DLC content is amazing—or should I say, DLC content is amazing when done right and within certain ethical parameters. However, the term ‘DLC’ has become rather icky in recent years, with this form of additional content being linked to cosmetic items within games, aspects of games that should have just been added as part of the base game as standard, or subpar ideas that would have been better left on the cutting room floor. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
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Many games have bucked this ever-growing trend of pushing for maximum yield from minimum effort and have provided content that’s not only extraordinary but feels like a brand-new game. It seems impossible, but somehow, many developers have tacked on campaigns that feel so polished and huge in scope that they could have easily been sequels.
We want to highlight these projects and thank our lucky stars that there are some folks out there who still take DLC seriously. Here are DLCs that feel like fully-fledged games in their own right.
These DLC expansions have been selected in no particular order and simply represent amazing examples of massive DLCs that feel like a full-length base game.
10Shadow Of The Erdtree
Elden Ring
Metacritic Score
We begin with the DLC that has prompted this list and the most recent monster DLC, which is knocking Souls fans' socks off right now.Shadow of the Erdtreeis the gargantuan expansion to the open-world Souls epic,Elden Ring. This DLC sees you travel to the Shadow Realm, an area filled with familiar faces, new foes, anda slew of brutal bosseschamping at the bit to tear you limb from limb.
The sheer magnitude of the new area gifted to returningElden Ringplayers is something to behold, as it’s practically the size of the Limgrave, Caelid, and Liurna of the Lakes combined, making this easily a 40-50 hour experience. It’s beyond anything that fans could have hoped for and serves as the new high-water mark for what DLC content can and should be. But don’t worry; there are plenty of other fine examples of developers being very generous with their DLC offerings.
9Blood And Wine
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis a title that really put Geralt and The Witcher on the map as a franchise, as this IP now has a Netflix original TV series and countless awards to its name. It’s fair to say that CD Projekt Red had nothing to prove after the widespread critical success of this fantasy epic, and yet, they decided to tack on more content to this already expansive world, allowing players to explore the vibrant new land of Toussaint.
This expansion is a huge campaign that boasts 20+ hours of content, with new monsters, weapons, Gwent Cards, and quests aplenty. But what’s most impressive about Blood and Wine is just how different it feels from the gritty world of The Continent featured in the base game.
The opulent world of Toussaint feels poles apart from what you’re used to, making it feel like a grand vacation of sorts. You know, if your vacations involve blood, guts, and gore, that is. AlongsideHearts of Stone,The Witcher 3has some of the most impressive DLC content ever made, and is well worth checking out if you haven’t already.
8Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk 2077
While CD Projekt Red had nothing to prove afterThe Witcher 3', the same cannot be said ofCyberpunk 2077, which was so broken on launch that the developer had to pull it off the market to make drastic improvements and changes just to get the game to a playable state. A comeback for this much-hyped RPG seemed unthinkable, but not only did it happen, it happened with the addition ofPhantom Liberty, a DLC expansion to the base game that elevated this already ambitious title to new heights.
Much likeBlood and Wine, this DLC boasts approximately 20 additional hours of content, along with new regions to explore, a riveting story featuring Idris Elba for that added star power, andsome of the most bombastic and cinematic quests in RPG history. It allowsCyberpunk 2077to truly achieve its potential just as it had planned to do back in 2020. Everybody loves a comeback, and there are few in the gaming sphere that can match the brilliance ofPhantom Liberty.
7Knife Of Dunwall And The Brigmore Witches
Dishonored
Dishonoredseems like a huge game, mainly due to the fact that each mission is so meticulously designed to offer multiple paths to success and room to experiment, as a good immersive sim should do. So, you may be surprised to learn that there are only nine missions within the game in total. So when I say that the two DLCs added to this game feel like full games in their own right, it’s because each of them is a third of the size of the full game, offering three bespoke missions each.
The DLCs allow you to see the main story unfold from another perspective as you play as the Empress' assassin, Daud. You get to enjoy new powers bestowed upon you by the Outsider and get embroiled in a grand mystery concerning Delilah Copperspoon.
The quality of each mission is on par, if not better, than the base game content. The new mechanics are a joy to experiment with, and you also get to play as a non-mute protagonist, which is a nice touch as well. It’s more of the same, and if you lovedDishonored, you couldn’t really ask for more.
6Burial At Sea
Bioshock Infinite
Look, I know thatBurial At Seais a bit of a troubled DLC that effectively re-opens a time paradox thatBioshock Infinitemanaged to close rather neatly, which wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
However, what cannot be understated is how incredible it is to return to Rapture in its heyday and watch as this DLC creates another intricate web with the fabric of time and the concept of objectivism to tie the world of Rapture and Columbia together, before signing off the series with a majestic crescendo even Sander Cohen would be proud of.
While Episode One pales in comparison to the second of this DLC, both have their moments, showing off a darker side to Elizabeth and offering plenty more excuses to pump lead into anyone who stands in your way. The DLC offers about 8-10 hours ofBioshock-fuelled brilliance, making it a must-play if you’re a fan. But just know if you’re coming to this DLC hoping that it’ll answer your questions about the base game’s ending, you’ll only end up more confused and bewildered. Trust me on that.
5The Shivering Isles
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
When I think of DLC campaigns that feel like completely new games, the first thing that pops into my mind isThe Shivering Isles, which allows you to enter the realm of Madness wherethe Daedric God Sheogorath reigns supreme. The map on offer for players to explore is massive, covering about half the land mass of the base game, and there is a wealth of zany content jam-packed into this DLC, which will take you up to 40+ hours to complete if you want to see every last bit of it.
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But what makesThe Shivering Islesso amazing is how different it feels from the base game. The world feels so alien compared to Cyrodill as it leans into the madness Sheogorath is known for, with outlandish questlines, a ludicrous amount of mentions of cheese, and a world that feels confusing in the best way possible, making you feel like you just might be going a little bit mad as well.
It’s an acquired taste for this reason, as it is so mismatched with its base game. But the sheer scale and the big swing taken here means we can do nothing but applaud the effort.
Monster Hunter World
You could argue regarding theMonster Hunterseries that huge DLC has come to be expected. But there is always a watershed moment that sets that expectation among fans, and that moment wasIceborne. This DLC forMHWhas a file size that nearly matches that of the base game file, which goes some way to showcasing how this add-on is as close to a full game as you’ll ever get from DLC content, and this add-on truly spoiled MH fans.
The add-on brought with it a new Master Rank to earn, tons of new monsters which were a step-up in difficulty from what the main game had to offer, the ability to use Slinger abilities, and, of course, the promise of a grand battle with the pin-up monster of this DLC, Velkhana. It set a precedent for future DLC like Sunbreak, and if you’re anMHfan, I’m sure you can’t wait for the next full game-sized expansion to hit the digital shelves.
Grand Theft Auto IV
GTA IVis an unquestionably brilliant game, but it’s one that many traditionalGTAfans found somewhat unpalatable due to the more grounded and realistic take on things.GTA IVwas a very gloomy and heavy-hearted affair that even Roman’s hourly phone calls asking Niko to go bowling could brighten up. But, thanks to the DLC expansion,The Ballad of Gay Tony,we got to see what Liberty City would feel like if Rockstar allowed themselves to return to their over-the-top and zany roots.
Balladadded a lot of missions and gameplay changes that feel like a precursor toGTA V’swacky gameplay, with loads of huge, overzealous missions to play through, larger-than-life characters, and lots of side activities to fill the time in between.
The change in tone was palpable compared to Niko’s narrative, and with the addition of the other concurrent DLC story,The Lost and The Damned, players have the option to add even more content to the pile. It’s a superb story, with lots of little extras that make heading back to Liberty City a much more palatable prospect.
Fallout New Vegas
I want to stress that I love every DLC in this masterful run that Obsidian went on, providing interconnected DLC bangers one after another forFallout New Vegas. However, if I had to pick just one that feels completely separate from the main game,Dead Moneywould be the obvious pick. This DLC sees you travel to the Sierra Madre, a time capsule of the old world, where you need to trigger the grand opening that never occurred in order to uncover the treasures within.
It’s a DLC where you’ll be forced to work with a ragtag gang of misfits, traverse the poison-filled periphery of the casino, and if you dare try and run back to the Mojave, your slave collar will pop your head like a rope cherry, so you’re in this one for the long haul. Every one of theFNVDLC additions would have had the legs to serve as the basis for a fullFallouttitle, and that’s why you need to play them all in order and appreciate them for what they are. Perfect.
1The Old Hunters
Bloodborne
We started on a Soulsborne DLC entry, so it’s only fitting that we end the same way with what is still my favorite Souls game in existence and, by extension, my favorite Souls DLC add-on.The Old Huntersisn’t anywhere near as expensive asShadow of the Erdtree, but in this one’s defense, nothing is. This campaign gives players another 8–10 hours of gothic-fuelled bliss, allowing you to explore the Hunter’s Nightmare.
It’s a DLC with a rather compelling story for those willing to dig deep into the lore. Not to mention a selection ofstaggeringly tough bosses, including the likes of Lady Maria and the dreaded Orphan of Kos. It’s proof that FromSoft has always been experts when it comes to adding DLC content, and if you ever needed an excuse to head back to Yharnam, if you haven’t played this DLC, this is the push you need to head back and join the hunt.
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