S&S Review: Mass Effect 3 Omega DLC

Title: Mass Effect 3 Omega DLC
Format: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Publisher: EA
Developer: Bioware
Price: $15
ESRB Rating: M

The latest DLC for Mass Effect 3 has just been released, and at a time where people began losing interest in Mass Effect 3, the Omega expansion looks to bring players back and controlling Commander Shepard.  
Story, Presentation, and Core Gameplay:
The Omega DLC is Mass Effect 3 second major expansion, following Leviathan, it gives you  another key side story to the game's already complex tale. The many side stories of Mass Effect 3 have always been interesting, but there were always a lot of, loose ends that never got explained or explored.  Aria T'Loak was one of those intriguing characters that you never got to really interact with, outside of the poorly lit nightclub.  The Omega DLC gives you a lot more time with Aria, as you try and retake Omega.  Aria is one of my favorite characters in the Mass Effect trilogy, and I'm excited to finally get some extended time with her.  The mysterious Asari's personality gets a little more fleshed out, but it still doesn't fill like she's completely transparent.  I like that they kept some of the mystery surrounding her alive.  The Cerberus general serves as you typical villain, but he's never as interesting as the Illusive Man or other villains from previous games.  You don't even see him that much, other than a few short scenes with him playing recreational games by himself, its a bit of a missed opportunity to me.  The narrative had a lot of potential, but it just ended up being another long bout with Cerberus.  Omega gives a big new environment to explore and kill Cerberus agents in.  It looks really good, just like the rest of ME 3.  It doesn't look to unfamiliar though, I feel like I've been at Omega before, even when I wasn't.  The gameplay hasn't changed in the least, but you're given some cool new additions to help you in your mission.  One is that you're given some new squadmates on your mission, you can't bring in your old teammates, but seeing new and fresh faces is a welcomed addition.  You also get to finally see some female Turians do battle, like your new squadmate Nyreen, they add a new dimension to the DLC's many skirmishes.  
During these battles, some new enemies will be waiting to greet you, the new Rampart Mech has a deadly blade that will be a nightmare to combat if you're up close.  The Adjutant, a Reaper weapon that Cerberus has been experimenting on, adds even more variety to the game's battles.  These aren't as terrifying as the Banshee, but its always nice to get some new combatants on the battlefield.  When you finish the two and a half hour side mission, the new weapons you earn are cool.  The N7 Valkyrie and Chakram Launcher are really fun to use, you also get a couple of new powers.  Lash and Flare gives your Biotic Shepard some pretty cool new offensive options to choose from.  
Final Thoughts:
For $15 bucks, this expansion fills like a bit of a stretch.  Its a good expansion, but for 2.5 hours of pretty much the same combat, a couple new enemies that doesn't  drastically change the game's dynamic doesn't warrant your $15 dollars.  If you're looking for another reason to get back into Mass Effect 3, I would still recommend the newly released Omega DLC expansion.  
S&S Rating: 7.5/10