NONE of the franchise's large collection of DLC is included in this pack.
Sure, DLC in the first Mass Effect isn't anything special, but for Mass Effect 2 there's bonus levels which directly bridge the gap between it and Mass Effect 3!
When games like Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion released new editions they included all the DLC expansion packs on bonus discs (if you played on Xbox360). At this point I expect that when a big RPG like this are re-released they will include all the DLC as a bonus.
Here's the real kicker. Say you just want the basic Mass Effect experience without the DLC. This set still won't meet your needs because you can buy all three of these games individually for less than $60. Heck, get the Platinum Edition of the first game and you'll at least get one of the DLC missions!
So this set fails on two counts:
1) If you're a new gamer wanting to tackle the Mass Effect trilogy for the first time your wallet would be better off buying the games individually.
2) If you're someone who wanted the definitive Mass Effect experience this set fails to include anything worth warranting a double dip.
So either buy the games individually, hold off until this set is in the $40 range, or wait for BioWare to release the inevitable "Definitive/Collector's/whatever" special edition with all the DLC included.
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What DLC is included in the Mass Effect Trilogy?"On Xbox 360, Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station are not included with Mass Effect, however they are available as stand-alone downloads through Xbox LIVE. For Mass Effect 2, Cerberus Network will be included and Online Pass will be included for Mass Effect 3."
That basically says it all. Forget about the DLC being on-disk, they don't even give you download codes. The current MSRP ($60) is already more than the cost of the sum of the 3 games separately (shop around). On top of that, to get all of the DLC, you'd need to pay an additional $65 through XBOX Live:
Bringing Down the Sky 400
Pinnacle Station 400
Shadow Broker 800
Kasumi 560
Arrival 560
Genesis 320
Overlord 560
Leviathan 800
From Ashes 800
Total 5200 points = $65
This 'Trilogy' isn't a definitive collection in any sense of the word. This compilation is a blatant, lazy money grab. Insulting. Anti-consumer. If they're this desperate to exploit their audience, they could at least put everything on-disk and charge $120. At least then I'd respect them for being upfront about it and I'd be able to have everything in one neat package.
I'll close by saying that this is all doubly infuriating because EA and Bioware have done this right in the past! Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition, for example, was everything a Dragon Age fan could've hoped for in one beautiful package!
Note: This review is specifically for the 360 Trilogy SKU and is not meant to be a review of the individual games therein. I'm reviewing the package.
Best Deals for Mass Effect Trilogy - Xbox 360
One of the best games ever produced at one of the worst prices ever. You can pick up Mass Effect 1 and 2 for less than 10 bucks used, and mass effect 3 for 15. This comes with nothing extra and the DLC content isn't even included which is a complete joke. Don't fall for this and let EA choke on their own greed.Was at a game stop last night and looked up the prices of the games.
Mass Effect 1, $7
Mass Effect 2 $8
New Mass Effect 3 $14
Do the math and weep if you bought this.
This doesn't include the promotion buy two get one free.
Honest reviews on Mass Effect Trilogy - Xbox 360
This game comes with no DLC, for the full trilogy, youll have to spend another 65$ on xbox live marketplace. Game dosent even come with extended "real" ending, you have to download that for free. Not exactly sure why they made this package, but its pretty lame.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Mass Effect Trilogy - Xbox 360
Now, I had heard a few things about the Mass Effect series, mainly the controversy surrounding the ending, so when I saw the trilogy for around $30, I decided to pick it up.For the first game, the combat gameplay is a bit simplistic. The weapons use a heating system as opposed to ammo. At first, I preferred this type of gameplay, but in the later two games, the ammo generally feels better than having an unlimited supply of firepower. The cover system is a bit rough, because it's hard to get in and out of cover smoothly, not to mention you have to crouch to get into low cover. Where the combat gets most advanced is in the mods and customizations. You get heaps of stuff you can give to yourself or your squad mates, and you can get sick of it after a while. One more feature in (and out of) combat is the leveling system. You can level up your skills in different weapons like your pistol or sniper, along with combat powers such as shield boost. You are also able to level up passive health and melee damage upgrades. One final ability you can level up is speech choice. This is probably what you should focus on, as the dialogue is where the game shines. You have two types of special speech options. These usually help you out more than the normal dialogue choices. They are split into the more friendly, nice options (charm/paragon), and the more tough, angry options (intimidate/renegade). You can't really try to go in the middle with a mix of both, as this just leaves you weak in both options. Mass Effect presents you with a lot of choices you can make throughout the game. At times, certain squad members can live or die based on your actions, and many other choices involving other characters you meet exist as well. Many of these choices carry on to the next two games, adding a feeling of your playthrough being unique. In conversations with characters, you are presented with several things you can say to characters, which really makes your experience with the game your own, and shaping Shepard into the character you want. The characters in the game feel like real people, and you will come to treat them as your friends. If they ever die, you feel genuine loss, especially since they may or may not have made an effect on the future years later in the story. By the third game, anybody in your squad in the first game could be dead. You can also pursue romantic relationships with characters of the opposite gender, if you want to. Regardless of the choices you make, the story of all three games is fascinating and enjoyable throughout the 100+ hour experience. One thing that greatly adds to this experience is the brilliant and well-developed information that you find about the galaxy and it's history. All of the information you learn goes into your codex, and all of the technology and species contribute to the world in so many different ways. In the second and third games, the item system is streamlined to where you don't have tons of mods and ammo types. The sound and feel of weapons feels more crisp than the first game, and the cover is more flowing. You and your squad mates have special combat abilities that can slow down time, make an enemy go flying, or destroy a shield. The later games keep all of the things that make the dialogue of Mass Effect great. You feel like your experience is truly unique. One great addition to the second game is that every squad member has a loyalty mission, which goes deeper into the characters lives where you help them with a personal problem. Squad members that are loyal to you also are more likely to survive into the third game. The one big problem about this game is the ending. At the end, nothing you did throughout the rest of the three games matters, and you get three choices (that don't effect the ending much anyways). I recommend downloading the extended cut DLC, which majorly improves the ending, and covers more things that happened in depth, which also includes more dialogue and an extra scene with your partner if you chose to romance anybody.
There are so many great things in this trilogy that I didn't cover, and these are definitely my favorite games of all time. You need to buy this trilogy, and you also need to import your characters from game to game for the optimal experience. (Also, you should use the default Shepard, the facial customization doesn't match the voice, and is really a pointless feature)
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