DLC Details

• Main Title: Mass Effect 2
• DLC Title: Overlord
• Released (UK): 15/06/2010
• Current Price: 560 MS Points
• Estimated Length: 2 hours

My Impressions

Mass Effect 2 is one of my favourite games for the Xbox 360 and I always look forward to the latest batch of DLC. The latest Overlord Premium DLC like the first DLC for the original Mass Effect “Bring Down The Sky” is an extended side quest which adds to your understanding of the undercurrents of the Mass Effect universe, and also has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as “Bring Down The Sky”.

In terms of the plot, you are sent to investigate a Cerberus research base that is investigating ways of combating or controlling the Geth. This serves two main purposes, the first is to possibly hint at plot developments in Mass Effect 3 regarding the role of the Geth and the second to remind people how unscrupulous Cerberus can be. The second point is especially relevant given that most of your Cerberus experience in the main game is sanitised so you can forget how unethical they can be, unlike your confrontations with Cerberus in the first Mass Effect.

In terms of the effectiveness of the basic plot I did think it was well scripted, however some of the impact of the ending is lost if you have recruited Legion and done his loyalty mission or completed the Collector base mission. As such I would advise completing the DLC before either point in the game. Despite this the ending still has the potential to bring a tear to your eye given what you find yourself witnessing.

Another thing I enjoyed about the DLC was some of the comments given by the Hammerhead VI, from pointing out nice views to some very HK-47 like comments if you choose to abuse the local wildlife. I also thought that on the whole the Hammerhead was integrated into the mission to good effect and was a lot more enjoyable than using the Mako in Mass Effect, though not to the point of wanting it to be a common feature in Mass Effect 3.

Overlord is not without its problems though, the main one being the lack of interaction with other teammates. While Legion does get name checked by the main NPC if he is brought along at the start of the mission there are no comments from either him or Tali about what Cerberus is doing. I found this to be a major oversight on the part of Bioware given the parallels between what Cerberus are doing and what happened with Tali’s father in her loyalty mission.

Despite this issue, Overlord is still a fairly solid if unspectacular piece of DLC and it is worth buying if you enjoyed Mass Effect 2.

My Recommendation

Consider

After seeing the “nice” side of Cereberus in the Main plot, the Overlord DLC gives you an insight into the side of Cereberus that the Illusive Man would like you to forget