Discover the Top Game Add-Ons Worth Your Time
As the gaming industry evolves, it increasingly leans towards free-to-play models and subscription services that often prioritize profit over providing memorable experiences. Full-scale expansions for single-player titles have become a rarity, which is a real shame. Revisiting beloved characters and engaging gameplay while exploring new narratives and challenges brings a special blend of comfort and nostalgia. In this article, we spotlight the most exceptional game expansions that are truly deserving of your attention and investment.
What Makes the Best Video Game Expansions?
To curate our list of the top DLCs, we followed a straightforward guideline: each game or franchise appears only once, regardless of the number of outstanding expansions it may have. We aimed to highlight the single DLC that stands out the most. While numerous exceptional expansions have graced the market over the years, these are the ones we believe truly deserve the spotlight.
The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
Every so often, we encounter DLCs that rival—even surpass—their base games. The Witcher 3 offers two phenomenal expansions, and choosing between them is no easy task. While Blood and Wine presents a wealth of content, featuring the breathtaking, France-inspired land of Toussaint, Hearts of Stone delivers a more profound emotional experience.
The Last of Us: Left Behind
This expansion is a must-include, not just because of the HBO series’ success. Left Behind serves as the perfect companion piece to the original story, providing a unique perspective. While the gameplay mechanics remain largely unchanged, the narrative delivers an entirely different emotional journey
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Dragonborn
The king of mainstream RPGs makes its mark here. Released over a decade ago, Dragonborn remains highly regarded, with many still considering it one of the finest DLCs ever. This expansion transports players to the island of Solstheim, recognized from The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, where players face Miraak, the first Dragonborn, and encounter new factions, formidable foes, and even the ability to ride dragons.
Gothic II: Night of the Raven
Although the Gothic series may not have achieved global acclaim, it holds a special place in the hearts of many. This expansive DLC addressed numerous issues found in the original Gothic II, introducing nearly a hundred new NPCs, an additional storyline, and an abundance of side quests and items. The scale of enhancements was so significant that even seasoned fans of the second installment were astonished by the new content.
Dying Light: The Following
While Dying Light initially offered a sprawling urban environment, The Following takes players to the serene yet dangerous countryside. This expansion introduces a four-wheeled buggy, enhancing gameplay variety. The story presented in The Following is far superior to the base game, ultimately transforming it into the definitive way to experience this apocalyptic world.
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds
The Frozen Wilds expands Horizon Zero Dawn with a vast, snowy region in the north. Aloy faces a new threat amidst the frost-covered forests, requiring her to confront enemies lurking in a dormant volcano. This expansion introduces the Banuk tribe, a new skill tree, a higher level cap, and formidable new foes to conquer.
Resident Evil Village: Shadow of Rose
While Shadow of Rose recycles many locations from Resident Evil Village, it revitalizes the experience through significant gameplay changes. As the story unfolds 16 years after the original events, it provides closure to Ethan's narrative. Though it doesn’t drastically alter the core mechanics, it offers a gripping return to the survival horror genre for a solid four-hour playthrough, featuring a standout moment that may be among the scariest in gaming.
Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep
The Borderlands series is renowned for its top-notch expansions, and Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep is often hailed as the pinnacle. This remarkable add-on was so well-received that it spawned its own standalone game and inspired Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. It masterfully captures the essence of a tabletop RPG within an FPS framework while retaining the franchise’s iconic humor, delighting both Dungeons & Dragons fans and newcomers alike with witty dialogue and exceptional side missions.
