Review: Mass Effect 2 Overlord DLC

June 21, 2010
by: Matt E.

Let's face it.  The DLC released for Mass Effect 2 so far has been, shall I say - dull.  The Firewalker pack was begrudgingly boring.  The Kasumi add on was a welcome improvement, but added a character to the crew that feels out of place and didn't do anything to progress the story.  Then we have some Alternate Appearance packs which are completely worthless, unless you get your rocks off to Jack in a biker outfit.  With the latest DLC, Bioware is looking to change all that.  The new Overlord DLC is sollid.  So solid in fact, I dare say it is the best DLC for Mass Effect 2 to date.

Overlord sees the crew of the Normandy off to a small Cerberus outpost that has gone radio silent.  Upon arrival you're greeted by Dr. Archer, the chief scientist of the facility.  Archer informs you that top secret human/synthetic VI Cerberus was working on has gone rapant.  The VI is in control of a battalion of Geth and is trying to beam itself off planet.  The only way to stop the VI is for Shepard to destroy the base's satellite up-link and then head to Atlas Station and deactivate the machine.  Before you can reach Atlas Station, you must override the security protocols at two nearby stations.

Combat in Overlord is a departure from the standard Mass Effect fare.  Rather than the straight up firefights seen in the campaign, Bioware introduces a survival horror theme akin to Resident Evil.  The Cerberus bases are eerily quite, barring the constant whirring of the glowing green cameras on the walls tracking your every move.  Doors slam shut as you approach, only for another to open leading you in an entirely new direction.  At every moment it's evident that the VI is watching you, analyzing your every step, and leading you deeper into it's territory. 

The stretches of silence are broken up by the agonizing screams of the VI, as it's face flashes across the monitors you pass.  The horror becomes all the more real when VI decides to power up the once deactivated Geth army Cerberus was researching on Aite.  Geth Destroyers, Juggernauts and Primes are all commonplace in Overlord.  The sheer number of which rival what you fought on Haestrom.  Expect more than a challenge if you're playing on Hardcore.

In addition to the change on the classic Mass Effect gameplay, Overlord  touches on one of the underlying themes in the story.  The ever evolving stuggle of Organic versus Synthetic takes center stage, but this time the lines aren't so clearly drawn in the sand.  I'll spare you the spoilers, but the hardcore Mass Effect fans will find plenty of juice to discuss over in the forums.  

A great story, amazing visuals, difficult battles, and a few moments that will literally have your jaw on the floor, combine to make Overlord a must have for any Mass Effect 2 player.  The DLC will set you back a cool $7.00 for about an hour and a half of playtime, (approximately 2 hours on hardcore) but it does include 2 new achievements and one of the best Mass Effect 2 experiences you'll have outside of the Collector Base. 

9.0 / 10