The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Add-ons have been growing rapidly since it became practical to deliver extra content digitally (DLC: Downloadable Content). Most major gaming studios seem to be trying to work out a way to add this to every major release. Bethesda definitely had it for the Fallout 3 series (I don't know about earlier). The DLC can be pretty hit or miss depending on the game, but it almost always cost around $15 regardless of how much it adds. Mass Effect 3 actually had an add on on the disc already that you had to pay extra to play.

DLC definitely has the ability to extend the life of a game you enjoy. I find it a hassle in multiplayer games where some friends have a DLC map pack and others don't. DLC can definitely feel like a cynical ploy to milk more money out of a game as well.

"Game of the Year" editions of games generally include the main game plus all the DLC released if you pick the game up a year or two after release.

Thanks, man. Very good explanation. I'm guessing if I have XBox 630 Live or whatever then I could dl a DLC.

Yep, and Xbox has been working deals to get DLC a month before PS3/PC release, so Dawnguard will likely be available on Xbox first.

That's pretty awesome....for those of us who have a XBox lol

Ha, I thought maybe I had read that somewhere on this thread. Xbox seems to have this for every game, though, so I get confused.

I recently got the Hearthfire DLC and I've been playing it a bit. It just gives you the ability to build new manor houses roughly near the three hold capitals you can't buy houses in (Falkreath, Morthal, and Dawnstar) although it's just the same house so you only need to do it once. It's actually quite a bit of work to do it because you need many supplies. You are going to get to know your local shop keeps and mill owner really well. Once you have built up a livable place, your romantic partner moves in. If you build enough to house kids you can adopt a couple rugrats from the Riften orphanage. The kids are nice - if you go away for a while they are happy to see you when you come back. They ask for gifts (sweets, toys, and clothes are added to the game - they also like daggers) and they play kid games and you can tell them to do chores and the boys make a fuss when you do. You also get a steward (a standard housecarl, but with options to help you build your home) and can hire a carriage or a bard.

I wish there was more options in what you can do. You have no choices in the interior layout or style - you can just chose which of the items you build. The add-ons (library, kitchen, storage area...) are hard coded to certain wings, so you can't (for example) have both a kitchen and a library. The library sucks because it's a tiny tower and proper libraries require rectangular rooms. But at least there's enough space for one of each non-spell book in the game (which I long ago collected). Your wife/husband doesn't do anything more (in fact, mine won't cook for me anymore) so they aren't as fun as the kids.

The houses are in the middle of nowhere so it's a little dangerous. I had a couple bear attacks and a giant rampaged through my cow pen. Once I played hide-and-seek with my boy and he ran out of the house (at night time!) and when I went outside I couldn't find him. I used the aura shout and I could see wolves and beasts in the far distance all around and I panicked for his safety. Eventually I found him - sleeping in his bed. Bastard. I'm going to make him sweep twice as much for scaring me like that.

It's worth the few bucks it costs, but if they had more customizations and more domestic features it really would have expanded the game in a bold direction. At some point you just get tired of killing and want to sit down by the fire with some cabbage soup. Hearthfire doesn't quite get you there.

guild wars 2 looks good, i just don't have time

When you adopt the girl, she gives you a cupboard full of "pretty things" (feathers, butterfly wings and so forth). If you have two kids they eventually get into arguments and you have to deal with it. The kids have lots of new behaviors - they are the best part of the DLC.

The kitchen (I built another house to see what it was like) is great. You get a oven which lets you create all sorts of new foods (with useful magical attributes) using some new alchemical ingredients (sack of flour, butter, milk...). You can plant some kinds of vegetables and flowers in the garden to grow more. Each house also has a unique feature. One has a bee hive that makes bees and honey. One has a fish hatchery.

I think what the DLC needs to be great is a radiant quest system where your family or your staff give you minor quests for the upkeep of the house.

Bit late to the party, but decided to pick this game up a week ago. It's strangely addictive....and fooking HUGE. I've pretty much abandoned the main quest while I go getting other stuff, but yeah, dangerous game for your social life.

As much as I love the game, one thing does annoy me. The way they level up the enemy. I wouldn't mind them leveling up big dungeons and their bosses to give your ever improving character more of a challenge. However it seems to be the opposite I breezed through a warlord and a boss called Morekei....the when I left and went back to a town, a random old man in rags challenges me to a mage duel, and kept kicking my ass, because he did mass damage and hardly took any himself. Same with random bandits. Something that the developers should work on for future games I think.