I’ve finally come to the conclusion of my first playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn and boy, that game is such a gem.
The main game itself was a fresh take on a post-apocalyptic world and featured one of the best worlds in gaming thanks in large part to its side quests. Naturally, Guerilla Games followed it up with a solid DLC called Frozen Wilds.
This DLC takes Aloy into the eponymous Frozen Wilds north of her Nora homeland. Here, she rendezvous with the Banuk tribe and learns more about another of Gaia’s subordinate functions that became sentient.
I was thoroughly impressed with this DLC as it did so much right, providing a good template for how to do DLC right.
First, Frozen Wilds added to the overall story by fleshing out more of its main parts without making it a mandatory piece.
Some games, like Mass Effect, lock parts of their story in DLC. I’m not a fan of this approach as not everyone will purchase an expansion. The DLC needs to be options but still compelling.
Second, Frozen Wilds didn’t give you new items right up front. Instead, you either had to purchase new items from a merchant or complete missions to earn them. Furthermore, there was an additional side quest that allowed you to improve some of the items.
I loved this point because it allowed you to progress through the world naturally instead of overpowering the system with new weapons. It really helped keep me immersed in the world.
Lastly, Frozen Wilds did a good job at making a really compelling section of the map that wasn’t there previously. Exploring this section of Horizon Zero Dawn‘s world was a joy and it offered some gorgeous scenery that differed from the rest of game.
This section of the map was different enough that it was memorable. Additionally, it still fit within the larger context of the world since the Banuk were also victims of the Carja’s Red Raids.
There are countless expansions out there that do a good job at expanding on their main games. I am told that Horizon Zero Dawn‘s sequel Horizon Forbidden West has its own DLC that really shines.
At the end of the day, good DLC should give you more reason to stay in the world you’ve been exploring for numerous hours while offering a compelling epilogue to your adventure. Frozen Wilds succeeds at that and then some.
But what about you? Which game has the best DLC? How do you define good DLC? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: Guerilla Games (via RPGamer)
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