I just beat ME1 a couple of days ago and have since dove into the second. I fully intend to play through the DLC, but I was wondering how it's integrated into the game: is the DLC content separate from the core game, does it all take place after the main game's storyline and, to that extent, would there be any reason for me to download any of it before completing ME2?
 
I'm sure I could find all this stuff out on my own, but since I'm so late to the ME2 party I've found it somewhat difficult to get information about the game without being subjected to a variety of spoilers.

As far as Ive noticed it doesn't really matter too much. If you play it while your playing ME2 there are some other plot things mentioned but nothing that I found that swayed me to play it during or after ME2's main game. Some of the DLC is 50% on XBL (if that's what you play it on) off until August 1st so id go ahead and buy it now if you want it just because of the price. Although I cant honestly think of one piece of ME2 DLC that I though was worth the money (i paid full price tho) just to warn you.

What? The kasumi dlc is awesome, overlord is fun and lair of the shadow broker was siumply fantastic, the only dlc that was bad was arrival.

Get the dlc, it is worth it. Also Some dlc is contextual to the story like lair of the shadow broker and arrival, so you have to be past a certain point in order to start them but you can do almost any of them before finishing the game, they also give you extra upgrades.

Overpriced, of course, but they're decent enough. Didn't play Arrival.

Not all DLC unlocks right away, but pretty much all of it is playable during the core game, or after.

@Dany: @Sjosz: Good to hear (read?) that it can be played during the full game, I wouldn't be too pleased if it was all just tacked on as separate content. I'm currently downloading it all and looking forward to playing through it.

The Lair of the Shadow Broker is hands down the best DLC for ME2. But honestly, based purely on speculation, I can only see Shadow Breaker and The Arrival playing into ME3.

@Loose said:

@Dany: @Sjosz: Good to hear (read?) that it can be played during the full game, I wouldn't be too pleased if it was all just tacked on as separate content. I'm currently downloading it all and looking forward to playing through it.

The only DLC you should really play post-game is Lair Of The Shadow Broker. All of the other ones can be played during the main missions, with the exception of The Arrival, (I think).

@Napalm said:

@Loose said:

@Dany: @Sjosz: Good to hear (read?) that it can be played during the full game, I wouldn't be too pleased if it was all just tacked on as separate content. I'm currently downloading it all and looking forward to playing through it.

The only DLC you should really play post-game is Lair Of The Shadow Broker. All of the other ones can be played during the main missions, with the exception of The Arrival, (I think).

Hmm, that is weird. I just finished Lair for the first time (doing my New Game+ to get ready for ME3) and I felt it fit in perfectly. It was the last thing I did on Illium, so I've just finished recruits and will start on loyalty missions next. I didn't notice anything in the DLC that would have made more sense after finishing the game. I mean, even the dialogue with Liara back at Normandy was tailored to happen before the ending (she brought up how I'll soon go through the Omega 4 Relay and might not survive).

Does the dialogue change if you do the DLC after finishing up with the Collectors? That would be interesting. Or was this about the dossiers? They do contain some stuff you only find out later on during the loyalty missions, for sure.

Anyway - not going to get the other DLCs, this was the only one I was interested in and it did not let me down. Mass Effect game without Liara is like a DA2 without Merrill - utterly worthless.

@Loose said:

@Dunchad: As @Napalm stated the dialogue changes slightly depending on whether you complete LotSB before or after the suicide mission. From a gameplay standpoint it makes sense to complete it prior to the suicide mission, but it kinda sets up for ME3 (in which Liara will be a squad member again) if you play it post-suicide mission. Actually one way you can do it is to play through the entirety of Shadow Broker before you complete the suicide mission and then talk to Liara after you've completed it; you'll get the benefit of the credits and minerals, Tela Vasir's comments about Shepard working for Cerberus make a little more sense and you get the post-game dialogue with Liara where she comments on the Reapers coming.

It doesn't make a huge difference either way you play it but I sorta preferred the post-game dialogue and I think a lot of other people did. I'd also suggest playing Arrival because it kinda bridges the gap between ME2 and ME3. It's definitely not as good as LotSB but it's short and fairly enjoyable. You can safely skip Overlord though, it doesn't really tie into the main plot much and aside from a few moments it was largely forgettable.

Ah, thanks for letting me know. Will have to pay her a visit after finishing up then.

I think I might just read up on Arrival or something - I hear it's very gameplay heavy, which isn't the reason I enjoy ME. I get my enjoyment out of the story and dialogue (Eternity bar was and still is, on my favorite part of ME2 with the random dialogue you can overhear as well as Conrad and the matriarch bartender).

@Dunchad said:

@Loose said:

I think I might just read up on Arrival or something - I hear it's very gameplay heavy, which isn't the reason I enjoy ME. I get my enjoyment out of the story and dialogue (Eternity bar was and still is, on my favorite part of ME2 with the random dialogue you can overhear as well as Conrad and the matriarch bartender).

It is extremely combat heavy. Moreover, its a solo mission - so you won't be taking any of your party members with you. The mission is enjoyable enough (I like the combat in the game, for my part), but not being able to take party members limits the variety you can get from your runs through it to an extent.

@Loose said:

@Dunchad: As @Napalm stated the dialogue changes slightly depending on whether you complete LotSB before or after the suicide mission. From a gameplay standpoint it makes sense to complete it prior to the suicide mission, but it kinda sets up for ME3 (in which Liara will be a squad member again) if you play it post-suicide mission. Actually one way you can do it is to play through the entirety of Shadow Broker before you complete the suicide mission and then talk to Liara after you've completed it; you'll get the benefit of the credits and minerals, Tela Vasir's comments about Shepard working for Cerberus make a little more sense and you get the post-game dialogue with Liara where she comments on the Reapers coming.

It doesn't make a huge difference either way you play it but I sorta preferred the post-game dialogue and I think a lot of other people did. I'd also suggest playing Arrival because it kinda bridges the gap between ME2 and ME3. It's definitely not as good as LotSB but it's short and fairly enjoyable. You can safely skip Overlord though, it doesn't really tie into the main plot much and aside from a few moments it was largely forgettable.

Ah, thanks for letting me know. Will have to pay her a visit after finishing up then.

I think I might just read up on Arrival or something - I hear it's very gameplay heavy, which isn't the reason I enjoy ME. I get my enjoyment out of the story and dialogue (Eternity bar was and still is, on my favorite part of ME2 with the random dialogue you can overhear as well as Conrad and the matriarch bartender).