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Categories: Review
Tags: dlc, expansion, mass effect, xbox 360
Making their debut in BioWare’s first Mass Effect expansion are the Batarians, ruthless mercenaries who have hijacked an asteroid and are trying to crash it into Terra Nova. The resulting explosion will kill millions of colonists and possibly wipe out life on Terra Nova forever. Luckily Commander Shepard and the Normandy crew are around to save the day.
Here’s the math on Bring Down the Sky: 400 MS points ($5 US) = 90 minutes playtime (est.) + 50 Achievement Points. Of course, you can string out the playtime, but the bottom line is that for five dollars you can get a quick jolt of Mass Effect. If you’re a Mass Effect fan, then go ahead and shell out the money for the 90-minute expansion. However, this DLC left me wanting more.
First off, the expansion requires you to have a saved game where you can access the Galaxy Map to find the rogue X57 asteroid. If you’re like me, you’ve played through the game so reverting back to an old save feels like you’re playing Commander Shepard: The Hidden Years. Storywise, it’s more palatable to just begin a new character and play through the story until you get control of the Normandy.
Next, while this is a fun mission with new cinematics, it doesn’t stray from the typical Mass Effect mission template (think UNC: Cerberus). Land on a planet. Drive the Mako to three different locations. Kill aliens there and flip switches. Then go to a central location and kill the aliens there. Make a paragon/renegade decision. End mission. Plus, I’m really getting tired of the recycled buildings.
Finally, this expansion doesn’t do anything beyond open up a new area. It doesn’t populate the Mass Effect universe with Batarians, have people talking about the event around the Citadel, or noticibly add to Mass Effect’s pool of equipment. Compared to Oblivion’s expansions which had ramifications throughout Cyrodiil, Bring Down the Sky is disappointing.