20 Standalone Expansions Worth Playing First

Sometimes you don’t need the full game to enjoy a fantastic story or campaign. These standalone expansions offer complete adventures, introducing you to the game’s world and core ideas without requiring any extra downloads. They’re perfect for trying out a new genre or series, as each one has its own self-contained story, simplified rules, and a reasonable length. You can easily jump into stealth, action, strategy, or shooting games and get a feel for what the main games offer.

‘Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon’

Okay, so this game takes the open-world formula we know and loves, but shrinks things down a bit – it’s a smaller map packed with outposts, animals, and ways to upgrade your weapons. You’re thrown onto this futuristic island overrun with enemy bases and seriously huge reptiles running around. Everything I enjoyed from the other games is still here – taking down enemies, crafting gear, and capturing bases – but it feels streamlined. It’s a full story campaign that really shows you how the gameplay loop works without needing to have played the others first.

‘inFAMOUS First Light’

Okay, so I just finished playing this new story, and it’s awesome! You play as this guy who’s discovering his neon powers in a smaller part of Seattle – it feels a lot like the main game in how you move around. There are these arena fights and little side missions to keep you busy. You get stronger by completing challenges and finding collectibles, letting you customize your powers which is really cool. The story is focused on one character’s backstory, and it introduces some new groups and tech that seem important to the whole series. It’s a great way to get a taste of the universe and see what all the fuss is about.

‘Uncharted: The Lost Legacy’

This game delivers the same exciting climbing, puzzle-solving, and action as previous installments, but this time the adventure unfolds as a standalone treasure hunt across India. It blends carefully designed levels with a small open area where you can tackle optional challenges. Returning features like quiet takedowns, silenced weapons, and chances to take photos have been improved, and you’ll still enjoy classic gameplay elements like lockpicking, driving sections, and complex combat encounters.

‘Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales’

This self-contained adventure lets you continue swinging through New York City, using gadgets, and completing activities, now set in a snowy winter landscape. You’ll gain new bioelectric powers and the ability to camouflage, and face off against new enemies. Completing side missions, stopping crimes, and finding collectibles will unlock upgrades for your suit. The story also introduces important characters and groups that play a role in the bigger Spider-Man universe.

‘Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry’

This game, initially designed as extra content, is now a standalone experience set in the Caribbean, featuring exciting naval combat. You’ll focus on freeing the islands through stealth and action, infiltrating plantations and forts. Improve your ship and engage in sea battles alongside completing missions on land. As you explore and rescue people, you’ll also be able to craft items and upgrade your equipment to progress.

‘Dishonored: Death of the Outsider’

This self-contained adventure builds on the immersive gameplay of the series, offering missions with many different ways to complete them. You’ll gain new Void powers, take on contracts, and experience a level designed for replayability with different approaches. The game still supports the use of Bonecharms, gadgets, and non-lethal tactics. The story expands the game’s lore while guiding you through the art of stealth, navigating complex environments, and creating chaotic situations in smaller, focused areas.

‘Wolfenstein: The Old Blood’

This game acts as a standalone story leading up to the main series. It features a complete campaign with action taking place both inside a castle and in a countryside town. Players will enjoy familiar features like weapon upgrades, the ability to use two weapons at once, and quiet, stealthy takedowns. There’s also plenty to discover beyond the main story, including hidden secrets, collectibles, and challenging bonus modes. The levels are designed with a mix of narrow hallways and open areas, letting players fully utilize their weapons.

‘Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country’

This version of the game is a complete experience on its own, featuring unique areas, quests, and characters. Battles build on the core gameplay with improved abilities and team-based strategies. A community board offers optional missions that help you unlock new skills and story moments. You can also develop towns and do simple crafting, adding to your progress without being too complicated for newcomers.

‘Saints Row: Gat out of Hell’

This new game takes place in a vast, open-world version of Hell, letting you glide with wings and use powerful demonic abilities. You’ll find returning favorites like chaotic battles, races, and stronghold takeovers, but in a more streamlined format. Progressing through the game involves collecting items and earning medals to unlock new weapons and upgrades. While the story is independent of the main game’s plot, you’ll still encounter beloved characters and the same signature humor.

‘Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare’

This expansion introduces a new campaign where you’ll defend frontier towns from waves of the undead. It features fresh missions, powerful new weapons, and unique mounts. Beyond the main story, you can also take on hunting challenges and rescue missing people. The game’s map and shooting feel remain the same, but enemies act differently, and surviving now requires more strategy.

‘Dead Rising 2: Off the Record’

This version of the game flips the roles of the main characters and reimagines the city as a sprawling mall. It still features the weapon crafting and time-sensitive missions from the original, plus the ability to protect survivors. To add more ways to play, it includes new locations, a photography system, and open-ended sandbox modes. Everything you need is included in this single package, so you don’t need the original game.

‘Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead’

Okay, so this new military sim feels really familiar, but it’s a standalone game – meaning you don’t need the original to play! It’s got a bunch of new maps, armies, and gear to mess around with. The best part is they kept the same powerful mission editor, so you can really build whatever you want. It’s super realistic, just like the main game – things like how bullets fly, treating injuries, and driving vehicles all feel spot-on. Plus, it’s easy to jump into, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned player, and you can even team up with friends. And if you’re into mods, it supports all the great stuff already made for the platform, which is awesome!

‘S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat’

This standalone game builds on the series’ open world with a focus on survival, relationships with different groups, and searching for valuable artifacts. It’s more stable and features smarter AI than previous versions. Quests offer choices that impact the game world, affecting merchants and safe havens. The game also makes learning the core gameplay – like weapon upkeep and navigating dangerous anomalies – much easier.

‘Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts’

This standalone game offers two complete single-player campaigns and lets you battle others online. It keeps the core features fans love – like using cover, keeping enemies pinned down, and squads getting better with experience. Changing weather and fighting at night affect how you see the battlefield and plan your attacks. You can play skirmishes against the computer or join online matches without needing the original game.

‘Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade’

This standalone game features a world campaign map and several different factions you can play as. Combat focuses on squads, with factors like morale and unit upgrades playing a key role. You build an economy by establishing listening posts, and controlling territory grants bonuses and persistent upgrades for your commander. You can jump right into single-player skirmishes or online multiplayer with the included armies.

‘Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising’

This expansion introduces new short campaigns, challenging missions, and playable units. It keeps the core gameplay elements you enjoy – building your base, using commander abilities, and fighting on maps centered around naval combat. The new Commander’s Challenge mode presents unique scenarios to test how well your units work together. You’ll meet new characters and learn about new technologies through cutscenes and briefings, even if you’re new to the game.

‘Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious’

This standalone driving game lets you experience a selection of cars and races set in the Mediterranean. It focuses on the fun, fast-paced style of racing festivals, with routes that take you from point to point and challenges to test your speed. You’ll improve your skills and unlock new cars quickly thanks to features like Drivatars and skill chains, all in a shorter, more focused game. The driving feels familiar, mirroring the handling and assists from the main racing series.

‘Halo 3: ODST’

This standalone campaign lets you explore a central city and take on missions by finding hidden clues. It adds new features like a stamina system and silencers, but still includes familiar enemies and vehicles. You can also play with friends in cooperative modes or test your skills in a survival mode. Importantly, the story is completely separate from the main series and can be enjoyed on its own.

‘Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City’

This disc includes two complete stories set in the same city and world as the original game. Each story features new cars, weapons, and missions, plus fresh radio chatter. You can still enjoy side activities like street racing, managing a nightclub, and taking part in drug wars, but with some new twists. This content is separate from the main game, with its own menus and save files.

‘Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment’

This new adventure completely changes how you move, adding wall running, aerial attacks, and exciting revisits to boss battles. The levels have been redesigned to support this enhanced movement, while still feeling like the places you remember. You can also unlock collectibles, upgrades, and challenging areas to expand your abilities and test your skills. The story serves as a backstory, providing more details about the characters and groups featured in the main game.

Hey everyone, I’m curious – what’s your absolute favorite standalone expansion? If someone was totally new and wanted to jump in, which one would you tell them to play first? Let me know in the comments!

2025-11-18 23:46