April 21, 2009 - If you've been stuck at level 20 in Fallout 3 for months like I have, you've likely been eying up Broken Steel for quite some time. This is, after all, the add-on that will lift the level cap to 30. The wait is almost over and we now have a firm sense of just how long that wait will be. Broken Steel will be put up for sale for Xbox 360 and Windows PC on May 5 at a price of 800 Microsoft points (US $10). Now that we've got the price particulars out of the way, we can get to the real juicy details learned during an extended guided demo.
The big selling point of Broken Steel is that it offers the ability to level up past 20. This is not a superficial change. More achievements are being added. New perks will be unlocked (the one we were told about creates a clone of Dog Meat if he dies and lets you retrieve him again). Enemies will become substantially harder as your level creeps towards 30. You'll even run into a few new breeds of old foes that are unlike anything you've yet seen. Just because you can level up further, don't expect Fallout 3 to become a cake walk.
You'll also find that reaching level 30 won't be any small task. Pete Hines, the VP of Marketing and Public Relations for Bethesda, said that it "takes a ton of experience points" to reach the new cap. Simply playing through the new quests for Broken Steel -- which we were told will have a main quest that lasts a bit longer than The Pitt -- won't be enough. To hit the new cap, you'll have to get back to exploring the Capital Wasteland. This will be a lot easier than before, since Broken Steel removes the hard stop at the end of the main game and never replaces it. You'll be free to quest all you like without ever having to worry about hitting a point of no return.
You're looking at about four or five hours worth of content for the main quest with another couple coming from side quests. None of those side quests, incidentally, will be collect-a-thons like we saw in The Pitt. But before we get into side quests, perhaps it would be best to explain the basic plot of Broken Steel.
This upcoming add-on picks up at the very end of the main quest for Fallout 3. If you haven't reached the end yet, it'd be best to stop reading this now. Don't say we didn't warn you about spoilers.
The main quest in Fallout 3 ends with the player making a few important decisions on the future of the region's water supply. It also sometimes ends with the player's death. This time around, whoever goes into the reactor won't die. What's more, you can even send any of the three followers it is possible to have at that time in for you; something that can't be done in the game right now. Who goes in is reportedly important -- as is your choice about poisoning the Super Mutants or not -- though Bethesda isn't saying how just yet. Regardless of which decisions you make, you'll find yourself knocked unconscious. When you wake up two weeks later, the new quest begins.
With Project Purity a success, there is now fresh water filling the basin. Unfortunately, there is the little issue of distributing it. And there is still the Enclave war with the Brotherhood to deal with. These two troubles are the key quest and sub-quest lines you'll tackle in Broken Steel. As it turns out, Liberty Prime isn't a big enough weapon to do in the Enclave. To hopefully finish them off, you'll have to assemble a new weapon: The Tesla Cannon.
The big new weapon is fierce. It's essentially a giant tube filled with crackling electricity that shoots out massive bolts of energy. One shot is enough to take out a flying Vertibird. Other new weapons you'll find in Broken Steel include a projectile flame thrower that tosses little fireballs and a tri-laser. These last two can be obtained by prying them out of the cold dead hands of some of the new enemies. The Overlord Super Mutant carries the new laser weapon while the Enclave Hellfire Troopers use the new flame thrower.
Bethesda wasn't showing a lot of plot points within Broken Steel to prevent spoilers from floating around, but there were a few new areas on display. Much of Broken Steel takes place within the main Capital Wasteland, unlike The Pitt and Operation Anchorage. The one big new area -- aside from some new tunnels and buildings -- is Andrews Air Force Base which has been turned into an Enclave stronghold. To get there you'll have to fight your way through tunnels underneath the remains of the White House. They're filled with Feral Ghoul Reapers, naturally.
The past two downloadable add-ons were good for a few hours of fun, though they didn't exactly set the world on fire. If you just rolled your eyes at that joke, then this should sound like the download you've been asking for. Just lifting the level cap is enough to get me excited. Not having a full-stop ending and the addition of the new missions are the icing. We'll find out if Broken Steel can live up to my expectations and yours on May 5. Stay tuned.
