You know what I really don't like about Leviathan, aside from it making the entire series an Idiot Plot? It's pointless. You're told throughout the DLC how important the Leviathans are, how they could change everything. But we already know that the Reapers can be defeated without their help. Nothing you're doing matters. This is why every other DLC in the series has been other post ending, a side plot, or both.
I think I may have enjoyed Leviathan under different conditions. If I just bought the game, didn't pre-order, didn't know the ending, and had never played multiplayer, I'd probably like it. But I've had the game for months, I already have the Argus and Raider, play multiplayer all the time (so those objectives don't impress me), and already know the ending, meaning that the story development and foreshadowing of the Catalyst means nothing to me.
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I agree. They were caught between a rock and a hard place with this DLC. This would have arguably worked much better if it was just a mission of exploration and discovery where the characters were delving into ancient secrets for the sake of discovery. But they couldn't do that because Shepard can't afford to be doing anything that doesn't in some way contribute to the war effort. So we have the plausible in universe explanation that this entity might be able to help us fight Reapers when the audience by now already knows this can't possibly impact the ending like that.
There are only two ways out of this. One, don't do the DLC at all. Or two, take the bold leap and let the Leviathans substantially impact the ending the way they should. The fans are still unhappy with the endings. Give them another chance.
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Leviathan DLC
Shepard investigates the mystery of a ancient entity dubbed "Leviathan" impossibly old, thought to be an apex predator and able to take on a Reaper. But is this monster an even greater danger?
Well, its probably not hard to guess what Leviathan is but if you haven't I won't give it away. The DLC lets you do some basic evidence gathering and takes you through some moody set pieces. I'm sure not if they were going for basic dread or pure terror, the problem is our heroes already face threats on this scale so its a little difficult to make this feel different. Personally, what Leviathan is, and where Leviathan is encountered is a perfect scary scenario for me but it didn't quite hit me like I expected it too. There are scenes where you're meant to feel completely helpless, which is undercut by your knowledge that you still have the rest of the war to fight. You know you're going to escape.
As with "From the Ashes" it will give you some basic revelations into the history of Mass Effect. I feel "From the Ashes" has the edge here because Javik has a lot say about various missions you take him on whereas most of the revelations in Leviathan occur in one scene.
Also features a nice action set piece navigating a lab in the side of a cliff face being blasted apart by the enemy which really shows off all the action gameplay improvements Mass Effect 3 made over it's predecessors. Don't look down ;).
You'll take away some additional War Assets if you complete the mission successfully, not just from the mission itself but from the additional star systems you can explore. You also get a nice little tropy for your Captain's Quarters that I want spoil and access to a brand new power that, trust me, is worthy of Commander Shepard. If you're really picky about the DLC you spend your money on, you can skip this one. If you, like me, can never get enough of the Mass Effect series, go ahead and get it.
Update: When I first created this review, I hadn't finished my replay of the game itself. This DLC does have some small impact on the endgame apart from the War Assets. It primarily affects the conversation with the Catalyst adding even more explanation. Its like Bioware is an exasperated parent fielding an endless series of questions from their children.