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Being a big fan of Fallout 3 (as most are) I quickly snapped up the first bit of downloadable content they've put out: Operation Anchorage.

It costs $10 (800 points) on Xbox 360 (which is what I bought it for).


It is basically just an extra mission added into the basic campaign, which means you'll need a saved game during the campaign that isn't right at the end after you've 'started' the last mission.

Without ruining anything that isn't pretty apparent by reading any of the preview material: In this mission you end up finding a holo-pod that, once entered, begins a simulation of the American forces recapturing Anchorage from the Chinese; a piece of 'history' talked about during the standard game. The bulk of the new material provided is this holo-mission. You can still accrue experience while in the pod (and you can die, of course), and once finished with the mission you do get some fairly cool gear as compensation.

But overall I would rate this as a fairly poor expansion for the following reasons:


1) Duration. It is pretty darn short (probably about 5 hours max, if you take everything really slow), and pretty repetitive in that it is pretty much just one battle after the next (which most of Fallout tends to have the battles broken up by a little more exploring/conversation). Overall, its a nice little ride and it wouldn't be half bad if it weren't for:

2) Price. I think the main game just spoiled us all with a virtual boat-load of content for $60. In comparison, $10 for *maybe* another 5 hours seems pretty darn weak.

3) Mission isolation. Although you do get a bit of cool gear at the end of the mission, including some new weapons for you to carry around all-in-all the mission is very self-contained and that means once you've finished it the $10 you spent on the expansion doesn't affect your game anymore. Personally, I would much rather have an expansion that adds another location that perhaps I can interact with on a reoccurring basis, and maybe some new enemy types that continue to affect the game, etc. Overall I think the game world is so rich that expansions should add to the existing world rather than just taking place in isolated pockets.

4) Not very clear. They do a piss-poor job of explaining how you actually utilize this expansion. There's no menu option to start the expansion and no explanation of whether you just start an old game a new game or what! Once you just give in and try something out you figure out that it is a mission that just shows up over your Pipboy's radio, but the fact that they just kind of assume that players will figure that out kind of reminds me of the beginning of the game where they did a pretty piss-poor job explaining how to do some of the basic wasteland activities.

5) It's also kind of a hard mission, which means you'll need a fairly high ranked character to complete it. That means you better have a saved game left that isn't stuck in the 'end-game' of the very last mission. Again, this is piss-poor communication on their part and reinforces what a bad idea it was to have Fallout3 'end' after the last mission. This type of game just screams to be 'explored' after the game is finished and by making the game come to and absolute 'end' means that when you add expansions to the game you have to *assume* that players have a game saved in an appropriate location or they'll be stuck starting all over again trying to build up a character to take part in the new expansion.



So overall, if you're a die-hard Fallout3 fan who is just *dying* for more content no matter what the price, then you should definitely pick up this expansion (and let's face it, you have already). But for anyone else, I would highly recommend you skip this until (if) the price drops.

Not very clear. They do a piss-poor job of explaining how you actually utilize this expansion. There's no menu option to start the expansion and no explanation of whether you just start an old game a new game or what! Once you just give in and try something out you figure out that it is a mission that just shows up over your Pipboy's radio, but the fact that they just kind of assume that players will figure that out kind of reminds me of the beginning of the game where they did a pretty piss-poor job explaining how to do some of the basic wasteland activities.

That seems to be the problem with a bunch of DLC. I spend 15 minutes trying to figure out how to acces the Force Unleashed extra stuff (which is not worth the money btw.).

It's also kind of a hard mission, which means you'll need a fairly high ranked character to complete it. That means you better have a saved game left that isn't stuck in the 'end-game' of the very last mission. Again, this is piss-poor communication on their part and reinforces what a bad idea it was to have Fallout3 'end' after the last mission. This type of game just screams to be 'explored' after the game is finished and by making the game come to and absolute 'end' means that when you add expansions to the game you have to *assume* that players have a game saved in an appropriate location or they'll be stuck starting all over again trying to build up a character to take part in the new expansion.

Good to know. I was really annyoed that I couldn't go on from the end in Mass Effect. One would think that something is a big nono in this genre

So overall, if you're a die-hard Fallout3 fan who is just *dying* for more content no matter what the price, then you should definitely pick up this expansion (and let's face it, you have already). But for anyone else, I would highly recommend you skip this until (if) the price drops.

I am not aware of any case that DLC has ever dropped in price. Maybe it get's cheaper in a bundle once every episode is out. Part 3 won't show up till end of april though...

Generally DLC is a complete waste. Also another reason I stick to PC gaming, expansions are properly made, user generated content exists expanding your games, and no bs $10 for a 3-map pack (its just free on the PC looking at you COD:4 and Cod:WaW).

Fallout 3 was a let down overall, but thanks for the info that the expansion isn't worth the money.

Greets
Schepp himself

I liked the content, personally.

Now on my max ranked character with the save I did right before Liberty Prime, I've got Chinese Stealth Armor for mini-nuke stealth action!

It's pretty much amazing

Chinese Stealth Armor for mini-nuke stealth action!

I like the sound of that.

10 USD?



Nice try, Beth.

This seemed mostly like a nice way to get a tad more out of the game for now, but the next 2 planned DLC should be good. Adding another town and being able to continue the game past the end would be worth the money in my opinion. I was hoping that the overall brisk pace of combat for Anchorage and learning a bit of back story would be neat, but oh well.

Schepp himself wrote:Fallout 3 was a let down overall, but thanks for the info that the expansion isn't worth the money.

Greets
Schepp himself

Your opinion is most definatly in the minority....since this is one of the top games of '08.

Fallout 3 was the sole reason the dust got blown off of my 360. Awesome game overall.

Deadshane1 wrote:

Schepp himself wrote:Fallout 3 was a let down overall, but thanks for the info that the expansion isn't worth the money.

Greets
Schepp himself

Your opinion is most definatly in the minority....since this is one of the top games of '08.

Fallout 3 was the sole reason the dust got blown off of my 360. Awesome game overall.

That may be true, but I played Fallout 1 & 2 several time, are an fan of the baldurs gate series and planescape torment and must say that fallout 3, opposed to these games, hasn't got a soul. It's nice to play, though, but nothing I would recommend shelling out more than 20-25$ or €.

Greets
Schepp himself

While I agree that Black Isle is one of the greatest, and in my opinion the most characterful developer in gaming history, I don't think Fallout 3 was utterly disappointing.

I DID make a point of doing 80% of everything before I did the main storyline, though. I still finished it in under a week, which is pretty rubbish by RPG standards... and it's nowhere near as replayable as the first two. I think Beth did a lot better with Oblivion on almost every non-visual aspect.

I agree about Fallout 3 being a letdown. I couldn't even get through the tutorial before I shut it off. For me, Fallout has always been about turn based action and tongue in cheek humor. FPS might have been a good decision revenue-wise, but I really really hate it. Glad my roomate bought it and not me.

I agree Yak.

It felt like a bit of a let down, and I maxed level half way through. The objectives couldn't have been more vague; basically giving you Three markers and no details or briefing.

The Pitt/Broken Steel better be worth it.

sA

im yet to buy FO3
been told alot of good stuff about it.


if you want piss poor DL content, buy oblivion and buy content for that -_-

Yeah, I agree.

It felt (after Knights Of The Nine and The Shivering Isles, two of the best DLCs out) that they felt duty bound to churn some rubbishy half baked castles and general tatt for the die hards.

sA

I mean, it seems like Operation Anchorage is meant to just give you access to Powered Armor and some nice light armor earlier on.

And a buttload of ammo for every weapon imaginable

I was going to download this but the combination of Yak's complaints and the fact that I'm all into Mass Effect right now (never played it but got it after X-mas for $20 bucks) is going to wind up keeping me from doing so.

I'll wind up waiting until I've just GOT to play some more Fallout....as of now I'm burnt on it.

So does this mission involve team fighting? I like watching NPC shoot eachother!

By da way, Da Chinese should have won

foook the Yanks!!!!