BioWare has a lot of trouble keeping projects secret, or maybe employees leak the information about the developer's games purposely. Nevertheless, Mass Effect 3's "Leviathan" DLC was no stranger to this treatment. Having leaked when the "Extended Cut" DLC became available, fans of the space epic series went through wikis and codices on the Mass Effect universe to figure out who the defected Reapers are and why they are in hiding...in a crater far below sea level.
Clocking in at roughly three hours long, Leviathan does not reach the same level of epic as Mass Effect 2's "Lair of the Shadowbroker", but what the newest DLC adds to the story surpasses in areas where it fails. The combat is lackluster and barely memorable, but revealing and impactful story elements make up for killing the same enemies over and over again.
The DLC first starts via a message received from Admiral Hackett via the Normandy's computer, which Samantha Traynor will promptly let you know is waiting for you to read. Hackett asks you to head to a lab on the Citadel where you will speak to Dr. Bryson who has been researching information about the Reapers. You don't have to wait long to get in the middle of some action, but the combat is not as stressful or adrenaline rush-worthy compared to the shoot-outs in the first DLC "From Ashes" or Mass Effect 2's add-ons. From then on, you will find yourself solving puzzles, pinpointing locations, and (most likely) activating a Husk head on a desk, so that it screams.
The areas you will visit in Leviathan are desolate, but beautiful all at the same time. Your journey into the dark depths of the ocean is one of the most beautiful areas in the game. If you find yourself stopping to look at the night sky or wilderness in Skyrim, you will definitely take in Leviathan's unique environments, as well.
"Leviathan" has the same level of creepy as Mass Effect 2's "Project Overlord" DLC with the detective skills and character-driven plot simlar to "Lair of the Shadowbroker". As an addition to the story and not an event taking place post-Star Child, "Leviathan" brings new war assets, weapons, mods, and choices that generate new dialogue at the end of the game. If you are experiencing this DLC as a Mass Effect-veteran, you may wonder why Leviathan was not already included in the story (some of the information is just that important). However, if this is your first playthrough with Mass Effect 3, Leviathan's story will flow nicely within your Shepard's epic journey.
Mass Effect 3: Leviathan is now available on all platforms. 800 MS points for Xbox 360, $9.99 on PSN for PlayStation 3, and $9.99 BioWare points on PC/Mac.
