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Okay, so gamers always complain about how bad and evil DLC is, but that isn't always the case. Personally, I think DLC is great, so long as it's additive to a complete boxed game. Done right, it gives you a chance to revisit or get fresh perspective on a game, without having to endure the lengthy (well, maybe not these days...) wait for the developer to build a sequel. So without further ado, here are some examples of my favorite DLC done right: 1) EURO 2012 (FIFA 12) - I used to shun the mid-year tournament boxed games because I saw them as the rip-off that they were. So when EA finally saw sense to release a tournament 'skin' as a relatively reasonably-priced DLC, I gladly rewarded them with my money. Here's hoping same happens again with the upcoming World Cup.. 2) Lair of the Shadow Broker (Mass Effect 2) - Arguably the best single player DLC expansion yet? Epic cinematic production values, new areas and worlds to explore, and shed light on the mythical 'Shadow Broker' character. A truly 'valuable' digital add-on 3) The Ballad of Gay Tony (Grand Theft Auto IV) - If GTA IV was a bit sombre and pared-back compared to its predecessors, TBoGT was a welcome harbinger for what was to come in the monumental number 5. Adding a dash of colour to Liberty City's cold, grey streets, and more variety in missions, it brought back some of the fun and spontaneity that was sometimes missing from Niko's (and Johnny's) somewhat more dour adventures So those are some of the better personal examples for me of DLC that can reinvigorate an old game. And of course you have your obligatory and standard extra maps/cars/weapons/etc (again, all good so long as they're additive to the complete boxed game I paid 50 notes for!). Of course, one of the worst and most disgusting examples of cynical, fleecing DLC is the day one Prothean character in Mass Effect 3, which I refused to buy out of principal, but am keenly aware played a not-insignificant part in the game's story... As for micro-transactions, I actually don't mind them, so long as the game's economy isn't designed purposefully to make the grind as tedious as possible, thereby almost compelling you to open your wallet to win. I get that a business' main goal is to make money, not to serve as a charitable organisation to you and I, and if people are lazy/rich/stupid enough to spend even more money on digital goods on top of that which they paid for the disk, which they could otherwise have acquired by just playing the game, then more power to them. If the game has a decent match-making system, you'll only ever be paired against opponents at your ability/collection level anyway...(well, in theory). So, spend-$$$-to-win in the likes of FIFA Ultimate Team and Forza Motorsport 4 don't actually bother me (yet, in the case of the former...), and personally I don't avail of the option, but Forza 5's clear attempt to force you to part with your cash to escape the grind means I won't even look sideways at it. Only way publishers/developers will know not to take the proverbial is if we take a stand, vote with our wallets, and punish/reward bad/good behaviour. |
Examples of good (and bad) DLC
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-anon 46 posts
Seen 7 years ago
Registered 8 years ago -
quadfather 39,071 posts
Seen 14 hours ago
Registered 11 years agoGood: Dark Souls Prepare to Die DLC. -
oceanmotion 17,358 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 18 years agoBad - Multiplayer map DLC.
Good - GTA expansions, Some Mass Effect DLC, Trials DLC -
Good: Old World Blues (FO:NV), General Knoxx / Zombie Island (both Borderlands 1)
Bad: Horse Armour, innit -
Moot_Point 5,530 posts
Seen 5 years ago
Registered 9 years agoGood; N/A
Bad; All DLC -
HelloNo 2,283 posts
Seen 6 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoThe Shivering Isles for TES: Oblivion. A new world full of the off-the-wall thinking from Morrowind with beautiful and stylized scenery, eclectic NPCs, nice powers and a whole bunch of good armour.
Old World Blues for Fallout: NV. A new area full of character and some fairly good humour - black humour of course being Fallout. Good EQs and a hub with every machine an adventurer could ever need.
Mask of the Betrayer for Neverwinter Nights 2: a wonderful adventure with typical Obsidian deepness. They even polished the bloody thing. -
I wasn't overly enamoured with Lair Of The Shadow Broker. Could be my fault as I came to the DLC after finishing the main game. Would much prefer if all the DLC was there on day one for me to grab, obviously it suits the companies to draw it out as long as possible. Oh and having DLC on day one is a huge crime.
Most Bethesda DLC seems underwhelming for the same reason as above. You complete the game. Then get DLC. What was a huge expansive game of exploration and experience is suddenly condensed into a short term nugget of game. Dragonborn, on the other hand, actually sounds like it could be good.
My favourite DLC is stuff like Wipeout Fury, which radically altered the game with new content. Or anything that is effectively FREE, so the content that comes with Planetside or something. -
I didn't ever get to play them, so can't comment. I only know that I would like them all in the game at one time to randomly discover, not tagged on after I platty'd the thing. -
-anon 46 posts
Seen 7 years ago
Registered 8 years agoWidge wrote:
See now, I could be wrong/naïve, but I was under the impression at the time that LotSB was conceived of/embarked upon after Mass Effect 2's completion and/or release. Which I'm fine with, so long as it's not stripped out of the boxed game, which the day one Protean character surely was in ME3, and for which I'll never forgive Bioware/EA and will never purchase (otherwise great game..).
I wasn't overly enamoured with Lair Of The Shadow Broker. Could be my fault as I came to the DLC after finishing the main game. Would much prefer if all the DLC was there on day one for me to grab, obviously it suits the companies to draw it out as long as possible. Oh and having DLC on day one is a huge crime. -
spindle9988 5,222 posts
Seen 1 week ago
Registered 14 years agoBad: Street fighter 4. It made you pay for characters that were already on the disc -
Steve_Perry wrote:
Frosty virtual reality bit? I actually played that one, my other half got me to do it for her. Did enjoy the actual FPS styling of it, which is what she hated about it. Her fave was the UFO effort, seen her ploughing around that ad infinitum.
Widge wrote:
The anchorage one was ridiculously linear compared to the main game and was probably the most fun I had in Fallout 3. It took the bits I liked about the game (the story and the atmosphere) and got rid of the stuff I didn't like (endless trudging about, searching lockers and bodies ad infinitum). A bit of variety goes a long way.
I didn't ever get to play them, so can't comment. I only know that I would like them all in the game at one time to randomly discover, not tagged on after I platty'd the thing. -
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She loves energy weapons! So much so that I grabbed her this for a present last Christmas:
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rtk79 510 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 15 years agoFor me, DLC is at its best when it departs somewhat from the base game, introduces new gameplay ideas etc. In that sense, I was quite fond of New Vegas' Dead Money.
More so than Old World Blues, for instance, which played like a smaller, condensed version of New Vegas, but brought nothing new to the equation.
Not that Old World Blues is bad, of course. More of the same can only be a good thing when the things you're reiterating are good to begin with.
Minerva's Den, for Bioshock 2, or Treasures of the Sun for Dungeon Siege 3 are other exemples of "condensed form" DLCs that I've enjoyed.
Bad DLC? I thought Assassin's Creed 2's "out-take" DLC was very lame and wished I hadn't downloaded it (GOTY package)
Edited by rtk79 at 15:54:30 02-12-2013
Edited by rtk79 at 19:03:19 02-12-2013 -
Bad dlc is mp map packs, splinters the user base. Map packs used to be free to keep you interested until the sequel.
Bad dlc is extra characters or some pointless thirty minute mission.
Good dlc is borderlands 2, some of mass effect 3, gears of war raams shadow etc.
Map packs for ten quid need to f off, they won't though. -
Good: All of Burnout Paradise's DLC. Free MP events pack, free motorbikes, cheap island add-on, fun new vehicles. -
jambii267 1,416 posts
Seen 2 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoBad DLC most multiplayer map packs, especially those from EA and Ubisoft.
Good DLC, The Borderlands 1/2 DLC (mostly) Super Luigi U, Some of the Mass Effect stuff, GTA 4, Minerva's Den etc.
Basically big single player expansions ftw, over priced map packs ftl. -
Alan Wake.
The DLC in that is horrendous. Gameplay is average, but its suppose to continue the story. It does. Very slowly. Nothing happens, none of it matters and none of it is worth the price tag.
Edited by SG59 at 16:09:40 02-12-2013 -
Great DLC:
Mass Effect 2. Don't remember if what I bought on Steam was some sort of special edition, but I got Za'eed and the Firewalker for free. Nice. Yes, it's EA. But it's nice nonetheless.
Binding of Isaac. Wrath of the Lamb adds a great lot of extra content for a ridiculous price, although you should have the option to play without the DLC, because the sell bundles with original game and DLC, and with WOTL it is much harder than the already hard original game.
Nice DLC:
Skyrim. Dragonborn and Dawnguard are full of additional content, really adding to the base game.
Mass Effect 3. I only have Leviathan, but it's pretty good. Especially story-wise, it adds something fundamental to understand ME's general storyline.
Bad DLC: Skyrim. Hearthfire is fucking pointless. Thankfully, not that expensive.
Really bad DLC: Capcom. Buying a Capcom fighting game and then paying extra for playing Blanka. That is as bad as it gets. It shouldn't be called "DLC", but "fuck you you worthless cunts". -
-anon wrote:
Was the Prothean part of the online pass or something? Did you have to buy him or was he always there?
Widge wrote:
See now, I could be wrong/naïve, but I was under the impression at the time that LotSB was conceived of/embarked upon after Mass Effect 2's completion and/or release. Which I'm fine with, so long as it's not stripped out of the boxed game, which the day one Protean character surely was in ME3, and for which I'll never forgive Bioware/EA and will never purchase (otherwise great game..).
I wasn't overly enamoured with Lair Of The Shadow Broker. Could be my fault as I came to the DLC after finishing the main game. Would much prefer if all the DLC was there on day one for me to grab, obviously it suits the companies to draw it out as long as possible. Oh and having DLC on day one is a huge crime.
EDIT:
I'll admit here, I did a bit of a naughty with ME3 as I had a "fuck off Origin" moment. I'll point at my huge Steam catalogue before anyone tries to hang me though!
Edited by Widge at 16:32:49 02-12-2013 -
Good: extra levels
Bad: items to make the game easier
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