DLC To Help You Through The Summer Drought

It's been a whirlwind year so far, from heavy-hitters like Dead Space 2 and Bulletstorm near the beginning of the year, to hits like Portal 2, L.A. Noire, and Mortal Kombat more recently. However, the next couple of months are going to be a little dry by comparison. Things kick into high gear again with Arkham City in October, and it's an avalanche of Uncharted 3, Skyrim, Battlefield 3, Saints Row: The Third, Modern Warfare 3, and plenty more after that. Odds are you won't have much time to devote to your backlog come holiday season, which is why you should take these rare uneventful months to catch up on recent DLC. Here's a look at what's been made available in the last few months.

Call of Duty: Black Ops - Annihilation Map Pack

We recently took a look at Black Ops' latest add-on, and enjoyed its five new maps (four standard, one zombie). They won't make fans out of those that don't care for Call of Duty, but they'll definitely extend the game's replay value if you're the type to prestige several times.

L.A. Noire - Nicholson Electroplating

Team Bondi's detective tale is no short game, but its DLC should satisfy those looking for some more interrogation action. Nicholson Electroplating involves a massive explosion at a factory, and includes hints of foreign espionage and even a Howard Hughes connection. Between this, The Naked City, and the rest of the upcoming DLC in the Rockstar Pass, owners of L.A. Noire should have plenty of new content to play over the summer months.

Super Street Fighter IV - Arcade Edition

I may have given this DLC a 7.75, but you'll find in the text that I recommend it for hardcore Street Fighter fans. Casual fans might not think two Akuma clones and two similar brothers are worth the asking price, but the tournament crowd will likely appreciate the subtle tweaks and balancing updates Arcade Edition received.

Mortal Kombat - Skarlet and Kenshi

Even with its robust selection of fighters at launch, we're excited to see what new surprises come with DLC characters. Skarlet impressed as the first downloadable character for Mortal Kombat, and Kenshi just arrived this week as part of the Season Pass. With two more fighters coming this summer, fans can look forward to even more X-rays and fatalities.

Fallout: New Vegas - Old World Blues

Fallout 3 presented gamers with a steady stream of DLC for a long time after its launch, and New Vegas is following suit. Old World Blues is the third add-on pack for the game, with a fourth (Lonesome Road) to arrive later in the summer. Check them out if you haven't had enough of the post-apocalyptic wasteland yet.

Crysis 2 - Decimation Map Pack

Following May's Retaliation pack, Decimation was released in mid-June for Crysis 2. Between Decimation, Retaliation, and Annihilation, 2011's shooters really enjoy "-ations," don't they? If you've been enjoying the multiplayer in Crytek's latest FPS, these should be worthwhile investments to extend your time with the game.

Pinball FX 2 - Captain America/Fantastic Four tables

While two tables may not sound like a lot if you haven't played Pinball FX 2, fans know that a single table can command numerous hours of gameplay. That's the case with the Marvel-themed Captain America and Fantastic Four tables, as they're filled with just as many crazy point opportunities and multiball modes as the rest of the FX 2 set.

Mass Effect 2 - The Arrival/Lair of the Shadow Broker

Mass Effect 2's Arrival DLC arrived significantly before the summer, but we're including it considering how important it'll be to the Mass Effect 3 story when that game launches next spring. In order to be prepared for BioWare's upcoming space epic, you'll definitely want to have played through both of these DLC packs.