I have no real preference when it comes to consoles. But as someone who has primarily been pro-PlayStation, I recently purchased an Xbox Series S, so I thought I would take advantage of everything that PlayStation Now wished it was….Xbox Game Pass.
And today, I’m going to be giving you a full rundown of not only GreedFall‘s new DLC release, The De Vespe Conspiracy, but I will also be taking a look into its new and also free next gen optimisation for the Series S/X consoles.
For both new and veteran players of the RPG from developer Spiders, check out our review of the original game here. You’ll see how far the small team has come since their first release.
Once Upon a Time
So, before we get stuck in, here’s a brief overview of what GreedFall is all about. The game itself is an action-RPG and takes place in the early 17th century-styled fantasy setting of Teer Fradee. You assume the role of De Sardet, a noble of the Merchant Congregation. You travel to the island of Teer Fradee along with your cousin and newly appointed governor Prince Constantin d’Orsay.
You are then tasked with forming various diplomatic relations with the island’s natives and two neighbouring countries, and during your journey, you will gain allies and complete various other quests along the way. Right, with that bit out of the way, let’s talk about what we’re really here for: The De Vespe Conspiracy DLC.
Now, you don’t need to have a full understanding of it to play as the DLC itself slots perfectly in with the base game.
Let’s Get Down to Business
Now, there are two ways to access the DLC. You can either start a new game and play up until you hit a certain level for the questline to begin, or you can load up an old save, at which point you will receive a prompt to let you know the quest is now available for you at basecamp.
Let’s talk about what the DLC brings to the base game. Not only does it fit naturally into the lore of GreedFall, it also gives us a more in-depth look into the Congregation of Merchants.
You assume the role, yet again, of De Sardet, but you receive some troubling news while in the height of the search for your cousin, Constantin. A rival family from within the Congregation have travelled to Teer Fradee and have set up camp on a brand new and unexplored area of the island. So, you set out to meet with their princess, Aurelia De Vespe, only to find out that she has travelled to the island to marry De Sardet’s cousin. But believe me when I say, things aren’t quite what they seem.
Fast Travel? Yes, Please!
This expansion will have you traversing through many different locations, so be sure to make a lot of use of the game’s fast travel system. Along with the new area, Aidág ol creidaw, also known as ‘The Flaming Blood’, the DLC also gives you new beasts and human enemies to defeat, as well as new weapons and costumes for you to find and craft.
Let’s take a look at the new enemies you will have to face along the way. First, there are The Spadassins, the fierce protectors of Aurelia De Vespe who like to use the element of surprise, utilising smoke screens and short distance teleportation to gain the advantage over you.
Even when you think you’re out of harm’s way, they are certainly quick to use their skill of throwing flasks of poison to keep you on your toes. When you see one vanish in a cloud of smoke, then you had better ready your parry or run like hell to evade them.
Take That, Foul Creature
Now, onto the beasts. As well as various subspecies, which I will leave for yourself to discover, there are The Egsregatt. These werewolf-esque creatures like to use their powerful hind legs to pounce at their prey and then decimate them with their ferocious claws and fangs.
These fiesta felines are master ambushes, so keep an eye out for potential hiding spots. And keep in mind that they are also strong climbers. The Egsregatt are pack hunters, so don’t try to take them head on. Making use of traps and stasis to slow the brutal beasts down can help you escape.
Truly Magnificent
There is a lot more to this expansion than I thought, but I shall leave you to discover the rest of its secrets.
Not only is there new content, but there’s is also a new upgrade. GreedFall has now been optimised for the Xbox Series S/X, giving you 4K UHD resolution, 60fps, fast loading and enhanced performance.
The only negative thing I have to say about it is how the characters’ facial movements still look very mechanical and robotic during dialogue scenes. But aside from that, visuals are smoother and cleaner, and the gameplay itself seems to flow a lot better. Those of you that have played the vanilla game will definitely see the remarkable difference.
GreedFall also supports smart delivery, meaning you can update to the optimised version for free on the Series S/X and migrate your saved progress if you already own the game on Xbox One. You can purchase the GreedFall: Gold Edition, which includes the base game, as well as the DLC. Available now!!
Developer: Spiders
Publishers: Focus Home Interactive, Game Source Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Release Date: 30th June 2021
Gaming Respawn’s copy of GreedFall: The De Vespe Conspiracy was provided by the publisher.
