Fallout 3: Operation: Anchorage

Fallout 3 is a game with a lot to answer for. I have found myself spending hours developing my character, exploring the Wasteland and sending limbs gorily spiralling in every direction in grisly slow-motion. Now, just as I was starting to move on, Operation: Anchorage appears and draws me back like a moth to a flamer.

Bethesda has always been an advocate for downloadable content with a series of interesting expansions for Oblivion and this trend looks set to continue with Fallout 3. The first expansion recreates one of the most significant events of the Fallout universe, Operation: Anchorage. Once the new content is loaded, you receive a mysterious radio transmission requesting assistance and after you investigate, the quest begins.

Upon arrival at the location it becomes clear that a group of Brotherhood of Steel outcasts require your help opening the door to the armoury of a top-secret facility. The catch is that you are the only one who can unlock it using your trusty Pip-Boy 3000. However, it isn't quite that straightforward as in order to gain access you must first complete the facility's simulation. In science-fiction tradition, if you die within the virtual reality programme, you die in reality as the system's safety protocols have been disengaged.

The simulation is where the bulk of this downloadable content takes place and it is a different world from The Capital Wasteland. It takes place during the invasion of Alaska by Chinese forces and the American's battle with them before the Great War reduced the world to a wasteland. You are stripped of all your gear and are presented with a few basic weapons for the first section, which is a tad frustrating but not unexpected. However, the main differences concern your enemies and the pick-ups that you collect.

Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting (V.A.T.S) works as normal but enemies disappear in a flash of blue light as they are killed. This means that you can't engage in the good old corpse looting of old and instead must pick up weapons and items from assigned locations throughout the simulation. You are also unable to pick up medical or ammo supplies and instead must use special dispensers within the levels to restore them. Specific items such as grenades, frag mines and certain ammo types must also be collected from set locations.

These alterations make the game play differently and it is necessary to keep a careful check on ammunition reserves and your health level. At times I backtracked some distance to make sure I had full health and ammo to minimise my risk of dying which did feel like a minor annoyance. That said, the ammo and health dispensers are always well placed so you rarely find yourself in unfair situations and a cautious playthrough will mean you rarely die.

The other key change is the linearity of Operation: Anchorage which comes in stark contrast to the rest of Fallout 3. This content is very much broken up into individual sections which must be completed before you can progress further. There is also a slightly disappointing limit to different play styles with the only real options being a stealthy approach or an all guns blazing offensive.

The change of environment is quite literally a breath of fresh air and a very cold mountainous one. The white snow and cloudy skies makes a refreshing alternative to the bleak future of The Capital Wasteland which makes Operation: Anchorage feel suitably different. The new content itself works very well with some challenging new enemies who will certainly make you jump. There is also a very satisfying new energy weapon which not only looks dangerous but brings new satisfaction when using V.A.T.S.

Operation: Anchorage also introduces some sections featuring a number of followers which I was hesitant about. Whilst these tactical squad encounters aren't as bad as I had feared, I encountered some rather frustrating AI which certainly didn't make the quest any easier. Similarly, the enemy AI also displayed a few annoyances sometimes detecting me from miles away and at other times choosing to attack my allies positioned metres away while I stood next to them.

The story is told fairly well through a mixture of dialogue and a number of Holotapes which detail the experiences of the US troops as the Chinese forces invade. There are also a number of hidden collectables to find and the player is rewarded with an additional perk if all of them are successfully found. Operation: Anchorage will probably take most gamers around 4 hours with a good level character who takes the time to explore and track down the collectibles. Whilst the simulation itself is enjoyable if a little bit limited the rewards at the end are certainly a good bonus.

At 800 Microsoft points this downloadable content won't be to everyone's taste because of the linearity of the levels, relatively short length and combat heavy gameplay. Yet, if you are a Fallout fan this pack will certainly help you get more from the game with some great new equipment, an enjoyable extra quest line and an insight into an important event in the game universe. Operation: Anchorage is definitely worth a look and if Bethesda can build on the strengths of this download for future releases then Fallout 3 is going to expand in some great new directions.