Pros
- Phantom Liberty delivers AAA espionage storytelling
- 2.0 overhaul fixed combat, perks, and police systems
- Night City remains the best-realized RPG city hub
- Path Tracing on high-end PC is showcase-tier
Cons
- Still occasional bugs on last-gen consoles
- RPG systems shallower than pure CRPGs
- Police AI improved but not GTA-level emergent
Cyberpunk 2077 completed one of gaming's most dramatic redemption arcs. CD Projekt RED's Night City RPG launched troubled in 2020, then evolved through patches, the 2.0 systems overhaul, and the Phantom Liberty expansion into a first-person RPG worth revisiting. This Cyberpunk 2077 review reflects July 2026 — performance, story, and whether the Ultimate Edition is the right buy.
What Is Cyberpunk 2077?
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action RPG set in Night City. You play V, a mercenary whose consciousness intersects with Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves) via a biochip. The game blends first-person shooting, stealth, hacking (quickhacks), and RPG progression across three lifepaths: Nomad, Street Kid, and Corpo.
Official screenshot — CD Projekt RED (Steam)
Phantom Liberty adds a spy-thriller arc in Dogtown with Idris Elba's Solomon Reed, a new Relic skill tree, and vehicle combat tweaks. Together with 2.0, the experience today differs substantially from launch.
Core Gameplay Loop
- Take gigs from fixers and explore districts for side content
- Build V through attributes, perks, cyberware, and weapon proficiencies
- Engage combat via guns, blades, hacking, or stealth — often hybridized
- Advance main story and companion arcs (Judy, Panam, Kerry, River, etc.)
- Push endgame with iconic weapons and high-tier cyberware tuning
The loop feels tighter post-2.0: police heat, vehicle chases, and perk synergies (including hacking builds and monowire combos) create moment-to-moment variety.
Combat and Progression (2.0 Update)
The 2.0 overhaul rebalanced perks, added new cyberware slots, and improved enemy AI readability. Gunplay remains weighty first-person with strong feedback; melee and netrunning builds are finally first-class.
World and exploration — CD Projekt RED (Steam)
Quickhack builds can control encounters before firing a shot; tech weapons pierce cover; sandevistan builds echo Edgerunners fantasy. Respec is affordable enough to encourage experimentation.
Story, Characters, and Night City
Night City is the star — dense vertical districts, neon-soaked aesthetics, and localized world-building in every megabuilding. Main story beats land harder after patches trimmed pacing issues; Phantom Liberty's political intrigue is among CDPR's best writing.
Johnny Silverhand's dynamic with V anchors the meta-narrative. Side quests like Sinnerman, Dream On, and Judy’s arc prove the world supports mature themes beyond the main plot.
Performance in 2026
On PC with mid-high GPUs, 1440p high settings is standard. RT Overdrive / path tracing remains a showcase for RTX 40/50 series cards. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X run stable 60 fps modes; Series S targets dynamic resolution.
Systems and performance — CD Projekt RED (Steam)
Last-gen consoles are playable but not the recommended way to experience Night City in 2026. SSD storage and fast travel loading benefit heavily from modern hardware.
Phantom Liberty — Should You Play It?
Yes, if you enjoy the base game. Dogtown introduces a tighter map with verticality, new weapons, and a branching finale that respects earlier choices. The Relic tree adds fresh combat verbs without bloating the core skill web.
Play Phantom Liberty after the base story reaches the point of no return (the game warns you clearly). Narratively it fits as a late-game escalation rather than a prequel.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stunning city atmosphere | Occasional glitches persist |
| Strong voice acting and quest writing | RPG depth below BG3-level |
| Flexible combat builds | Open-world activities still thin vs GTA |
| Major free 2.0 update improved core systems | Last-gen performance compromises |
FAQ
Is Cyberpunk 2077 fixed in 2026?
Functionally yes on current-gen PC and consoles; minor bugs remain but no longer define the experience.
Ultimate Edition vs base?
Ultimate includes Phantom Liberty — best value for new buyers.
Similar games?
Try Deus Ex vibes in immersive sims, or our Star Wars Outlaws review for open-world stealth-action elsewhere.
Verdict
Cyberpunk 2077 in 2026 is the game CDPR promised — not flawless, but confident, stylish, and mechanically robust. Night City rewards immersion, and Phantom Liberty caps the story with genuine spy-thriller tension.
Score: 9.1/10 — Highly Recommended
