The final part of the Fallout 3 DLC trifecta, “Broken Steel,” arrived last week, and it was something I had been looking forward to since Bethesda announced they would be releasing more content for devoted wastelanders. After playing through the roughly four-hour expansion, it’s clear Bethesda saved the best for last.

As you may have heard, “Broken Steel” actually rewrites the ending of Fallout 3. Instead of [spoiler alert] your character dying after purifying the water [spoilers over], you awaken two weeks later in the Citadel’s medical ward. From there you’ll find that the Brotherhood of Steel’s fight against the Enclave has continued, and it’s up to you to help them finish the fight. The three missions presented in this batch of DLC do well to wash the bland taste of the original ending out of your mouth. Bethesda’s has gone to great care to make this content, the last of which was announced, worth the effort to complete.

There’s quite a bit to like about this wild new world, particularly if you haven’t already completed the other two DLC packs. In fact, pretty much my only issue with “Broken Steel” is that it should have been released first. Bumping the level cap to 30, adding new perks, and re-opening the world after you’ve played “The Pitt” and/or “Operation: Anchorage” just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. While you could argue that all you had to do was not play those missions until after “Broken Steel” came out, I think they just should have released them in reverse order. Particularly since the items you attain in “Operation: Anchorage” border on game breaking, and make the other two DLC packs a breeze. The three achievement based missions are where you’ll spend most of your time, but there are also five or six additional side quests I came across. Like the rest of the game, how much you get out of this content depends on how willing you are to explore the world.

“Broken Steel” is actually a very difficult expansion… if you haven’t attained the armors from “Operation: Anchorage.” There are enough massive battles that you’ll be using Stimpaks like crazy, and the new enemies that roam the land will cause you to rethink your attack tactics. Taking on a horde of Feral Ghoul Reavers is almost as treacherous as taking on a pack of Deathclaws. The reason I know this? You’ll have to do both. Like I said, this is a very difficult expansion. Having my Chinese Stealth Armor made many a section a breeze, particularly when heading back into Old Olney. Super Mutant Overlords now populate the wastes as well, but compared to the Reavers, these guys are pushovers. Taking one down will usually result in them dropping a tri-beam laser rifle, which is one of the best new weapons in the content. There’s also a new magnum available depending on how you complete the final mission, and two new flamethrowers. I have yet to encounter the Albino Radscorpion that several of my co-workers have run across, but I think that’s for the best. The last thing I need to do is fight a monster tougher than a Deathclaw that also has regenerative health.



The final battle will change the landscape for your character going forward. Like the original ending, the option you choose has an impact on how you are perceived in the world from then on out. There are plenty of things to do, and even though I only made it to level 24, thanks in large part to my playing the other DLC first and not earning any experience from it, “Broken Steel” was well worth the investment. Truth be told, I can’t remember the last time I put 80+ hours into a single-player game. I know I’m going back in for more as well, but I think this time I’ll try playing the DLC in reverse order. Whether you’ve played through the other two downloadable packs, or you’ve been waiting them out in favor of “Broken Steel,” this new addition is well worth the time and money. Hopefully there’s more to come, but even if there isn’t, at least Bethesda gave gamers a much more satisfying conclusion for their character.