20 Standalone Expansions Worth Playing First

You do not always need the base game to dive into a great side story or focused campaign, and these standalone expansions prove it by offering complete adventures that introduce core mechanics and worlds without extra installs. Each one works on its own while still connecting to a larger series, which makes them an easy way to sample a genre or franchise. You can expect self-contained plots, streamlined systems, and more compact runtimes that respect your time. Whether you want stealth, open world action, strategy, or classic shooters, these picks let you jump in immediately and understand what the mainline games are about.

‘Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon’

This neon soaked spin on the series uses the same open world foundations in a smaller map with outposts, wildlife, and weapon upgrades. It drops you into a future themed island with enemy garrisons and giant reptiles that roam freely. Core systems like takedowns, crafting, and liberating bases are intact with simplified progression. It is a complete campaign that teaches the loop found in the main entries without requiring previous knowledge.

‘inFAMOUS First Light’

This standalone story follows a conduit learning to control neon abilities across a condensed slice of Seattle. It includes arena challenges, side activities, and core traversal that mirrors the main series. Upgrades unlock through combat trials and collectibles, letting you build a specialized power set. The narrative focuses on one character’s past while introducing factions and tech that appear in the larger universe.

‘Uncharted: The Lost Legacy’

Built on the same climbing, puzzles, and firefights as the series, this entry features a self-contained treasure hunt across India. It offers a mix of linear set pieces and a small open area with optional objectives. Stealth takedowns, silenced weapons, and photo opportunities return with streamlined gear. You get a full arc with familiar systems like lockpicking, light vehicle sections, and multi-stage combat arenas.

‘Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales’

This shorter standalone adventure carries over web swinging, gadget combat, and city activities in a winter version of New York. It introduces unique bioelectric powers and camouflage along with new enemy types. Side quests, crimes in progress, and collectible tracks feed into suit and mod unlocks. The story sets up key characters and organizations that link directly to the larger series.

‘Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry’

Originally add-on content, this release functions on its own with a focused Caribbean map and naval encounters. It centers on liberation mechanics that reward stealth and combat in plantations and forts. Ship upgrades and sea battles complement on-foot infiltration missions. The progression system includes crafting and equipment improvements tied to exploration and rescues.

‘Dishonored: Death of the Outsider’

This standalone capstone uses the series’ immersive sim toolkit with missions that encourage multiple solutions. It features new Void powers, contracts, and a repeatable heist style level. Bonecharms, gadgets, and nonlethal options remain fully supported. The campaign explains important lore while teaching infiltration, vertical movement, and systemic chaos in contained spaces.

‘Wolfenstein: The Old Blood’

Serving as a self-contained prequel, this shooter includes a full campaign split between a castle assault and a rural town. Weapon upgrades, dual wielding, and stealth takedowns carry over from the main series. Secrets, collectibles, and challenge modes extend play beyond the story. The level design mixes tight corridors with larger combat arenas to showcase the arsenal.

‘Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country’

This release stands alone with its own party, questlines, and regions to explore. Combat uses a refined version of the main game’s driver and blade system with new arts and team mechanics. A community board encourages side missions that unlock skills and story scenes. Town development and lightweight crafting round out progression without overwhelming new players.

‘Saints Row: Gat out of Hell’

This spin off drops you into an open world rendition of Hell with wings for gliding and new demonic powers. Activities like mayhem, races, and strongholds return in a shorter structure. Weapons and upgrades tie into collectibles and activity medals. The story is separate from the main campaign while still featuring familiar characters and humor.

‘Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare’

Released as a standalone disc, this campaign places hordes of undead across frontier towns with new mission chains. It adds unique weapons, mythical mounts, and a focus on town defense. Side content includes hunting challenges and missing persons rescues. The map and core shooting mechanics remain intact with altered enemy behavior and survival elements.

‘Dead Rising 2: Off the Record’

This alternate take on the main story swaps protagonists and remixes the mall-like city layout. It keeps the weapon combo crafting system along with timed cases and survivor escorts. New areas, photography mechanics, and sandbox modes add replay options. Everything needed to play sits in one package without the original release.

‘Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead’

This standalone military simulation offers new terrains, factions, and equipment with the same mission editor and realism focus. It includes single player scenarios and cooperative options suited to newcomers. Systems like ballistics, medical treatment, and vehicle operation mirror the mainline experience. The release also supports extensive mod content built for its platform.

‘S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat’

Operating independently, this entry uses the series’ open zones with survival mechanics, faction relations, and artifact hunting. It features improved stability and AI behavior over earlier releases. Side quests branch with consequences that affect traders and safe areas. Weapon maintenance and anomaly navigation teach the core loop in a clearer format.

‘Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts’

This real-time strategy standalone provides two full campaigns and multiplayer armies. It retains cover, suppression, and squad veterancy systems that define the series. Dynamic weather and nighttime assaults change visibility and tactics. Skirmish and online modes are available without needing the original base.

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

This release works by itself with a global campaign map and multiple playable factions. It uses squad based combat with morale, unit upgrades, and listening post economy. Territory control unlocks bonuses and commander gear that persist between battles. Players can tackle skirmishes and multiplayer with the included armies out of the box.

‘Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising’

This standalone adds new mini campaigns, challenge missions, and units. It maintains the series’ build order economy, commander powers, and naval focused maps. The Commander’s Challenge mode offers scenario specific rules that test unit interactions. Cutscenes and briefings introduce characters and tech trees without requiring prior progress.

‘Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious’

This self-contained driving experience includes a curated set of cars and events on a Mediterranean map. It teaches festival style racing with point to point routes and speed challenges. Drivatars, skill chains, and car unlocks provide progression in a compact runtime. The handling model and assists match the main series to ease the transition.

‘Halo 3: ODST’

Packaged as its own game, this campaign features a city hub with missions accessed through discovered clues. It introduces a stamina system and silenced weapons while keeping classic enemy types and vehicles. Cooperative modes and firefight survival are included. The story is separate and readable without playing the core trilogy.

‘Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City’

This disc compiles two full storylines that share the same city and systems as the main release. Each episode has unique vehicles, weapons, and missions with new radio content. Side activities like street races, club management, and drug wars return with variations. The package operates independently with its own menus and saves.

‘Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment’

This standalone campaign retools movement with wall runs, aerial slashes, and unique boss rematches. Levels are rebuilt to fit the new mobility while preserving familiar themes. Curios, upgrades, and challenge stages expand the moveset and difficulty options. The story functions as a prequel that explains characters and factions from the larger collection.

Share your favorite standalone expansion in the comments and let everyone know which one you would start with first.