Xbox 360
We Fallout 3 fans are a lucky bunch. Bethesda's previous downloadable offerings have added more than a considerable amount of playability to an already excellent game. We've reclaimed Alaska, ventured into The Pitt and overrun the Adams Air Force Base, and now it's been announced that there'll be at least another two expansions released this year, with Point Lookout being the first. With the quality of the content increasing with each subsequent release, this should be one of the best packs so far. Does it manage it?
Having already travelled north, this time The Lone Wanderer ventures south to the state of Maryland. Receiving news that an old paddle steamer named the Duchess Gambit has docked at the mouth of the Potomac river, the player is offered transport to Point Lookout by the rather shifty Tobar The Ferryman. If they decide to pay for the not-inexpensive ticket, they're told to rest in the passenger cabin, and so the voyage begins...
The way the former state park is introduced is spectacular in itself. Steaming along the shore, the area's landmarks, including the looming ferris wheel and far-off lighthouse, slowly come into focus through the thick, thick fog, with the foreboding, southern-tinged music mixing with the crash of waves lapping the shoreline adding to the haunting atmosphere. The mood endures as you disembark from the boat and take your first steps through the deserted promenade town of Pilgrim's Landing and beyond. Every location in this game, be it the intimidating mansion and its burnt-out wireframe greenhouse, or the swamps, with their dead trees and constant drone of crickets, is outstandingly eerie.
There are numerous quests on offer here, all of which are worth pursuing, but it's the main questline that will have you hooked. Concerning a centuries-long feud between a rather British ghoul and a considerably more unusual opponent, it's up to the player to take sides and finish the rivalry once and for all. What looks set to be another simple slog across the marshy wasteland quickly turns into something much more compelling, with one particular section packing a hard emotional punch which you'll definitely feel, as well as a horrifying plot revelation involving one of your own body parts. The usual moral choice makes an appearance once again, although this time it's much harder to make since you're never actually sure who the good or bad guys are.
A wealth of new items make an appearance in Point Lookout, including the hilariously fun double-barrel shotgun and the lethal lever-action rifle, which make wandering around the huge environment a whole load of fun. You'll need them, as the truly terrifying swampfolk, the hideously inbred and horrifically mutated locals of the marshland, are not a friendly bunch, and will attack you on sight, as will the numerous ghouls you'll find moping around in the darkness.
Point Lookout is a excellent example of how Bethesda should continue to expand the Fallout universe. Completing quests and wandering around the brand new wasteland is as fun as ever, and the new weapons make you feel safer in the desolate environment where everyone seems out to get you. Simple touches, such as throwaway, self-referential dialogue and the roar of the wind and sea reaching a crescendo as you get closer and closer to the top of the aforementioned lighthouse, expose the care that has been put into this expansion. Little niggles, such as an apparent lack of caps in the state's economy, become inconsequential as a result. Not as essential as Broken Steel but more interesting than both Operation Anchorage and The Pitt, this thrilling sojourn into the swampland comes highly recommended.