Maniacal Microtransactions

I was once a strong proponent of downloadable content (or DLC). I loved the very concept. The lifespan of my favorite games could be extended, giving me more reason to play a beloved title. New ideas could be injected into a finished product. Fresh concepts could be brought to a game already solidified and stamped on a disc.

Increasingly I find myself disillusioned and disappointed with what the reality of this idea has become. I find myself struggling to find things to spark my excitement in a digital marketplace strewn with blatant examples of publishers using DLC in all the wrong ways. Even when it’s used in the right ways, which is rare enough these days, it still brings some troubling trends to light.

Perhaps it would help to begin by demonstrating what lies at the root of the problem: cost. DLC could have been a fantastic way to extend a gaming experience in a meaningful way beyond what was possible on the disc, and indeed you do occasionally see it used for this purpose. More often than not however, it seems to be little more than a way to increase the cost of the game without actually having to mark up the price tag in stores.

As one example, consider the fighting game BlazBlue: Continuum Shift. It is but one example of a game simply riddled with DLC that overcharges and under-delivers, complete with a side dish of greed and deceit.

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Mass Effect 2: The Arrival DLC Review

Fans of Mass Effect 2 have so far been spoiled by the downloadable content Bioware has seen fit to send our way. They haven’t been the lengthiest adventures, but they provided quality doses of Mass Effect action at reasonable prices while adding something to the overall lore. 

Kasumi’s Stolen Memory told the surprisingly poignant personal story of a young lady who proceeded to become a useful and unique party member after the mission’s completion. Overlord was a side story, true, but it was a good one, with an emotional finale that made the journey worth it. Lair of the Shadow Broker contained exciting action scenes, important plot revelations, and vital character development for Liara. Shadow Broker actually stands as one of my favorite pieces of DLC I’ve yet played. 

All of these extra missions I would recommend without hesitation to anyone who enjoys Mass Effect. It is admittedly a strange value proposition when analyzed closely, as $7 for a tiny fraction of the content contained in the full $60 game does seem a bit strange on the surface, but that’s missing the point. These are episodes, installments, bite-sized morsels, call them what you will. They provide a small fix of entertainment at a fraction of the price and extend the life of a fun game beyond what was provided on the disc. As long as I come out on the other end of my microtransaction with a smile on my face, I have no problem with it.

Considering Mass Effect’s rather good track record with this type of content, it’s disappointing to report that Shepard’s final mission under the Mass Effect 2 banner is a letdown.

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Daily Contemplation: Marvel vs Capcom 3 Shadow Mode Announced

In a totally unremarkable move, Capcom has announced DLC for a game before it's even on the shelves. Far more notable is the fact that it looks as if it will be rather nifty and free to boot. 

Shadow Mode will essentially see you fighting against AI simulations based off of playing styles of notable fighters. Some of those already announced include the game's producer, Assistant Producer, a QA team leader, and other members of the staff. Notable community members seem like a no-brainer somewhere down the line.  

When I first read about this I was dismayed because I assumed Capcom would charge for it. Other fighting games, such as Virtua Fighter 5 and Tekken 6, have included similar features which I greatly enjoyed, only MvC'3s new mode will pit you against actual names instead of faked ones. Modes like these can potentially add a lot of life to a fighter and I'm glad to see MvC3 including one. I must admit that, though the recognizable names are nice, I hope the game will do the fake opponents thing too as I imagine the virtual personalities in this DLC are going to be way above my skill level.  

I also hope the rumors that this will be free are true because man would that be a nice change from the norm. Capcom's no stranger to charging stupid prices for virtual costumes and such, though they certainly aren't the worst DLC abuser in the genre (I'm looking at you, BlazBlue). They have released substantial online modes for free for both Street Fighter IV and its followup, if memory serves.

In less impressive MvC news, it will apparently feature an option that lets you simulate Internet lag to practice for less than ideal conditions. Yay?

Alan Wake - The Signal DLC Review

When I heard that Alan Wake was planning to extend its story via downloadable episodes I was skeptical. I’m normally quite receptive to the idea of post-release content, paid or otherwise, but I have found that such content is often lackluster when appended to a story-heavy game.

Mass Effect 2, for instance, is a game I truly adored, but I haven’t bought a single one of its downloadable missions yet because they seem to miss the point somewhat. The grand story and character development are Mass Effect’s strong suit, but the post-release content has been weapon packs, self-contained missions with no lasting impact on the story, and halfhearted character additions to an already too-full roster. 

Fallout 3 had mixed success. Its post-release plans were terrific, trickling content out every so often to keep players coming back to their delightful post-apocalyptic world, but the actual content was hit or miss. Broken Steel and Point Lookout were tremendous additions; The Pitt was above average and fun, but not perfect; and Operation Anchorage was entirely forgettable. I haven’t even played Mothership Zeta because it looks too much like Operation Anchorage in space. 

It’s tough to take a story-driven experience, one that presumably shipped with a satisfying story arc meant to stand on its own, and add to that in any meaningful way with downloadable content. It’s not impossible, but even the best implementations, such as Point Lookout, tend to feel more like tacked-on side stories than legitimate additions to the game universe. This is often fine from a value standpoint. After all, there’s nothing wrong with paying a few bucks to get a little more mileage out of a beloved game. I’ve done it far too many times. It’s just disappointing that no one has figured out a smoother way to handle post-release content and story integration.

That said, there has never been a game in a more perfect position to do things right than Alan Wake. Its haunting story comes to a satisfying conclusion in the game proper but in a way that only a psychological thriller could. Like the best horror stories, it ties up the important arcs of its current story while leaving plenty of mystery open for future exploration. Take into account that the game is already split into convenient “episodes” and you have a tailor-made recipe for post-release content with a meaningful impact. 

It’s almost like they planned it that way or something.

So does it deliver on its promise? Well, there’s good news and bad news.

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BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Makoto DLC Review

Cute squirrel-girl Makoto presents something of a conundrum to fighting game fans, and I’m not just referring to the fact that she’s both dressed like a slut and, you know, half-squirrel. To be aroused or not to be aroused, that is the question every non-furry must ask himself.

The more important issue is what she represents. Makoto is the first character to be added to a fighting game post-release via downloadable content. As such, she represents an important milestone for the genre and she brings to light some of the unique issues of DLC in a fighting game. 

The problems begin with the fact that you can’t test out downloadable content before you buy. There are no DLC demos. Were Street Fighter IV to begin selling us new characters this might be less of a problem because not only does Street Fighter have a longer history including many characters and fighting styles that some players might already be familiar with, but its more accessible nature also means that, for the most part, it’s relatively easy to hop back and forth between multiple characters. 

BlazBlue, however, is almost completely the opposite. Continuum Shift is only the second game in the series and every entrant in its small roster of characters plays totally differently. This is part of the appeal of the game, of course, as the variety of play styles in BlazBlue is nearly unmatched even considering its small cast, but this makes a downloadable character an interesting quandary. At $7 (or $8 for some reason if you’re on a PS3), it’s a relatively expensive gamble as to whether the character will be a fit for you or not. 

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