Destiny's first DLC, The Dark Below, is set to launch on all systems December 9. $20 (or $35 for the pass that includes the next expansion) will net you new story missions, a strike, the Crota's End raid, and gear that can boost you to a higher level cap of 32.
All of this will no doubt elicit the following question in the mind of most Destiny players: will The Dark Below be worth it?
The discussion must be started with the disclaimer that nobody can be certain how the DLC will play, or how good it will be, until we can get our hands on it. We can definitely look at what The Dark Below offers in terms of content, though, and it's difficult to say gamers are getting a great deal.
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A few story missions and a strike will certainly offer many hours of gameplay, though you'll likely be retreading the same grounds. The raid is the big draw once again given The Vault of Glass' reception, and the added gear will provide the carrot-on-a-stick hook. Hopefully, the gear is unique and worthwhile--otherwise, it serves simply as a way to earn enough Light to reach the new level 32 cap.
If you step back and look at that offering for $20, it should at least give you pause. $20 is a third of the cost of the whole game, and a handful of missions--even including a raid--with gear meant to artificially get you to the level cap doesn't seem a good value. The season pass mitigates your spending, and is definitely the better deal if you're going to think about both expansions regardless. But for the amount of content offered relative to the full game, even if it does add a good number of hours to Destiny, you may want to consider if it's worth your dollars. The Dark Below better be a lot of fun.