Mass effect 2 and 3 DLC recommendations ?

[soren7550]

From my post on a mostly similar thread [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.845490-What-DLC-should-I-get-for-Mass-Effect-2-3?page=2#20836073] about a year back:


I'm guessing you're only asking about the Character/Mission DLC, and not about the weapons/alternate appearance packs?

Let's get started then.

Spoiler: Mass Effect

Bring Down the Sky - One of only two Mass Effect DLCs, it doesn't really add anything to the series overall, but it's still fun. And depending on how you play it out, you can get some really rare and awesome gear at the end of it. If you have the extra cash (or are playing on PC), I guess you should go for it.

Pinnacle Station - Doesn't add anything to the series overall. It's just a combat simulator that comes with a few achievements. However, if you need to get any Ally or Power use achievements, this greatly helps you get them. An easy skip, probably should only pick it up if you want all the achievements.

Spoiler: Mass Effect 2

(not counting things that come free with the Cerberus Network)
Kasumi - Stolen Memory - I love Kasumi as a character, but you may or may not find her useful depending on what class you're playing as. Her mission is fun as hell though, and you get the best SMG in the game here. If you have the cash to spare, go for it.

Overlord - An interesting enough DLC that gets pretty disturbing, but it doesn't add much to the series. You can probably skip this one.

Lair of the Shadow Broker - This is part of a hunk of Mass Effect 2 that moves the story forward and prepares you for Mass Effect 3. Pretty fun, and epic, this is a must buy. (for story reasons, in my opinion, it's best to leave this for after the Suicide Mission)

Mass Effect: Genesis - Only get this if you *REALLY* don't want to go through Mass Effect, but even then I don't really recommend it due to all the stuff you'll miss out on. Pass.

Arrival - The other hunk that moves the story forward to Mass Effect 3. While it's interesting enough, it's kinda on the short side and it's kinda boring gameplay wise. If it weren't for the fact that this is so important to Mass Effect 3, I'd say skip it, but you kinda can't for story reasons alone. Another DLC that I'd recommend waiting to do until after the Suicide Mission.

Spoiler: Mass Effect 3

(not counting any multiplayer items)
From Ashes - Content that was clearly cut from the main game in order to have Day 1 DLC, this is a must have on the basis that Javik is so interracial to the game. It also doesn't help that you already don't have a whole lot of squadmates to pick from.

Extended Cut - The ending patch. Don't download unless you plan on doing anything Cronus Station onward.

Leviathan - You find out the origin of the Reapers here, and it's interesting enough. You get a bunch more War Assists, and several pre-order only weapons from this as well, plus a new bonus power. Also gives you a few extra lines of dialogue at the end. Buy, I suppose.

Omega - This sorta feels like it was cut from the main game, but unlike From Ashes, this is a mess, and it doesn't really come back to the main game. Littered with audio and visual bugs, you could probably pass on this.

Citadel - Buybuybuybuybuybuybuybuybuybuy. Why haven't you gotten this yet? It's loads of super fun and a much better ending to Mass Effect 3 than the actual ending and/or the patch ending. So much content to have fun with. Combat simulator! In game games! Character interactions! Apartment decorating! THE LANCER!!

Mass Effect: Genesis 2 - Unless you really, really don't want to play ME 1 & 2, and have a whole bunch of choices be left unpicked and unbothered with, then avoid, avoid, avoid.

Of course, if you have all the money needed for the Character/Mission DLC to spare (not to mention the storage space for it as well), then I say got for all of them.

Except for the Genesis DLCs. Avoid those and just play the games.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

None of them, because I am still mad about ME3.

 

[AD-Stu]

Mostly been said above, but here goes. For ME2:

- Lair of the Shadow Broker is easily the best of the bunch, if you're going to get anything for ME2 get that. It's awesome.

- Kasumi isn't essential but it's a lot of fun. Overlord isn't essential either but there's a fair amount to it. And you get to spend more time faffing about in the Hammerhead, if that floated your boat (it didn't for me). EDIT: forgot Zaeed - if it's not already included in your copy of the game, it's not essential but it's a little bit of fun. Kasumi is easily the better of the two.

- Arrival seemed at the time like it should be essential from a storytelling point of view... but if you haven't played it they just hand-wave it away in the opening minutes of ME3. Gameplay-wise it's a bit of a grind.

And for ME3:

- Extended Cut should be free, and it's pretty much mandatory. Unless you want to experience first hand the horror we all went through when the game was first released.

- I'm nowhere near as madly in love with Citadel as most other people seem to be, but it does contain some fantastic character moments. Worth it.

- I had From Ashes on day one so I've never played the game without it. I can see how it would still work just fine. But it's definitely worth having.

- Omega is a guddam mess. Unless you really, really liked the Aria and Omega stuff from ME2 (it's my least-favourite part of that game, FWIW) you can pretty safely skip it.

- I liked Leviathan a lot, but it's not essential.

Hope this helps!

 

[votemarvel]

The value of Lair of the Shadow Broker depends on how much you like the character of Liara or the combat. If you don't like either then it is a collection of shooting galleries that tend to outstay their welcome quite quickly.

 

[Tilly]

I enjoyed most of them for ME2. Shadow Broker is best, Stolen Memory is good, Overlord and Arrival are both ok.
Then for ME3 Citadel is best, Omega and Leviathan are very average although Leviathan is interesting story-wise.
You didn't ask but Bring Down The Sky for ME1 is also really good.

If he his playing the PC version than Bringing Down The Sky and Pinnicle Station is already in the PC version.

Ah yes, I forgot the PC port came a bit later on so that stuff had already been made.

 

[Roboshi]

I always find the "from ashes" DLC importance to be overblown. While it does include a prothean his story is little more than "he was cryogenicly frozen and there are no more of him" There's some unique dialogue but no more than kasumi or zaeed got.

He's still a great character but acting like he's amazingly important to the story is probably more about people wanting to hate EA than anything else (though I've got go problem with hating EA for stuff)

That said, the combination of "from Ashes" and "Citadel" results in a meeting with our old friend Blasto the hanar spectre.

 

[maxtiggertom]

Thanks for the info I think im going with lair of the shadow broker and Citadel and extended cut but thats free so yeah thanks guys so much love ya DDDDDDDDDDDDD

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

Thanks for the info I think im going with lair of the shadow broker and Citadel and extended cut but thats free so yeah thanks guys so much love ya DDDDDDDDDDDDD

If you enjoy the series, then there's really no reason not to just pay for the majority of the content. If you plan on doing replays, then the full suite of additional content really does hugely expand and enrich the experience (especially in 2). Playing 3 without Leviathan and From Ashes/Javik is playing an incomplete story, in my view, as well.

I won't go through the content as others have, especially if you've decided to somehow only go for Shadow Broker and Citadel, but one to really avoid in 3 is Omega - unless you really like her in 2, perhaps (or somehow really like ME's ho-hum combat). As has been mentioned, it's really just a combat heavy slog, and it also adds a new character and then completely wastes them.

 

[votemarvel]

Do the recommendations have to be official DLCs?

A few of the big mods for Mass Effect 3 now use the DLC method, in that the game sees them just like any other downloaded content.

For example you can download the latest version of the MEHEM and if you don't like it then just delete the folder from Mass Effect 3\BIOGame\DLC and your game will be back to where it was before.