The recent expansion, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, was anticipated with much excitement and was expected to deliver a more refined version of Night City as CD Projekt Red envisioned. However, post-launch reviews suggest that while the expansion has enhanced many game mechanics, it hasn't been without its drawbacks.
A Promising Overhaul with Glitches
With the version 2.0 update, Phantom Liberty offers a substantial overhaul to the original game. The transformation touches upon various aspects of the game including combat dynamics, RPG mechanics, and NPC behaviors. However, the picture isn't all rosy. Since its debut on September 26, console players have been facing multiple challenges, affecting the gameplay experience.
Console Performance Concerns
The Xbox Series S players have notably voiced their concerns, indicating that the game's performance has deteriorated after the recent update. Issues range from system crashes to unresponsive save files. Such setbacks are worrisome, especially when the update was intended to provide improvements. In my experience on the Xbox Series S, the game's performance was notably better before the 2.0 update. Challenges such as delayed texture loading, resulting in invisible barriers and hindered movements, are prominent post-update. Framerate drops, especially in areas like Dogtown, further diminish the gameplay experience.
Performance Issues Across Platforms
However, it's not just the Xbox Series S facing these challenges. Numerous reports on the Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit indicate that players on both the Xbox Series X and PS5 are facing similar issues. PS5 users have reported corrupted save files. Moreover, there are instances where the game does not recognize the installation of Phantom Liberty, restricting the loading of any saved files post the expansion's commencement.
For Xbox users, visual glitches, particularly regarding the player character's textures, are evident. Additionally, players have reported instances of levitating NPC bodies, which could be attributed to the environment or objects not loading correctly. Another issue includes incorrect clothing appearing on the player's character, V, which seems to self-correct upon accessing the inventory screen.