Is the DLC a separate campaign with it's own content altogether or is it add-on content to the main story?

[John Hammond]

I ask because I'm starting the game for the first time and have yet to purchase the DLC.

[☭Woodsman☭]

It isn't exactly separate, but if you've already played the main game you can start with the DLC if you don't want to be bothered with the early main game. My first playthrough was after DLC was released, but I didn't have it yet, and I still started from scratch on my current playthrough with it.

[Chaosolous]

It technically starts halfway-ish through the main campaign. It's mostly it's own story but it does tie into the main game.

The DLC is very good so if it's on sale or you find it affordable I'd recommend it.

[Amanoob105]

The DLC adds:
-10 more levels.
-A ton of new clothing items, plus more clothing items that actually do something useful.
-A load of new iconic weapons. Several of which encourage exploration to find.
-A store that lets you get your hands on (most of) the iconic weapons you may have missed when playing.
-The ability to get your hands on some minor, but permanent, buffs for your characters stats. Some what which are worth fighting for.
-A bunch of new sidequests with their own rewards.
-A new apartment you will likely never use more than once.
-Have you ever thought to yourself "I could totally take on Blade"? Well now you can find out if you can ice skate up that hill.

-And the big ones, an entire new, very packed, area of the city to explore with it's own major questline.
Said questline can be picked up and dropped at pretty much anytime the same as any other. Except for the opening bit, which is fairly involved and locks you into the area until it's over. But after that you can enter or leave Dogtown (the DLC area) as you like.
-This other questline can also offer another ending option.

[-|Nur|-]

Originally posted by John Hammond:

I ask because I'm starting the game for the first time and have yet to purchase the DLC.

Don't buy it yet. I'm near the very end of Phantom Liberty. It's VERY good, BUT it's almost totally separate from the main story. It takes place in a location that's independent from Night City. Its cast of characters has nothing to do with that in Night City. It's a major distraction and feels almost totally isolated from the rest of the game. It really should be approached as a parallel game. I'd recommend playing it after having finished the main story or maybe some months after once you've recovered from the experience and start to feel the itch for more.
Again, it's a great expansion, but if you haven't even played the base game before, there's no need to get it now. You'd just get overwhelmed by the amount of content.

[Tokenn]

The Phantom Liberty EXPANSION (please don't call it DLC) branches off the main game story after you complete Act 1 and the Evelyn Parker quests. After you complete the initial Phantom job, you can move back and forth seamlessly between the Dogtown area and Night City proper to do the various jobs in both places.

Depending on your choices as you complete the Phantom Liberty main story, you will find either a unique ending there, or get put back into the main story to proceed to the endings there.

[John Hammond]

Thanks for filling me in on those details. I appreciate yalls help and will likely check it out at some point.

[Radical Randy]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Depending on your choices as you complete the Phantom Liberty main story, you will find either a unique ending there, or get put back into the main story to proceed to the endings there.

So there's a chance to end the game through PL before the main game ending? Is it an obvious choice? I've played through without PL so just want to be sure.

[Tomas Mac Mordain]

Originally posted by Radical Randy:

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Depending on your choices as you complete the Phantom Liberty main story, you will find either a unique ending there, or get put back into the main story to proceed to the endings there.

So there's a chance to end the game through PL before the main game ending? Is it an obvious choice? I've played through without PL so just want to be sure.

Yes, you can check out early, so to speak. But rest assured it won't happen by accident. You trigger the ending quite voluntarily. And depending on certain choices you make within the DLC, the early ending might not even be available.

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by Radical Randy:

Originally posted by Tokenn:

Depending on your choices as you complete the Phantom Liberty main story, you will find either a unique ending there, or get put back into the main story to proceed to the endings there.

So there's a chance to end the game through PL before the main game ending? Is it an obvious choice? I've played through without PL so just want to be sure.

As above.
Depending on what choices you make it may not even be an option.

And in order to activate it, it takes a fairly deliberate act on your part (a phone call). This call can still be chosen when working though the normal end quest of the game.

[Radical Randy]

Originally posted by Tomas Mac Mordain:

Originally posted by Radical Randy:

So there's a chance to end the game through PL before the main game ending? Is it an obvious choice? I've played through without PL so just want to be sure.

Yes, you can check out early, so to speak. But rest assured it won't happen by accident. You trigger the ending quite voluntarily. And depending on certain choices you make within the DLC, the early ending might not even be available.

Thanks. Binged the main story a bit too much on my console playthrough so the "point of no return" moment felt so sudden.