Windows

Operation: Anchorage

Even without the nuclear weapon-chucking bag of bolts, Operation: Anchorage is an impressive piece of content and is highly recommended for those looking for a good excuse to get the Fallout 3 disc spinning in the tray once more. The way the missions unfold within the VR exercise really gives you a sense that you're playing a game that isn't Fallout, yet it's using the exact same engine. I mean this as a high compliment, though, as it shows that Bethesda really has what it takes when it comes to adding even more content to an already massive game. You should really buy this before Bethesda catches on that $10 is too cheap for something offering this much content, enjoyment and fun.

In the end, Operation: Anchorage is worth the money. At only $10, or 800 Microsoft duckets, the DLC can add a nice amount of mostly combat oriented play to your game. And being able to roundup some sharp weapons and armor which can be used in the main world is a cool bonus. In fact, if O:A was made by anyone but Bethesda, it would probably have been more well received, at least by me. It’s a good game, just not great, and not up to the level of quality that we have come to expect from one of the world’s premiere development houses. Operation: Anchorage is no Horse Armor, but it’s not exactly Knights of the Nine either.

If anything, Operation Anchorage is a good hint of what's to come from Bethesda in future downloadable packs. With the third pack, coming in March, removing the game's ending and allowing players to continue the quest, we look forward to seeing this level of production values added to the game and integrated better with everything our wasteland adventurers have already done. Sure, taking the sweet loot in this add-on - and yes, there's something good for any character by the time you finish Anchorage - and using it in the rest of the game is nice, but we really like the Capital Wasteland, Bethesda. Give us more to do over there.

The entire download only took me about three hours to finish which isn't a whole lot of time considering the $10 price tag. I had fun while playing Operation:Anchorage despite a few bugs and a couple of game crashes, and the items you get for completing the missions are awesome. If you get a kick out of watching heads fly in VATS like me, you'll find a lot to like in Operation: Anchorage. The combat levels are through the roof which makes the entire download a thrill ride. Still, I can't help but feel that the whole package was a bit slim. You can't reenter the simulation after you finish it, so you'll have to make sure you reload an old save if you missed any of the pieces of intel or just want to visit Alaska again.

Bethesda says Operation Anchorage takes 3-4 hours to complete. I’d put that number at more like 2-3, but for only $10 it represents moderate gaming bang for your buck. I’m hoping future DLC will be much better.

Operation Anchorage clocks in at about three hours. Players who've held off from brushing up against the level 20 cap or are only a short-way into the main campaign will find the goodies earned in this first expansion particularly bountiful. Succeeding in your virtual mission and cracking open the sealed stash translates directly into a big payoff of extra firepower, cool armor, and helpful gizmos to use in the rest of the game. Electrified ninja swords, stealth armor, and a new gauss rifle are only a few of the goodies awaiting players. The vignette is an entertaining diversion, but the rewards for completing it are what make it truly worthwhile.

Met de hakken over de sloot! Hopelijk maakt Bethesda meer werk van de volgende Fallout 3 DLC-snacks.

This all sounds a bit doomy and dour, but the truth is that Operation Anchorage is neither brilliant nor terrible: it's simply a sidestep that doesn't quite work. It's linear, simplistic and extremely un-Fallouty, but it does have couple of decent items and it offers a fresh change of scenery. If you think that's a fair swap for 800 Points, then go ahead and try it. Personally, we're not entirely convinced. Let's hope that the next two DLC packs, The Pitt and Broken Steel, fare better.

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.

The short answer to this question is: not very good. Even if you absolutely love Fallout 3, Operation Anchorage is barely worth a purchase, because all you're getting for your ten dollars is a two to three hour experience of minimal challenge that forsakes the best features of the game to provide a simple, dull, FPS-style quest. leaving a dull FPS-style mission behind. Let me put it another way. If you are like me and generally enjoyed the Star Wars prequels but found the overexposure of Jar Jar, pod racing and the boring political intrigue of Episode I to be the stuff you skip to get to the cool battles on the DVD, this add-on is like sitting down to watch 'Jar Jar's personal journey through pod-racing and intergalactic politics'.

Avec Opération Anchorage, Besthesda réussit ce qu'il avait soigneusement évité de faire avec Fallout 3 : vider la licence de toute sa substance. Réduire le jeu à un simple FPS, c'était prendre le risque de dévoiler ses limites en la matière, et ça n'a pas loupé : missions linéaires et convenues, IA à la ramasse, gestion d'escouade peu convaincante, aspect infiltration imparfait... Cette parodie de GRAW n'a vraiment rien pour elle et nous incite à la prudence face aux futures extensions annoncées.

Истинная причина существования столь никчемной поделки прояснится, когда вы сбросите китайцев в Тихий океан. Прогулки в синюшных тонах — прелюдия к получению отличного оружия и брони. Это очень похоже на покупку предметов за настоящие деньги в MMORPG с «корейской моделью». Правда, любоваться обновками из Operation: Anchorage вы будете в гордом одиночестве.