Review Operation: Anchorage Released, Reviewed

[Jason]

Tags: Fallout 3

The first DLC for Fallout 3, <b><a href="http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/Live/Pages/f3operationanchorage.aspx" target="blank">Operation: Anchorage</a></b>, is now available for your <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/01/27/fallout-3-new-content-adventures-in-gfwl/" target="blank">quick & easy downloading pleasure</a>, as are the first reviews. <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/fallout-3-operation-anchorage-review" target="blank">Eurogamer</a> is first with a 5/10.
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<blockquote>I love Fallout 3. I love it to an almost indecent extent. It was far and away my game of 2008, and doesn't look like being knocked out of my personal top spot for a good while yet. But when you sift out its role-play, the ammo-box inspection and the exploration and draft in a fleet of health and ammo regeneration points to compensate... well, affairs just feel shallow and somewhat naked. Hopefully a lesson has been learnt at Bethesda towers. Business as usual next time please.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.destructoid.com/destructoid-review-fallout-3-operation-anchorage-dlc-119182.phtml" target="blank">Destructoid</a> comes next with a friendlier 8/10.
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<blockquote>I'm pleased overall with what has been released. The changes in gameplay are refreshing and the challenge level which results from them make it a satisfying experience. It is not painfully difficult, just pleasantly so, and its running time of roughly three hours is long enough to be enjoyable without becoming monotonous. And some of the gear you acquire for having completed it is pretty damn cool too. If you enjoyed Fallout 3, this is a worthwhile investment.</blockquote>

 

[z3r'0']

Meh:

Seems quite a few people are having trouble with this DLC.
RPS

And they aren't the only ones. FO3 is the proverbial, buggy piece of shit. Especially for a FPS. Wonder why all those 5-star blow-jobs/reviews failed to mention that!

 

[Angthoron]

Regen zones?

Fallout Tournament, coming to stores near you Q3 2011.

 

[Jim Cojones]

I don't mind that Bethesda didn't want to implement a whole system for squad management, as that would have been difficult and more work than it's worth, but I would have appreciated it if they hadn't given the impression that the player is somehow in command of the troops.

Adding a few simple tasks, like 'go there' or 'stay cover' (Fo3 AI must be at least that good to handle this), would take a lot of priceless time, that Bethesda didn't have, because they had to work on making the DLC a long experience (What? Three hours isn't long for a video game? You must be kidding me.), getting rid of bugs and preparing new patches (of course, there wasn't many bugs in OC, thanks to genuine beta-testing, but it's good to know that Beth has already dealt with few problems found by players).

So, right off the bat, if you are not a fan of Fallout 3's combat system, you will almost certainly loathe this expansion.

I understand how one can be a fan of exploration part of Fallout 3, one can find Fo3 quests interesting, or that there are people who enjoy Bethesda's jokes, but being a fan of the combat system? Are we thinking of the same game?

It is not painfully difficult, just pleasantly so, and its running time of roughly three hours is long enough to be enjoyable without becoming monotonous.

Oh, now I understand. There isn't much variety of the gameplay of the DLC and the game is good enough to have fun with it only for a few hours. So it's actually a fantastic coincidence that the game lasts only three hours, because otherwise it would be obvious it's a crap?

 

[MetalCraze]

But it contains the whole two speech checks that don't do anything - why isn't Codex praising it like it did with F3?

 

[poocolator]

I only praised F3 for its completely retrograde game design. Welcome to the 1980s, boyo. Actually come to think of it, games "back in the day" were far, far better designed (or at least felt that way, when compared to today's drivel).

 

[mondblut]

So Bethsoft realized Failure 3 isn't an FPS enough and should be less of an RPG?

Big surprise.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

The DLC is fun if you're looking for action, but it's lacking in terms of roleplaying. The only skill check I found in the entire thing was right at the end when the Chinese commander confronts you. You can persuade him to surrender, but if you fail he charges right at you with that sword of his.

There were a few nice touches, though. When you complete the simulation, the Brotherhood outcasts say you can help yourself to what is inside the locked room, but they say there should be enough for everybody. If you are too greedy and decide to take everything, they attack you.

Unfortunately, you can take down all of them using only an assault rifle, even though they all wear power armor. But it was still nice to have a consequence for being greedy.