Remembering our favorite expansion packs

Back within the 90s, the web was primarily used to speak with teams via boards and IRC, with the uncommon multiplayer match on sure FPS video games due to dial-up connections for the web.

The thought of utilizing the web to download further content material for a PC sport and even film was regarded as one thing that was solely potential in Star Trek. But these days we are able to purchase and download further content material as we please via totally different retailers, whether or not that is new characters in a combating sport, new automobiles in a racing sport, or simply new dances for Fortnite.

But there was as soon as a time the place you would need to purchase a further disk as a way to play further ranges for a sport, or perhaps a standalone sport that might add onto the unique story. These have been as soon as known as expansion packs, and in at the moment’s age these would merely be DLC, or a part of a Season Pass.

For PC Gaming Week, we wished to spotlight 5 of the most effective expansion packs from the mid to late 90s of what you would purchase on your PC.

The first level in Half Life Opposing Force

(Image credit score: Valve)

Half Life: Opposing Force

In November 1999, one yr after the discharge of the unique Half Life was its first expansion pack, set concurrently the unique, however instructed from the attitude of US Marine Adrian Shepard. It made the excellence in enjoying as one of many dangerous guys right here, however your essential goal was to run via Black Mesa and defeat the hordes of Xen aliens throughout twelve ranges, earlier than assembly the notorious G-Man.

There’s loads of new weapons so that you can check out, from the Sniper Rifle to a Combat Knife, all prepared for use towards the enemies you’ll face. Having been developed by Gearbox as a substitute of Valve this time, it gave the participant a distinct facet into how the story was instructed from a perspective aside from Gordan Freeman, the series’ essential protagonist.

Opposing Force was capable of give depth to the story of Half Life and the Black Mesa facility with out feeling as if it intruded on the unique story. You can nonetheless purchase the expansion pack from Steam proper now, and it’s nonetheless a enjoyable trip even in 4K decision, however it will be nice to see an unofficial remake to it, much like Black Mesa.

Lara in a Scotland level in TR3: Lost Artifact

(Image credit score: CORE Design)

Tomb Raider 3: Lost Artifact

Each of the primary 4 Tomb Raider video games had the fortune of getting an expansion pack roughly a yr after a essential entry can be launched. However, whereas TR: Unfinished Business and TR2: Golden Mask have been enjoyable tropes and wanted the unique sport to be performed, Lost Artifact was capable of be performed by itself, with out requiring the bottom sport.

The expansion was launched in March 2000 and extends the story of the third Tomb Raider sport, launched in November 1998, the place there’s a fifth Infada artifact, the gathering of McGuffins that Lara needed to acquire throughout the globe.

Instead of Egypt and Pyramids, you have been introduced with Scotland and a Castle, taking you to the house of the antagonist, Willard and seeing the place the fifth artifact was positioned. Across six ranges you’re dropped at a rematch with a earlier boss, Sophia Leigh, and also you acquire the Hand of Rathmore, wrapping up Croft’s third journey properly.

It was a enjoyable expansion pack that additional prolonged the story of Tomb Raider III. While the unique sport was recognized to be very tough in locations, right here it was much more refined, with areas not seen in a Tomb Raider sport earlier than, making this new and contemporary.

There was no further music by the unique composer, Nathan McCree, who left the franchise in 1998 – although he instructed us that if given the prospect, he would have gladly composed extra music for the expansion’s 4 settings throughout the United Kingdom if circumstances had labored out.

But there’s additionally the truth that none of those expansions can presently be purchased on the storefronts of at the moment. Steam, GOG, Epic Games and extra don’t have these on the market, and with it being the twenty fifth anniversary of Tomb Raider this yr, to have the ability to play expansions that have been solely out there on disk can be an effective way to rejoice the unique trilogy.

First level of Quake II Expansion Pack, The Reckoning

(Image credit score: iD Software)

Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning

One of two expansion packs to come back out for the extremely praised Quake II, this was launched in May 1998, simply 5 months after the discharge of Quake II, however developed by Xatrix Entertainment Inc as a substitute of iD Software.

Featuring eighteen new single-player ranges and 6 new multiplayer ranges for deathmatch, this was a considerable expansion, and that’s even earlier than we speak concerning the new weapons, music, and enemies.

This was an expansion targeted on what made Quake II work so effectively - its stage design, the enemies, and the totally different weapons you'd uncover throughout the areas. There’s even one stage that options low gravity, not seen since a bonus stage within the unique Quake sport, the place it is as much as your wits to maintain up with a large number of enemies whilst you’re flying round in an space.

While subsequent expansions have been launched, The Reckoning was extra positively obtained due to its wide-ranging stage design, new weapons and the six new music tracks.

It’s out there on Steam however does require the total sport of Quake II as a way to play.

Mysteries of the Sith cut scene

(Image credit score: LucasFilm Games - Disney)

Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith

LucasArts have been on a roll again within the 90s, with many Star Wars video games which are nonetheless fondly remembered. However, it was the Dark Forces series that basically outlined how a third-person sport within the Star Wars world may very well be performed, and when it got here to the sequel, Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, you would lastly play as a Jedi in a 3D setting.

This sequel was a roaring success, and an expansion pack quickly adopted, however as a substitute of enjoying as Kyle Katarn, you have been as a substitute enjoying as a personality from the novels, known as Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker’s spouse.

Set 5 years after the occasions of Dark Forces II, you're taking management of Mara Jade as Katarn goes lacking, main you on a quest throughout fourteen ranges.

But what made this expansion distinctive was how there have been additionally enhancements to the sport’s engine. More detailed lighting throughout the degrees was applied right here, whereas in-game cutscenes changed the cinematics of Dark Forces II.

It’s solely in recent times {that a} hidden stage was found on this expansion, the place you'd management Luke Skywalker in Bespin, taking you into the climatic third act of Empire Strikes Back.

While Mysteries of the Sith is offered on Steam and GOG, the expansion pack nonetheless holds up at the moment, which makes us marvel if a remake or a sequel to Dark Forces may very well be one thing that Disney and LucasFilm Games are presently taking a look at.

On the Voyager bridge in Elite Force Expansion Pack

(Image credit score: Star Trek)

Star Trek Elite Force: Expansion Pack

The unique sport stunned many when it was launched again in September 2000, with a primary individual shooter give attention to Star Trek Voyager, a series that aired between 1995 and 2001. You would tackle enemies of Starfleet just like the Borg and the Klingons, and it was usually effectively obtained.

But the expansion pack, launched in February 2001 did one thing totally different to what different expansion packs did on the time. Instead of a brand new marketing campaign, or new weapons, it added a Tour mode which allowed you to browse the total ship of Voyager, and even participate in some hologram missions.

Coupled with 5 new multiplayer modes able to play alongside Jeri Ryan’s voice for Seven of Nine being featured, it was a distinct expansion pack. But it supplied Trekkies one thing that hadn’t been carried out earlier than in a Star Trek sport - a totally interactive, first-person expertise of exploring one of many ships which you would absolutely work together with.

While the total sport and the expansion pack is presently unavailable on fashionable storefronts and platforms, you possibly can play the unique on PlayStation 2 due to a port made by Pipe Dream Interactive, launched in August 2002.

Welcome to SociallyTrend’s PC Gaming Week 2021, our celebration of the best gaming platform on Earth. Despite the worldwide pandemic and ongoing GPU shortages, PC gaming has by no means been extra vibrant and thrilling, and all through the week we’ll be reflecting this with a number of in-depth articles, interviews and important shopping for guides.

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