Direct from
IGN
Fallout 3: Broken Steel Review
This is the add-on you’ve been waiting for.
May 6, 2009 - Broken Steel, the downloadable add-on that Fallout 3 nuts have been so eagerly anticipating, has finally been put up for sale and the wait has been worth it. Available to Xbox 360 and PC owners, this add-on extends the main story, lifts the level cap and offers some new weapons and armor to toy around with. If you’ve been holding off on buying any add-ons for Fallout 3, this is the one to take the plunge with.
The story in Broken Steel picks up at the end of the main quest in Fallout 3. Many were saddened that there was a full stop ending to the game and so Bethesda has changed that with this download. Shortly after the events that end the main quest, Broken Steel picks up, thereby removing any true ending and allowing the player to continue exploring the wasteland and work towards that new level cap.
If you haven’t completed the game yet, it might be best to stop reading this now and go finish so as not to spoil things.
Click the image to watch the video review.
After a somewhat awkward transition from the end of Fallout 3 to the new Broken Steel content, you’ll find your character back in the Citadel and ready to get back to questing and exploring. Though Project Purity was a success and clean water is flowing, the war between the Enclave and the Brotherhood is not over. And without a plumbing system, there’s that whole issue of distributing the fresh water throughout the wastes. This is where you come in for a series of three extensive main quests and a few new sidequests.
Most of this adventure takes place within the Capital Wasteland which won’t do anything for anybody burnt out on the muted grays and browns that are so pervasive in Fallout 3. There are a few great set pieces including the return of Liberty Prime and a quest that brings you to the new Adams Air Force Base location, but you won’t spend all of your time in an alternate location as with Operation Anchorage and The Pitt. Even so, these new quests are a lot of fun and offer more of those morally gray decisions with far-reaching consequences that make Fallout 3 so memorable.
Playing through the new content took me roughly seven hours which is a bit longer than the past Fallout 3 add-ons. Along the way, you’ll find a few new enemies and a few new weapons to deal with them. The new Tesla Canon must be the most powerful weapon in the game yet, capable of taking down Vertibirds and most any enemy in a single shot. There’s also the Heavy Incinerator that spits long range balls of fire. Fire that baby up in VATS for a great looking kill. These new toys and the hours of gameplay would be enough to satisfy many and that isn’t even getting into the feature that has Fallout 3’s hardcore fans so excited.
For many, the most important feature in Broken Steel will be the lift in the level cap from 20 to 30. Anybody that has spent a lot of time in the Capital Wasteland knows that it is quite easy to hit level 20 long before you see everything. By lifting the cap an additional 10 levels, Bethesda has provided a great reason to go back and take care of any unfinished business you might have in terms of side quests or general exploring. I’ve found the reintroduction of leveling and experience rewards enough to get me excited about playing Fallout 3 well beyond the Broken Steel quest lines.
We’ve been waiting a long time to see this.
The lift in the level cap isn’t a superficial change either. Three new achievements exist for reaching the new level cap — one each for good, evil and neutral karma. New perks have been included as well. Though they aren’t as imaginative as some of originals, they will help players who feel they’ve made a mistake in the past. One allows you to get Dogmeat back anytime your dog companion dies. Another will turn every 10 bottles of Nuka Cola you collect into a Quantum. You can even snag some at the higher levels that will reset your karma to whatever extreme you’d like.
Of course, I’m of the opinion that players shouldn’t be required to pay in order to gain this level cap lift. Together with the new quests, it makes for quite the attractive package, but a level cap adjustment is the sort of thing that should be made available to everybody at no cost. Let’s not forget about the PlayStation 3 players who are stuck at level 20 and have no option to buy Broken Steel.
Closing Comments
Lifting the level cap breathes new life into a great game, but shouldn’t totally overshadow a new series of quests that is a lot of fun. By extending the game beyond the main quest, Bethesda has delivered exactly what the fans have been asking for. Broken Steel offers more than enough reasons to justify the 800 Microsoft point price tag.
SCORE: 8.5
My impression: I knew that Broken Steel was going to be amazing, so I’m not surprised at the score. I had been waiting for the achievements to be fixed before I download this, but now that all issues are resolved, it is downloading as we speak. I have been looking forward to this ever since it was announced, so I can’t wait to dive right in.
Are you hardcore? Tell someone:
written by Zach Westfall
\\ tags: broken steel, DLC, fallout 3
Recent Comments