Alright, not exactly a retro review, but I am both a fan of Fallout 3 as well as I think the only one of our journalists to regularly download the expansions. This review would have come sooner except my x-box had to be repaired yet again and thusly put off playing the expansion. I’m not going to review Fallout as a whole, but I will run through the previous expansions quickly.
Operation Anchorage: Very fun, takes place in an Alaska VR simulation before the war, plays entirely differently from the normal flow of the game and also has an amazing exclusive suit that allows you to become invisible while crouching. That alone warrants buying this expansion, and holds it’s 2nd place position as my recommended must downloads for Fallout 3.
The Pitt: Enjoyable, takes place in a post-apocalyptic Pittsburg, fun for the sake of a new area to explore. But be warned you also get stripped of all your weapons on entry only to have them returned at the end of the story arc, this puts it as my number 4 on Download recommendations for Fallout 3.
Broken Steel: Actually takes place still around D.C. and most importantly raises the level cap and allows you to live past the main mission…oops…spoiler alert? Yes you live if you DL this expansion. You also get your hands on a weapon capable of destroying those annoying Enclave verti-birds that drop off enemies among your travels about the wastes. If you can only get one Download expansion, this is the one to get and holds the number 1 spot on my recommendation list.
You may have noticed there wasn’t a number three on my recommendation chart; well that brings us to this review of “Point Lookout” Download expansion.
This expansion drags everyone’s favorite post apocalyptic savior/sinner who speaks in text only to rural Maryland on a quest to loot and pillage the abandoned mansions…all two of them, for treasure. Let me stop right there by saying there ain’t much “treasure” In this expansion. The weapons, though unique struck me as relatively un-impressive…and they have that issue that while in the hands of an enemy they do way more damage to you than you can do back with the exact same weapon, but that’s the same with every enemy in Fallout. But the missions and the visuals really make it worth the download and put it over the Pitt in enjoyment standards. The non-arch quests have you blowing up a Chinese Submarine, fighting in a ghoul arena, and even making moonshine among other things. By the way, don’t drink the moonshine…I took one swig, and immediately became addicted, that’s a first in this game…it’s not usually so easy to become an addict.
SPOILERS AHEAD! SCROLL TO END OF SPOILER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SURPRISED!
The main missions lead you to a mansion to fight off an invasion of tribal humans from killing a ghoul. After you aid him he asks...well demands as most characters do in fallout, that you help him. He sends you off to infiltrate the tribal’s, who immediately trust your plead to join them without a question and tell you that in order to enter you have to go partake of this giant fruit in the swamp to become enlightened. Once you make it to the fruit, well…the best part of the dlc begins. You go on a crazed over the top drug trip back through the swamp trail. This is not the “Oh the room turns purple and you have weird memories for a few moments” like vault 106 in D.C. This is full out psychedelic acid trip, with giant saws cutting through the landscape, soda bottles falling out of trees and exploding, and even an upside down swamp section. Then, you recover finding yourself outside the swamp. When you return you are allowed into the tribal church and find out that their god is the hologram of a brain commanding them to kill the ghoul, you also find you’ve been partially lobotomized, but it doesn’t seem to affect you and you assume the tribe did it. Returning to the ghoul you find that the brain and him have had a rivalry going since before the war, and you need to stop the brain because…well lets face it, brains that are alive in jars are usually evil. Anyway, at this point you choose who your going to help and return to the mansion to see it nuked from orbit.
The final battle takes place in point lookout’s Iconic lighthouse, which…well spoiler alert, but if you want the fight to be shorter, side with the ghoul the brain will turn on you. After completing this quest, when you return to the ferry boat it is revealed that the operator was the one who lobotomized you, and you can even find the jar with your brain chunk in it and carry it around. After disposing of the ferryman, you are free to ride the boat between D.C. and Point Lookout.
END OF SPOILERS, WRAPPING IT UP HERE...YOU MISSED ALOT
So all in all it’s a pretty good DLC, and has earned it’s place as my 3rd place recommendation, it doesn’t really bring a new aspect other than location, or a super cool weapon to the table so it remains beneath Anchorage and Broken Steel in my opinion. But if you’re a Fallout addict like myself, your gonna download it anyway.
That’s all for this review, next time I do a non-retro review it will be for Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, so keep your eyes peeled.
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