This completely blew me away. I was less a little disappointed with Umurangi Generation's base game simply because of the strict parcel timer and inescapable feel of jank, but seeing the DLC give you the ability to not only control the shutter speed and ISO of your lens, but also give you rollerblades made me give it a go.

I'm so glad I did, not only because this short DLC is the most polished and detailed set of levels that Umurangi Generation has to offer, but because it also gives me a newfound appreciation for the base game. This time, I ignored the parcel timer my first time through the levels, making sure to really take in the areas around the levels and search for all of the bounties while taking the time to frame my shots just how I wanted. Not only did I find the overall experience infinitely more relaxing by doing this, but the rollerblades made it possible to speedrun through the levels while completing all the objectives in under 2 minutes, providing an excellent change of pace in gameplay and adding another level of mastery to the environments you'll find yourself in.

And what a joy these levels are. There's only 4 this time around but I spent more time in these 4 levels than I did in all of the base game levels. This can partly be attributed to these levels being much larger than most others we've seen this far, but it's mainly due to the incredible amount of detail packed into every corner, and my love of the insane variety presented here. The first level is easily the most tame, a dirty but dazzling night club, complete with a VIP section and PS1 controllers strewn about the dance floor. It's an excellent introduction to the mood of the DLC, and there's some truly chilling atmosphere to be found if you should wander too far from the party. Things only get weirder from there, and as levels become larger the subtext and themes gradually become (quite literally) writing on the wall. This culminates in an explosive final act that I can't stop thinking about. It's absolute perfection.

The new camera abilities that are given to you throughout the course of the DLC also feel like some of the most essential. I could probably bitch about a photography simulator hiding shutter speed behind a DLC paywall, but honestly the progression of upgrades not only makes sense for the learning curve, but it also forces you to prioritize color and framing more, giving all of your photos an rugged feel that I don't think many other game's photo modes will be able to replicate.

The only knock against the DLC is that it's still Umurangi Generation, which means it's still jank. The rollerblades, as fun as they are, are completely broken. You will stop skating for no reason, you will do 360s against your will when trying to make jumps, and your triple jump is more likely to file your taxes than it is to function properly. It's just fucking jank, and the movement is so bad that I don't understand how it could be this broken without being intentional. I'm not being shot 50 feet into the air on a whim like I was in the base game here, but it still just feels too sticky and anti-kinetic for the movement to be any fun, especially when your rollerblading will be halted when hitting the slightest piece of uneven geometry. An additional issue is that, while it's awesome being able to adjust every setting that you would be able to with a real camera, flipping through the settings is cumbersome. Why do I need to go through slowly pan through each lens instead of just selecting from a wheel or menu? Why am only able to set f stops in increments going upwards when there are 10+ options? It's not game breaking but it does make photo taking more frustrating than it should be.

Ignoring the jank and controls though, Umurangi Generation's Macro DLC is downright excellent. The world and story is more involving than ever, the new camera customizability is greatly appreciated, and the gameplay pace is perfect thanks to appropriately challenging bounties and incredible level design. It's incredible how much a seemingly small DLC can change my outlook of a game overall. Lovely stuff.