When it’s released,Mass Effect5may have DLC added at some point. However, whether that DLC is released with the game or it comes out later, itcan’t repeat the biggest mistake the DLC of the original trilogy made with the options that added story content. Unfortunately, common DLC practices in gaming tend to be frustrating at best, so it’s difficult to say howME5might approach additional content.
Mass Effect 5brings the focus of the series back to the Milky Way Galaxy after a short break to explore a bit of Andromeda, which can mean manyunanswered questions fromME3could finally be addressed. The next game could also confirm whetherShepard is dead or alive afterME3and what Liara’s role in the galaxy is now that she’s seen in one of the trailers. With these pieces of information alone, it’s easy to see how the potential story ofME5is already filled with exciting possibilities.
What Is Typically In Mass Effect DLC
From Extra Missions To Extra Companions
While the release ofMass Effect Legendary Editioncame with most DLCfor the trilogyalready included in the content, that wasn’t the case for the initial release of each game. Instead,players would have to use either the Bioware website or Cerberus Network to purchase and install DLC, depending on which games they picked up DLC for then. As a result, it wasn’t uncommon for players to go through the trilogy without having every piece of DLC.
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In some cases, this didn’t have a big impact on the games, their playstyle, or the story told through them. DLC options such as the Alternate Appearance Pack or Equalizer Pack gave Shepard and their companions more outfits, armor, and weapons options. Other options came with new characters, such as Kasumi and Zaeed, and that meant there would beadditional missions related to earning their loyalty, but it wouldn’t impact the main story. Finally, there are DLC, such asArrivalandCitadel, that add to the main story.
How DLC Can Make The Story Confusing
Particularly The Main Story DLC Additions
A handful of DLC in theMass Effecttrilogy should have been part of the base game instead of being separated into additional content. This is not because it can be frustrating to have to purchase extra content on top of the price of a game but becauseseparating specific missions hurts the base gameto which they belong. In particular, this is the case forLeviathan,Citadel, andArrival. While theCitadelDLC provides a farewellto theMass Effectcharacters and universe rather than crucial story elements,LeviathanandArrivalprovide important information.
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Leviathanhas Shepard meet the creators of the Reapers, and they provide a better understanding of what happened and where the situation went wrong enough that the Reapers now exterminate entire species regularly. Then,Arrivalexplains why Shepard is in prisonat the start ofME3and why a Batarian later in the game attacks Shepard in the Citadel, accusing them of killing 300,000 Batarians. Without playing through the missions in the DLCS, moments that are unavoidable become confusing, and it hurts immersion as a result.
Why Mass Effect 5 Can’t Separate Core Story Pieces Into DLC
Every Base Game Should Tell Its Full Story
Of course, it wouldn’t be surprising forMass Effect 5to have DLC added at some point after it’s been released. DLC isn’t an inherently bad aspect of gaming, but it can be used in ways that are detrimental to the original product, like the way thatArrivaladds important context and information to momentsthat Shepard encounters inMass Effect 3. As such, it would be best forME5to avoid making the same mistake that the trilogy made when it comes to DLC by making core story pieces into DLC.
The in-game universe ofMass Effectas a series is huge, and there’s endless potential where the possible scope of the games can span entire galaxies. Because of that, it makes sense that DLC can be used to great effect and expand on the worlds and characters involved in this series. In fact, DLC can act as a great supplement when it comes to world-building and keeping a game fresh by adding content between big releases, such as the next entry in a trilogy. However, putting core story pieces in DLC would be a mistake forMass Effect 5.
