There is no mistaking that there are a growing number of instances where genre fans have produced better content than a games’ professional developers. Allowing modable content has become a huge part of gaming, and the results can be astounding.
Whether the amateur coders have more time on their hands or their sheer love for the content drives quality is a moot point; the fact is that there are a growing number of games that have excellent DLC additions and we are all winners because of that. But what are the best community mods around?
Civilization 6
Civilization 6, with its huge open-world map and heaps of content is an enthralling game anyway and one that is guaranteed to keep its aficionados going for months on end. But it also has a dedicated following of modders and they know how to create DLC content. For a start, there is the epic Civilizations Expanded mod, which completely reworks the available abilities and bonuses that can be found in each area. This means that the whole Civilization 6 experience can be refreshed at the touch of a button and replayed in a different way. The mod can be used to mix up both leader and civilization abilities as well as buildings and districts as well as many other parts of the game. If you are looking to refresh your Civilizations experience, then this mod is just what you need.
Of course, there are hundreds of different mods for Civilization 6 and with some much better than others. The CIVITAS City-States Expanded mod is definitely one of the best, and gives players new city state types along with over forty new city states to play. In addition, the mod includes some balance changes to the existing cities. Instigate this mode along with the Civilizations Expanded package and you can really mix it up in the world of Civilisation 6.
Fallout 4
The Fallout series has always been a favourite for modders and with 2015’s addition to the series – Fallout 4 – is no exception. Fans of the series have developed all manner of mods, making what was already an exciting gameplay twice as good. The most popular mods currently available include a range of upgrades to shaders to give a more realistic environments and enhanced textures for elements such as water and blood – uuughh. The overall effect of including these mods is to significantly increase the realism of the parts and make the look of the overall game much more satisfying. Another essential Fallout mod is the Lowered Weapons mod, which keeps your gun down and only just in sight until needed. It’s a small mod, but it makes a big difference to the playing and look of the game.
Skyrim
We wouldn’t get very far if we didn’t mention Skyrim, and this mammoth game gets some very satisfying enhancements from the modding community. Like Fallout, Skyrim can be visually enhanced by adding some of the many shaders and texture packs created by enthusiasts, but if you really want to up the ante in your questing, there are some great fundamental mods that really are worthwhile. Take the Monsters Reborn mod, which introduces a range of new foe to your maps. Forget about boring old Mud Crabs and step into an epic battle with a Blizzard Dragon instead. While Skyrim is already an excellent open world adventure, the fun is sometimes – by that we mean ‘quite often – interrupted by tedious loading screens. The excellent Open Cities mod quite simply cuts those pesky loading screens out making the gameplay much more natural. We could go on about Skyrim mods indefinitely but need to discuss other titles too, however, we can’t part without mentioning the Asteria Dwemer Airship mod, which gives you control over your own flying boat. Now that’s classy.
Now that we have talked a lot about MMORPG titles, let’s look at some of the other genres.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Coming from the same stable as GTA V (which also has many mods, like the police-sim mod), Red Dead Redemption 2 was always going to be controversial, but it was never quite as nuts. However, you can go a long way to redressing that by adding the Bank Robberies mod. This allows you to rob any bank simply by pulling your gun on a teller. Great fun, but you will have the law on your tail. Also available in RDR2 is the Open All Interiors mod, which does exactly that – opens all interiors – in the free roam mode.
Left 4 Dead 2
Popular shooter Left 4 Dead 2 can be enhanced by downloading and including the community-driven Last Stand update, which expands the gameplay modes and introduces a number of new weapons – some of which are fairly comical. While this is now part of a semi-official release, the fact that it was developed by fans means that it gets a place in the list. Poor old Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords was slated a little for its rushed final act, but a fan-driven mod – The Sith Lords Restored Content Mod – did much to reintroduce the spirit of the previous gam by actually putting it back in. In reality, the code was still in the game and just needed the mod to access it, but it certainly makes gameplay a whole lot better.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition
Back to MMORGP’s and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition, which can be greatly enhanced with fan mods. The best of these is the Forgotten City mod, which allows the player to access a fully-detailed city left by dwarves and elves centuries previously. But this is more than just a place to visit, and introduces a whole theme park of jeopardy. The Forgotten City, while devoid of the little folk, is being monitored by a sophisticated surveillance system that doles out punishment for transgressions. Because of this, the player has to spend time sneaking around the city to uncover the secrets behind the time loops that are impacting the city.
Conclusion
Of course, DLC-inspired mods are always coming out, and our favourite games are constantly getting new content. By including these, you can breathe new life into your games and keep them fresh for years to come.
