Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty interview: “it turned out to be a killer machine with cold emotions”

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was one of the best expansions of 2023, enriching the main game and giving us an entirely new story featuring excellent writing and character development, exciting and layered quests, and some phenomenal visuals. It also provided some incredible set pieces and fights, with the Chimera boss fight being one of the standout moments of the whole thing. We were fortunate enough to interview two members of Sound Lab, Masanobu ‘Tomi’ Tomita and Gabriel Acosta, who worked on the sound design on the Chimera boss fight and more, supporting Lead Sound Designer, Krzystof Popiel, Audio Producer, Joanna Frankowska, and the whole internal team at CD Projekt Red.

As someone who has zero clue about the process in sound design, where did you start in bringing the world of Phantom Liberty to life through what we hear?

Masanobu ‘Tomi’ Tomita – We met and discussed the audio needs with the amazing internal team of Lead Sound Designer, Krzystof Popiel and Audio Producer, Joanna Frankowska.  The goal was to support the internal team and incorporate fresh sounds and ideas. I started by establishing basic sounds.  For the guns, I first designed the core gunshot sound; for the Chimera, I designed the sound of footsteps and body movements as a base, then I layered distinctive sounds on top of that to create a futuristic but realistic feel.

Gabriel Acosta – For the weapons, it started with a lot of close listening to the previously established line of firearms and noting how the gunshots and Foley were designed. They have a real nice blend of heightened realism with excellent dynamic range but aren’t too exaggerated stylistically, so matching that aesthetic was fundamental in my mind during the design process.

Did you get certain pointers from CD Projekt Red about what they wanted from the SFX in Phantom Liberty, or is there quite a bit of freedom with what sounds you create?

Tomi – Before starting sound design, we discussed the content of the game and the materials the weapons were constructed of. Once that was established, I designed sounds quite freely and had them previewed several times before making the final decision.

Gabriel – They provided a great outline regarding direction, especially for weapons, but beyond that how we conceived the designs and executed them was up to us.  After we submit our designs, the CD Projekt Red team would implement the sounds, then there might be some adjustments needed, from us, or the internal team, to get them sounding good in the game.

Was there any particular research you did into weaponised machines that helped to build the authentic sounds for the Chimera?

Tomi – I did listen to the sounds of existing tanks, military robots, etc. It was important that Chimera have realistic elements incorporated so that the player feels that the visuals match the sound they are hearing.

Are there any particular favourite SFX from the game that you’re proud of?

Tomi – I like all of Chimera’s designs. Although it is an inorganic robot, I think it turned out to be a killer machine with cold emotions.

Gabriel – I was pretty pleased with how my gun mech turned out (Erebus SMG). They’re minor sounds but I think those little details help a weapon come to life in a game.

How has the creative process changed over the years since you started building SFX?

Tomi – The theory of sound design hasn’t changed, but advances in plug-ins and technology have made it possible to do things that weren’t possible before. Also, as implementation evolves and becomes more complex, a sound design that matches the evolution has become necessary. In that sense, my approach to sound production has changed.

Gabriel – Everything’s about streamlining workflow, to cut through the monotonous work so you can focus on what’s fun and creative.

How challenging is it to make all the weapons sound so distinctive?

Tomi – There are now many games with great weapon sounds. It’s not easy to design a product in a way that feels unique. I must constantly experiment and check plugins to come up with new ideas.

Gabriel – With great visual design it’s certainly made easier, and these weapons look so distinctive and unique that it wasn’t a challenge to intuit how the gun should operate and sound to the player.

What was the hardest part of building the sound effects for the Chimera, as it’s a very intense battle that can last for quite some time?

Tomi – Adjustments are made so the various designs do not overlap to the degree that the sound gets ‘muddy’; but if too much is reduced, the weight could be sacrificed, and the sound will not be as powerful. It was difficult to find that balance. Chimera also has a “voice,” and I took great care in its design.

You can watch the incredible Chimera boss fight from Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty below:

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.