke with quite bitterness about the mission(s) ahead of you, about working with/for the FIA, and the more you talk with her, the more this bitterness gets validated. Yet for me, by the and of the main story of PL it became evident that she was the only one who hadn't thought about you as an asset, as a tool to get something done. Sure, she helped, sometimes urged you to get the actual mission done, but every time you speak with her, she's the only one - out of the main story's cast - who speaks with you as a fellow human and without an agenda. This only becomes evident after you went through the whole storyline - most importantly the two versions of Firestarter. She is the only one who - as it unfolds during the main questlines - managed to remain really human, as in mentality. Compared to Reed, Songbird or Myers, she maintained her "human side" the most, despite going through many traumatizing event, despite seeing and experiencing the same cruel side of the business she is in. Yet none of these felt unnatural, none of this felt out of place. She being written this way not just gave you some breather during the main storyline but also helps putting the other main characters in context! Her writing gives a sensible, natural other take on the whole unfolding events, the secret agent scheming thing. I personally think Alex's writing was also great and Yvonne Senat Jones gives a great performance as her voice!
Mr. Hands:
Getting more from the most mysterious fixer in Night City was a great choice (in itself). He was (if I remember correctly) the less explored fixer. Getting more gigs this much involved with PL's main storyline was an excellent creative choice - makes me wish they went into this direction with the base game, before. The scheming local mastermind, opportunist with higher ambitions than any other fixer is a great addition to his character. My only criticism is that meeting with him, revealing his face should have been left till his final quest/gig. That would have kept up the mystery - of whom do you work for, whom do you helping setting something up - far better, in my opinion. Still, what he turns out to be feels fitting to those little interaction you had with him previously, during the base game. I personally had conflicting thoughts about the little conversation you can hear he's having with his daughter when you first go to meet him. On one hand, giving characters more depth, layers are usually a good thing. On the other, for me, this took away the mystery/strangeness of him far more - and not in a good sense - than meeting him face to face for the first time. Still, great choice for Dogtown's fixer, I liked his involvement in the story and his gigs. Also, finally a fixer who really interacts with you about the main story stuff happening on his/her turf!
Kurt Hansen:
The warlord of Dogtown. That's most of what you'll get to know about him. On the few occasion you'll get to interact with him, he's quickly characterized as an ex-army commander, who has vast experience, rather intelligent - at least in the things he's involved as Dogtown's dictator. He felt like a never fully explored character. I liked what I was managed to learn about him, but missed more interaction. Looking back, an option to side with him during the main story would've solved this problem. Still, what little part he had in the story - clearly he was meant as a supporting character - his writing was done well. He gives of apex predator vibes, especially during the Black Sapphire Casino scenes. He behaves like he feels absolutely in control of his environment, yet threatening and ready to fight if it would come to that. Good job!
Johnny Silverhand:
I personally was quite concerned about his involvement in PL for two reasons: first is because of the rumors that went like wildfire around the internet when the leaks about PL got out (even though I did my best to avoid any spoilers), and because I wasn't sure how much will the writers will be able to grasp his character, his style, again. Also, I had the experience with many other games, where there are memorable characters, that when those get additional content usually the previous characters are ignored - my guess it's mostly because the voice actor/actress isn't available or to cut costs. I hate when this happens. Especially when adding content with the companions from the base game can be done right - Mass Effect and Dragon Age done this right, IMO. So, when I finished the story, I was able to tell I was thoroughly satisfied with Johnny's involvement in it. He gives both meaningful advices, viewpoints that he believes V might have missed, and when non of this, then comes his witty jokes about V's decisions or the situations they find themselves in. I can really only give two complaints - one smaller, one bigger. The smaller one is that the writing didn't considered when a player might start Phantom Liberty. Many of V's interaction with Johnny and his behavior are felt like it was after all of their talks after main story missions and the Chippin' in questline. That IS great, but some of Johnny's lines feel weird if you put them next to his previous ones at the start of his "relationship" with V. They had to come a long way to talk like that with each other. I still write this up as a smaller complaint because I think trying to get every "stage" done through the whole Expansion/DLC would've meant Keanu Reeves getting locked in the studio for a few weeks. For me, what we got was still good, I'm just easily getting greedy with quality content that I like. On the other hand, what I really disliked was - I will go into details about this with Songbird and V - getting him on the same train as V to hype Songbird. I'm not talking about his remarks about the final conclusions of PL's main story, those I found fitting to his character and gave a few small extra detail for him. What I meant is his comments about Songbird often felt like he admired/sympathized with her. Why? It made no sense from the Johnny Silverhand I get to know. When he talks about what it felt like when Songbird lost control of the Chimera, he could've talked about what that feeling might have meant - foreshadowing Songbird's usage of the Blackwall - yet he talks about how will she feel like if gets through whatever happened, if at all. Put this next to when he tells you he would have just splashed some water on Evelyn at the scav's "studio" to get her talking right there. Of course he's not that much of an a**hole, at least not by the time V first interacts with him. But he wouldn't care that much of a random person he and V have just met. Aside from this, I loved his presence just as much as I loved it in the base game!
Now, off to the ones I disliked - for one reason or another. These parts will involve story/writing mechanics and decision criticism, because these either messed up the characters, their development or V's interaction with them, thus messing up the whole experience.
President Rosalind Myers:
To stay on topic in the first part: while I definitely didn't liked her character, I think her writing, characteristics were very well made. At first you get a taste of her acting as a "people's president", and it's done quite well that I wasn't sure which was intended as her real behavior - say, as a former marine - and which was she trying to get on V's good side, look sympathetic. Well done! Then you will meet Reed, and get the first glimpse of the shady side of - for me - both her and Cyberpunk's world's politics. This later, as you talk more with Reed, Alex, Songbird and Johnny, you will get a really not complimenting picture of a ruthless leader, who isn't afraid to put her own interests on the list of ends which justifies the means. And the different ending scenes of PL - depending of your choice of Firestarter - are also done very well in showing both of her sides. They both fit into the picture you can get about her up until that point. Good writing, I liked it - even though I would never call her character gray. For me, a grey character have to have both good and bad in them - like Reed. Myers is just a ruthless opportunist politician who does her best to appear good. She was never good through the main storyline, she went with what was in her interest (this is not criticism, though).
Now there is a second part of her character that I want to address: her behavior, the situations she's put in and V's reaction are simply ridiculous! I have wrote this on other places: even though she's an ex-marine, she's been doing office work for several years (even decades) by the time PL starts. She's portrayed as a woman in her (at least) 50's, weighting around 45kg (100lbs), never shown using any kind of secret, ultra rare combat implants (neither can any of this seen in V's scan, unlike with Reed). This being said, the first interaction a player will have with her is that her dropping V on his/her a**. How?! Up until that point, V's been through many fights, some with people who are supposed to be far more formidable than Myers ever was - like with Oda. V is in their action ready shape at that point of the story, even if the player hadn't maxed out every other missions before starting PL. Makes no sense, especially if you add in the plethora of combat cyberware V could have at that point. This forced portrayal of Myers's character basically goes on until you reach the safe house:
- After clarifying to her that you are an ally, both of you are getting knocked down by a blast - she was closer and on her feet, yet she's the one who gets up faster, sure...
- Until that point, V had been ripping out turrets, tearing metal doors apart with their bare hands, but they will need Myers's help to open doors and lifts, not to mention pushing carts aside, right...
- She gets to help you up multiple times, yet never the other way (this only got my attention after all the previous bs)
- Even Reed had to made a statement how bada** she is when stating if someone had tried to take her from the safehouse
- While she's the VIP, who V has to protect - that's literally how the story of PL begins - she's the one to go into the safehouse first. Makes no sense, why isn't she's the one to cover V while they check if the place is secure. There are no danger outside, there can be danger inside. Total BS.
One last screw up with her from the devs:
She being able to shoot, move around in a battlefield etc. - totally believable for me. No argument there. But why the f*ck is she KEEPS ON HER HIGHEELS? Check it, until you get to the safe house, even during running away and fighting with the Chimera. Looks so ridiculous.
There are basically no other character that gave off "this kind of vibes" but she, until reaching the safehouse, feels like some lame attempt to have a girlboss. The shift of tone with her character and with the story/gameplay as a whole feels like they were done by two different creative team. As a whole, I thought part of her portrayal were done quite well, but many things were done so annoyingly that I disliked having her on screen - and not because she was written well (to make me dislike the character's personality) and thus, done well.
Song So Mi/Songbird:
I feel like I won't be able to emphasize how much I disliked having interactions with Songbirds character - which is quite a shame, since she is one of the, if not the most, important character in the main story of the DLC. The basics of her character had the foundation of at least a good/valid character. Being basically blackmailed/threatened into joining the FIA, being forced to carry out operations which severely damaged her both mentally and physically. I got the feeling these basic traits of her, her past was a solid, early developed idea - and us such, could have worked. She and her hidden goal, her schemes were solid - although nothing more. She tries to get away from a lifelong deployment which slowly killing her and breaking her mind. Totally understandable. Also, the hiccups in her plan even goes accordingly with what Reed tells about her. Logical, I liked that. She tries to get V on her side, step by step and by giving them small dosages of truths and half-truths. While this - in theory - feels fitting to her character and writing, it's implementation feels so not well thought. By the time you get the whole picture of her - in either branch of the story unfolding after Firestarter - she is, just from what you see from her - is a mass-murderer, who, while sob on individual deaths/acts like she feels sorry, would write up the death of dozens (if not far more) on basically "sh*t happens". None of her inconsistent behavior/portraying felt like it was some elaborate, subtle writing - say, because of what happens in her head because of the Blackwall. That would go into the region of having split-personality disorder or one of the A.I. she came contact with having such influence. These factors do surface during "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos" and "Somewhat damaged" quests. These elements, which radically define her character during these quests, are done well. This is irrelevant to basically anything before. Her writing is simply inconsistent. This, I believe, happens because V's interactions and dialog options with here were reduced (at least in their final steps) to A or B options. These options - as I will elaborate in V's part - are there because if you were to simply remain skeptical with her during the main quest, not one of the revelations, twists of the story would even make you raise an eyebrow. The writers - through her and V's interaction - were desperately trying to get you emotionally hooked on one of the A and B options, since the whole outcomes can be placed into those:
- If you trust her, you will help her and be will (should) be surprised every time she reveals she lied
- If you don't, then you will side with Reed, and will be shocked when the plan falls through
Of course, you can go with different routes later, but the main point is to get you hooked up, so you won't see how cheap many of the main story's writing tricks are. Songbird's character never becomes more than a tool to manipulate the player throughout the main story. Even with her past revealed, even with her connections to Reed and Myers explored more and more - she always remains a living Macguffin. Because the aforementioned writer... decisions, talking with her - what I believe was supposed to be meaningful conversations with an important character - felt like a chore. I just had to get through it to go back to the more interesting, better characters. Talking with Songbird also felt so pointless, too. There were never any point in it, nothing changes with the story, her behavior - I can't even remember her acknowledging anything I said in a previous conversation. I couldn't tell her that I literally told her earlier that I think she's lying and that I now know I was right. Just the same "I blindly (and baselessly) believe you" or "I think you are lying (again)", either without any point. By the end of PL's main story, I hated having Songbird on the screen, which isn't really a good achievement considering her role in the story.
(One last thought regarding her. My first thought when getting through the main story for the first time: Blackwall=Veil, A.I.-s=Spirits, Demons, Songbird after going berserk after siding with Reed during Firestarter = Abomination . No accusations, no insinuations, no suggestions, just my thoughts. )
Final character to examine: V
From, basically, the very first conversation I had during the first playthrough of Phantom Liberty, I had that feeling like something ain't right. After playing the DLC though two times - because of the different outcomes of Firestarter - I came to a conclusion: the writers made V an idiot, so the players IQ would temporary drop, so the "twists" of the so called "spy-story" could work. Interesting choice, if I might add.
Right of the bat, when first talking to Songbird, I literally had to look for choices not to have V simp all over how amazing Songbird was. Why was this necessary? She did her stuff with the Relic, I understood right there that she knew her stuff. That's not enough, have V say it, too. Let's condition the player into thinking Songbird is amazing and get them to like her, too. This was another part that I hated they forced upon V, and through them, to the player. V literally knew Songbird for minutes, 2 hour at most in game time - and I knew her for 10 minute - and still, when the plan was shot down and Songbird got back to coms, V almost starts to cry in relief! Why?! Who the f*ck is they worried that much for? The only moment I remember V showing this amount of emotion, having an almost hysterical reaction, was when Jackie dies! This, I was only able to point to what I wrote previously about the writing trying to manipulate the player in getting invested in the story - and doing this in a so fricking rushed way. I understand that getting the player involved in a shorter storyline, with totally new and unknown characters were a problem. Going this way, though... I strongly disagree!
In games with dialog choices and not with a protagonist who has their personality mostly fixed, the player gets to shape the character throughout the game. This can be emphasized more with companions and other NPC's reflecting the player's choices. In Cyberpunk 2077 - and thus in Phantom Liberty - there aren't many options to talk with other NPC-s about the player choices - outside of the quest(s) the NPC is involved. I personally never felt the game lacking because of this - although wouldn't have minded improvements in this regard. In Phantom Liberty, I got the feeling V's non-selectable lines where so forcefully written to support the manipulation of the player's opinion about certain characters - mostly Songbird - that it was infuriating from some point. V's behavior was done so much better during Sidequests and Gigs. During those I really felt like part of the original game, because of this, just new, different and in some regards, better. During the main story, though, V was behaving like they knew Songbird forever, felled for every lie she made - since never ever I got a dialog choice at some revelation: "Yeah, seen that coming miles away". Even though I really wanted to say this even during my first playthrough! Songbird pulled some tricks during the start? Ok, I didn't expected that. Then, it turns out she lied... again. wow... Yet from the dialog options, I never was able to communicate this, and V's fixed lines hadn't done this, either. All V was doing is being worried about someone they met a few days ago. had as much conversation as I could count on one of my hand - and almost all of those the aforementioned person was always lying!
Then there is also the same A or B versions during the works with Reed. You will only have the option to be a ruthless merc who couldn't care less about some dead dude or chick, or someone who saw countless deaths, maybe killed hundreds and still getting shocked at the sight of someone - whom they never met before (!) - like an elementary schoolkid. Having these options as additional dialog options could've been fine - the more options, the better! Having them as the only two option is total BS and a great proof of the lack of creativity. It can be argued about which one would/could be good/bad/between. What is clear, though is that the dialog options fail to even provide with just those 3 basic options!
Once I was done with the two main storylines of the expansion, I was finally able to say: V's writing was atrocious! I hated it throughout the whole main story of Phantom Liberty.
In this post I will give my thoughts on the main (for me, at least) characters of the Phantom Liberty expansion/DLC. I will mostly focus on the writing of the characters, but will go over some part of their involvement in the story.
CLARIFICATION:
Because the story and the characters involved in it are revolves around a government (NUSA) and it's president, also said government's secret service (FIA), I will write about those, too (sometimes in critical tone). Whatever I write, it is in the context of the game! I couldn't care less about anything from the real world that resembles the aforementioned parts of the game! Anyone who reads this can have whatever his/her opinion about any real world stuff. It is their right to be able to have opinions! Just don't push said opinion on me and on my stuff, on what I'm writing. This writing isn't political in any possible way, it's about a game, the game's story, the game's world and the characters in it!
(In an ideal world, I wouldn't feel the need to write this clarification, but I feel like we are far (and getting further) from a level-headed world...)
Solomon Reed:
Idris Elba's character is going to be one of my example of "gray" characters. He showcases multiple, non-conflicting (in writing sense!), layers that you will get to know through playing the main mission. His unwavering dedication to his job/duty and his comrades, to whom he has to remain loyal and the internal conflicts are all there, worked out (IMO) extremely well. You will get to know someone who has been betrayed by almost everyone whom he trusted and still fight's for his comrades, his values never wavered. At the same time, you will see how much of his "loyalty" (the " " marks aren't there for degrading!) are actually there to uphold an unrealistic worldview, where the preexisting system he joined (in this case, the FIA) will start to work, turn out as he on his own would expect the world would if he keeps doing the right things. For me, it relatively soon started to look like - and later became crystal clear - that his conviction and unwavering attitude are there for him not think he did something wrong. While he expresses great regret towards the situation of Alex and Songbird, most likely because he knows he had such a great part - simply by blindly following orders - in them getting where they are at the start of the Phantom Liberty storyline. What I thought was a great creative move is that his reality blocking mechanisms aren't there for him to not feel bad about himself. For me, it seemed like they are there, Reed refuse to face the reality of the FIA's world around him because that would erase any possible chance to make things even coming close to right. I got the feeling he unconsciously knew how powerless he was in the political schemes he and his comrades got involved. He never had any chance to stay true towards any of his conception of right, and the institutions never had anything to do with any of the values they said to uphold. His only way not to break down, not to burn out - and thus admitting "defeat" and leaving people behind - was to stick with delusions (mostly for himself, but also for anyone around him, especially who would challenge his worldviews), about the world, about his role in it, about the work he does. All of this becomes more and more evident as you progress through the main story of PL. I've done the Firestarter quest for both versions, and I felt like I got to see the same man I described previously in vastly different situations, thus showing me the different reactions of the same - quite complex - character.
Reed's writing, and his role in the story are the biggest highlight of PL, at least for me. Idris Elba's exceptional acting as the character, and CDPR's great work in bringing him into the game are the cherry on top! Great work!
Alena "Alex" Xenakis:
For me, the most "human" character of the whole DLC and I mean that in an absolute positive way! Many stories - games, books, movies and series - screw up the more "easily connectable" characters by making them or their involvement stick out of the main story or it's flow. With Alex, though, I never had this feeling. At first, you get to know the second experienced secret agent in the quickly set up team you are involved. You quickly get to know some of the betrayal she also had to endure from the same agency (FIA) that you had just started to work for. You get to know how much of her and Reed's past are intertwined - and complicated by the FIA. What was a - pleasant - surprise for me is that how natural her more human/less robotic nature (compared to Reed) felt like. She's the one who - aside from Johnny - give's you a heads-up about the whole FIA business, about what to expect from getting involved in this mission and with her and Reed. From the get-go she spoke with quite bitterness about the mission(s) ahead of you, about working with/for the FIA, and the more you talk with her, the more this bitterness gets validated. Yet for me, by the and of the main story of PL it became evident that she was the only one who hadn't thought about you as an asset, as a tool to get something done. Sure, she helped, sometimes urged you to get the actual mission done, but every time you speak with her, she's the only one - out of the main story's cast - who speaks with you as a fellow human and without an agenda. This only becomes evident after you went through the whole storyline - most importantly the two versions of Firestarter. She is the only one who - as it unfolds during the main questlines - managed to remain really human, as in mentality. Compared to Reed, Songbird or Myers, she maintained her "human side" the most, despite going through many traumatizing event, despite seeing and experiencing the same cruel side of the business she is in. Yet none of these felt unnatural, none of this felt out of place. She being written this way not just gave you some breather during the main storyline but also helps putting the other main characters in context! Her writing gives a sensible, natural other take on the whole unfolding events, the secret agent scheming thing. I personally think Alex's writing was also great and Yvonne Senat Jones gives a great performance as her voice!
Mr. Hands:
Getting more from the most mysterious fixer in Night City was a great choice (in itself). He was (if I remember correctly) the less explored fixer. Getting more gigs this much involved with PL's main storyline was an excellent creative choice - makes me wish they went into this direction with the base game, before. The scheming local mastermind, opportunist with higher ambitions than any other fixer is a great addition to his character. My only criticism is that meeting with him, revealing his face should have been left till his final quest/gig. That would have kept up the mystery - of whom do you work for, whom do you helping setting something up - far better, in my opinion. Still, what he turns out to be feels fitting to those little interaction you had with him previously, during the base game. I personally had conflicting thoughts about the little conversation you can hear he's having with his daughter when you first go to meet him. On one hand, giving characters more depth, layers are usually a good thing. On the other, for me, this took away the mystery/strangeness of him far more - and not in a good sense - than meeting him face to face for the first time. Still, great choice for Dogtown's fixer, I liked his involvement in the story and his gigs. Also, finally a fixer who really interacts with you about the main story stuff happening on his/her turf!
Kurt Hansen:
The warlord of Dogtown. That's most of what you'll get to know about him. On the few occasion you'll get to interact with him, he's quickly characterized as an ex-army commander, who has vast experience, rather intelligent - at least in the things he's involved as Dogtown's dictator. He felt like a never fully explored character. I liked what I was managed to learn about him, but missed more interaction. Looking back, an option to side with him during the main story would've solved this problem. Still, what little part he had in the story - clearly he was meant as a supporting character - his writing was done well. He gives of apex predator vibes, especially during the Black Sapphire Casino scenes. He behaves like he feels absolutely in control of his environment, yet threatening and ready to fight if it would come to that. Good job!
Johnny Silverhand:
I personally was quite concerned about his involvement in PL for two reasons: first is because of the rumors that went like wildfire around the internet when the leaks about PL got out (even though I did my best to avoid any spoilers), and because I wasn't sure how much will the writers will be able to grasp his character, his style, again. Also, I had the experience with many other games, where there are memorable characters, that when those get additional content usually the previous characters are ignored - my guess it's mostly because the voice actor/actress isn't available or to cut costs. I hate when this happens. Especially when adding content with the companions from the base game can be done right - Mass Effect and Dragon Age done this right, IMO. So, when I finished the story, I was able to tell I was thoroughly satisfied with Johnny's involvement in it. He gives both meaningful advices, viewpoints that he believes V might have missed, and when non of this, then comes his witty jokes about V's decisions or the situations they find themselves in. I can really only give two complaints - one smaller, one bigger. The smaller one is that the writing didn't considered when a player might start Phantom Liberty. Many of V's interaction with Johnny and his behavior are felt like it was after all of their talks after main story missions and the Chippin' in questline. That IS great, but some of Johnny's lines feel weird if you put them next to his previous ones at the start of his "relationship" with V. They had to come a long way to talk like that with each other. I still write this up as a smaller complaint because I think trying to get every "stage" done through the whole Expansion/DLC would've meant Keanu Reeves getting locked in the studio for a few weeks. For me, what we got was still good, I'm just easily getting greedy with quality content that I like. On the other hand, what I really disliked was - I will go into details about this with Songbird and V - getting him on the same train as V to hype Songbird. I'm not talking about his remarks about the final conclusions of PL's main story, those I found fitting to his character and gave a few small extra detail for him. What I meant is his comments about Songbird often felt like he admired/sympathized with her. Why? It made no sense from the Johnny Silverhand I get to know. When he talks about what it felt like when Songbird lost control of the Chimera, he could've talked about what that feeling might have meant - foreshadowing Songbird's usage of the Blackwall - yet he talks about how will she feel like if gets through whatever happened, if at all. Put this next to when he tells you he would have just splashed some water on Evelyn at the scav's "studio" to get her talking right there. Of course he's not that much of an a**hole, at least not by the time V first interacts with him. But he wouldn't care that much of a random person he and V have just met. Aside from this, I loved his presence just as much as I loved it in the base game!
Now, off to the ones I disliked - for one reason or another. These parts will involve story/writing mechanics and decision criticism, because these either messed up the characters, their development or V's interaction with them, thus messing up the whole experience.
President Rosalind Myers:
To stay on topic in the first part: while I definitely didn't liked her character, I think her writing, characteristics were very well made. At first you get a taste of her acting as a "people's president", and it's done quite well that I wasn't sure which was intended as her real behavior - say, as a former marine - and which was she trying to get on V's good side, look sympathetic. Well done! Then you will meet Reed, and get the first glimpse of the shady side of - for me - both her and Cyberpunk's world's politics. This later, as you talk more with Reed, Alex, Songbird and Johnny, you will get a really not complimenting picture of a ruthless leader, who isn't afraid to put her own interests on the list of ends which justifies the means. And the different ending scenes of PL - depending of your choice of Firestarter - are also done very well in showing both of her sides. They both fit into the picture you can get about her up until that point. Good writing, I liked it - even though I would never call her character gray. For me, a grey character have to have both good and bad in them - like Reed. Myers is just a ruthless opportunist politician who does her best to appear good. She was never good through the main storyline, she went with what was in her interest (this is not criticism, though).
Now there is a second part of her character that I want to address: her behavior, the situations she's put in and V's reaction are simply ridiculous! I have wrote this on other places: even though she's an ex-marine, she's been doing office work for several years (even decades) by the time PL starts. She's portrayed as a woman in her (at least) 50's, weighting around 45kg (100lbs), never shown using any kind of secret, ultra rare combat implants (neither can any of this seen in V's scan, unlike with Reed). This being said, the first interaction a player will have with her is that her dropping V on his/her a**. How?! Up until that point, V's been through many fights, some with people who are supposed to be far more formidable than Myers ever was - like with Oda. V is in their action ready shape at that point of the story, even if the player hadn't maxed out every other missions before starting PL. Makes no sense, especially if you add in the plethora of combat cyberware V could have at that point. This forced portrayal of Myers's character basically goes on until you reach the safe house:
- After clarifying to her that you are an ally, both of you are getting knocked down by a blast - she was closer and on her feet, yet she's the one who gets up faster, sure...
- Until that point, V had been ripping out turrets, tearing metal doors apart with their bare hands, but they will need Myers's help to open doors and lifts, not to mention pushing carts aside, right...
- She gets to help you up multiple times, yet never the other way (this only got my attention after all the previous bs)
- Even Reed had to made a statement how bada** she is when stating if someone had tried to take her from the safehouse
- While she's the VIP, who V has to protect - that's literally how the story of PL begins - she's the one to go into the safehouse first. Makes no sense, why isn't she's the one to cover V while they check if the place is secure. There are no danger outside, there can be danger inside. Total BS.
One last screw up with her from the devs:
She being able to shoot, move around in a battlefield etc. - totally believable for me. No argument there. But why the f*ck is she KEEPS ON HER HIGHEELS? Check it, until you get to the safe house, even during running away and fighting with the Chimera. Looks so ridiculous.
There are basically no other character that gave off "this kind of vibes" but she, until reaching the safehouse, feels like some lame attempt to have a girlboss. The shift of tone with her character and with the story/gameplay as a whole feels like they were done by two different creative team. As a whole, I thought part of her portrayal were done quite well, but many things were done so annoyingly that I disliked having her on screen - and not because she was written well (to make me dislike the character's personality) and thus, done well.
Song So Mi/Songbird:
I feel like I won't be able to emphasize how much I disliked having interactions with Songbirds character - which is quite a shame, since she is one of the, if not the most, important character in the main story of the DLC. The basics of her character had the foundation of at least a good/valid character. Being basically blackmailed/threatened into joining the FIA, being forced to carry out operations which severely damaged her both mentally and physically. I got the feeling these basic traits of her, her past was a solid, early developed idea - and us such, could have worked. She and her hidden goal, her schemes were solid - although nothing more. She tries to get away from a lifelong deployment which slowly killing her and breaking her mind. Totally understandable. Also, the hiccups in her plan even goes accordingly with what Reed tells about her. Logical, I liked that. She tries to get V on her side, step by step and by giving them small dosages of truths and half-truths. While this - in theory - feels fitting to her character and writing, it's implementation feels so not well thought. By the time you get the whole picture of her - in either branch of the story unfolding after Firestarter - she is, just from what you see from her - is a mass-murderer, who, while sob on individual deaths/acts like she feels sorry, would write up the death of dozens (if not far more) on basically "sh*t happens". None of her inconsistent behavior/portraying felt like it was some elaborate, subtle writing - say, because of what happens in her head because of the Blackwall. That would go into the region of having split-personality disorder or one of the A.I. she came contact with having such influence. These factors do surface during "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos" and "Somewhat damaged" quests. These elements, which radically define her character during these quests, are done well. This is irrelevant to basically anything before. Her writing is simply inconsistent. This, I believe, happens because V's interactions and dialog options with here were reduced (at least in their final steps) to A or B options. These options - as I will elaborate in V's part - are there because if you were to simply remain skeptical with her during the main quest, not one of the revelations, twists of the story would even make you raise an eyebrow. The writers - through her and V's interaction - were desperately trying to get you emotionally hooked on one of the A and B options, since the whole outcomes can be placed into those:
- If you trust her, you will help her and be will (should) be surprised every time she reveals she lied
- If you don't, then you will side with Reed, and will be shocked when the plan falls through
Of course, you can go with different routes later, but the main point is to get you hooked up, so you won't see how cheap many of the main story's writing tricks are. Songbird's character never becomes more than a tool to manipulate the player throughout the main story. Even with her past revealed, even with her connections to Reed and Myers explored more and more - she always remains a living Macguffin. Because the aforementioned writer... decisions, talking with her - what I believe was supposed to be meaningful conversations with an important character - felt like a chore. I just had to get through it to go back to the more interesting, better characters. Talking with Songbird also felt so pointless, too. There were never any point in it, nothing changes with the story, her behavior - I can't even remember her acknowledging anything I said in a previous conversation. I couldn't tell her that I literally told her earlier that I think she's lying and that I now know I was right. Just the same "I blindly (and baselessly) believe you" or "I think you are lying (again)", either without any point. By the end of PL's main story, I hated having Songbird on the screen, which isn't really a good achievement considering her role in the story.
(One last thought regarding her. My first thought when getting through the main story for the first time: Blackwall=Veil, A.I.-s=Spirits, Demons, Songbird after going berserk after siding with Reed during Firestarter = Abomination . No accusations, no insinuations, no suggestions, just my thoughts. )
Final character to examine: V
From, basically, the very first conversation I had during the first playthrough of Phantom Liberty, I had that feeling like something ain't right. After playing the DLC though two times - because of the different outcomes of Firestarter - I came to a conclusion: the writers made V an idiot, so the players IQ would temporary drop, so the "twists" of the so called "spy-story" could work. Interesting choice, if I might add.
Right of the bat, when first talking to Songbird, I literally had to look for choices not to have V simp all over how amazing Songbird was. Why was this necessary? She did her stuff with the Relic, I understood right there that she knew her stuff. That's not enough, have V say it, too. Let's condition the player into thinking Songbird is amazing and get them to like her, too. This was another part that I hated they forced upon V, and through them, to the player. V literally knew Songbird for minutes, 2 hour at most in game time - and I knew her for 10 minute - and still, when the plan was shot down and Songbird got back to coms, V almost starts to cry in relief! Why?! Who the f*ck is they worried that much for? The only moment I remember V showing this amount of emotion, having an almost hysterical reaction, was when Jackie dies! This, I was only able to point to what I wrote previously about the writing trying to manipulate the player in getting invested in the story - and doing this in a so fricking rushed way. I understand that getting the player involved in a shorter storyline, with totally new and unknown characters were a problem. Going this way, though... I strongly disagree!
In games with dialog choices and not with a protagonist who has their personality mostly fixed, the player gets to shape the character throughout the game. This can be emphasized more with companions and other NPC's reflecting the player's choices. In Cyberpunk 2077 - and thus in Phantom Liberty - there aren't many options to talk with other NPC-s about the player choices - outside of the quest(s) the NPC is involved. I personally never felt the game lacking because of this - although wouldn't have minded improvements in this regard. In Phantom Liberty, I got the feeling V's non-selectable lines where so forcefully written to support the manipulation of the player's opinion about certain characters - mostly Songbird - that it was infuriating from some point. V's behavior was done so much better during Sidequests and Gigs. During those I really felt like part of the original game, because of this, just new, different and in some regards, better. During the main story, though, V was behaving like they knew Songbird forever, felled for every lie she made - since never ever I got a dialog choice at some revelation: "Yeah, seen that coming miles away". Even though I really wanted to say this even during my first playthrough! Songbird pulled some tricks during the start? Ok, I didn't expected that. Then, it turns out she lied... again. wow... Yet from the dialog options, I never was able to communicate this, and V's fixed lines hadn't done this, either. All V was doing is being worried about someone they met a few days ago. had as much conversation as I could count on one of my hand - and almost all of those the aforementioned person was always lying!
Then there is also the same A or B versions during the works with Reed. You will only have the option to be a ruthless merc who couldn't care less about some dead dude or chick, or someone who saw countless deaths, maybe killed hundreds and still getting shocked at the sight of someone - whom they never met before (!) - like an elementary schoolkid. Having these options as additional dialog options could've been fine - the more options, the better! Having them as the only two option is total BS and a great proof of the lack of creativity. It can be argued about which one would/could be good/bad/between. What is clear, though is that the dialog options fail to even provide with just those 3 basic options!
Once I was done with the two main storylines of the expansion, I was finally able to say: V's writing was atrocious! I hated it throughout the whole main story of Phantom Liberty.