Game review: Fallout 3: Point Outlook

SINCE its release at the end of 2008, Fallout 3's popularity has stood firm. Now, four expansion packs later, with latest offering Point Outlook the vision of a post-apocalyptic America continues to grow.

When a steamboat pulls up in the south of Washington DC, a woman asks you to board and search for her runaway daughter in the distant coastal region of Point Outlook. The area is far removed from the ruined metropolis of the capital, with humid swamps, murky backwaters and rocky shores swarming with unseen dangers and new inhabitants to encounter.

For 800MS points (roughly 10), you get a massive new play area, many fresh quests to tackle, character-boosting perks and powerful weaponry to get to grips with. Warning must go to new players opting to journey to Point Outlook after starting a fresh save. This area is home to tough enemies, more suited to higher level characters, so don't rush in headfirst.

The plot is superb, marrying such weighty subjects as religious belief, moral choices and existence itself. It's much darker than previous chapters, with tighter mission structures, great set pieces and enough new content to warrant a purchase. It seems developer Bethesda has mastered the art of making expansions with this superb compliment to the core game.