These days, concepts like microtransactions and battle-passes get a pretty bad rap, and I think that’s fairly deserved. Not all games handle them horribly, but many do. However, this sometimes makes people write-off the entire concept of DLC and Expansion Packs, and I think that’s silly. Tons of already-fantastic games have been enhanced even further by some truly stellar DLCs bringing in loads of brand-new content to experience and enjoy. So, let’s take a look at my Top 10 favorite!
Here we go!
10) Heirs of Fate (Fire Emblem Fates)
I still remember that time where I stayed up far past my bedtime finishing this incredible DLC, my eyes struggling to stay open but my brain way-too-hooked to stop! On the surface, I wouldn’t have thought that a DLC that is basically just six maps back-to-back with cutscenes between them would be anything special. And yet, it might just be the strongest writing in all of Fire Emblem Fates, buoyed by a shockingly depressing story of a group of kids having to pick up the fight to save the world after all of their parents are slain. Complimented by one of my favorite songs in all of video games, this DLC really comes to a close with a bang too!
9) The Baba Yaga (Rise of the Tomb Raider)
This is the shortest DLC on today’s article list, but even though it only clocks in at 5 hours max, the journey is still unforgettable. I’ll admit some bias upfront and say that I’m a huge sucker for hallucination scenes in video games, where everything gets both trippy and creepy. This DLC really leans into that for the first-half, and also leverages it excellently during the hectic and awesome final boss fight. Even with that aside, the locales in this DLC are neat, the core story is a super fun one about an older couple’s love persevering through wartime, and we get a lot of insight into Lara’s headspace too. Plus, it’s shorter length makes it addictingly replayable whenever you revisit Rise of the Tomb Raider.
8) Nyakuza Metro (A Hat In Time)
Obviously any DLC for my favorite platforming game of all time would be (and was) extremely appreciated by me. And I definitely enjoyed the Seal the Deal DLC, which brought a cruise liner themed level and a slew of tough-as-nails challenges. But how can you turn up your nose at a futuristic city filled with kitty-cat yakuza, loads of graffiti, bright neon signs, and a sprawling city to explore? Thematically, Nyakuza Metro knocks it out of the park, and the level is a blast to play around in. The music is super good too. But by far my favorite part is how drastically this DLC benefits the speedrun for A Hat In Time, allowing you to dip into this world to score some awesome and quick wins to really enhance your completion time!
7) Bounty of Blood (Borderlands 3)
It’s rare for the Borderlands series to ever attempt serious storytelling (the series is known for silly memes and crude jokes), but the few times they try it honestly works pretty well (see also: Tales From The Borderlands). This DLC does something similar, taking the idea of a classic Western tale (bad guys roll into town and take lives, you hunt them down in revenge), dresses it up with a bit of Asian aesthetic flare, and otherwise plays it really straight. Relatively minimal jokes, lots of actually tense moments, some amazing shootouts, a great (and kinda unsettling) reveal about the Jakobs Corporation, and an awesome final boss fight. A fantastic experience, and the best DLC this studio has made so far.
6) The Teal Mask (Pokémon Scarlet/Violet)
I haven’t made it a secret how much I love Pokémon Scarlet, despite the flaws in the visual and performance departments, so of course I was excited for its DLC! And it didn’t disappoint, bringing an entire new mini-region to explore with its own slew of biomes, secrets, and treasures (alongside some hidden optional mini-boss trainer battles). It also brought new Pokémon to collect, including tons of returning favorites. But what this DLC did above all that most didn’t expect was tell a fascinating and engaging story about a mysterious Pokémon named Ogerpon, a town legend with dark secrets, and the fraught sibling relationship between dorky Kieran and aloof Carmine. It ends up saying some pretty poignant things about the dangers of blatantly trusting passed-down stories, and the downside of letting your dreams consume you.
Kinda heavy stuff for a Pokémon game!
5) Overture (Lies of P)
The most recent DLC on this week’s article list, but it didn’t garner a whole bunch of positive praise and internet presence for nothing. For about two weeks, Overture practically took over the internet, and for good reason. It’s a beefy (10-20 hours) expansion to one of the best-reviewed Soulslike games of all time, Lies of P. It’s got tons of new weapons and equipment, diverse areas to explore and creative enemies (an abandoned zoo with mutant kangaroos, anyone?), a plethora of frenetic and memorable boss encounters, and a mostly intelligible story (a rarity in this genre). Granted, I think this DLC’s strongest quality is that it’s just more Lies of P, and that game is already good, but still. That’s not a knock against it in the slightest, and I absolutely enjoyed playing every second of this (and finally getting to find and wear the costume for the Youngest of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood!).
4) The Ringed City (Dark Souls 3)
Even all these years later, I still think back fondly on what ended up being the grand conclusion to the Dark Souls trilogy. It actually has a flaw or two, admittedly. Those distorted angel guys are a little too annoying with their lasers in the opening zone, as is the huge priest guy who summons archers on the entry bridge to the titular Ringed City.
But those gripes are so minor compared to everything this DLC gets right. The scale and spectacle are out of this world, with the environment of the Ringed City just being downright gorgeous. The Ringed City is an amazing map to explore with more secrets and hidden nooks than you could shake a broken straight sword at. The boss fights and their soundtracks are both exemplary (Darkeater Midir is the best dragon boss FromSoftware has ever made, and Slave Knight Gael is the single best boss fight in literally any Soulslike). And the NPC quests are surprisingly great too, and fairly intricate. The ending is memorable as well, closing the book on this unforgettable and genre-defining gaming trilogy.
3) Iceborne (Monster Hunter World)
Monster Hunter games are no stranger to DLC and Expansions (in the case of the more modern games, this isn’t always a good thing), but even amongst other titans, Iceborne stands out. It practically feels like a brand-new game, bringing with it not just a new post-game story but also an entirely new rank of quests, and all the madness and replayability that entails.
Now, to address the elephant in the room, I probably would’ve put Iceborne on this list of mine even if it was five minutes long, just because it also came with the Clutchclaw, a new gameplay mechanic that I love with every single fiber of my being. As a butter-knife player (whoops, I meant Dual Blades player), I’m always looking for ways to feel like I’m doing more than just tickling ankles of monsters. Having the ability to zip around to monster’s faces, slam them into walls, and slay them where they lay? It’s awesome! And, oh yeah, alongside the Clutchclaw I also get a huge new map, a billion new monsters (including some massively cinematic clashes), great new music, a new hub with some awesome features, and the endless insanity of the Guiding Lands. So there’s that, too!
2) The Old Hunters (Bloodborne)
While I won’t pretend that I hated my time with the likes of Shadow of the Erdtree, my heart still goes to The Old Hunters when it comes to discussions of the best-ever DLCs in the FromSoftware catalogue. It was the first DLC they ever made to truly and completely blow players away, and I think it still holds the crown from that sheer impact and influence alone, plus the way in which it just caps off the Bloodborne experience so immaculately.
I honestly don’t think there’s a single thing this DLC truly gets wrong, from start-to-finish. Each level you explore is intricate, layered, and intensely packed with enemies and goodies in equal measure. The new weapons and hunter abilities are all cool-as-heck and fit nicely into the rest of the world while adding new lore. The visuals are as stunning as ever, and the Eldritch-focused storytelling remains a highlight. And the bosses…by golly! Ludwig, Maria, and Orphan are each phenomenal in every possible way, and I honestly wouldn’t fault anyone for ranking either of them as their favorite in the whole game. It’s a stacked assortment, and though it’ll take you less than 10 hours to do everything this DLC has to offer, it’ll be a 10 hours unlike almost anything else.
1) Future Redeemed (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)
What a shock! You’re telling me a Xenoblade game ended up topping the list in a Contrarian Corner article? Gotta be the first time that’s ever happened!
I knew before I started this article that nothing was going to top Future Redeemed. It’s over 20 hours of brand-new amazing Xenoblade content that fleshes-out the world and characters of the base game Xenoblade Chronicles 3 experience, does some amazing stuff to connect with the first two games, and also boldly charts its own course with an ending that has profound implications for the series moving forward. Shulk, Rex, and all those other references aren’t fanservice-y set dressing. The story really does wonders with them.
(And considering the secret final ending of this year’s Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition…could we be gearing up to Xenoblade Chronicles 4 sometime soon?)
But more than anything else (a great cast, awesome music, fun areas, and a captivating story), I have to praise the gameplay of this DLC. The developers have finally cracked the code on the perfect world-exploration-system for a JRPG. I love how intrinsically exploration is tied with character progression, with chests and other secrets hiding items that unlock new arts and skills (which you can choose to use on your heroes freely, allowing you to prioritize team-building however you’d like), and then the points used to upgrade come from completing other map objectives or finding points of interest. It’s this perfect marriage of making exploration important and noteworthy without making it necessary either, and ensuring literally anything you do feels rewarding and worthwhile.
It’s an almost magical system, which is fitting for a DLC that is as magical an experience as this!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 