Fallout 4 DLC Reviews
When it comes time to play modern video games, the choice is no longer so simple as which carton to place into your system. The life of individual games can be extended indefinitely through the ongoing addition of downloadable content, or “dlc”. There are plenty of games that follow this format and because of their success and popularity, players are kept on the edge of excitement as they wonder what is yet to come. Games such as Fallout 4 and Fortnite are famous for their ongoing evolution that is afforded through dlc. Fallout 4 dlc, in particular, is expansive and varied and adds new dimensions and life to the game with each addition. The different options and additions offered allowed even the most seasoned players to stay invested in the game. For new players, it may seem confusing at first, but the versatility soon builds into the excitement that new players crave.
Like all games however, if you have never played it before then you may not be as invested or able to buy into the game. The good news, we are here to break that down for you today. In this article, we’ll explore Fallout 4 dlc, particularly the Automatron, Wasteland Harbord Workshop, Far Harbor, and Vault-Tec workshop dlc packs. We will go into general details of each pack so that you know exactly what to expect. Knowing the different additions available allows you to make the right choice as to which pack you are more likely to enjoy. In addition to that, knowing what each pack has to offer allows you to make the best decision if you are considering buying one for a friend or loved one. With that being said, let’s dive into our review of all that the Fallout 4 dlc has to offer players.
What Is Fallout 4 DLC?
Fallout 4 dlc is downloadable content that is released by the game’s publisher through which the gaming experience is enhanced and expanded upon through the addition of new content and features. In fact, over the latter half of 2016 alone, there were about half a dozen Fallout 4 dlc packs released, each with varying features, content, and prices.
Given the volume of dlcthat is available for Fallout 4, it is important to review what the features are and whether you would enjoy them prior to making a purchase. Some gamers may want them all, but for those with less time, being discriminatory is important to support the quality of your game play experience.
Product Specs
Fallout 4 dlc is purchased through the online store and is built into the game play experience.
Pricing
The pricing on Fallout 4 dlc varies between around $5 and $25. The variations in price are due to the level of game play and content that is included in the dlc pack. Some dlc packs contain almost exclusively items and features, such as the ability to build with concrete or build an underground bunker, while others contain original storyline elements that can extend the game play for many hours through new missions and quests to complete. Thus, the pricing varies considerably for the dlc.
The player largely gets what they pay for, whether a short story and some features for $10, or an entirely new city to experience for $25.
How It Compares
We picked a few of the Fallout 4 dlc packs available on the market to see how they compare, considering the price, release date, storyline, and a few pros and cons of each Fallout 4 dlc pack.
- Automatron
- Wasteland Workshop
- Far Harbor
- Vault-Tec Workshop
Automatron
The Automatron Fallout 4 dlc presents a very enjoyable main quest and also adds the ability for the player to build their own custom robot companions. The storyline puts the player out in search of the “Mechanist”, a mysterious figure whose allure builds with the passage of the quest. The player is capable of outfitting the robot companion with all iterations of weapons, adding to the steam-punk feel of the storyline.
Price
At around $10, this Fallout 4 dlc is priced somewhat higher than the workshop dlc packs. This dlc takes a few hours at minimum to play through the original narrative, and it is well beneath the price of $25 that some of the story-centered dlc packs are priced at.
Features
The main features of this Fallout 4 dlc is linked to the robot. Build your own robot mate, then outfit them to the teeth with weaponry so that while you search out the Mechanist, you have a one-man robotic army at your back.
Storyline
The futuristic storyline of Automatron is highly appealing and has a superficial look, somewhat like the film Chappie featuring the South African hip-hop group Die Antwoord. The story begins with you encountering the robot Ada, who presents to you the story of the rise of the “Mechanist”: a robotics expert who is an emerging threat to the Commonwealth. The dialogue is very well-written, and the quests are action-packed. The storyline is written well enough that while the action and game play is incredibly fun, the story itself will keep you coming back to the game to find out what happens next.
Overall Rating
The Automatron storyline is fantastic, and the ability to create robots highly enjoyable. However, this dlc pack is slightly less refined and thus not completely perfect like some of the others we’ve explored in this article.
Pros
- Build your own custom robots
- Outfit your robots with weapons including lasers and mini-guns
- Make your robot into the Terminator
Cons
- Sometimes slightly unpolished
- Shorter story mode
- List Element
Wasteland Workshop
In Fallout 4 dlc options there are a number of workshops from which to expand upon the complexity and customization of your settlements. Many of the dlc packs offered for Fallout 4 are specifically tailored to construct more in your settlements. The Wasteland Workshop is one of the largest and most useful workshop dlc packs available for Fallout 4 and has many new features and options for the player to make their settlement their own.
Price
At just around $5, this workshop is useful to allow the player to build out all of their settlements, making it a fine investment for the price.
Features
The features of this dlc pack are expansive, but at the most basic they allow the player to build a wide variety of objects through the inclusion of some new materials. Concrete is not available, so castles can be built through this expansion pack as well as concrete walls and bunkers. The ability to construct such structures adds to your ability to make permanent settlements that can withstand attack. Trucks and trailers are also included in this Fallout 4 dlc, allowing you to move yourself and materials far more simply than in the past; and you can even go a little crazy and make a party bus to enjoy.
Storyline
While the workshop dlc packs do not necessarily have story lines of their own, they create opportunities through which the storyline can be impacted. Hiding behind the fortified walls of a castle during a scene of action can mean the difference between sniping your enemies or confronting them on the open field of combat. In this pack, the player can also construct an actual stadium in which Wasteland wildlife can be captured and then battled. Such options allow for side stories to be developed at the whim of the player through the construction of new locations in the game.
Overall Rating
This is one of the most expansive workshop Fallout 4 dlc packs available and allows the player to do a great many new things in terms of construction.
Pros
- Build castles and stadiums
- Engage in combat with Wildlife creatures you capture
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Cons
- Largely settlement building-focused
Far Harbor
The Far Harbor Fallout 4 dlc content presents an entirely new world for the player to encounter. The Far Harbor story adds a new dimension to the game, with the player encountering a decision of nuclear proportions on which the life of an entire city and its citizens depends. Far Harbor presents a sci-fi backed storyline that the fans appreciate. The Far Harbor Fallout 4 dlc presents the player with new choices and opportunities to enjoy the game and to build upon the story of some particularly popular characters from the original game.
Price
Priced at $25, the Far Harbor Fallout 4 dlc is essentially around half the cost of a full game. Given the strong storyline and extensive amount of game play that it includes however, this seems a fair price.
Features
The dlc presents a whole new storyline that expands upon existing characters’ back stories in addition to providing new ways to expand your settlements, new wardrobes, weapons, and engage in a variety of side-quests.
Storyline
This storyline revolves around a conflict between Far Harbor, Acadia, and the Children of Atom. The most significant decision the player is ultimately to make is whether or not to drop a nuclear bomb upon the Children of Atom. Such a decision is substantial in the game and marks the political undercurrent of the story; which parallels some of the modern discord we are experiencing in the real world.
Overall Rating
Far Harbor presents the player with a complex and well-written storyline that includes interaction between three major cities in the game and allows the player to determine what the ultimate outcome of the three cities will be. There is even an option to level one through nuclear warfare.
Pros
- Expansive storyline of epic proportions
- New side-quests, weapons, and wardrobe options
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Cons
- For the price, there could be more
Vault-Tec Workshop
This particular Fallout 4 DLC allows the player to build their own Vault and also to run experiments upon the settlers. The dlc begins with a Vault-Tec emergency radio broadcast and a slight attack by some feral ghouls. At this point a large construction space is offered to the player, and they then undertaken the construction of a vast underground world in line with the tasks provided by the original overseer of the location. The player digs and develops deeper and deeper into the earth, ultimately customizing their own gigantic underground location.
Price
The price of $5 for this particular dlc is relatively low and reflects the amount of game play additions that it entails.
Features
The features of this particular dlc are expansive in terms of the options available. The player can build out a custom Vault and conduct experiments on the settlers; but the game play itself is somewhat contained and limited.
Storyline
This settlement-based add-on allows the player to follow a series of short and simple quests while building an underground value of their very own. This particular expansio, though, is not particularly extensive, although it has somewhat more content than other workshop dlc packs. One of the key features of this Fallout 4 dlc is the ability to conduct experiments on the settlers. Whether harmless or otherwise, the experiments are entertaining and have a bit of dark humor in them to keep you moving through them in line with the tasks provided.
Overall Rating
This dlc in for Fallout 4 is at the top, but is not the best available given its relatively shallow nature.
Pros
- Finally build your own Vault
- Strong levels of customization
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Cons
- Somewhat weak content
- Not particularly engaging or expansive
Conclusion
The many facets of Fallout 4 dlc make it seem that the game can go on for eternity. The ongoing addition of new locations and characters to encounter adds to the longevity of the game and the amount of enjoyment that you get out of it. The Vault option allows you to build down into the earth through the creation of a new Vault, while the Wetlands expansion allows you to build new and exciting features atop the earth, including castles and stadiums. The ability to change the environment in which your game occurs through the expansion packs makes Fallout 4 dlc highly enjoyable and worth the cost.
Final Verdict:
The various DLC packs that are available for Fallout 4 are varied and fantastic, each with a unique storyline and style of game play that will keep you entertained for hours and hours to come. Some are workshops that will add features to your game and your settlements, while others include new quests and missions to undertaken to the benefit or the detriment of the Commonwealth.
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