Released yesterday via the Xbox Live Marketplace, "Operation: Anchorage" is the first of three downloadable content installments for "Fallout 3." Offering roughly 4 hours of gameplay and 100 potential gamerpoints, is "Operation: Anchorage" worth the 800 MS points ($10 USD)? Two words: ninja suit.
[Caution: Mild Spoilers Ahead]
After downloading "Operation: Anchorage," you'll pick up a Brotherhood Outcasts distress signal directing you to new location in the Capitol Wasteland. Aid the Brotherhood Outcasts in a firefight and you'll be invited back to their place, but not for a congratulatory drink. Assisting them in battle wasn't quite enough and you'll soon find yourself being coaxed into a pre-war military VR simulator. They need you and, more importantly, your Pipboy, to complete the simulation in order to access a weapons cache in their bunker.
The simulation takes place in a pre-apocalyptic world of ice and snow -- a welcome counterpoint to the drab sepia tones of the Capitol Wasteland -- where the war with the Chinese still rages on. The invading Chinese have set up a base in Anchorage, Alaska and your first task is to infiltrate it. Of course, none of your items, armor or weapons have accompanied you into the simulator, and this is one of the great things about "Operation: Anchorage," it challenges you to rethink your combat strategies by removing everything you've previously come to rely on. There's no pounding stimpaks mid-battle here. Your armor and weapons are minimal, fallen foes cannot be plundered, health and ammo are only available at occasional distribution points. Combat is made all the more challenging by brand new foes you'll encounter, including the ninja-suited Crimson Dragoons who cannot be targeted in VATS while in their stealth mode.
For the first mission you're largely on your own, so it may seem a rather familiar sequence of stalking, killing, exploring, etc.. Your second mission, however, is where things really get interesting. Maybe you picked up a follower or two back in the Capitol Wasteland, but in "Operation: Anchorage" you'll need to assemble an entire strike team. Who or what you recruit will depend largely upon which of three potential targets you're after, as each hosts its unique obstacles. Additionally, you'll get to requisition your own weapons package to complement your play style and the perks you've built up in the main game.
The combat-focused action and tactical planning may seem more akin to "Call of Duty" (hello, trenches!) than the rest of "Fallout 3," but it's a welcome change from the same-old-same you may be experiencing in the main game, particularly if you have or have nearly completed it. It is challenging, fun and breathes a little extra excitement into the game.
So, yes, the cost of "Operation: Anchorage" may be awfully steep for 4 hours of play, but if you're a "Fallout 3" fan or have ever wished the game had a bit more combat, it's a must-have. At the very least it's worth it for the super sweet armor and weapons you'll receive upon completion. Two words: ninja suit.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Yes yes, but are there ducks?!
(I do want that ninja suit, I have to admit. I've been wearing a beaten-up suit of Reilly's Rangers armor for the past 12 levels.)
January 28th, 2009 at 10:04 am
@Zak That is pathetic, dude. Did you not pick up the T-51b Power Armor? It's not stealthy, but it's the money armor.
I also like the Tesla Armor if you're an energy weapons expert. It's all *crackle crackle*!
Oh, wait, you probably haven't been trained in Power Armor yet. Did I already say "pathetic?"
January 28th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I have T-51b armor, but I don't have whatever expertise is necessary to wear it. Besides, it weighs a ton, and I have more stimpacks than I'll ever need anyway, so it's not like I'm hurting for armor points or whatever it's called. It's all about style!
January 28th, 2009 at 10:22 am
@Zak ...lulz...
Reilly's Rangers armor is not that happening, homes. You better download OA with a quickness. You could be looking like Snake-Eyes by tonight!
January 28th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I can't wait to play this. I am just sad that Bethesda was conned into even making the PC work with LIVE. The Games for Windows initiative is crap and should not be helped along. It should just be shot and put in the ground.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am
@Scott Blargh. I wish I could say I understand your frustration, but I totally don't. Please to be explaining?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
the colors on this game are dark and depressing! no fuzzy animals? no bunnies watching me play?
the ninja suit is tempting, at least!
January 28th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
@janice yeah, no... nothing adorable here. you can meet and befriend a junkyard dog called "Dogmeat." He dies a lot, though, if you're not careful.
If you want cute ninjas, though, there's this: http://www.gamecyte.com/eidos-announces-mini-ninjas
It will even be on Wii! You love your Wii, right?!
January 28th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
oh. my. god.
that mini ninjas game looks AWESOME! you should totally review it --- you always give such great insight and critique to games! and I F'IN LOVE MY WII. i love it so much, i wish i was playing it right now!
January 28th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
@Marie Microsoft has time and again tried to implement their "Games for Windows" initiative which is pretty much making PC gaming on windows act just like Xbox Live. Luckily PC gamers weren't force fed Live from the beginning so for the most part they are smart enough not to want something like that to happen. Bethesda in all their kiss MS ass wisdom has decided to use LIVE for their DLC for not only Xbox but PC as well. While normally this doesn't sound like a bad thing this makes it so that you have to use MS points for the DLC. If you have an Xbox like me this isn't as bad as if you only game on PC. As it stands the points never line up since you can't just buy the game you have to buy set amounts leaving some left over. So for only PC gamers this essentially means you have to pay more for the same thing since you will most likely never use the left over points. While the concept of Games for Windows is decent with making all games under that label have certain compatibility req's it is mired with stupid shit like this that makes it more trouble than it is worth.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
@Janice ahahaha! thanks for your awesome endorsement, Janice! No one will ever catch on that we're friends! Shhhhhhh!
But, dude, totally. NINJAS!
January 28th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
@Scott Oohhhhhhh. I have often wondered why MS points and Live games had such odd conversion numbers. This makes a lot of sense and sounds like a total pain in the ass.
Steam all the way?
ETA: I inferred from what you said that the conversion disparity was intentional and a bit of a ploy. Perhaps this is not the case. Just a guess on my part.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
I downloaded it to my xbox.. but nothing happen at all... Do I have to go anywhere to activate this new download add on??
April 21st, 2009 at 4:43 am
@ k
it takes a while b4 you get a destres signal, about a couple of min.