You may have read around the internet (or experienced first-hand) that the PC version of Broken Steel was released, well, broken. My apologies and deepest sympathies to you PC users, but if this had been the case on the 360 as well, I’d have driven down to Bethesda and personally peed in their hats.

Fortunately, Xbox users did not have another Pitt on their hands, and our content worked without a hitch. I would have liked to have written about this around 8 hours ago, but I have no doubt you all have been refreshing Addicted Gamer incessantly all day long waiting for my personal take on the content. No doubt whatsoever.

To put the verdict right up front: it’s good. It’s pretty much just more game, so if you like Fallout 3, you’ll like this content.

As everyone knows by now, the DLC not only introduces us to a few new baddies, tools, perks and weapons, but it moves the level cap from 20 to 30. Having played the game through many times, I had a few game saves ready right at the end of the original Fallout 3 story. Thus, I merely had to spend a few seconds finishing the game, watch the ending cinematic, and then was treated to a Two Weeks Later screen which kicked off Broken Steel. In case you still haven’t finished the game, that’s as descriptive as I’ll be.

Note that you don’t have to be playing this content to go from level 20 to 30. If you have the DLC installed and start a new game, you will be able to surpass level 20 before you reach the end of the game and the Broken Steel content. It isn’t exclusive to post-story play.

The structure of this pack is different from the first two, as you’re not traveling to a previously-nonexistent space, completing tasks there, then backing out. This DLC just adds itself to the end of the story, providing more game, and allowing you to roam the wasteland forever (or at least til you get to level 30 and get bored). There is no reason to not like the content if you like the game, it’s just more of what you love, and the process of getting to it and playing through feels very seamless and coherent with the original story. There are tasks that take you to new locations as well as existing ones, and at least in my experience, it will take you much longer to get through the story of this DLC than it did the other two. I had only finished two of the three main achievement-earning objectives and none of the three side quests in the time I finished the others. Add to that the time you will spend wandering, finishing other quests and leveling to 30, and you’ve got hours upon hours.

There are, of course, more achievements to get; a few for the missions, and one each for reaching level 30 with good, neutral and bad karmas. Some of the new enemies, like the Albino Radscorpions, Feral Ghoul Reavers, Super Mutant Overlords, and the Enclave Hellfire Trooper with its Hellfire Incinerator, are real bears to take down and will die after you become a few magazines and possibly a few stimpacks lighter. You’ll also encounter mad amounts of Enclave, Deathclaws, and all the other enemies you find the most difficult in the regular game.

At least you can activate that Puppies! perk and keep Dogmeat by your side at all times. If he dies, one of his “litter” will be waiting for you outside Vault 101. Busy doggie.

Give it a download and you’ll be a happy camper. For $10, it can’t be beat.

Tags: broken steel, dlc, fallout 3