DLC Review: Mass Effect 2 – Overlord

Keeping with the trend of being the best problem solver of the universe, The Illusive Man asks Shepard to travel to Aite. There he must shutdown an unruly virtual intelligence occupying a Cerberus research facility. The main contact is Dr. Gavin Archer who briefs you on the situation.

Unlike other Mass Effect 2 DLC, Overlord takes place on a planet with a navigable overworld. So instead of being dropped off a for a single mission, there are multiple tasks to make the trip worthwhile. The M-44 Hammerhead tank is the primary mode of transportation even if players don’t own the Firewalker DLC (which you should). There isn’t much to do between objectives except kill the wildlife and collect Cerberus data packets (there’s an achievement for that).  At least Aite is pretty when compared to other worlds Shepard visits.

The meat of Overlord involves infiltrating the multiple VI controlled stations which are crawling with Geth.  So expect a firefight. I made short work of them despite the presence of Geth Primes and Troopers on my way to Atlas Station. The coolest part of this pack comes when Shepard interfaces with the VI (who you soon find out is Archers’ brother David, or what’s left of him).  At this point, the game takes on a different look.  Imagine if the designers of Tron got a shot at one short segment in Mass Effect 2.  There is a boss battle at the end that is comparable to the Thorian encounter in the original Mass Effect except its more or less synthetic.  The final choice comes down to deciding between taking David or leaving him to possibly prevent a war with the Geth. I decided to remove him because I doubted his suffering would end this way.

When comparing the extra content for Mass Effect 2, Overlord presents the player with more content that Kasumi-Stolen Memory but not as much as Lair of the Shadow Broker.  It is priced at $7 which is more than generous.  It could have easily been $10.  I think it could have been bundled better with something like the Firewalker pack or Zaeed, but it is completely worth having.  Plus, I figure it will have an impact when it comes to Mass Effect 3.  Happy hunting.

DLC Review: Mass Effect 2 – Kasumi’s Stolen Memory

Before I launch into my review, I should talk a little about the downloadable content for Mass Effect 2.  The strategy for add-ons in this game is considerably different than for other games.  Rather than expand the story after completing the main game, Mass Effect 2 enriches its story through DLC.  For example, the Cerberus Network adds worthwhile cool free stuff like a few extra weapons, armor, some missions, and the recruitable Zaeed.  As a part of Project Ten Dollar, this token is free to people who buy a new copy of Mass Effect 2 (or purchase it for $10 on Xbox Live Marketplace).

There is also paid content available that is worth having from the start of the game.  These DLC packs add depth to the story along with all the extra goodies like equipment. Granted a player could work through them on a second playthrough, but that means less time for other games.  Personally, I grabbed most of the packs when they were on sale around Christmas.  And since there isn’t much to deviate them from regular content, I’ve been playing them. So on to the fun!

Kasumi’s Stolen Memory adds the mysterious thief as a recruitable character with her own loyalty mission.  I had been playing Mass Effect 2 for under 10 hours when I recruited Kasumi Goto.  She is a fairly interesting character you meet on Ilium.  Her powers are fairly good for almost any enemy types.  Kasumi doesn’t pack much firepower, but her well rounded skills make her a valuable part of the team.

The best part of the DLC is Kasumi’s loyalty mission.  Players find out more about her history including a relationship for her deceased partner Keiji Okuda.  The plan is to recover his graybox from the man who killed him: playboy arms dealer Donovan Hock.  The heist requires cracking his vault when he’s entertaining party guests.  There are several steps that lead Shepherd to bypass security and enter the vault.  Shortly after, you are caught and forced to fight a path out.  The last thing standing in your way is Donovan Hock who fights from an armored gunship.  In the end, Shepherd and Kasumi destroy Hock and escape.

The mission isn’t lengthy (around an hour total), but the resources and loyalty more than make up for that.  I think the price is appropriate though it would have been nice to have even more content.  I look forward to seeing more as I adventure through the galaxy.  I recommend anyone purchase this if you’re looking for the full Mass Effect 2 experience.

DLC Review: Halo: Reach – Defiant Map Pack

I haven’t been playing much Halo: Reach since the Noble Map Pack.  Before that, it was during the Extra Life marathon. So to prepare for the Defiant Map pack I decided to get back online. As usual, downloadable content has brought me back to a game that I forgot how much I enjoyed.

On Tuesday March 15th, the new maps from 343 Industries and Certain Affinity hit the Xbox Live Marketplace.   The pack of three maps cost $10 and the battlegrounds include: Unearthed, Condemned, and Highlands. Unearthed is geared for Firefight with lots open space around a central base. Condemned is set in a space station above Reach whose most noticeable feature is a low gravity central room. Highlands is made for Big Team Slayer with a variety of vehicles and cover.  Both of the creative teams have Halo and cartography experience, which shows in this release.

On paper these are a nice selection of maps, but I was surprised how little I liked them at first. My biggest initial problem was just learning the maps. Which was made tougher while trying to find the best combination of weapons and armor abilities to take enemies down. Starting off, I considered Highlands the best. Though its size makes it a paradise for snipers which I hate. I also found Condemned a confusing maze of corridors that turned into a kill-box whenever I wandered through them. Now, I’m over all that. A few days of playing helped to ease me into the Defiant Map Pack. I find it much better than it was on day one.

Something I found interesting were the teleporters. From memory, I don’t remember seeing any other instances so far in Halo: Reach.  Highlands has them along with a variant of Condemned. When something like that returns, it changes the way players think about the game. I found them best for crossing the map quickly or escaping enemy bullets.  People tend to camp the exits occasionally, which sucks.

My only real complaint is with the way Unearthed is accessed. You must pick Firefight Matchmaking and have it be voted by people who own the DLC. Silly since that isn’t where the rest of the maps reside. Meaning that only the other two maps are found under the Defiant Matchmaking playlist. I understand how logistics may hold it back from being together, but that wasn’t explained. It isn’t fair because Unearthed is a great map for Firefight. I think it could have even been used for some Slayer gametypes just to expand it’s reach.

When it comes down to making a decision about purchasing the Defiant Map Pack players should use their best judgement. If you don’t play Halo: Reach online much, this isn’t worth the money for you. Still, it doesn’t take a hardcore player to realize the value of added maps to keep the game fresh. This goes double for those who love to play Firefight since it’s the first DLC for the mode has seen. Three maps for $10 isn’t outrageous, though I’d like to see developers raise the bar even more.

DLC Review: Borderlands – The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned

Recently I had the opportunity to play more Borderlands with my friend Chris. We started two new characters and a fresh game. I did this because I love the game and we agreed to tackle all the downloadable content. At first we attempted Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot after finishing the game around level 36. After sinking almost 3 hours into the first small challenge we decided to take our business elsewhere.

This landed our soldier and siren in Jakobs Cove to greet the legions of undead in The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned. The main story of the DLC asks players to track down Dr. Ned, who “is totally not Dr. Zed from the main game.” Talk about a shady guy. The problem is that Ned has turned evil and transformed the workers that once populated the area into zombies. The chapter can be accessed from any “New-U” station and features several large outdoor areas to explore. My favorite scenario involves returning to New Haven now Dead Haven.

There are also new enemies including a few plain zombie variations and more specialized ones like the torso that crawls along the ground to maul your feet. Other new creatures include WereSkags, Corspe Eaters, and some larger zombies who are worth taking down for the loot they carry The most annoying addition is the Defiler who vomits on players to slow then down only to be mobbed by shamblers. For the most part the zombies are weak, especially to fire weapons. But, if you get sloppy, prepare to be surrounded and have to fight your way out.

The 25 new missions are like many of the others players encounter across Pandora. There are a few fetch or collecting quests, while others require less legwork. You’ll run into several familiar characters along the way including a certain fellow who disappeared early in the game. Now he’s sorta back from the dead and demanding brains. And lots of them! This prompts the most time consuming quest of the DLC. Here’s a hint: go for critical shots to pop the zombie brains out with ease. Rinse and repeat.

Recommendation:

Overall, I found The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned to be loads of fun and a nice expansion of the story. This chapter maintains the humor and style that has become synonymous with Borderlands. We conquered the content in five hours without much struggle. The DLC may be over a year old, but it still packs a punch. It normally retails for $10, though it has been discounted to $5 a few times. Either way, I’d suggest any seasoned vault-hunter bite the bullet and pick it up.

DLC Review: Halo: Reach – Noble Map Pack

When I think of multiplayer on the Xbox 360, it’s Halo. No contest. Don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge the right for Call of Duty to exist in the same space. Yet never have I been so invested in the online portion of a game as I am in Halo: Reach. The matchmaking is first-rate, the game variants are interesting and varied, and the gameplay is fun. Adding even more excitement to the mix is the Noble Map Pack.

This DLC launched on November 30th, 2010 for 800 Microsoft Points. The pack brings a trio of new maps to the still awesome online arena. Anchor 9 is a dry dock with two levels and access to the coldness of space. Tempest is set on an ancient beach with lots of rocks and pieces of a ruined facility to use for cover. Finally, Breakpoint is reminiscent of The Package level in the campaign. To bump up the excitement the designers dropped in lots of tight interiors and open expanses with vehicles galore. Prepare for a war. The Noble Map Pack also gives players another 7 achievements and 250 achievement points to shoot for. The maps are available from the matchmaking screen for easy access.

Out of the three maps, I’ve spent the most time with Breakpoint. The map is versatile enough for Invasion, Big Team Battle, and more. The main vehicles are found there making for an interesting or annoying bout. I could do without the Banshee being available (unless it’s on my team of course). I’m a little sad that other weapons aren’t readily available in some modes. This would be awesome for rocket or sniper games. Though with the way Bungie is constantly tweaking things it’s only a matter of time. If you get a chance to vote for Crazy King there, do it.

Over at Anchor 9 I enjoyed playing a little Slayer and Stockpile there. It would also work well with CTF. What sucked is I saw some people exploiting the environment. Several players used the doors to the outside by popping in and out. Not cheating, but not what I’d consider honorable either. Another few players did it by jetpacking to a point in the center and hiding then sniping with the DMR. Tiny flaws when it comes to this two-base hangar.

Finally I got the least experience with Tempest. The best mode I saw there was snipers only. Players who made good use of cover and open areas led them to dominate. The gravity launchers make zipping around the map easy. Hopefully we will see a more diverse selections here.

Recommendation:

Overall, the Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack is a mixed bag. The maps are good if you don’t mind spending the money. Most hardcore Halo multiplayer fans won’t think twice before signing on. More reserved players also shouldn’t be afraid to do the same. I wish there were some better game types, especially considering how long the DLC has been out. That being said, I can’t wait to see more content in the future.