Expansions – or just DLCs, when you favor – have develop into a necessary a part of the gaming trade these days, usually including extra content material comparable to tales, characters, mechanics, and new areas that considerably lengthen the unique expertise.
And it occurs very often with open-world structured video games. In any case, 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?
Associated
10 Open World Video games With Superb Aspect Quests
These video games have such immersive universes that the non-obligatory content material finally ends up being simply nearly as good as the primary marketing campaign.
That stated, I caught myself pondering that a few of my favourite expansions ever are from open-world video games, since lots of them are removed from being simply additional content material, however truly facet tales that deepen their base sport, both narratively or gameplay-wise (or each!).
If I could say, a few of them are nearly as good as their authentic sport – and even higher, however that may be a subject for one more record. For now, lets take a better have a look at 10 of the very best open-world sport DLCs?
10
The Iki Island
Ghost of Tsushima
After I completed Ghost of Tsushima‘s foremost story, I felt that its protagonist, Jin Sakai, nonetheless wanted correct closure as a personality, and the Iki Island growth gives precisely that, regardless of not presenting something that goes removed from the bottom sport by way of construction.
You could have a model new map with new facet actions, but the growth actually shines by way of narrative because it takes Jin on a deep journey to immediately face traumas from his previous.
We get to see him confronting his inner demons that cope with the burden of the samurai’s legacy and his father’s reminiscences – 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 foremost story is sort of brief, 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 missed and underrated DLC in historical past – in my head, a minimum of.
It’s set greater than 10 years after the bottom sport and follows Adéwalé, Edward Kenway’s former quartermaster, who has simply develop 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.
Associated
10 Finest Murderer’s Creed Areas, Ranked
From the Holy Land to Feudal Japan, the Murderer’s Creed collection’ areas have stood out within the gaming trade.
He’s on a mission to free slaves and combat towards the brutal slave commerce of the area – and his dedication to it’s extremely transferring, which struck me whereas taking part in it. You may really feel his ache and emotions of helplessness, making the story very outstanding.
Additionally, it’s spectacular how Adéwalé has a novel fight together with his machete, which is so satisfying and totally different from Edward’s swords and weapons. The dangerous information is that it’s unbelievably brief, 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 primary 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 facet, after all.
Tiny Tina is the Dungeon Grasp, which makes the story fully loopy and unpredictable, even making enjoyable of the occasions of the bottom sport, like vital deaths and such.
On prime of every thing, its double ability factors and excessive loot drops add much more enjoyable to the combination, encouraging you to check out builds that you wouldn’t usually put collectively in the primary sport. A fully superior informal model of Borderlands to select 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 pal Tony Prince.
Associated
10 Video games That Took Longer Than GTA VI To Develop
For those who assume the anticipate GTA VI has been dangerous, you have seen nothing but.
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 participating story with a quicker 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 preferred 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 executives have very totally different assaults from something within the base sport, which makes encounters much more enjoyable.
Additionally, it’s right here that we are able to 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 desirous about video games which can be “curiosity-driven” or simply love something space-related, Outer Worlds is among the most introspective and profound experiences I’ve ever had with video video games – and its Echoes of the Eye growth ties fantastically to that.
The DLC introduces a model new, hidden world known 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 once more, diving into philosophical ideas such because the worry of change, letting go of the previous, and the way vital it’s to protect reminiscences.
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 approach 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 deal with the great a part of historical past.
Arriving three years after its launch, the DLC fully overhauled the whole sport because it additionally got here with a bunch of normal enhancements. Night time Metropolis is lastly “alive”, with extra practical AI. It provides a brand new relic to the ability tree that enhances cyberware talents (also called the cooler ones). And on the visible facet of issues, graphic particulars are even improved upon.
Associated
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – 10 Finest Missions In The DLC, Ranked
Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC comes with quite a lot of new characters, weapons, and quests to finish. This record ranks the very best missions.
Add all this to a narrative that makes the protagonist V delve into an epic, intense espionage thriller with shocking 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 price returning for.
3
Undead Nightmare
Purple Lifeless Redemption
I nonetheless bear in mind how a lot I laughed and had enjoyable after I first performed Undead Nightmare – and, truly, it’s even onerous to not break right into a smile now whereas remembering it to jot down about it.
It’s the solely growth for the primary Purple Lifeless Redemption, and it has nothing like the bottom sport, moreover having John Marston as the primary 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 virtually instantly bites Jack’s neck – whereas everybody remains to be of their pajamas.
So it’s as much as John to combat 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 facet quest is as loopy as its premise.
The entire expertise has an 80s horror vibe that’s fully irresistible.
2
Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ring
I nonetheless haven’t performed any growth from FromSoftware that isn’t a outstanding expertise, and that continues to be true with Elden Ring, since Shadow of the Erdtree is completely unimaginable.
It’s a incredible DLC to an already wonderful sport, which reminds us how excessive the expectations have been – and it managed to exceed all of them.
Its world-building is just *chef’s kiss*. Its artwork course, degree design, soundtrack, and boss designs are all good and top-notch. There are lots 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 every thing that was already nice about Elden Ring and taking it to the following degree. I personally couldn’t ask for a greater growth.
1
Blood and Wine
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Little question that The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is among the greatest open-world video games in historical past, so something to increase our time on the Continent could be greater than welcome. However that was not sufficient for CD Projekt Purple, 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 top-of-the-line tales that CD Projekt has ever written.
The DLC provides a 20-hour-plus story with a complete new map that takes our beloved Geralt to analyze some murders which can be plaguing Toussaint, which finally ends up coping with increased vampires, royal secrets and techniques, and one final ethical crossroads.
Toussaint is just stunning and enjoyable to discover, and the narrative is so participating by having shocking 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 among 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 by chance. An outstanding expertise!
Subsequent
10 Finest Open World Video games With Intensive Lore
Try our record that includes the very best open-world video games with in depth lore, together with titles like Horizon Forbidden West, Hogwarts Legacy and extra.
