Today Dragon Age 2 players can get their hands on the first post-launch DLC pack for Bioware’s epic fantasy RPG. I got to play the game myself at Comic-Con this weekend, and I figured now would be a perfect time to give you my impressions of the add-on.  Is Legacy really worth the $9.99 price tag, or should you pass it over in lieu of say, a meal at Five Guys?

First and foremost, Dragon Age 2: Legacy is just a DLC story pack.  You won’t find any progression here, unfortunately.  Rather Bioware told me that they goal of Legacy is to broaden Hawke’s backstory – and what better way to learn a character’s backstory than play it yourself.  There is nothing earth shattering mechanics-wise in this add-on.  They haven’t changed anything from the core game – that’s just not their style.  Instead you get a deeper insight into Hawke’s upbringing, and what that means for his (or in my case her) conflict within Kirkwall.

What you do get with Legacy is a story that fits in with any play through since it’s a flashback.  Even if you’ve finished the game you can still go back and reminisce about the old days by interacting with an impressive-looking statue in your home.  This DLC does allow you to step outside the Kirkwall environs for the first time, but the maps themselves are pretty limited.  There is an additional weapon you will be able to pick up from Legacy that will be useful for Hawke, but there are no upgrades for your supporting cast. 

From what I saw, Legacy is mostly about giving you more story.  Bioware isn’t the sort of development house to drastically change things mid stream, and I think a good amount of resources in the Edmunton office are being allocated to Mass Effect 3.  This means that DLC packs for Dragon Age 2 will be few and far between until ME3 gets out the door.  Still, for those of us begging for new playable stories, this definitely fits the bill.  After my time playing Legacy I do think it’s worth its $9.99 price tag.  Just don’t go expecting another Leliana’s Song and you’ll be fine.

Dragon Age 2 Legacy is available today for $9.99/800 points for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.