Xbox 360
So, here it is. The fifth and final addition to the Fallout canon (and we mean it this time). By this point, fans will probably have explored most of the Eastern Seaboard thanks to the four previous content downloads, so surely the next logical step would be to explore further west? Nope. Bethesda have decided otherwise and placed The Lone Wanderer's next adventure as a much more galactic affair.
You may have come across Recon Craft Theta, the downed spaceship replete with a deceased pilot and nifty Alien Blaster, during your travels across the Wasteland. Well, it turns out that the pilot isn't alone and his pals are more than angry at his demise. Investigating an unintelligible radio transmission emanating from the craft, you're soon abducted onto the titular Mothership Zeta. You'll realise soon enough that the aliens aren't a friendly bunch as you're poked and prodded with a whole range of unpleasant devices before being placed in a cell with another abductee. It's your job to escape and halt the extraterrestrials and the nefarious plans they have in store for Earth.
Once again, you're stripped of your equipment, but after a hastily thought up escape plan and a brawl with the little green men, you're back in action with your new pals Somah and Sally, your Newt-from-Aliens-like pal who guides you around your new confines. The spaceship itself is nicely designed, keeping in line with the 1950s design the series is famous for and the sci-fi stereotypes from the era, with hissing pipes, crackling electricity and holograms around every corner.
What starts out as the usual plod through a samey environment soon becomes something much more chilling altogether as you progress through the story. From encountering some remarkable allies and stumbling upon horrifying captive recordings, the aliens sinister intent is slowly made clear as you explore further into the ship and get closer to the bridge. It's hard to reveal too much without spoiling things, so we'll just say this: there's some petty sturdy evidence that your captors aren't exactly new to the planet, and might possibly have had a hand in one of the Earth's most historic events.
It's a good thing, then, that you have a slew of new equipment to take the fight back to the little green men. Stun Rods are self-explanatory, Alien Atomizers and Alien Disintegrators are your typical rayguns and Drone Cannons are effectively grenade launchers, although they fire power modules rather than explosives. They're useful, if a bit unimaginative. Alien Biogel and Alien Epoxy can also be found, which heal wounds and repair equipment respectively. You'll also come across pods that restore health as you walk through them, letting you keep that stimpak collection you've amassed for later use.
It's obvious that Bethesda have crafted Mothership Zeta with the same amount of love, care and respect that they put into the original game, with space seeming a natural progression for the Fallout story as opposed to an incongruous juxtaposition of the canon. The fact that progression is fairly linear and a bit of a slog is made up for with the explosive finale, and the brilliant blend of sci-fi and eerie horror is complemented excellently by the usual nice touches, such as a reference to The Mysterious Stranger, blatant misuse of the spaceship's death ray and a simply breathtaking space walk. The first time you see the ruined Earth amongst the sun and the stars may just take you aback.
Mothership Zeta comes, along with Broken Steel and Point Lookout, as highly recommended for download, it's spectacular design making it a fitting swansong to such a fine title. It's time to put on your space boots and kick some little green ass.