Summary
Some of the biggest games released over the last few decades have been open-world RPGs. These addictive games drop players into huge worlds with no set path and allow them to find their own unique way. With vast maps to explore, quests to complete, and secrets to uncover, these large-scale games offer hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Over the years, these games have grown to incredible sizes andpresented lands with rich histories and cultures. However, as with many modern games, the story doesn’t always end with the base game. DLCs allow developers to expand and sometimes improve on their games. They often move into darker themes and can offer a higher level of challenge. Many DLCs even add large new maps to their games, providing players with many more hours of content.
Plagued with technical issues from the beginning,the sprawling open-world sci-fiRPG,Cyberpunk 2077, had one of the worst video game releases in history. Since then, the game has come a long way, fixing its myriad of optimization issues and finally finding a larger audience. Much of this turnaround was in part thanks to its excellent expansion,Phantom Liberty.
The DLC acted as a relaunch of the game, showcasing the many improvements that had been added, and it also featured Hollywood star Idris Elba. The game introduced a new district to the map, called Dogtown, a new skill tree, and new weapons and vehicles. The expansion follows the main character V, a mercenary for hire, on a mission to save the President of the United States, who has crash-landed in Dogtown.
Before the titanic successes ofSkyrimandFallout 3made Bethesda the AAA developer it is today,Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionsat as their greatest achievement.Oblivionis a large open-world fantasy RPG that is beloved by its loyal fanbase. While it has its rough edges,like many Bethesda games,Oblivionpresents a stunning fantasy world, with several towns and cities scattered throughout the map.
WhileOblivionis set within a magical realm, its brilliant DLC,TheShivering Isles,would take the game on stranger paths. Here, players are transported to the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness, where they get to explore a vibrant world filled with strange giant plants, colorful skies, and dangerous enemies. The game is set around the Greymarch, where the Forces of Order fight against Chaos.The Shivering Islesis a fun adventure that sits perfectly against the grand story told in the base game and is one of the best Bethesda has produced.
Fallout 4isa huge open-world experience, filled with secret locations, warring factions, and mutated beasts. It takes players into the decimated nuclear remains of Boston, where the lone survivor of Vault 111, frozen for 210 years, awakens to search for their missing child, Shaun, in a strange, unfamiliar world. The game would introduce several DLCs, with most expanding on the base game’s core mechanics. However, its best overall expansion takes players to a whole new area.
Taking inspiration from classic H.P. Lovecraft novellas, such asThe Shadow over Innsmouth,Fallout 4’s excellent DLC,Far Harbor, is a welcome change from the base game.Fallout 4enjoys several high-quality DLCs that provide excellent new content to the game. However,Far Harborstands out for its bleaker tone, strange new enemies, and a narrative that sits perfectly with the main quest ofFallout 4. The game follows the player’s investigation into a missing girl, who has been taken in by a group of Synths, on the run from the Institute.Far Harboris filled with new locations to explore, new quests to complete, and tough new challenges to take on.
While their games are often imperfect, few developers have had as big an impact as Bethesda. For many, their crowning achievement isSkyrim.The fifth entry in theElder Scrollsseriestakes players to a vast snowy landscape, filled with ancient ruins, mysterious caves, and mythical enemies. It introduced new magic and new mechanics to the series and was an instant classic.
Skyrim’s fantastic DLC,Dragonborn, expanded on the lore and land of the game, taking players to the island of Solstheim, previously seen inMorrowind. In the expansion, players battle with the original Dragonborn, Miraak, and deal with Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of knowledge.Skyrim’s DLC moves quickly into cosmic horror territory, something often seen in Bethesda’s expansions.Dragonbornis the perfect addition toSkyrim. It provides hours of engaging content that is a welcome change from the base game but still feels like a part of the established world.
The Witcher 3is considered one of the best games ever made. It seta new standard for open-world RPGswith its living, breathing world. While the game’s first DLC offered a new storyline set within the established region, the second would take players to a whole new area.Blood and Wineis the final DLC ofThe Witcher 3, and it feels like a grand send-off.
Entering Toussaint, players find a sun-drenched land of noble knights, rolling vineyards, and ravenous vampires. Where the base game presents a grim, medieval feeling, with dark forests, dangerous swamps, and ravaged battlefields,Blood and Wineoffers a welcome change. The game follows Geralt’s investigation into a string of murders that becomes a desperate battle with an ancient vampire.Blood and Wineis filled with dangerous enemies, new contracts, powerful weapons, and fun new characters, and it is the perfect end to a fantastic game.
Expanding on both the difficulty and lore,Shadow of the Erdtreeis the phenomenal new DLC to the modern action-rpg classic,Elden Ring. The DLC presents a huge new area that will test even veteran players’ resolve. On the trail of Miquella, the Tarnished ventures to the Land of Shadow to follow in the demigod’s footsteps,where tough new battles await. The game introduces many new characters, as well as new weapons, armor, and spells.
Shadow of the Erdtreeraises the difficulty ofElden Ring, offering highly aggressive boss fights that require patience and perseverance. The DLC is huge, with hours of content to find. As with all FromSoftware games, their exceptional level design is on full display, with sprawling castles, dark corrupted forests, and ancient ruins littering the land.Shadow of the Erdtreeis a worthy expansion to one of the highest-rated games in history and continues FromSoftware’s domination of the genre.
