I keep replaying the Casino Royale-style part of Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty to fulfill my spy RPG fantasy
May. 2, 2024Now Playing | Just call me V, agent V
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InCyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty, I feel like I’m in a scene plucked from Casino Royale. I descend down the swanky, gilded stairs that lead down to a glitzy party at the top of the Black Sapphire, a towering skyscraper open only to the social elite of Dogtown. Serving as a fortress for Barghest leader and big shot Kurt Hansen, I didn’t exactly get invited to this soiree, but since I’m dressed to the nines in a fancy suit, I fit right in with the glamorous crowd. Glittering lights frame a golden stage that sits at the center of an open nightclub of sorts, with bars dotted around, and roulette tables nestled in the back of the complex. I walk up to a server and pluck a flute of champagne from their tray, knocking back the fizzy nectar before I start to walk around and eavesdrop on some of the partygoers.
Every now and then I report some intel to Soloman Reed, aka Idris Elba, who stands nearby watching over the floor. It’s at this exclusive shindig that I feel like the DLC has truly transformedCyberpunk 2077into the spy RPG I’ve been yearning for.
You know my name
The spy vibes are only helped by the many clandestine objectives I’ve had to complete to reach the Black Sapphire - from swimming through a flooded tunnel in a covert diving suit, to guiding Reed through enemies from the scope of a sniper. Then, when I look out over the stage after meeting with Songbird and watch Lizzy Wizzy perform Delicate Weapon, it feels like I’ve entered another world, far removed from the violent, dangerous streets of Dogtown and my merc lifestyle. Instead, I’ve become an undercover secret agent caught up in the shady dealings of the higher powers and the vices of the district. I end up enjoying myself so much during this mission that I keep wanting to revisit it in other saves just to recapture the spy RPG experience it delivers.
Phantom Liberty didn’t change my mind about the best Cyberpunk 2077 ending
I’ve already played through the mission twice, and I absolutely know I’ll find myself descending down those glitzy stairs in the Black Sapphire whenever I want to relive my spy RPG fantasy all over again.
The making of Cyberpunk 2077’s metro system: “From day one, we considered the NCART to be a roleplaying feature first and foremost”.
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I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I’m not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.
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