Review takes the wrong approach.
Playing it right through in Hardcore as an infiltrator, I found the fighting alone against the 5 successive waves while the core was charging rather exciting. I died before the core charged the first time and even though the game continued from there, I just had to reload to the last save and play that part again. I had to survive until the core fully charged, otherwise my Shepard would big a big *****. I made it on second try and thought that was a decision on my part. It's not a decision you make in dialogue but playing. Though yes it doesn't impact the scenario much.
I thought also the concept of delaying the reapers by destroying a relay rather good too. It's a DLC and it wasnt rly that much worse than the previous ones.