The first piece of Mass Effect 3 DLC, From Ashes, expanded upon the Protheans' history and succeeded in delivering a passable piece of entertainment that supplemented the existing story. Since then we've had the Extended Cut DLC that fans asked for, and three multiplayer packs adding weapons and maps, but none have added weight to the Mass Effect chronology like the Leviathan DLC.
At about three hours long, Leviathan doesn’t quite reach the perfect mix of combat and storytelling that drove older add-ons like Mass Effect 2’s Lair of the Shadow Broker. Instead, it focuses on revealing story elements that impact the trilogy as far back as the original Mass Effect.
After Shepard receives a message from Admiral Hackett via the Normandy’s computer, you’ll head to a new lab on the Citadel. There you’ll speak with a man named Dr. Bryson and begin investigating “important new information about the Reapers that could have a direct bearing on the war.” After some dialogue and an action prompt (I’m being vague to avoid spoilers) you’re off to your first combat area, something that you’re going to do at least two more times. It's here you’ll encounter this DLC’s weakness.
If you’re playing Leviathan during your first playthrough of Mass Effect 3, the events will resonate more powerfully than for those who have finished the game.
For starters, the combat portions fail. It’s merely a trudge through sets of the same enemies you’ve fought a million times, appearing like so many targets to absorb your rounds and slow your progress, feeling intentionally propped up to extend the length of your stay. Frankly, it feels like filler, and here’s why: Remember the explosions going off while you scoured every level of the building in the Shadow Broker content for Liara? And how the tension created by her plight drove you toward the story’s conclusion? There’s nothing character-driven in Leviathan that connects with your crew or friendly characters, nothing compelling you to kill the cannon fodder. It’s hard – or worse, forgettable – to fight for characters you probably won’t really care about.
While the combat isn’t as motivated or as strong as it could be, let me be clear: the story told here is exciting, and worth playing for the weight it holds within the entire series. It does an amazing job of making you feel awkward and uneasy as you’re exploring strange areas that are decidedly unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Some of the set pieces, like the ocean wreckage you’ll come across, are desolate and destroyed, but beautiful just the same, and will have you stopping to take in the new environments unique to the series. The locale also makes a perfect place to surprise you with Leviathan’s final revelation.
If you’re playing Leviathan during your first playthrough of Mass Effect 3, the events will resonate more powerfully than for those who have finished the game. The dialogue added at the end (about 30 seconds' worth) just isn’t as impactful if you’ve completed the game multiple times, because you still know how it all ends. That could be a problem with this DLC, and all future story-driven DLC for that matter. When you know the outcome, it’s hard to go back just to hear one more story told by “the Shepard”.
Source : ign[dot]com
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