Bethesda recently released Fallout 3 screenshots detailing some of the new content found in the upcoming expansion, Broken Steel. Aside from raising the level cap and changing the main story's ending, along with eliminating any and all endings, there will also be some new weapons, enemies (Or allies?) and a new locale. The story will continue after the current ending to the game, depending on the final choice the player has made at Project Purity. The expansion details the fall of the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland, where the player teams up with The Brotherhood of Steel in order to deal the final blows to the former government.
In the first screenshot, we see The Lone Wanderer with a new weapon, called the Tesla Cannon, firing on an Enclave Vertibird. In the right side of the picture there is a second Vertibird that seems to be flying away from the player. Bethesda mentioned the expansion would pose a larger challenge to even the most seasoned of players, so perhaps Broken Steel will introduce even larger groups of units, a la Mart's Mutant Mod, in addition to making each individual enemy stronger.
With the second screenshot we see the return of Liberty Prime! This will most likely be an earlier mission, as the player will take a metro line to the Enclave's base, outside of the current Capital Wasteland map. However, even a brief appearance of Liberty Prime can be nothing but good news!
The next shot shows a trio of Enclave troops advancing within a hanger. This will be a part of Adams Air Force Base, the new zone to be added in. All three units are wearing the powerful Tesla Armor and are armed with Plasma Rifles, some of the best equipment in the game, so it's clear the difficulty for this area has been tailored for the level 20-30 characters. What looks to be absent are containers, so Broken Steel will most likely use a loot system similar to the other expansions, where gear is introduced via story elements rather than random luck or having it purchasable from a vendor. It's also been revealed the amount of items will not increase outside of specific things such as new weapons, armour and quest-related items, so extended amounts of searching are likely to be done away with.
The fourth screenshot gives us a peek at one of the new enemy types, the Supermutant Overlord. Aside from bearing a striking resemblance to the Behemoths, the one in the background looks to be carrying a new type of weapon, most likely a rapid-fire energy weapon or a shotgun-style energy weapon. It would also appear that the shoulder portion of their armour is Power Armor related, judging by the texture and style. Could this relate to the story itself, or just be a stylistic addition? The plot thickens...
Screenshot number 5 shows the Presidential Metro Line, used to access Adams Air Force Base. This shot isn't terribly useful, as once again there is an absence of containers, and the size of the transport does nothing to tell us if companions will be allowed to the new area. However, one of the new Perks, called "Puppies!" causes Dogmeat to be reincarnated as a puppy upon death. Whether this ties into Broken Steel's story, or a side quest is yet to be shown, so Fawkes may yet to have his full revenge upon the Enclave scientists.
Finally, the sixth screenshot shows Project Purity up and running. The Basin is also no longer muddled and radioactive (or at least very much less than before) and no Super Mutants are in the area surrounding it. Of course, one large change in Broken Steel is the ending to the main plot, which ends here and will be the start of Broken Steel. During the final scene players can choose one of their companions to enter the chamber, however the option to enter yourself is still available. The world around the player will change according to the choice he or she makes during the final moments of the initial plot, along with other characters' reactions to them.
If the previous two expansions to Fallout 3 are any indication, Broken Steel will cement the title into greatness. It releases on XBOX Live and Games for Windows Live on May 5th.
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