Mass Effect 3: Leviathan

After releasing hordes of free multiplayer DLC, BioWare has graced players with more content for the single player game.  Released on August 28, 2012 at a cost of 800MS Points ($10), Leviathan promised to take players to the darkest corners of the galaxy in the hunt of a weapon strong enough to kill a reaper.

Taking place during the main campaign, Shepard receives a message from Admiral Hackett that an Alliance researcher by the name of Dr. Bryson has uncovered information about the Reapers that could turn the tide of the war.  After arriving on the Citadel, Commander Shepard discovers that Dr. Bryson is the equivalent of a cryptozoologist.  This kicks off a series of missions spanning the far corners of the galaxy searching for the Leviathan, a creature rumored to be able to kill a reaper.

The additional content only takes a few hours to complete and spans a series of 10 missions in all.  It adds in some of the newer aspects of multiplayer like escorting a drone and transporting a backpack full of goods to points on the map.  Leviathan takes place in only a few different worlds.  There's the standard lab on an asteroid, a planet with rocky terrain, and of course The Citadel.  But the real treat is the water-planet 2181 Despoina.  It is an oceanic graveyard of ships.  The depressed and desperate atmosphere combined with the violent visuals of the encroaching storm make this world unique in a galaxy filled with strange and exiting locations.

Ultimately Shepard learns the origins of the Reapers and gains powerful allies in his quest to save the galaxy. But, this reduces the Leviathan DLC to just another quest to gain a faction.  This type of quest makes up the majority of Mass Effect 3.  It's a fun journey, much like the entire campaign, but when I realized it was just more of the same, I was a bit let down.  The climax isn't all that surprising and taints the entire experience.  It's a nice addition for lore hounds, and honestly that should be almost everyone that has played this trilogy.  But for those that aren't as obsessed, Leviathan can be skipped without any serious repercussions.