The Lair of the Shadow Broker is the perfect epilogue for Mass Effect 2, adding closure to an important story arc, and offering a brief glimpse at the potential of Mass Effect 3. It's unarguably essential content for the Mass Effect fan: not only does the DLC push the canon forward, it provides some of the most thrilling action in the franchise thus far. There's a new alien race, a new Spectre, the best boss battle in the series, heck, there's even a car chase. It's a thrill ride, albeit a brief one.

Liara's return in Mass Effect 2 has had a rather divisive effect amongst fans, many who found disliked her unexpectedly dark turn. The prequel comic Mass Effect Redemption offers some insight into her drastic personality change -- her search for Shepard's body led to a messy exchange with the Shadow Broker, a mysterious entity that's been teased throughout both Mass Effect games. The DLC gives you new information on the Shadow Broker's whereabouts, courtesy of Cerberus, which gives you reason to return to Liara on Illium. Exactly who is the Shadow Broker and what does he do with the information at his disposal? How does Liara want to exact her revenge? These questions are all finally answered.

New locales open up on Illium, including Liara's apartment, an office complex and an "adult" hotel. Illium's clean, sleek, futuristic look is tainted here, and fans of classic sci-fi like Blade Runner will appreciate the sinister tone BioWare is attempting. Without spoiling anything, this story arc is far more graphic than usual -- you will see a lot of dead bodies, gore and blood. There's even a noir-esque detective scene, and a trip through a hotel with dead prostitutes.