User Review : Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage

Operation: Anchorage Review at GamerSyndrome.com

Operation Anchorage is the first new content package released by Bethesda for Fallout 3. Bethesda announced the content packages on Dec 10, 2008 and Operation: Anchorage was later released on January 27 of this year at the cost of 800 Microsoft points (roughly 10$) for Xbox 360 and PC. This is one of three announced downloadable game packages, the other two being “The Pitt” and “Broken Steel”. The Pitt was released on March 24, 2009 and Broken Steel was just released May 7th. Here at Gamer Syndrome we are going to explore in detail each one of these content packages, starting with the foray into the cold north, Operation: Anchorage.

Operation: Anchorage begins with a mission for the Brotherhood Outcasts who want to get thier hands on some new pre-war military technology. The technology is located in a vault, and for some strange reason the only way to gain access to the vault is to complete a “military simulation”. This simulation takes the player back to one of the greatest battles of pre-war Fallout, the liberation of Anchorage, Alaska. You will play as a United States solider fighting against the evil commie Chinese. Once the simulation is activated, players keep thier attributes and level, but are forced to only use weapons available in the simulation itself. These are for the most part standard pre-war military weapons and armor, but several unique items are thrown in as well, and even the chance to earn the new “Covert Ops” perk.

One fun feature is the fact that players can keep several weapons found inside the simulation back in the “real world”. These include Winterized Power Armor, Chinese Stealth Armor and even a snazzy Gauss Rifle. Of course since the simulation is in pre-war Fallout, there are no more mutated ghouls and raiders, in fact the only enemy you really encounter in this content package are Chinese soldiers. Most of these are simply the same as raiders thrown in Communist style winter parkas, but there are several unique enemies such as “Crimson Dragoons” that are enemy troopers with cloaking devices and even the odd Chinese tank or two.

As you may have guessed, Operation: Anchorage features a distinctly different storyline, albiet same gameplay mechanics. Speech options and moral dilemas are few and far between, and the entire content package is more like a constant battle rather than an added story. The player is often aided by other U.S. soldiers, and the missions are more like those seen in a war game such as Call of Duty with objectives like “destroy the artillery guns” rather than missions that actually require decision making. Still this isnt necessary a bad thing, as the combat system is effective (albeit a bit clunky for an battle style content package) and of course the plot ties into many clues found in the original Fallout 3.

Operation: Anchorage is exactly what the previews look like, its fast paced, full of action, and it adds a couple hours of exciting new gameplay to the world of Fallout. Priced at around 10 dollars, its not a huge loss if you don’t find it as exciting as traversing the bleak nuclear ravaged wastes of D.C. However it never was intended as such, and really only can be seen as an extra mission and a bloody way to fill in some pre-war plot cravings. If you are a fan of the Fallout genre or just looking for a way to burn some time and keep those damn Communists down, then Operation: Anchorage is the game for you.

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