You already know what I think of Mass Effect 2, so I won't waste your time going over that here. Suffice it to say that I love it so much that I wasn't about to wait and see what some chubby nobody like myself thought of the new DLC, "Kasumi - Stolen Memory." I was buying it, and that was that.
So if we can all agree that Mass Effect 2 is a great game (and we can, right?), it seems what we've basically got here is a value proposition: Does the $7 entry fee provide you with enough new greatness? Let's break down the new, shall we?
The New Mission: Moments after meeting up with master thief Kasumi, you're thrust into her life of crime. She needs your help to steal something of sentimental value from a ruthless criminal overlord throwing a party for similarly minded individuals. The ensuing heist and fire fight is as good as the rest of the game's loyalty missions (if not better than a few), but you should know up front that we're talking about an hour of gameplay here, tops. It's a very good hour. But it's an hour.
The New Character: The cocky yet sorrowful Kasumi is more fleshed out than most video game characters, but that's not saying a lot in Mass Effect 2, which is already jam-packed with a crew of interesting, multi-layered individuals. She's fine, but compared to the rest of the game's supporting cast, she's highly underdeveloped. Maybe if you picked her up earlier in the story she would have more time to blossom, but I'm assuming that most of you downloading the content have already put the main mission to bed.
The New Casual Outfit: It's a space tuxedo or a fancy low-cut space dress for the ladies. Too formal for the Normandy day-to-day? Perhaps. But you can't really put a dollar value on making a great first impression on visiting space dignitaries.
The New Weapon: The Locust SMG has a lot of history behind it, we're told, but in practice it didn't seem all that different from other SMGs in the game. True, it's been a few months since I played, but at least in the context of this one mission, it didn't feel particularly special.
"But Justin, is it worth $7?" I already hear you asking, but the answer is pretty subjective. At the end, I felt like I didn't necessarily get my money's worth, but I also know I wouldn't have believed that until I had bought the thing myself. If your world was rocked like mine by Mass Effect 2, then you're probably playing rather than reading this. That's fine, you'll probably be able to justify it to yourself -- I know I was. If, however, you were a fan but not desperate for more, you're probably better off forgetting about this memory until the inevitable price drop.
Xbox.com: Add Kasumi - Stolen Memory to your Xbox 360 download queue ($7.00)
Reader Comments (89)
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 10:43PM Baron Milton Von Crompton said
I felt it was worth it too! Seeing as everything in this world is as expenno as they are, so this fits right in there.
I played it on Insanity with the Adept class and it took me more than an hour and a half to complete. Then again I took my sweet time to gaze at the most beautiful of all horizon. Damn it's awesome! So definitely worth it in that regard as well.
Although, the lack of a dialogue wheel -- the all important character development -- for the in-ship conversations sucked a bit. Would have been that much more interactive had this DLC used a dialogue wheel for Kasumi.
The Lotus SMG is great in that it's far more accurate and stable, even more so with short bursts.
Loved my female Shepard's dress too, although a bit too 'mumsy-ish' for my fashion liking. Bioware should have gotten Miu Miu to design it though.
All in all, I am satisfied with this DLC. Good buy.
Reply
I played it on Insanity with the Adept class and it took me more than an hour and a half to complete. Then again I took my sweet time to gaze at the most beautiful of all horizon. Damn it's awesome! So definitely worth it in that regard as well.
Although, the lack of a dialogue wheel -- the all important character development -- for the in-ship conversations sucked a bit. Would have been that much more interactive had this DLC used a dialogue wheel for Kasumi.
The Lotus SMG is great in that it's far more accurate and stable, even more so with short bursts.
Loved my female Shepard's dress too, although a bit too 'mumsy-ish' for my fashion liking. Bioware should have gotten Miu Miu to design it though.
All in all, I am satisfied with this DLC. Good buy.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:09PM (Unverified) said
Is it worth it on it's own. NO.But is it worth it when you are playing though the whole campaign again. Absolutely!
Reply
Posted: Apr 20th 2010 11:47PM Tachyonic Cargo said
I'm about 10% to 20% into my second play-thru of Mass Effect 2 . . . on Insanity difficulty.
Needless to say, I am taking more time through this play-thru, as I have at least two years before Mass Effect 3, plus insanity is just that - insane.
Taking my time on this second play-thru does allow me to plug in all the DLC that will come along as I play through. Including this one, which was pretty hard, once the combat commenced, on insanity. Took me forever to beat it, but was quite satisfying to do so on this difficulty level.
I don't think I could recommend this DLC if you intend to play it alone. But if you are going to play it as part of an even larger play-thru of the game, then this DLC is more than well worth the purchase - especially because of the new character and the new weapon.
Reply
Needless to say, I am taking more time through this play-thru, as I have at least two years before Mass Effect 3, plus insanity is just that - insane.
Taking my time on this second play-thru does allow me to plug in all the DLC that will come along as I play through. Including this one, which was pretty hard, once the combat commenced, on insanity. Took me forever to beat it, but was quite satisfying to do so on this difficulty level.
I don't think I could recommend this DLC if you intend to play it alone. But if you are going to play it as part of an even larger play-thru of the game, then this DLC is more than well worth the purchase - especially because of the new character and the new weapon.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:10PM Goldenswo140 said
I think i will pass on this on .. this DLC thing is getting out of hand .. but i am sure i will get voted down.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:17PM puerrican85 said
Agreed, ME2 was awesome but felt kinda short, and to buy dlc content now for an extra character without any real depth compared to the others is just meh...
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:18PM (Unverified) said
Yeah, you'll get downvoted for sure. It's common for fans of a game to downvote any form of negative gloomy gus comment. I'm passing as well, as much as I enjoyed ME2, it'll take some significant content like an expansion pack ala DA:Awakening to go through it again so soon. I'll play through ME2 for renegade a bit before ME3 hits, but I feel I got plenty out of it the first time around. 1 hour of DLC here and there just isn't enough to draw me in again.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:36PM eat it said
I'm done with DLC unless it is maps for an online multiplayer games that I play a lot. dropping $7 to $10 here and there really adds up at the end of the year. I'd rather just save that money and move on to the next new game. especially when a lot of dlc is equal to the deleted scenes on a DVD in terms of quality.
I suppose there are exceptions, but man, I gotta really really like that game.
Reply
I suppose there are exceptions, but man, I gotta really really like that game.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:45PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
I personally don't think DLC is getting out of hand. I'd rather my $60 game have added content than just be finished and shelved for the rest of it's life span. Sure, I agree $7 is a little high for just over an hour of gameplay, but you spend a ton more to go see a movie at the theaters. Entertainment doesn't come cheap these days.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:54PM RogueJedi86 said
How is the DLC getting out of hand? You spend a pittance to get a new character for your entire game, plus a new weapon(there's only 2 SMGs in the game, so the Locust is welcome), an achievement, a new formal attire, plus a nice new hour-long mission. The DLC might be getting out of hand if you didn't get this new character for long, but Kasumi works for the rest of the game too, including the Suicide Mission. All that for only $7? Even in this economic recession, that's a bargain. It sure beats $15 for horse armor. :P
Besides, BioWare buttered us up for a dozen bits of free DLC, it's nice to return the favor to them. Just think of the $7 as paying for Kasumi and giving them a tip for all the nice free weapons and armor and missions and character(Zaeed) before making us start paying for DLC. :)
Reply
Besides, BioWare buttered us up for a dozen bits of free DLC, it's nice to return the favor to them. Just think of the $7 as paying for Kasumi and giving them a tip for all the nice free weapons and armor and missions and character(Zaeed) before making us start paying for DLC. :)
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:56PM (Unverified) said
I'm doing it wrong by playing through once for the good story and then coming back to it later on when I feel like it for the renegade flip to the story? I'm doing it wrong by not choosing to pay for an insignificant character that will only offer an hour's worth of new content? I think I'm doing it just fine thanks.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:50PM aughscreennames said
You dont spend a ton more to go see a movie. You have the ability to spend more than $7-10 if you buy all their bullshit but the movie costs around the same as this DLC, you have the same ability to go to the gas station and spend $20 on junk to eat while playing this too. Another thing to point out is that the movie costed over $100 million to make and is usually around 2 hours at the least, you also get to watch it in a room with probably close to $1 million worth of equipment in it. In terms of margins this DLC doesnt come anywhere remotely close to the value of a movie, if you want to compare this to a movie then youre getting ripped off.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 3:44PM (Unverified) said
Nobody is forcing the purchase of DLC here. The game is massive enough.
Also, (I'm talking to you Danny F.) how do you think this game "kinda short"?
If you want to get to the end as quick as humanly possible, you could do that in a relatively short 12-15 hours, but this is a choice. A bad choice.
There's a ridiculous amount of content in this game if you want to experience it. If you don't, then you probably don't like the game anyway so why bother.
40+ hours on one playthrough with re-playability is NOT short.
Reply
Also, (I'm talking to you Danny F.) how do you think this game "kinda short"?
If you want to get to the end as quick as humanly possible, you could do that in a relatively short 12-15 hours, but this is a choice. A bad choice.
There's a ridiculous amount of content in this game if you want to experience it. If you don't, then you probably don't like the game anyway so why bother.
40+ hours on one playthrough with re-playability is NOT short.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 5:18PM Xoxaan said
DLC is completely out of hand. Especially EA's lovely new plan for pre-DLC -- translation, paying for demos. ME2 should have been Empire Strikes Back but in turned out to be Attack of the Clones. I already traded my copy in (yes I bought it new for all you whiny idiots that think developers are starving). Sorry EA, not falling for anymore of your horsesh*t DLC. Here's an idea, let the developers finish their games instead of rushing them or removing content for your precious DLC.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:13PM Cadattack123 said
This Is Commander Shepard ... And This Is MY favorite DLC .....So Far ;)
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:23PM Padilla7921 said
This seems like Cerberus Network content more than anything. If they would've priced this close to the "compulsive buy" range (around $2, I would say), this would be a no-brainer. But, for most, $7 is too much for an hour of gameplay. For $7, I would like to see a significant amount of extra content added to the game (weapons, missions, character, etc).
That said, I'll still buy this, but only because I absolutely love ME2.
Reply
That said, I'll still buy this, but only because I absolutely love ME2.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:50PM (Unverified) said
I'd prefer they just create an expansion pack or give us news about ME3 (since they are supposedly "rushing" it) than more 1 hour DLC.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 2:07PM RogueJedi86 said
Ryan, who says they can't do both? Like how DAO had both the "Return to Ostagar" DLC and the "Awakening" expansion. I'd love for ME2 to get a retail expansion that bridges the gap between ME2 and ME3(if such a gap exists).
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 2:31PM (Unverified) said
No one is saying they can't do both, I'm only stating what I prefer. I don't like 1 hour Ostagar content. I like significant, rich and worth while content.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:25PM Chaz Winterbottom said
She turns invisible and takes out enemies from behind. She's also got a flash bang grenade and an SMG. In short she's pretty effective at kicking ass.
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:34PM baby sea tuna said
But more effective than my Infiltrator Shepard?
I'm definitely going to pick this up at some point, but I feel like Kasumi might end up being sort of redundant if she has basically the same abilities as my main character (sort of like Sigrun has 90% the same specs as my main Dragon Age character.) Obviously, it's not going to be this way for everyone, but it kinda bums me out that I'll probably never use Kasumi outside of this mission. Of course, the mission itself sounds a lot like a combination of the Firefly eps. "Shindig" and "Trash," and I am all about that.
Reply
I'm definitely going to pick this up at some point, but I feel like Kasumi might end up being sort of redundant if she has basically the same abilities as my main character (sort of like Sigrun has 90% the same specs as my main Dragon Age character.) Obviously, it's not going to be this way for everyone, but it kinda bums me out that I'll probably never use Kasumi outside of this mission. Of course, the mission itself sounds a lot like a combination of the Firefly eps. "Shindig" and "Trash," and I am all about that.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:49PM TheDarkWayne said
Ahh Sea Tuna, now you've gone and rekindled that eternal sorrow that there isn't a Mass Effectian Firefly RPG, and that Jayne isnt a squadmate in ME2
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:32PM Rather Dashing said
This DLC is too small, I honestly don't think it's worth a $7 premium. The most that should be charged is 400 Microsoft Points, I think.
I'm not getting it. Don't get me wrong, I love Mass Effect 2, and I'm not going to go into moral diatribe over this. I just don't think it's worth it. ME2 is a pretty high-profile title though, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Kasumi content become a Deal of the Week.
Reply
I'm not getting it. Don't get me wrong, I love Mass Effect 2, and I'm not going to go into moral diatribe over this. I just don't think it's worth it. ME2 is a pretty high-profile title though, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Kasumi content become a Deal of the Week.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:33PM Floppypants said
Mass Effect 2 is one of my favorite games and I picked this up the second it was available. While the new mission had that high level of quality I've come to expect, the $7 price tag does sting a little when it only clocks in at about an hour. I'd probably get more value out of it if I played through the entire game agan, but twice was enough for me. 1030/1030 nerd points :P
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:06PM mtlyoshi9 said
@MasterGekk
You do realize that it's seven dollars....per person that buys it. That quickly adds up.
I've never been much of a fan of DLC, especially when the price tag is considerably high.
Think of all the content in the $60 game. Proportionally, this DLC should have more than 10% of the content that was on the disk. Plus you have to consider that this DLC is being sold to people who already supported them and bough their product (the game) so there should be a sort of premium on the price.
See where the math fails here? The game itself plays for a lot longer than the 10 hours, and with more than just one character.
Downvote me if you so feel like it, but personally, I think DLC is wayy too overrated.
Reply
You do realize that it's seven dollars....per person that buys it. That quickly adds up.
I've never been much of a fan of DLC, especially when the price tag is considerably high.
Think of all the content in the $60 game. Proportionally, this DLC should have more than 10% of the content that was on the disk. Plus you have to consider that this DLC is being sold to people who already supported them and bough their product (the game) so there should be a sort of premium on the price.
See where the math fails here? The game itself plays for a lot longer than the 10 hours, and with more than just one character.
Downvote me if you so feel like it, but personally, I think DLC is wayy too overrated.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:07PM Rather Dashing said
At $7 you have any given Telltale episode.
At $10 you have The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom.
At $15 you have Portal: Still Alive.
These are just a few examples.
Reply
At $10 you have The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom.
At $15 you have Portal: Still Alive.
These are just a few examples.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 5:40PM Ruinkind said
This is my opportunity to vote with my dollar. My chance to tell BioWare "Yes, make more games like this one, and players will mail you additional bricks of cash for minor additions." Because a $7 minor extra mission for this game is something I look forward to more than $60 for 100+ hours of boring uninspired content I'll get from most games on the horizon.
Of course, it probably also helps that so far I've only got one ME2 playthrough under my belt, with at least one more planned.
Reply
Of course, it probably also helps that so far I've only got one ME2 playthrough under my belt, with at least one more planned.
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 12:36PM (Unverified) said
I want this, but can't justify the $7 either. Is there any news of more DLC coming out for ME2?
Reply
Posted: Apr 7th 2010 1:06PM Mcmax3000 said
I purchased it and played through it last night. I very much enjoyed the loyalty mission and the character herself. I felt like I got $7 worth of enjoyment out of the content but it is fairly short so I can understand why some people would feel that it's too expensive.
I would give it a thumbs up.
Reply
I would give it a thumbs up.
Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.
Featured Stories
The most popular posts
in the last 7 days
- Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 220 comments
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 153 comments
- David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 108 comments
- Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 95 comments
- Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix 93 comments











