Fans of Fallout 3 got a nice little bonus this week with the release of the first in a series of DLC content for the game. This primary expansion, tilted Operation Anchorage, takes the player into a virtual simulation of one of the most important historical events in the world of Fallout: the liberation of Alaska from Chinese forces. In addition to the new interactive experience that this expansion pack offers to compliment what is already a very deep and intricate game, the Fallout 3 DLC offers the player brand new items and equipment that can’t be obtained anywhere else. Without further ado, then, let’s break this game down by the numbers.

First, let us discuss the quality of the graphics. Said simply, if you’ve been satisfied with the graphics of the rest of Fallout 3, then you will have nothing to complain about with Operation Anchorage. In this DLC you can see much of what made Fallout 3 great: views of stunning vistas, well constructed structures and buildings, and lifelike characters. The expansion pack does distinguish itself graphically in some unique but small ways, such as the soldiers that fizzle out upon death, the stealth effect you can see on some Chinese units, and the shimmering effect of the fields that keep you moving along the linear path that the game has established for you. The graphics are representative of the rest of the game: small but unique improvements that open up a new sphere of gameplay for the player.

Although the main chunk of the expansion deals with the Operation Anchorage simulation itself, it also opens up new interactions with a faction that up until now couldn’t be reached as easily as the other factions in the game. The Brotherhood Outcasts, who typically shun the inhabitants of the Capital Wasteland, are brought closer to the main stream of the game with a new, more easily found location and a new crop of characters to meet with.

The way that the xenophobic Brotherhood Outcasts are introduced to you is rather well done and is kept within the theme of the game. They wouldn’t have anything to do with you unless you have something to offer them. In this game, that would be your Pip-Boy. So you help them out, they return the favor, and then you both go your separate ways. To complete the deal, however, you need to put yourself at risk by engaging in a simulated live fire exercise that could result in your death. It is the simulation of Operation Anchorage, the climatic last military expedition by the US before the nuclear bombs fell.