At the start ofArrival, Shepard is contacted by Alliance Admiral Hackett to rescue a captured scientist with information on an imminent Reaper invasion. To keep this situation contained, Hackett requests Shepard go solo on the mission. Losing your squad for the duration of Arrival makes contextual sense and redresses the lack of team dialogue from other DLC. Overall, Arrival’s story is solid, but mostly disposable. Notably, the narrative explains how the Reapers can reach our galaxy so quickly after the destruction of the Citadel, but it is questionable that Arrival may be played before the completion of Mass Effect 2, as doing so renders the main story somewhat useless. Hence, if you prefer continuity, we recommend booting up Arrival only once the final mission has been completed.
I’m Admiral Hackett, and Shepard is my favourite Spectre on the Citadel.
Despite some good moments, Arrival seldom reaches the heights of other BioWare creations. The DLC doesn’t give you much opportunity to engage in role-playing, with little player input and only a small littering of Mass Effect’s trademark conversation system. Dialogue, though infrequent, is sound, and Lance Henrickson portrays the gruff Admiral Hackett with ease. At one point, the DLC shepherds you into making a decision with little moral deliberation as to the repercussions. Some players may dislike choice being removed, but the narrative decision makes sense in the context of a prologue to Mass Effect 3. Further, players will enjoy the humorous Mass Effect references and the epilogue to the Arrival story, which gives an insight into developments in Mass Effect 3.
The solo gameplay is a significant change of pace for Mass Effect, with Shepard removed from his squad and relying entirely on his own skillset. Some may miss having an alien or two watching their back, but memorable combat and formidable enemies fill the void. The beginning of Arrival charges players with making a stealthy entry, but despite coming off weakly, it is a welcome change to going in all guns blazing. As the enemies become more difficult, players need to think more strategically with power usage and battlefield tactics. A certain area, which hankers back to the Pinnacle Station DLC with wave after wave of enemies, is an intense yet entertaining challenge with Shepard’s abilities put to the test. Arrival includes several notable environments, but being filled almost entirely with corridor shootouts, players may scoff at the lack of gameplay variety as seen in other content like Overlord.
Arrival sees you battling in memorable environments.
In the wake of such other stellar content such as the spellbinding Lair of the Shadow Broker, Arrival may ultimately be viewed as a missed opportunity. While it still stands on its own feet, Arrival simply does not offer the absorbing atmosphere of Kasumi’s Stolen Memory or the engaging emotion of Shadow Broker. Simply put, there is just so much more BioWare could have done with the story and characterisation. Several glitches we encountered also dampen the experience, including one that makes all sound inaudible. Nonetheless, a memorable soundtrack, new research and trophies or achievements ensure Arrival is far from mediocre.
Despite somewhat ordinary execution, Arrival should be still be played by anyone wanting to experience the complete Mass Effect story. With approximately a two hour play-through filled with engaging combat and notable environments, the DLC is a reasonable purchase. Further, with a glimpse of the approaching Reaper menace and actions that will carry on to the third entry, Arrival is guaranteed to whet your appetite for more. Shepard’s favourite DLC on the Citadel this may not be, but taken as introduction to the final chapter of this generation’s most engaging RPG, Mass Effect 2: The Arrival is recommended playing for all discerning Mass Effect fans.
Worth buying? Maybe
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Downloadable content ratings system:
We've given a 'buy' rating of 'Yes', 'Maybe', or 'No'.
Yes means that the content is either great value or brings some substantial additions to the game, or possibly both.
Maybe means that the content may be fun while it lasts, but may either be too short or not enough to fully justify the price tag.
No means that we don't recommend downloading this insubstantial content.
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