10 Video Game DLC Packs That Are The Most Value For Money
Witcher 3's Blood & Wine was practically a sequel.
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00:00 For modern gamers, there's no succession of letters that regularly inspire despair than DLC.
00:05 In the earliest days of downloadable content, it was always perceived that the extra levels
00:09 or new areas that players could add to their core game were genuine enhancements.
00:13 You know, added extras or bonuses if you will.
00:16 But now, microtransactions are the name of the game.
00:19 Still, not all DLC wants to nickel and dime you and with that in mind, I'm Josh from
00:23 WhatCulture.com and these are 10 Video Game DLC Packs that are the most value for money.
00:28 Number 10 - Prey Mooncrash
00:31 Prey is one of the most overlooked games of 2017 and Prey Mooncrash is one of the most
00:36 overlooked DLC packs, well, ever.
00:38 Essentially the experimental zone for ideas that would be fully fleshed out in Deathloop,
00:43 Prey Mooncrash transports players to a moon base, whacking them into a roguelike time
00:48 loop.
00:49 Each run allows them to control a different class of character, while certain progress
00:53 is saved every time you die.
00:54 Every time you die though, you start right back at the beginning of the level, with each
00:58 death giving you vital information on how to surpass the DLC's mysteries, puzzles,
01:03 and of course, combat challenges.
01:04 It's built with the kind of attention to detail that you'd expect from developers
01:08 Arkane and acts as a real experimental change of pace from the main title.
01:12 It's awesome, and if you like Deathloop, you'll be well at home in this first attempt.
01:16 Number 9 - Ghost of Tsushima Iki Island
01:19 Sometimes a lot of DLC gets disregarded because it's just more of the same.
01:23 But that's not always a bad thing, especially when you're getting more of an excellent
01:28 5 star meal.
01:29 And that's the case with Ghost of Tsushima's Iki Island DLC, a decently lengthened expansion
01:34 of the main game set on a more colourful new island environment.
01:37 Leaning into more surreal elements, the story of the expansion isn't quite as good as
01:42 the first, but it's still interesting, adding new caveats and twists that change the context
01:47 of some main game beats.
01:48 Ultimately though, it's just an excuse to spend more time in this world.
01:52 Ghost of Tsushima was already one of the best playing games of 2020, and that remains true
01:56 here.
01:57 On the PS5 as well, the additions to both visuals and feedback in the DualSense elevate
02:02 the experience that little bit more.
02:04 It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the wheel doesn't really need reinventing now does
02:08 it?
02:09 Number 8 - The Elder Scrolls V Dragonborn
02:11 The final piece of expansion content for The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim took place back to
02:16 a setting not seen since two series installments earlier.
02:20 The Dragonborn DLC reintroduced the Dark Elves' haven at Solstheim.
02:23 Though Skyrim had other expansions, the Dragonborn DLC was far and away the best because it added
02:28 a compelling new conflict that built on the lore introduced in the main game.
02:33 While most of Skyrim is built around the player as the Dragonborn fighting to defeat the newly
02:37 awakened dragons, this expansion sees you have to contend with Mirak, the first known
02:42 Dragonborn.
02:43 Unfortunately for you, they're corrupted and bent on taking over the world.
02:47 What was so interesting about Dragonborn then is the way that it managed to embed new layers
02:51 of context to the conflict with dragons in the world.
02:54 Introducing a mechanic that allowed players to tame them completely turned the early events
02:57 of Skyrim on its head and showed that the struggle was not as clear cut as it once seemed.
03:02 Like a revolutionary essay that adds a groundbreaking new commentary to a long debated issue, Dragonborn
03:08 manages to add something new and meaningful to a game that had already offered its players
03:12 so much.
03:13 Number 7 - Bioshock 2 Minerva's Den
03:16 As if Bioshock 2 players wouldn't have been engrossed enough in the inner workings of
03:20 Rapture already, the Minerva's Den DLC provided an even greater look at this universe.
03:26 Setting you off in control of yet another Alpha Series Big Daddy, the story behind Minerva's
03:30 Den was a compelling tale that greatly enriched the detail of the series.
03:34 The conflict around the future of the artificial intelligence creation known as the Thinker
03:38 manages to be both fast-paced and touching, as a simple story of betrayal between two
03:43 former friends spurs the action into life.
03:45 Minerva's Den is an exciting new location to explore as well and taking a step away
03:49 from the detail of the core game makes this feel like the most almighty of diversions.
03:55 By the end of this new content you'll most likely have found yourself touched and affected
03:58 by just how emotionally pulled this tale is.
04:01 It may not be the biggest of DLC packs but the well-developed new content it adds for
04:06 a meagre price is excellent.
04:08 It's seriously one of the very best pieces of Bioshock content out there.
04:12 Number 6 - Dark Souls - Aetorius of the Abyss
04:15 The entire Dark Souls series is no stranger to great DLC packs, like seriously, any of
04:20 them are worth a spot on this list, please, please play them, but Aetorius of the Abyss
04:24 is perhaps the peak.
04:26 Coming almost a year after the game's initial release, depending on your system, this DLC
04:30 slipped a new chapter neatly into the original story.
04:33 Whereas many DLC packs seek to supplement their main counterpart at the end of events,
04:37 Aetorius of the Abyss employs a different tact to Extremely Successful.
04:41 Now that may sound like this DLC is falling into the category of being a missing chunk
04:46 of the original game, but anyone who's played Dark Souls knows that is untrue.
04:50 Aetorius of the Abyss positions itself well as just a potential path that the game's
04:54 protagonist may have taken upon their quest.
04:57 What it lacks in length it more than makes up for in a determined focus and some of the
05:00 most incredible boss battles in the entire series.
05:03 Number 5 - Grand Theft Auto IV - The Ballad of Gatoni
05:07 While many GTA IV players praised its gritty and more serious tone, it was true that there
05:11 was something whimsical missing in Niko's struggle to find wealth and success in a ruthless
05:16 Liberty City.
05:17 The same could certainly not be said of the game's second expansion pack called The
05:21 Ballad of Gatoni.
05:22 Players find themselves employed as the bodyguard of nightclub owner Gatoni.
05:26 As a character who featured in the main game and the first DLC expansion, The Lost and
05:30 the Damned, Gatoni was the perfect individual to build the game's final content around.
05:34 The story and missions focused heavily around issues of excess and frivolity in this socialite's
05:39 life, bringing a much needed humorous edge to the otherwise mostly serious main game.
05:43 The story in The Ballad of Gatoni added plenty of new campaign content and reintroduced some
05:48 series features that were sadly missing from GTA IV originally.
05:52 The likes of base jumping activities were part of what made this addon so exciting again
05:56 and the DLC itself actually managed the impressive feat of truly enhancing its base game when
06:01 installed.
06:02 NUMBER 4 - Mass Effect 3 Citadel
06:04 Mass Effect 3 unfortunately ended up being a game that found itself steeped in criticism
06:09 and controversy thanks to an underwhelming ending and a perceived lack of quality.
06:13 EA flew into damage control immediately after though to release alternate endings for free
06:18 but sadly the damage had already been done for a large amount of the trilogy's fanbase.
06:22 Anyone who did abandon Mass Effect 3 at this time though would have missed out on some
06:26 truly excellent content that arrived some time later.
06:29 The Citadel DLC packed opened up brand new areas of the titular space station and featured
06:33 a sinister conspiracy that targets Commander Shepard specifically.
06:37 The ensuing investigation is full of intriguing moments and some really enjoyably nostalgic
06:42 nods to earlier parts of the series.
06:44 What was most enjoyable about the Citadel DLC however was the way in which it made use
06:48 of one of the series' biggest strengths, the characters.
06:51 Friends from earlier in the trilogy are reunited here, assuming you managed to save them, and
06:55 Citadel represents the kind of epilogue aftermath that the Mass Effect series deserved.
07:00 So with the recent remasters now out with this DLC bundled in, you definitely need to
07:04 give it a go.
07:05 Number 3 - Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare
07:08 Red Dead Redemption was another example of how adept Rockstar are at crafting massive
07:12 and exciting open world games.
07:14 Value for money in a Rockstar game has never really been called into question and Undead
07:18 Nightmare represents another reason why their DLC packs deserve the same plaudits.
07:23 Rather than adding more of the same to the developers' western adventure, Undead Nightmare
07:27 takes the winning gameplay formula and adds something completely fresh to it.
07:31 When a zombie apocalypse descends onto the plains, John Marston has to find the source
07:35 of the outbreak and set off in search of a solution.
07:38 The main quests are numerous and deeply involving, adding plenty to get excited about just by
07:43 themselves.
07:44 But it's the little extra tidbits and nuances that perfect the experience.
07:48 Random encounters are given an undead twist as creepy bandits and wildlife roam freely.
07:53 The addition of four horses of the apocalypse to find and tame dials the supernatural edge
07:57 even higher and as all of these parts form a whole, Undead Nightmare becomes something
08:01 distinct and different disguised as a familiar game.
08:05 It's instantly accessible and a massive addition to the core experience.
08:08 Number 2 - Destiny 2 The Witch Queen
08:12 The most recent entry on this list, Destiny 2's The Witch Queen expansion is only a
08:15 few weeks old at the time of recording but boy has it been a huge success.
08:20 It's already topped 1 million before it even hit digital storefronts and that number
08:25 only skyrocketed once the February release date came around.
08:28 Now say what you will about the Destiny franchise but it's always been excellent when it
08:33 comes to expansions.
08:34 Following in the footsteps of something like The Taken King then, The Witch Queen presents
08:38 yet another huge chunk of content added to the game with a new story, raid and a plethora
08:43 of loot for players to collect.
08:45 It's one of the pricier DLC expansions on this list for the amount of quality things
08:50 that developer Bungie have stuffed into this DLC as well as the inventive new gameplay
08:54 tweaks it adds makes it more than worth the price of admission.
08:57 If you're already a Destiny fan, this is a no-brainer and if you've never bothered
09:01 with the game before, this is the kind of addition that can suck you in.
09:04 Number 1 - The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Blood & Wine
09:07 Blood & Wine all these years later is still the best example of just how impressive post-release
09:13 expansions can be in modern gaming.
09:15 Featuring enough new content and enhancements for most modern developers to consider sticking
09:19 full retail price on it, the final DLC pack for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is truly staggering
09:25 in size.
09:26 Taking the player to an entire new region the size of approximately 35% of Wild Hunt's
09:31 already huge map, Blood & Wine adds story and gameplay so fresh that it could easily
09:36 have been part of The Witcher 4 instead.
09:38 The new campaign can take up to 20 hours to complete and that's even before you set
09:41 off in search of the myriad treasures hidden all over the stunning landscape of Tucson.
09:46 There are mammoth new monsters to face off against in exciting boss battles and gameplay
09:50 additions that genuinely enrich the already detailed mechanics.
09:54 Blood & Wine is an absolute steal at less than $20 and represents insane value for money.
10:00 So that's our list, what do you guys think down in the comments below?
10:03 Did you enjoy these DLC packs and are there any amazing ones I missed off here?
10:07 Seriously, I'd love to know and play them.
10:08 While you let me know as well, could you please give us a like, share, subscribe and head
10:11 over to whatculture.com for more lists and news like this every single day.
10:15 If you don't though, I've been Josh, thanks so much for watching, and I'll see you soon.