Hi all.

I've recently bought Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty from GOG and I'm not totally certain what or how to install.

I'm wondering if I should play the base camp complete first, before playing Phantom Liberty? I know that the PL story kicks off within the base game, and I'm wondering if that is a tangent I shouldn't follow until I've done all missions (and many quests) of the original game?

If so, should I not install PL until I've finished the original game? Or can I iinstall PL but gnore that mission for now (when I get the relevant phone call) and carry on with the original game?

What I would also like is the latest patch for the basic game (2.3), regardless of whether I install PL initially or not.

Would that patch naturally install when I use the Install button?

All help is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Greetings!

I actually saw a video on just this a couple days ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPO7-5C4aVE

You can do both, actually, as every one of those options has its own changes. You can install both, and complete the base game first, and then start the Phantom Liberty expansion. You won't trigger the Phantom Liberty start quest until you are closing in on the area anyway. Having tried a couple of the options, that is my recommendation. You will get recognition from multiple people if you have completed several of the main game quests (a couple very close to the end of the game) before doing the Phantom Liberty quests.

There is also the "secret" Phantom Liberty ending: When you get the phone call...ignore everything, and drive far away from Dog Town. Songbird will eventually get mad at you (serves her right for being a bitch and try to force you into doing her bidding), and terminate all contact.

You'll get an appreciative appearance from Johnny (assuming you have already befriended him), and the main game story goes on - but that is as far as I have taken it and I reloaded afterwards. And it happened on accident due to a bug at the time.

For installation, I recommend doing it manually, and NOT using GoG Galaxy (or even have it installed). Download all of the install files from your Games list (28 parts for the base game, and 11 parts for Phanom Liberty - skip RedMod), run the .exe's and enjoy the game. If you already have GoG Galaxy installed, go to [X]\Cyberpunk 2077\bin\x64 after installation and make a shortcut to Cyberpunk2077.exe directly.

Whether you use the GoG Galaxy install, or do it manually (you will also mave more control over what is installing if you do it manually), you will get the latest patch for both the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion.

If you haven't played the game before, each life path will also grant you some unique items as the game goes on, in addition to some occational special interaction options during quests.
Nomad - unique car and (marginally) upgraded bike
Corpo - tech pistol
Street Kid - clothing

But any ingame item can be obtained through the CyberEngineTweaks (CET) console mod.
I tend to give myself my preferred vehicle right from the start this way.

For choices in general, the top option is usually the correct one for the "good" ending of an interaction (but not always - read the dialogue carefully). The special life path response option is ALWAYS a "good" response. You will often also get some additional dialogue if you do missions stealthily, without triggering any alarms. Though doing it that way typically takes 3 times as long.

A couple must-haves:
- When you get to the penthouse in the first mission, go to the roof (check the helicopter).
- Judy is the best girl.

And that is basically it. Enjoy your journey through the City of Dreams. :)

Hi. Thank you for your super-detailed reply. That's so very helpful. Some great game tips too.

Quick question: I've been to the GOG web site and seen the 28 parts for the base game and the 11 parts for Phantom Liberty that you mention.

I assume I ignore all the patch files as there is the 2.3 next to the titles of all the base game files, so it's most likely up-to-date?

Can I ask why it's preferable to install the game this way - rather than via GOG Galaxy. Is that just so the game doesn't require an internet connection (no DRMs)?

Yes, you can ignore the patch files. Those are just - as the name suggests - patch files to update the game if you are already running, say, version 2.21 and not installing the game for the first time. The currently listed downloads are all directly for the latest version of the game.

And there are no separate patch files that I know of for Phantom Liberty. So the patches are only for the main game, and you would have to download all 11 parts of Phantom Liberty anyway everytime you want to update the main game.

I prefer doing a manual download and install for several reasons.
- I will have a local copy of all the installation files, should I want to install it on a second computer, or in case of connection issues.

- Privacy concerns. Tracking, telemetry, profiling etc. CDPR - the people who made Cyberpunk 2077 - also owns GoG . So I prefer to do as much as I can without a 3rd - or even 1st - party client collecting my data and record my play times. Offline use and DRM-free is GoG's main marketing after all.

- More control over what is going on. I haven't used GoG Galaxy in a long time (since before 2021, when I built my current PC), but I never took a liking to it, and I really don't care about "achievements" - I play games to have fun, not set records. I don't like or need game clients running in the background, recording everything i do in any game I play.

- I like to keep backups of older versions in case of bugs or other issues with the latest release. Which is why I am still on version 2.1 of Cyberpunk 2077. I am also modding my game, and that means possible screw-ups and potential reinstalls. But before you ask whether I do that with all of my GoG games, the answer is "no". ^^
I have a big home server, but I mainly only keep multiple copies of games I actively play and screw around with (mod, edit etc.).

- If you install a game through GoG Galaxy, close the client, and then start the game...GoG Galaxy will start first, and then the game (just like Steam). I don't like Steam for that exact reason (first a forced Steam update, then a forced game update...and then maybe you can actually play the game), so that goes for GoG Galaxy as well. But GoG offline is install -> play. Period.

Thank you again for your excellent reply. I will take note of all the advice you've given.