Fallout 3: Broken Steel Review
Let’s face it. The ending that Bethesda had originally intended for Fallout 3 was incredibly anticlimactic. You’re left with a decision, and you get a cutscene based upon it and then its over. Broken Steel makes a valiant attempt at rectify this problem, allowing you to play beyond the original intended ending of the game. Is it worth it? Let’s figure that out. Oh, and by the way?
**Spoiler Warning for anyone who hasn’t finished the original ending for Fallout 3.**
It’s you or Sara Lyons. One of you two are going to go inside the airlock and finished what your father started in the way of Project Purity. You already decided not to put in President Eden’s virus, but the choice has come. One of you will die. What I didn’t understand is why? Fawkes, your Super Mutant cohort, is mostly impervious to radiation. Why in the world could you not send him in? It never made a lick of sense to me, so I did the noble thing and died. You win, but at the same time the game is over. You never get to see the fruit of your labour of love.
Broken Steel changes everything, and they are good changes. I chose to send Fawkes in, and he lived and the game continued. Now then I am uncertain what would’ve happened if I would have gone in myself, but I will assume that however you do it you will miraculosly live, and be able to enjoy the rest of the rest of the game. As I went through the main quest quickly, the ability to continue on appealed to me greatly. Although it isn’t something that I should have had to pay for.
Saving the post-apocalyptic D.C. is one thing, but when you awaken inside the Citadel you are informed by Elder Lyons that there are multiple things to take care of before the battle is truly won. You begin your new mission as a fully recognized member of the Brotherhood of Steel. No matter your morality level, this is your new title. After recieving these new orders you come to find that they actually awarded you experience points to finish the game in the form of enough to level up one more time. Those of you who were at level twenty will be pleased to find the cap has been raised, new perks added, and there are more skill points to assign. Getting to the new cap will take even veteran players quite some time to complete, and a lot of quests to complete.
Some of the new weapons include the Heavy Incinerator, and the Tesla Cannon. The Tesla cannon has quite story background, so as to not give anything away let me tell you that it’s awesome fun to shoot at people, and watch them die in slow motion over and over and over and over. Protecting the Brotherhood of Steel’s interests becomes much more difficult after your first new mission, so the new addition is appreciated. Oh, and the final map? Use that Heavy Incinerator and strip an Enclave of his Hellfire armour, trust me.
Broken Steel may not take you outside of Washington D.C., but it does add a little bit too it. New underground facilities to explore, along with Adam’s Airforce Base and the Presidental Metro. Although I cannot confirm this, some of your enemies may change slightly in the new content, becoming a bit more difficult and intimidating as you delve deeper into their domain.
You really should not have had to pay for Broken Steel. It should’ve been included on the original release, but it’s so worth it. The slight changes due to fresh water, a few other little secrets here and there that I do not want to spoil, new missions, new level cap, it is all worth it. The Wasteland is now almost perfect to play through, and I am sucked in yet again to a world I have grown to love.
Broken Steel deserves a 9/10.
