DLC Quest was developed by Going Loud Studios. It was released November 2, 2011 retails for 80 MSP. A copy of the game was provided for retail purposes.

DLC Quest is a hilarious parody that completely lampoons the entire DLC concept. It contains a great deal of referential humor that goes all the way back to possibly the most infamous DLC: the horse armor. The backbone of the game is platform exploration that allows you to collect coins, meet NPC’s, and find secret passages. It is the collection of coins that allows you to buy the in game DLC packs that cause the game to progress.

Here’s what we liked:

Good natured satire – The entire point of DLC Quest is to give a commentary on all the tropes of gaming, especially the new DLC craze. You are immediately presented with a very thinly disguised task: “grind” a piece of metal into a sword. About 10,000 grinds will do it. Or you can buy a DLC that will speed up the grind to the tune of 100 times. DLC Quest also pokes fun at things like NPC’s who have no purpose at all and adding zombies into a game just because they are popular now.

Comic look – Going Loud Studios has a specific look to their games and they do a great job. The game is colorful and bright. The game is a simple delight to look at, especially within the larger context of the DLC Quest’s theme.

Focused experience – In its entirety the game won’t take you more than an hour to complete. For 80 MSP this is a fair exchange. But this game goes above and beyond because the entire hour is pitch perfect and doesn’t let down until it is finished.

Here’s what we didn’t like:

Not exactly a game – DLC Quest would probably be referred to as a platformer if you had to classify it. But in its own way it doesn’t really fit that mold. There are no pits to fall into, no enemies to fight, and the exploration is fairly minimal. It really has no challenge to speak of. Those looking for a proper “game” experience might be disappointed. You have to approach DLC Quest for what it is: a satire of gaming.

DLC Quest is an excellent example of what a great indie game can be. It completely breaks the mold of what a game is. At the same time it pokes fun at the gaming industry (and gamers as well) in a meaningful way. DLC Quest truly succeeds, and for that reason it should be played by everyone.

Score: Buy It