The remastered version of theMass Effecttrilogy included all three of the original games with updated controls and graphics and all the additional content released for them over the years. Despite the comprehensive package,you may have noticed thatthePinnacle StationDLC is absent.The omitted DLC wasoriginally released for the firstMass Effectgame.
The firstMass Effectonly had two DLC offerings: theBring Down The SkyDLCandPinnacle Station. The latter is included in the re-release, letting players of the remastered version save a planet from a Batarian attack, butPinnacle Stationwas omitted entirely with little explanation.It turns out, the reason for its absence is quite interesting.
Pinnacle Station Acted As Mass Effect’s Training Grounds
Fight In Simulated Combat To Practice Your Shooting
Pinnacle Stationdid not present a new galactic threat or adventure for itsMass Effectcharacters and Commander Shepard to interact with. Rather,it provided access to a space station used for training Council forces,Spectres among them. The DLC included a number of combat simulations for Shepard to go through with their crew, trying to take out the largest number of enemies possible within a certain time limit.
The DLC had little in the way of plot, save fora rivalry with a fellow trainee that could yield some loot later on, and an additional challenge from the station’s captain to unlock a planet-side home for Shepard. The DLC was a way to provide more combat experience to the game, as well as a chance to make more money and unlock more gear. Compared to other DLCs for theMass Effecttrilogy, likeLair of the Shadow Brokerand Citadel, it was extremely lackluster.
Corrupted Files Led To The Entire DLC Being Lost
Pinnacle Station Was Destroyed By An Error
But that’s not the reason that the DLC was omitted. That was actually due toa computer error, wherethe files forPinnacle Stationwere either lost or corrupted in the years between their creation and the remastered release. Including the expansion would have required a full remake of its area and enemies, which was ultimately not deemed necessary as the primary focus was put on beloved plot-driven parts of the game series.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition Mod Restores Lost DLC
A new mod restores Mass Effect’s Pinnacle DLC, which was cut from the Legendary Edition due to time constraints and the source code being corrupted.
Nevertheless, the DLC gained some status among fans simply by the nature of its mysterious absence,and some members of the fandom devoted themselves to faithfully remaking the entire thing as an unofficial mod. It’s available on the PC version of the remastered trilogy and comes very close to imitating the experience of blasting one’s way throughPinnacle Station’s simulations in the original game.
Pinnacle Station Is Probably Best Left Forgotten
A Disappointing DLC Best Left In The Dust
If anyMass EffectDLC were to be lost in the transition to the remaster,Pinnacle Stationwas probably the best-case scenario. After all,the DLC served no plot purpose and did not have much in the way of unique rewards. It was also not well-liked even when it did exist, with its combat seen as repetitive and frustrating. The last level in particular was a source of frustration for players.
Combat in the firstMass Effectwas lacking smoothness, with its low frame rate and difficult-to-aim weaponry. The remastered version of the game improved these issues significantly, but likely not enough to make some ofPinnacle Station’s most difficult combat situations enjoyable.
Still, there are some ways thatPinnacle Stationlives on in theMass Effectfranchise, even outside its fan-made re-creation. The DLC is still available for the original version of the firstMass Effectand still affects the third game’s scenarios.Exploring the destroyed space station can yield the player the Turian Spec Ops Teamto build up their war assets, a nod to how the Turians used the station to train their best soldiers. Beyond this, Pinnacle Station is far more interesting as a mysteriously erased piece ofMass Effecthistory than it ever was as a DLC.
