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DLC Quest is a video game from Going Loud Studios.

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DLC is a satirical look at video games that tend to offer a freemium approach, or require downloadable content in order to experience the full content of the game. The central concept of the game involves a typical story of a princess captured by an evil wizard, and you control a soldier or a knight to try and get her back.

Unfortunately, due to "a rushed shipping process," the game arrives without any music or sound effects, or animation, or even the ability to jump or walk to the left. These will have to be purchased separately!

Fortunately, you don't have to shell out any additional money to actually get this "downloadable content." You can collect gold coins by running across them in the game, and these are used to purchase the DLC. The first NPC you meet will be the DLC merchant, who will sell you the add-ons in order to make the game playable – and eventually, winnable (that's right – the game "shipped" to you without an ending, either). You will have to find some of the DLC packs while exploring the game world, and some of the packs don't actually do anything to the gameplay itself (such as the "pet pack," which adds a stationary goldfish to one part of the game). 

Of course, unlocking – and purchasing – all of the DLC is required to get 100% completion in the game – partially because you need to get to the boss "fight" by purchasing it, but also to get all of the "awardments" available in the game. Each of the "awardments" also ties to a Steam achievement, if you're playing it in Steam.

DLC Quest comes with two games – the original version, and the sequel, called "Live Freemium or Die." Although the game is playable once all the necessary content is purchased, it isn't terribly challenging. The platforming aspects are fairly simplistic, and there aren't really any enemies that you have to fight. The game also isn't very long – the first game can be completed in less than an hour, and once you learn where all the coins and secret areas are located, repeated runthroughs can be accomplished in even less time. The second one has a longer length, ways to die and take damage (and checkpoints, fortunately – as DLC, of course), and even a final boss fight, but can still be completed in a couple hours. There are even achievements for completing the game and its sequel in less than a set amount of time.

The game is displayed in a simplistic, 8-bit style, and it's clear enough to make sense of what's going on. The music and sound effects also share the same atmosphere, and is pretty good, fitting the setting well. The controls are handled on the keyboard and are perfectly responsive. Unfortunately, my Mac controller wouldn't function correctly – not even as downloadable content. I've heard that Windows users don't have this issue, so it could be the operating system, or simply a problem with my controller.

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There isn't a lot to worry about in the game, but there are a few aspects that merit a mention. For starters, enemies have small red sprays of red pixels when hit. When they are killed, they turn into tombstones. There aren't very many language issues, but the f-word does appear in the ending credits, as one of the developers in the game has it in their screen name. Zombies do appear in the game, but are largely useless, and thanks to the 8-bit style, not really detailed. It is possible to kill all the defenseless sheep and NPCs in the first game, once you obtain the right weapon, and there's an achievement for doing so. Finally, one of the DLC packs in the first game is called the "sexy outfits pack," and the icon depicts the princess in a bikini. Amusingly enough, unlocking this downloadable content changes the graphics for all the NPCs, so all the other characters – which are all male – appear to be wearing "sexy" 8-bit swimsuits. 

The game can be entertaining, and the satire quite amusing, but short. Fortunately, it is coupled with a very low price. It often can be purchased for less than a dollar when on sale. On the Xbox, each game must be purchased separately for $1.00 – Microsoft also offers free demos of each game as well. For those looking for an amusing take on the modern gaming industry and have a fondness for retro-style, 2D platformers, this could be a fun addition to the game library.

Thank you for your purchases! To pre-order the sequel to this review, "DLC Quest: Another Look" please submit $25.99 and wait two to four months for delivery!