Dark secrets, cannibalistic cults and disturbing imagery are withheld in the haunted, murky swampland of Point Lookout
Contains: Very Strong Bloody Violence, Gore and Strong Language and Horror
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Point Lookout is downloadable content for Fallout 3 developed and published by Bethesda Softworks and features a brand new sandbox design to traverse complete with new weapons, haunting scenery and menacingly tough swampland enemies.
A ruined funfair is your first sight as you step off the boat you travelled on, but beyond this desolation is horrifying swamps brewing with terror for those that dare trespass through it. Venturing through the damp, foggy, murky swamps alone and encountering hostiles that treat such a grimy and disturbing place their home is something you'll have to stomach throughout this add-on, and it's really good to see that effort went into creating such formidable environments with such disturbing-looking enemies. The locals of the swamps are unfriendly and don't tolerate outsiders into their home, and these swamp folk have no creed, no morals and are very territorial which is just one of the reasons for their vicious hostility. Voodoo rituals and cannibalism is also frequently implied through the many disturbing visual sights and imagery, which gives these horrifying new foes another reason to fear, as you come to realise they want to feast on your flesh soon after dismembering you to satisfy their abnormal and unnatural instincts to survive in the nuclear devastated remains of this part of the globe. Plenty of evil is going on around this desolate location as you come across countless voodoo-orientated imagery with dolls and human skulls impaled on sticks throughout the marshland, and overall there is a very dark and oppressive tone to Point Lookout that holds some gruesome secrets amongst some of the inhabitants who have managed to retain the ability to reason and bargain rather than shoot on sight.
The impressive scale of this new sandbox design features cool and interesting quests that can be undertaken by various, and very well introduced and formulated, characters that each have a unique personality for you to decide whether you'll follow their orders or double-cross them soon after you've interacted in speech. And your intrigue to the enticing new areas will open up enjoyable quests that include all sorts of creepy concepts, hidden loot and gruesome secrets within the 6 hour period of potential playing time you'll gather. Some of the quests include tracing through the objectives of a spy who failed to complete a mission in the area, investigating a perilous mansion, and getting caught up in a mysterious cult that thrives within Point Lookout through the source of an evil, lost book that supposedly grants power to the user. A few more quests will also be available to be completed if you explore deep enough into the deadly maze of radioactive rivers and the uncomforting growth of strange flora and fauna. Point Lookout is rich in natural gases, and some manifests on the surface as explosive methane bubbles, with potential to harm the environment as well as your health if you wander too close to the radioactive gas produced from the bursts. The atmosphere is further enhanced by the unseen wildlife that bring the muddy swamp alive, and the soundtrack does an amazing job of making you feel even more isolated and vulnerable throughout this perilous adventure into the indescribable nature of the locals and the creatures that lurk in the murky depths of hell itself. There are many similar enemy types from the main game, though only minor changes to the name and look to correspond with the new environment and factors which alter them slightly from the Capital Wasteland, but it's the new enemies such as the Creeper and the Bruiser who bury their sanity under thick mud as they equip an axe or double barrel shotgun to find their next meal that strays too far into their terrorizing settlement that can unsettle your travels.
A few characters will have supplies and repair skills available to you when you encounter one of the many new weapons in this fascinatingly violent open world, and the additions are worthwhile enough that you'll enjoy taking them back to the Capital Wasteland to use there. A couple of extra perks can be acquired aswell, and these grant bonuses that have a long lasting impact on your game and so the treacherous requirements to gain these rare opportunities are worth the deeper exploration for later events in the main game.
But as good as it sounds for DLC material, Point Lookout doesn't get completed without complications that arise. Similar and frequently intruding visual problems as in the main game along with presentational issues arrive when you least expect it, sometimes forcing you to restart the system because of such an unstable and unlikeable framerate, and a strangely difficult breed of enemies can make this add-on frustratingly challenging if you travel to Point Lookout without coming prepared with lots of healing items or being a high level from the Capital Wasteland. However, it's without a doubt the best of all the Fallout 3 add-ons, one that includes very interesting characters, a clever plot, new weapons, and haunting environments with disturbingly fitting inhabitants. If you can ignore the cruel punishment of not saving frequently, then you won't suffer much annoyance, but if you don't come well equipped, you'll be torn to shreds by the tough swamp folk who live up to their lumbering size and caged mental rage that seeps out of them. Either way, you'll still find much to like in the area and bloodily dismember with the VATS combat system that remains consistently satisfying at every opportunity. Embark on a mysterious and open-ended adventure in a huge, murky swampland along the coast of Maryland, and uncover cults, cannibalistic rituals and gory fetishes from the inbred locals of Point Lookout, who are hiding much more dark secrets than their brainless identities suggest.
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OVERALL SUMMARY - 9/10
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Good Points: Fantastic new open-ended map to traverse with cool quests to undertake, Dark and eerie swampland scenery generates an unsettling atmosphere, Disturbing new enemy types to encounter within the swamps, New perks and weapons to be found, Really good characters and plot, Lots of gory and haunting imagery to stomach on this lonely and perilous adventure.
Bad Points: Swamp folk are tough, Occasional presentational issues, Can prove very challenging if you aren't a high level and don't come prepared, Unstable framerate.