Expansions – or just DLCs, in case you choose – have turn into a vital a part of the gaming trade these days, typically including extra content material corresponding to tales, characters, mechanics, and new areas that considerably prolong the unique expertise.
And it occurs very often with open-world structured video games. In spite of everything, we’re speaking about video games that supply an intensive world to freely discover at your want and plenty of hours of gameplay – and why not add much more on prime of that?
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These video games have such immersive universes that the optionally available content material finally ends up being simply nearly as good as the principle marketing campaign.
That stated, I caught myself pondering that a few of my favourite expansions ever are from open-world video games, since a lot of them are removed from being simply further content material, however truly aspect tales that deepen their base sport, both narratively or gameplay-wise (or each!).
If I’ll say, a few of them are nearly as good as their authentic sport – and even higher, however that may be a subject for an additional listing. For now, lets take a more in-depth take a look at 10 of the most effective open-world sport DLCs?
10
The Iki Island
Ghost of Tsushima
After I completed Ghost of Tsushima’s fundamental story, I felt that its protagonist, Jin Sakai, nonetheless wanted correct closure as a personality, and the Iki Island growth offers precisely that, regardless of not presenting something that goes removed from the bottom sport by way of construction.
You’ve got a model new map with new aspect actions, but the growth actually shines by way of narrative because it takes Jin on a deep journey to straight face traumas from his previous.
We get to see him confronting his inner demons that take care of the burden of the samurai’s legacy and his father’s recollections – who handed away on this very island. There’s additionally a harmful new villain who manipulates Iki’s inhabitants with a poisonous substance, leading to far more difficult encounters.
Sadly, its fundamental story is kind of quick, taking roughly 5 hours to finish.
9
Freedom Cry
Murderer’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Launched as the one growth for Murderer’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Freedom Cry is by far probably the most criminally neglected and underrated DLC in historical past – in my head, at the least.
It’s set greater than 10 years after the bottom sport and follows Adéwalé, Edward Kenway’s former quartermaster, who has simply turn into a full-fledged Murderer within the West Indies, particularly Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti), which is one-sixth the dimensions of the Black Flag map.
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He’s on a mission to free slaves and struggle towards the brutal slave commerce of the area – and his dedication to it’s extremely shifting, which struck me whereas taking part in it. You’ll be able to really feel his ache and emotions of helplessness, making the story very exceptional.
Additionally, it’s spectacular how Adéwalé has a novel fight together with his machete, which is so satisfying and completely different from Edward’s swords and weapons. The unhealthy information is that it’s unbelievably quick, with all of the content material lasting solely 5 hours, when it deserved to final a lot longer.
8
Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Preserve
Borderlands 2
If you’re a Borderlands 2 fan, I do know that you just bear in mind the sensation of taking part in Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Preserve for the primary time, since it’s fairly good, to say the least.
It’s a distinctive DLC the place the characters from the principle story are taking part in “Bunkers & Badasses”, a tabletop RPG much like Dungeons & Dragons, the place each participant actually steps inside its fantasy-themed world – with some Borderlands taste on the aspect, after all.
Tiny Tina is the Dungeon Grasp, which makes the story utterly loopy and unpredictable, even making enjoyable of the occasions of the bottom sport, like necessary deaths and such.
On prime of all the pieces, its double talent factors and excessive loot drops add much more enjoyable to the combo, encouraging you to check out builds that you wouldn’t usually put collectively in the principle sport. A completely superior informal model of Borderlands to choose up and play.
7
The Ballad of Homosexual Tony
Grand Theft Auto IV
The Ballad of Homosexual Tony is a incredible addition to the town of Grand Theft Auto IV, and I have to confess that I had extra enjoyable with the growth than with the bottom sport.
Whereas Niko Bellic settles his private vendettas, one other younger man named Luis Lopez finds himself struggling to handle his private life and his job as supervisor of two nightclubs he owns together with his buddy Tony Prince.
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That makes the DLC focus extra on the glamorous, high-risk world of Liberty Metropolis nightlife. It combines motion and crime with extravagant events and drug-fueled chaos, leading to a extra partaking story with a sooner tempo – like a loopy GTA one-shot.
We also needs to point out that it has a pleasant, nostalgic vibe to it by including the return of some traditional mechanics like parachutes, sticky bombs, tanks, and, after all, humorous cheats.
6
The Destiny of Atlantis
Murderer’s Creed Odyssey
The Destiny of Atlantis might be my favourite DLC from the Ubisoft franchise, since it’s the most spectacular one by way of scope and design.
After taking part in Murderer’s Creed Odyssey for about 100 hours (I actually favored Kassandra), I keep in mind that I used to be fearing I might get burned out of the sport if I attempted the growth immediately. To my shock, all the extra content material felt so refreshing!
Elysium and Atlantis’ environments are extraordinarily spectacular, boasting a incredible design and rating among the many most stunning areas in any Murderer’s Creed. All the brand new enemies and managers have very completely different assaults from something within the base sport, which makes encounters much more enjoyable.
Additionally, it’s right here that we will discover the best, most intimidating-looking armor set in the entire sport throughout a torment that makes you battle Cerberos and outwit Hades himself.
5
Echoes of the Eye
Outer Wilds
Whether or not it’s as a result of I’m serious about video games which can be “curiosity-driven” or simply love something space-related, Outer Worlds is without doubt one of the most introspective and profound experiences I’ve ever had with video video games – and its Echoes of the Eye growth ties superbly to that.
The DLC introduces a model new, hidden world referred to as the Stranger, which was constructed by the Inhabitants, a species who got here to the Hearthian photo voltaic system after receiving a bizarre sign from the Eye of the Universe.
Its narrative actually is as mysterious because it sounds, and also you get to find and examine an alien civilization over again, diving into philosophical ideas such because the worry of change, letting go of the previous, and the way necessary it’s to protect recollections.
With sufficient content material to final greater than 8 hours, the growth actually makes the sport twice nearly as good because it was with out it.
4
Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk 2077
My favourite strategy to describe Phantom Liberty is that it’s precisely what I used to be anticipating from Cyberpunk 2077 when it was launched in 2020. Everyone knows how that went, however we’re right here to concentrate on the nice a part of historical past.
Arriving three years after its launch, the DLC utterly overhauled your entire sport because it additionally got here with a bunch of common enhancements. Night time Metropolis is lastly “alive”, with extra practical AI. It provides a brand new relic to the talent tree that enhances cyberware skills (also called the cooler ones). And on the visible aspect of issues, graphic particulars are even improved upon.
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Add all this to a narrative that makes the protagonist V delve into an epic, intense espionage thriller with stunning twists and a number of endings, with a brand new character performed by Idris Elba – and also you get a masterpiece.
I additionally love that the growth brings a brand new (and fairly miserable, by the way in which) ending to the bottom sport, which is completely value returning for.
3
Undead Nightmare
Pink Lifeless Redemption
I nonetheless bear in mind how a lot I laughed and had enjoyable once I first performed Undead Nightmare – and, truly, it’s even laborious to not break right into a smile now whereas remembering it to jot down about it.
It’s the solely growth for the primary Pink Lifeless Redemption, and it has nothing like the bottom sport, moreover having John Marston as the principle protagonist.
The DLC introduces an alternate story the place a zombie outbreak ravages the American West, and it truly is as wacky because it sounds, beginning with Uncle infecting Abigail, who nearly instantly bites Jack’s neck – whereas everybody continues to be of their pajamas.
So it’s as much as John to struggle to outlive and discover a remedy for the plague. To discover a map that you just already know, however is now taken over by zombies, is extremely enjoyable, particularly when each aspect quest is as loopy as its premise.
The entire expertise has an 80s horror vibe that’s utterly irresistible.
2
Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ring
I nonetheless haven’t performed any growth from FromSoftware that’s not a exceptional expertise, and that continues to be true with Elden Ring, since Shadow of the Erdtree is totally unbelievable.
It’s a incredible DLC to an already wonderful sport, which reminds us how excessive the expectations had been – and it managed to exceed all of them.
Its world-building is just *chef’s kiss*. Its artwork course, stage design, soundtrack, and boss designs are all good and top-notch. There are a variety of moments the place my jaw drops whereas taking part in it, like the invention of Shaman Village, the exploration of Shadow Preserve, and managing to beat the Furnace Golems.
It undoubtedly magnifies and expands the bottom sport masterfully, amplifying all the pieces that was already nice about Elden Ring and taking it to the following stage. I personally couldn’t ask for a greater growth.
1
Blood and Wine
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Little doubt that The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is without doubt one of the greatest open-world video games in historical past, so something to increase our time on the Continent can be greater than welcome. However that was not sufficient for CD Projekt Pink, which determined to create two unforgettable DLCs.
The primary one is Hearts of Stone, which deserves a fast honorable point out since it’s nice, and the opposite one is Blood and Wine, simply among the finest tales that CD Projekt has ever written.
The DLC provides a 20-hour-plus story with an entire new map that takes our beloved Geralt to research some murders which can be plaguing Toussaint, which finally ends up coping with greater vampires, royal secrets and techniques, and one final ethical crossroads.
Toussaint is just stunning and enjoyable to discover, and the narrative is so partaking by having stunning twists and actually compelling characters – and it simply feels proper to be Geralt’s final journey as a The Witcher protagonist.
Additionally, the fairy story sequence is without doubt one of the most wonderful and inventive experiences I’ve ever had in my gamer life, and I’ll always remember the second that I fought Rapunzel’s ghost and stepped on Thumbelina accidentally. An outstanding expertise!
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