10 Awesome Expansions That Do DLC Right

Back when it first started gaining popularity in gaming, DLC was something of a hard sell to gamers. The fact that games could be published with additional content added later felt like something of a cop-out to some, implying that studios would feel empowered to release unfinished titles. While that’s certainly not entirely unheard of, DLC has quickly become an expected part of game releases as studios have knocked it out of the park time after time, proving that sometimes DLC can be the best part of a game. Below are some of the best examples of DLC to date in no particular order.

10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best games on the Switch. Since its 2020 release, Nintendo has added more and more content to it with each passing season, however, its Happy Home Paradise DLC elevates the base game into being a truly exceptional title. The DLC allows the player to design villagers’ homes freely, truly leaning into the core of some of the major appeal of the Animal Crossing series: design. It was well worth the wait and the rest of the 2.0 update which brought with it cooking and other new features rounded out the game as being one of the best in the entire series.

9. Bioshock 2 – Minerva’s Den

It’s no secret that BioShock 2 wasn’t the follow-up to BioShock that many fans were hoping for. While its initial release was disappointing to some, the Minerva’s Den DLC is perhaps one of the strongest BioShock stories in the entire series. It had the player take control of a new Big Daddy character and introduced a brand new section of Rapture to explore. Due to the way that the DLC used the previous games in the series as a jumping-off point to explore new philosophies and tell a brand new BioShock story, it feels like some of the strongest content in the entire franchise. Fans of the series who were turned off by the more lackluster aspects of BioShock 2, should really consider revisiting the game for Minerva’s Den alone.

8. Prey – Mooncrash

Prey was a pretty standard spiritual successor to the System Shock series (taking heavy inspiration from BioShock and other immersive sims as well) but its Mooncrash DLC took the entire formula that the game had so particularly curated and flipped everything on its head. Instead of being a methodical game about exploring an abandoned ship, Mooncrash is a character ability-driven roguelite. It’s an interesting example of how a studio can iterate on its releases by shifting genres around to make an entirely new experience. The base gameplay of Mooncrash is the exact same as in the original Prey but it uses brand new mechanics to make things feel fresh and distinct. Plus, it’s a ton of fun.

7. Shovel Knight – Specter of Torment, King of Cards, Plague of Shadows

Shovel Knight is a game that showcases just how much talent is held within the indie game scene. Not only is the base game a triumph for retro 2D platformers, but the game’s three discrete DLCs showcase what a studio is capable of when taking risks. Each of Shovel Knight‘s free DLC updates added a new character to the game that interacted with the world in unique ways using brand new systems. For example, the King of Cards DLC brought a deck-building card game mechanic to a 2D platformer in a mix of genres that shouldn’t work on paper but created a truly memorable experience. All of Shovel Knight should be experienced, but the DLCs, in particular, are absolutely worth checking out for fans of the base game.

6. Red Dead Redemption – Undead Nightmare

In general, it’s pretty safe to say that adding zombie hordes to just about any game makes for a fun experience, but their addition to Red Dead Redemption brought a new feel to the game that hasn’t quite been repeated since. Red Dead‘s Wild West setting felt real in a way that’s hard to quantify, however, the addition of zombies in the Undead Nightmare DLC gave it a new level of fun. Taking out zombies with revolvers in standoff feels like something out of a bizarre indie film in concept, but it feels entirely natural in Red Dead thanks to the franchise’s storytelling. Many fans are hopeful that the Undead Nightmare will make a comeback for Red Dead Redemption 2, but there doesn’t seem to be much suggesting that’s the case. We’re still keeping our fingers crossed though.

5. Bloodborne – The Old Hunters

Bloodborne is one of those games that has truly captivated audiences with its deep lore and gameplay mechanics. It seems like it will go down as one of the best games of the PS4 generation and fans are desperate for any additional content that they can get their hands on. While a true PS5 and PC port are what many are hoping for, The Old Hunters DLC is absolutely beloved for the simple fact that it’s more Bloodborne. In addition to being “more,” the DLC adds a lot of excellent boss fights and encounters that fans have come to expect from FromSoftware.

4. Returnal – Ascension

Returnal seemed like a pretty cut and dry release, but like it might not ever get any DLC with the way that its narrative was conceived and told. After all, Selene is stuck on Atropos, but the Ascension DLC used that framework to add another layer to her story. In addition to adding more story content revolving around the ramifications of her car crash, Housemarque added the Tower of Sisyphus, an unending gauntlet of challenges for the player to face while they piece together the story of the hospital that continues haunting Selene. There are plenty of gameplay elements added to Returnal as well that do a good job changing up the formula ever so slightly to keep it feeling fresh and keep players getting up for just one more run.

3. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – Dragonborn

There’s a lot to love about Skyrim and its story, but the Dragonborn DLC feels almost like an essential part of a playthrough. The DLC sends the player back to Morrowind, the setting of the third Elder Scrolls game in search of the first Dragonborn. The DLC provides a lot of context and background to the events of the main quest and allows players to get a good look at what Morrowind might look like if it were to be remade in a more modern era. There’s plenty to explore and find and luckily, most current versions of Skyrim are released with all of its DLC bundled together in one package.

2. Mass Effect 2 – Lair of the Shadow Broker

After completing the base version of Mass Effect 2, many players were left wondering about Liara and where she was for the events of the story. Seeing how popular she was from the first game, she seemed like a shoo-in for reappearing in the second, but all questions were answered in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC. The DLC adds a new storyline about how Liara became an underground crime boss. The story helps bridge the gap between Mass Effect 2 and 3 while providing even more backstory for one of the series’ fan-favorite characters. It’s a must-play for anyone looking to experience the entire trilogy and luckily comes included in the recent Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.

1. The Last of Us – Left Behind

Joel and Ellie’s characters are the absolute highlight of the experience in The Last of Us, but Ellie doesn’t get much in terms of backstory in the base game. She doesn’t necessarily need it as the player will grow to know her throughout the experience, but the Left Behind DLC seeks to inform the player about how she became the person that they met at the start of the story. Left Behind tells a narrative about the tragic moment when Ellie discovered she was immune and explains how she and Joel survived after he was majorly injured. It’s a painfully perfect addition to the game and should be experienced by anyone looking for more of the story in The Last of Us.