DAO DLCs

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I have spent.... $140.92 on DAO and all of its content. I never spent so much on one game...


DAO Top 3 DLCs

After playing all of the DLCs here are my top 3

1) Leliana Song – This by far is the best DLC. It adds nothing to the main game but definitely gives you a good back story to one of the main companions in DAO.

2) Stone Prisoner – This DLC comes in at a very close second because it adds another companion to the game who has a very interesting back story along with some decent equipment

3) Warden’s Keep – This is definitely the third best DLC as it explains why the GW were forced out of Fereldan many years ago, which could easy been explained in a codex but I rather play a DLC to find this information out myself


As for the others four…

Witch Hunt - Played Witch’s Hunt only with a Orelesian GW, so I don’t know how it plays out with the GW from DAO. Currently playing DAO with a male dalish elf that will romance Morrigan and complete the black ritual that will complete Witch Hunt after finishing DAO to see the difference in the game. Can’t rate this DLC at this time; however, it did feel short and rushed compared to three above.

Golems of Amgarrak – I tried to play with an Orelesian GW but could not get far as I was dying more than I wish with the standard gear that the game provides. What I have played so far is not bad, but not one of the top 3 DLCs.

Return to Ostagar – The best part of this DLC is the added gear it provides; however, it is mostly hack and slash with little closure on what happened at Ostagar; I believe what happens in Ostagar should stay in Ostagar.

Darkspawn Chronicles – WTF were the developers thinking. Add one item to the game and make players run around as Darkspawn trying to stop the last GW, Alistair. This is the worst DLC Bioware created for DAO, that simple. This DLC should never been created.

 

I'd tend to agree.

My favourite DLCs are The Stone Prisoner, Warden's Keep and Leliana's Song. Witch Hunt probably comes next with Return to Ostagar (both not that satisfying truth be told). The ones I really didn't like were Golems of Amgarrak (a very limited and boring dungeon crawl) and Darkspawn Chronicles (I agree with the WTF comment Munckin made -I only got it because I wanted all DLCs in my game).

Here is a list of the DLCs with my impressions:

Warden's Keep

Short but nice, it fleshes out the background of the Grey Wardens quite a bit and allows for an interesting moral choice. The fact that the Keep does not become a stronghold like Nalia's Keep in BG2 for instance is a bit of a let down though. It blends well in the main game but it's also the worst kind of in game advertisement I've ever seen (having a line that goes [download DLC] in the middle of a dialogue tree is really bad). All in all it's a rather fair DLC although it's really short the story is still quite interesting. The items and talents that can be gained are a bonus but it feels as though they made Starfang and the Power of Blood talents an incentive for players to get this DLC.

The Stone Prisoner

Certainly the best DLC as it brings much to the game. I don't understand why it wasn't included (although ot came with the original game) probably to let players get used to the DLC system and encourage them to buy other DLCs. Shale is a great addition to the game and the items and extra locations are really cool.

Return to Ostagar

I used to think that this DLC sucked. Given the following DLCs I had to revise that opinion. At least it ties a few loose ends together. What is really a pity is that it is linear and too easy. Not much of a challenge and a bit boring actually. The items are nice but it's a pity that nobody remarks at any point that you're strutting around in the late king's armour...

Feastday Gifts and Feastday Pranks

Pretty silly stuff. It's meant as a joke and not to be taken seriously but IMO they shouldn't have charged for it. Useless stuff unless you're really into DAO.

Darkspawn Chronicles

This DLC introduced a different timeline in which the story unfolds without the PC. It's sad that it came to this. The DLC itself is fair but it doesn't bring much in the way of story or choices. It's also pretty linear and the fun comes from playing with the bad guys slaughtering well known faces and reading codex entries about how these characters would have fared without the PC. All in all the ending leaves a lot to be desired. It's too short and playing through the final battle albeit with a different perspective feels like you've been there before (and provided you've finished the game at least once you have). The bonus item is ok but feels a bit out of place (like most bonus items since you get them right from the start in your inventory).

Leliana's Song

The appeal of this DLC depends on whether or not you like this NPC. It's fun and swift paced but the recycling of old areas is a bit of a let down. If you expected to discover some parts of Orlais then you're in for some disappointment. The thing that irks me is that you will level up as Leliana but that is not connected in any way with the OC (meaning that when you run into her in Lothering Leliana is no longer the uber character she becomes in this DLC -something that makes sense but still a bit awkward IMO). The bonus item is really great though. It is however disconnected from the main game. Story wise it's a good DLC.

Golems of Amgarrak

This DLC has been hyped as being challenging but it is really challenging for players with modded games (I had to empty my override folder to be able to complete it). It's a fairly linear dungeon crawl with a fairly decent backstory but it is really short (roughly takes one hour and a half). It's nowhere as good as some of the dungeons in the OC (or for instance the starting dungeon in Hordes of the Underdark for NWN). The puzzle idea is fine but it makes for a lot of running around through the same location and that is something that I found really boring. The boss fight is not bad and the bonus items are nice but I don't feel that it lives up to all the hype.

Witch Hunt

That DLC was supposed to tie loose ends and bring to a close the Morrigan/Dark Ritual storyline whereas it turns out to be some sort of teaser for things to come (DA2 presumably). It's not that bad but the areas are recycled from the Origins, the Stone Prisoner and Awakening so it feels like you've already played it before. There are some references to the OC so it doesn't feel too disconnected however. It's not an extraordinary DLC but it may be a fun diversion before importing a character to Awakening. It certainly has more replay value than other DLCs that are not integrated in the OC (you may want to play it through at least twice to see how the choice you've made at the end of the OC changes the dialogue).

Looking back I'd say that I'm really into this game but that most DAO DLCs are really not worth it from an objective perspective. You end up paying as much as a regular expansion but the content leaves a lot to be desired. Despite some flaws I certainly don't regret getting Awakening but there are a few DLCs on that list that I wished I didn't buy (mainly the Feastday stuff, Darkspawn Chronicles and Golems of Amgarrak -at least I got some replay value out of Return to Ostagar).

 

I found this DLC hilarious! For you see, I had the "Natural Bodies" mod installed, and the dead king had developed a case of.....rigamortis.

 

I've overlooked this but it's a very good point.

I know exactly what you're saying (I have to remind myself to disable that mod before reaching that point).

 

Nothing but a money making scheme. Since DA2 is going to be released soon DAO now has an ultimate edition that cost $50 on PC and $60 for consoles and includes all of the content from the base game, expansion and DLCs. The only things not included are DLCs items that were free if you purchased/pre-ordered the game at a specific vendor.

 

THAT figures....