Old World Blues Review

Doc Hill · Post by **Doc Hill** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:52 pm

[ Game -> Review ] - More info on <a href="http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout New Vegas: Old World Blues">Game: Fallout New Vegas: Old World Blues</a>

Heya folks, since I reviewed the last two, I figured It was time to review the third in a planned line of four, count em FOUR!, dlcs for Fallout New Vegas, Old World Blues.
I'm going to preface this by saying I'm a huge fan of both Fallout 2 and Venture Brothers. I know, non-sequiter much? But it's very relevant. This dlc was built, top down, on that brand of humor. Fallout 2 had a slightly zanier humor than the subdued black humor of it's predecessor, which did polarize the fan base a bit at the time. Fallout 3 and New Vegas, while both attaining some rather odd moments, have stuck more or less to the black humor department, so Old World Blues is a breath of something new.
That being said, some people will not find this funny. I have a rather low sense of humor, and some things that amuse me to no end, I know will fall on uncaring ear elsewhere. Hence why I brought up Fallout 2 and Venture Brothers. Fallout 2 to illustrate that insane humor has it's place in Fallout, Venture Brothers because...well dammit, this is what the dlc is.
The entire dlc is built around bumbling, incompatant, and downright insane science and scientists. Going so far as to have the voice of Doctor Venture as one of the scientists, play...well...Doctor Venture with a different name...oh, and he's a brain.
We'll get back to the humor on the wrap up, now on to the nuts and bolts.In Old World Blues you are kidnapped by 5 scientists, now floating brains, and have your brain removed. You are then tasked with saving their quivering graymatter. You get to spelunk around the Big Mountain complex and discover what happens when slightly insane scientists have unlimited funding.You Get the added bonus of your own base of operations, The Sink, with talking appliances and various usefull items, like an autodoc, a vendor, and your very own fully stocked plant garden(after you stock it)
The DLC is reasonably long, clocking 12 hours my first playthrough to discover everything, and about 3-6 subsequent playthroughs (summer break, bored out of my head)The new weapons give us new unarmed, melee, energy and traditional weapons. There is a truly outstanding new armor option for stealth players, and various scrubs if you have a doctor fetish. Most of the weapons will feel underpowered, but that's more because of the fact that everything at Big Moutain has either heavy armor or alot of health, take them back to the mojave to REALLY get your kicks.
The K9000 will feed your bullet lust for gunlovers, a dog brain guided .357 spewing minigun, it's actually twisted fun to use.Additionaly there is a new unique sniper rifle with intergrated silencer and higher damage. For melee we've got various energy axes, smash them in the head and throwing variety, and...well, a giant tesla coil like device. Unarmed get various chemicly treated gloves and a new powerfist that can be superheated. Energy weapons are where it's at though. The Sonic Emmiter is the main attraction, a tunable pulse pistol like weapon, it's emp is weaker, but you can customize it's damage output and additional stats such as knokback, dismemberment,immolation, or explosions. The LAER is finally in game, a long cut idea, and a strong addition to the energy weapon stable, somwhere btween a fully upgraded laser rifle and the plasma rifle.There's also a new tesla cannon lurking about.
Armorwise, it's mostly some interesting stat items, but then there's the Sneaky Stealth Suit. It talks, so get used to that, but it increases agility, perception, sneak by 25% and increases you speed while sneaking by 20%.DING! We have a winner.
Various new perks and traits are all around, along with the one time chance to redo your traits. None of them impressed me. The Autodoc in your home base, The Sink, can cut your hair and do plastic surgery,and instal new, somewhat odd, and ver specific implants, so that's nice. There's some more information about the origin of some of the Mojave's mutated denizens, as well as some more backstory on the Sierra Madre.And we finally get to hear the voice of Ulysses, who they've been building up since Dead Money.
I loved this dlc, personally, I find the jokes funny, the area engaging to explore, and the new toys fun to play with. The story itself is thin on the ground in this one, but the point of this one isn't the story. Think of it as one big, long, Fallout 2 style special encounter, ala the City at the Edge of Forever event. And that's sorta what will probably influence if you like this or not the most. It really does sorta play as a post apocalyptic episode of the Venture Brothers, and if you enjoy that show, you are likely to be deeply amused. If not...well there's still alot here along the lines of useful content, weapons, armor, and The Sink.The Sink alone is a helpful boon for hardcore players. If you're interested, I'd say this is the first dlc worth the price of admission right now. Again, this is my opinion, yours may vary, yadda yadda yadda.

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:38 pm

Think of it as one big, long, Fallout 2 style special encounter...I'd say this is the first dlc worth the price of admission right now.

lol yeah

I havent played new vargas or anything like that is it worth a look and when i say worth it i mean im unemployed so time is something that passes rather than something important.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:50 am

If you want to play a real Fallout plot and don't mind it being presented via first person shooter it's worth the time.

rad resistance · Post by **rad resistance** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:07 am

Sounds impressive might get this DLC since the others failed to stand out to me. Good review Doc.

Tofu Man · Post by **Tofu Man** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:47 am

For all its shortcomings (particularly that of being a DLC), this is probably the best bit out of FNV. Too bad it's not in the actual fucking game and you have to pay extra for it.

Aonaran · Post by **Aonaran** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 5:11 am

It has the density of Dead Money with the open world roam of Honest Hearts. Pretty sexcellent so far, I won't lie.

Stalagmite · Post by **Stalagmite** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 5:34 am

Why should I keep bothering with New Vegas? Seriously their isn't one memorable character in that entire game. I just remember a gay doctor and some army dude with a red beret. Oh and Benny just because he had a cool pistol I could beat the whole game with.

Pizzahut Lover · Post by **Pizzahut Lover** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:53 am

Stalagmite wrote:Why should I keep bothering with New Vegas? Seriously their isn't one memorable character in that entire game. I just remember a gay doctor and some army dude with a red beret. Oh and Benny just because he had a cool pistol I could beat the whole game with.

i don't know. it is more boring than fallout 3. what we bought was that 2 minute long intro for the game. the rest is garbage quality.

think about it. chris avellone.

now that other guy. THEIR VOICES. although the other guy seemed more straight. i don't know man. maybe if they had better girlfriends, we could of had a better fallout.

but . damn. it is like a half ass attempt at Bethesda's FAllout 3 sprinkled with van-buren quest design.

was there even a quest to kill ourself? to improve on fallout 3, one must be able to kill himself as an option not a fucking you must. but an option. NOW THAT IS AN ALTERNATE ending to fallout's death.

make me a cheese wrap.

r u a girl, salsa. colorful paint on cup.

TwinkieGorilla · Post by **TwinkieGorilla** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:52 pm

lol. You guys still haven't gotten rid of ol' Prosper eh?

Anyway, OWB is tits!

Wolfman Walt · Post by **Wolfman Walt** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:06 am

This just in - Duck and Cover still hates everything.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:42 am

Old World Blues is entertaining so far, but making you complete variations of the same test on the same map multiple times is really stupid filler.

dubit · Post by **dubit** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:53 am

Wolfman Walt wrote:This just in - Duck and Cover still hates everything.

It's seemed that way to me since the day I signed up for this place. Yet I still visit nearly every day....

watching

rad resistance · Post by **rad resistance** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:34 am

and waiting.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:56 am

and masturbating.

Doc Hill · Post by **Doc Hill** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:04 am

We are, after all, glittering gems of hate.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:04 am

I've finished it. The stealth suit is ridiculously over the top - once you've upgraded it, there's no reason to use anything else regardless of your character.

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:32 am

Retlaw, which do you think is the best DLC so far?

Post by **Retlaw83** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:00 pm

Hard to say. For atmosphere, it's Dead Money. For story, Honest Hearts. And for humor, it's Old World Blues.

I'd say Dead Money is the weakest of the bunch in terms of gameplay and Honest Hearts and Old World Blues are tied.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:46 pm

the best dlc is clearly the caravan pack you vapid philistine

Post by **Manoil** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:07 pm

Joshua Motherfucking Graham. That is all.

Old World Blues Review

Old World Blues Review

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