- Fallout 4 Settlement Build Ideas – A Whole New Sanctuary - May 18, 2023
- Fallout New Vegas Come Fly With Me Guide - April 15, 2023
- Fallout 3 The Power of Atom Guide - April 2, 2023
While Bethesda may have revived Fallout as a series after a long hiatus away from the spotlight of mainstream gaming, it is hard to ignore the contribution that Obsidian Entertainment made to the modern Fallout series.
Many gamers still regard Fallout New Vegas as the best Fallout game of all time, combining modern gameplay with all the storytelling and RPG aspects that made the Isometric 1990’s RPGs in the series so successful, and I, for one, completely share in that opinion.
Fallout New Vegas offered a much more narratively refined experience when compared to its predecessors Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, for that matter—providing a new faction system, tonnes more questlines, a more densely populated map, quality of life improvements, and much more.
It would have been simple for Obsidian to just copy the work of Bethesda with Fallout 3, but even under very tight time constraints and using the dated game engine used for Fallout 3, Obsidian was able to create a masterpiece.
Many still talk about the sheer brilliance of Fallout New Vegas to this day, but in my opinion, at least, very few within the gaming community at large truly appreciate the DLC content within this game for what it was.
The DLC on offer within FNV were some of the most captivating, cohesive, and fleshed-out adventures within added content history, never mind Fallout history.
So with that in mind, we want to take the time to run through each of these incredible added content adventures and break down just why all of these DLC’s were unmissable and why they are essential if you want to get the most out of your Fallout New Vegas gameplay experience. Without further delay, here is our Fallout New Vegas DLC guide.
Dead Money
Synopsis
Dead Money was the first of the four main DLC add-ons to be released by Obsidian for FNV. In this DLC, you are invited via a signal on your radio to travel to the Sierra Madre, a luxury resort that has been frozen in time. However, the player is unaware of this until they actually arrive.
The player will travel to a bunker not too far away from Camp Forlorn Hope, and once inside, the player will be knocked out, dragged off to the Sierra Madre by a mysterious former Brotherhood of Steel elder, Elijah.
Then you’ll wake up in the courtyard of the resort, and Elijah, via the hologram system incorporated into the Casino’s grounds, will tell you his plan.
Elijah wants to crack open the Sierra Madre, a casino that has been locked up tight thanks to the facilities top of the range security system since the bombs fell. Meaning that no one can get in, and the attendees of the opening gala could never get out.
The casino was fully stocked with untold riches, and through capturing a ragtag group of individuals and sticking explosive slave collars around their necks, Elijah plans to get you and the gang working together to crack open this gem of the Mojave Wasteland.
To do this, you’ll need to navigate the spooky and unsettling resort grounds, gather up your team, avoid the thick poisonous smog and the Ghost people who lurk within, hatch a plan and break into the Sierra Madre to see what riches lie within.
All the while making sure that the beeping collar around your head doesn’t pop your head like a balloon.
Key Characters
Father Elijah
Let’s begin the Dead Money character rundown with Father Elijah. Elijah serves as the antagonist of the Dead Money DLC, yet despite being the reason why you have to wander around the Sierra Madre with an explosive around your neck, it’s hard not to admire the man.
As you dive into the backstory of this man, the more you come to realize that he is a very intelligent fellow. He became a figure of notoriety in the Mojave wasteland when he became an Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel.
His rise through the ranks was something of a surreal story in itself as the rank of Elder is normally only earned by rising through the ranks to Paladin and never given to Scribes within the chapter. However, due to Elijah’s superior intellect, he was given the prestigious role.
However, due to his obsession with uncovering and creating new technology, he was pushed away from the Citadel to form a new Chapter in the Mojave, and after a series of poor decisions when in charge, Elijah would lose his chance to claim Hoover Dam and Helios One for the chapter.
Plus, he allowed the Van Graffs to operate within the region. The NCR may have driven him away, but his devotion to the Brotherhood never faltered, and after visits to Big MT and The Divide, Elijah traveled to the Sierra Madre, where he would lure in unsuspecting wastelanders to the resort, use them to crack open the Casino open and utilize the state of the art hologram technology to form a new world, with him at the helm.
Christine Royce
Christine Royce may be mute when you come across her within this DLC, but this wasn’t always the case, and Christine has quite a story. You see, Christine was actually also a member of the Brotherhood during the rise of Elijah. She even had a romantic relationship with FNV character companion Veronica Santangelo.
However, after Elijah intervened and separated the two, Christine went to The Circle, whereas Veronica went to the Mojave BoS chapter.
She remained there until the events of Helios One took place, and full of spite and vengeance, Christine was tasked with hunting down Elijah and making him pay for his crimes against the Brotherhood.
She tracks him down to Big Mt, but he managed to evade her capture there. So she then traveled to the Sierra Madre in the hope of finally bringing Elijah to justice.
However, she was captured by Elijah’s slave, Dog, forced to work for him to crack open the casino, and then eventually trapped in an Auto-doc by Dean Domino. This is where Christine loses her vocal cords and also where the player encounters her for the first time.
Dog
If you are familiar with the isometric RPGs in the Fallout series, then you’ll know quite a bit about the Nightkin and The Master. However, for those newer to the series, let us explain. The Master was the ruler of the Elite Nightkin and the main antagonist of the first-ever Fallout game.
He had a psychological link with all the mutant army, and until The Master’s demise, he was conditioned to serve. However, when the hero of the original Fallout series kills the master and destroys The Cathedral, Dog/God loses his grip on reality and becomes a particularly troubled, schizophrenic Nightkin.
The battle between God, his reasonable inner voice, and Dog, his primal, instinctive self, would be at odds for some time as they wandered the wastes.
This Nightkin’s troubled nature would eventually lead him into the arms of Elijah, who would convince the beast to serve them and use their cognitive deficiencies for his own personal gain.
Dog would suppress God through his desire to serve Elijah, his new master, and this battle would play a huge role in the character arch that The Courier sees Dog/God go through during Dead Money.
Dean Domino
Then lastly, we have Dean domino, the self-proclaimed Swing King of Fallout: New Vegas. You may have seen his postered dotted around the vanilla game; however, by the time you reach him in Dead Money, he looks very different from the star seen in the poster.
Dean was due to play his last gig at The Tampico, the grand stage of the Sierra Madre. However, when the bombs fell, his gig was cut short, and despite surviving the days after the bombs, Dean eventually would succumb to ghoulification.
However, instead of leaving the Sierra Madre behind, he became obsessed with the treasures that lay within and began spending his eternity as a ghoul before him, planning a grand heist. However, when Elijah rolled into town, this desire to pull off this heist didn’t stop him from slapping a slave collar on him to ensure compliance.
Dean knows the Sierra Madre like the back of his hand, has an in-depth understanding of the enigmatic ghost people that roam the smog-filled streets, and serves as your corrupt and sneaky guide to the resort.
Key Locations
Medical District
This is the area that the player must pass through to find Christine, who is inside the Villa Clinic. This is the area of the DLC that introduced the speaker mechanic, contains a handful of traps and ghost people to take on, and also has a number of Dean’s stashes lying around.
Residential District
The residential district is the area of the resort where visitors were planned to spend their nights when gambling and enjoying the luxuries of the Sierra Madre. This area is where the player finds Dean Domino, is largely overrun by Ghost people, and is one of the most heavily affected areas by the thick crimson smog that plagues the resort.
Villa Police Station
This is where the player will have to go if they want to enlist the services of Dog/God. This is where the game introduces hologram enemies to the player, sees you have to sneak around to succeed.
The Sierra Madre Casino
The Sierra Madre Casino is the grand jewel of the DLC. Here you will get to wander through the pristine casino that time forgot.
Explore the executive suites, Cantina Madrid, and The Tampico to close off each of your new companion’s story arcs, and this area will also amalgamate all of the mechanics seen within the villa to great effect.
The Sierra Madre Vault
The area where this DLC’s finale plays out. The area where you will finally meet with Elijah and an area that holds untold treasures. However, will you be able to let go?
Marquee DLC Items
- Sierra Madre Armor (Reinforced)
- Holorifle
- Bear Trap Fist
- Police Pistol
- Ghost Sight
- Cloud Kiss
- Assassin Suit
- Dean’s Tuxedo
- Father Elijah’s Robes
Unique Mechanics and Features
The Explosive Collar
A new mechanic that was rather divisive within the FNV community was the speakers and the explosive collar. When a player comes into the vicinity of the speakers, this will react with the frequency of the collar, and after 10 seconds, your head will go pop. Fun, right?
Well, many fans felt that the locations of the speakers and the proximity effect impaired the overall enjoyment of the DLC, whereas others thought it added to the tense and horror-adjacent experience. So make your mind up for yourself.
The Poisonous Smog
There is also a thick red smog that covers large areas of the Villa around the casino. This was supposedly caused by the air conditioning and ventilation system within the casino. However, there isn’t much more explanation than that until we find out its true purpose in Old World Blues.
This smog harms the player if they hang around unless they have Dean with them as a companion. This will drop you from sleeping in a number of areas and make players all the more vulnerable when dealing with the Ghost People.
The Holograms
Then we have the holograms. These are invincible entities that roam around the Sierra Madre and other parts of the Villa. This is a mechanic that essentially tasks the player with utilizing stealth to get through areas, and when spotted, these enemies will turn from blue to a bright red and shoot laser projectiles at the player.
Vending Machines
There are a number of vending machines that are dotted around the villa and the Sierra Madre casino. These machines will dispense valuable and useful resources in exchange for Sierra Madre chips.
Time to Complete
This will depend on how long you want to spend exploring every aspect of the villa and the casino proper. However, if you want to simply complete the main story and see a reasonable amount of things that the DLC has to offer, this should take you around five hours.
It is also worth noting that when you decide to leave the Sierra Madre Resort, you will not be able to return again. So when you decide to ‘Let go,’ make sure that you have done everything that you want to do.
Recommended Level
The game does give a recommendation when the DLC loads in after you leave Doc Mitchell’s house when starting a new game. The title suggests that the player should wait until they reach level 25, and we are inclined to agree if you want the best experience. However, you can take on this challenge from level one if you really want to.
Honest Hearts
Synopsis
Honest Hearts is the second of the four main DLC’s within Fallout: New Vegas. This DLC takes place in the Zion National Park and centers around ‘The Burned Man.’ A name that you will no doubt be familiar with if you sided with Caesar’s Legion during the vanilla game.
The Burned Man, also known as Joshua Graham, was the first Legate of caesar’s Legion and the co-founder of this faction.
However, during the first battle for Hoover Dam, Graham would lead The Legion to defeat at the hands of the NCR, a fact that Caesar deemed unacceptable and seen to have Graham killed as a message to his Legion. He was covered in pitch, set ablaze, and thrown down the Grand Canyon.
The rumblings within the Mojave are that Graham died from the fall. However, he retreated to the Zion National Park, became a born-again Morman missionary, and serves as the leader of the Dead Horses, a tribe within the area at war with the White Legs.
Within this DLC, you will have to find passage back to the Mojave Wasteland, but seeing as your caravan that took you there were violently murdered by The White Legs, you’ll have no choice but to get in the middle of the New Caanan conflict and solve this battle of the tribes once and for all.
Key Characters
Joshua Graham
As we mentioned, Josh Graham is the real name of the enigmatic Burned Man mentioned throughout the vanilla game experience.
He was the first Legate within Caesar’s Legion, and after guiding them to defeat and losing Hoover Dam to the NCR, he was promptly set on fire and thrown into the Grand Canyon. If this story teaches you anything, let it be that the Legion doesn’t take kindly to failure.
After somehow surviving this fall, he found faith, traveled to the Zion National Park, and created The Dead Horses tribe, a tribe at war with The White Legs.
Daniel
Daniel is another Mormon missionary who is closely linked to another tribe in New Canaan, The Sorrows. Daniel was sent by Bishop Mordecai to teach the people of Zion the way of God. However, Daniel is a man who is troubled by the violence and the bloodshed that the missionaries’ intervention has had on the land.
Daniel has turned his attention to offering medical assistance, guidance, and protection to The Sorrows by the time The Courier reaches their camp to find Daniel, and his views represent the issues, disputes, and wars that religion can bring.
Which is in direct contrast to Graham’s unwavering and unyielding mission to convert all those he comes across.
Follows-Chalk
Follows-Chalk is the optional companion that the player can take with them on their adventures around New Canaan. He is a member of the Dead Horses tribe and an apprentice scout for the tribe. He is a huge admirer of Joshua and his teachings and believes that one day, we will follow in his footsteps and lead the tribe.
He is also one of the few members of the various tribes that don’t buy into the taboo areas which represent remnants of the old world, which means that you can take him with you anywhere in New Canaan without any problems.
Salt-Upon Wounds
Salt-Upon Wounds is the leader of the White Legs and represents the antagonist of the DLC. He is responsible for the murder of many people within the valley, has overseen the process of his tribe being initiated into the ranks of Caesar’s Legion, and has a huge power fist that helps him do all of that merciless killing.
However, the narrative is very much focused on other characters, so Salt Upon Wounds is more of a mute bogeyman in this DLC.
Key Locations
Dead Horses Camp
This is a camp where you will find the vast majority of the Dead Horse tribe members that you can interact with. You will reach this if you travel through the canyon, avoiding the bear traps as you go. This is where you will encounter Joshua Graham.
Sorrows Camp
This is an area where you will find the other friendly tribe within Zion, The Sorrows. Here you will find Daniel along with other Sorrows characters like Waking Cloud. This area is part of a larger region of New Canaan known as The Narrows.
Marquee DLC Items
- 45 auto Pistol
- A Light Shining in the Darkness
- Compliance Regulator
- Salt Upon Wounds Power Fist
- She’s Embrace
- Survivalist’s Rifle
- Datura
- Joshua Graham’s Armour
Time to Complete
This is a much shorter, and in my opinion, a much easier and more relaxing DLC than any of the others. It offers a huge map to explore and plenty to uncover. However, if you just want to finish the main quest and see all of the obvious points of interest, we would say that players will do so within anywhere from 3-5 hours.
Recommended Level
While the game will urge the player to have a character level that exceeds 25, we would go as far as to say that this is excessive. You will occasionally run into some tough enemies like Yao Guai; however, aside from the occasional spot of danger, this is easily the most manageable DLC of all. So even if you rank up to level fifteen, we would say that’s more than enough.
Old World Blues
Synopsis
Old World Blues is the third DLC expansion for Fallout New Vegas. This DLC begins when the player visits the Drive-In movie theatre found on the main map.
When the player investigates the location, they are abducted by an unknown force, and when they awake, they find themselves within The Think Tank, the central location of the Big MT facility.
This is an area where the most brilliant minds of the pre-war era gathered to experiment and create the most incredible inventions known to man.
However, as time caught up with these great scientists, they managed to prolong their lives by encasing their brains within robot bodies, and this allowed them to continue their work.
When the courier awakes, they inform the player that they were lobotomized, as a number of the other victims had been, however, due to the peculiar structure of your brain, hinted to be due to the shrapnel lodged in your head thanks to Benny, you seem to function just fine without one.
However, if you want it back, you’ll have to track down a rogue scientist from the group.
So after a long discussion with Dr. Klein and his fellow scientists, the player is tasked with traveling to the various areas of the map, uncovering technology to take down Dr. Mobius and put your brain back in your noggin. It’s pure sci-fi silliness, and we are here for it.
Key Characters
Dr. Mobius
Dr. Mobius is the antagonist of the Old World Blues DLC. However, as you dig deeper into the story within this expansion, you begin to realize that Mobius is perhaps the most self-aware and intelligent of all the Think Tank members.
Dr. Mobius is the character that steals the player’s brain from the rest of his former colleagues, but he claims that this was only to ensure they did not use the brain’s unique qualities to escape Big MT.
You see, Dr. Mobius, disillusioned and disgusted with the work that his colleagues were doing, left the Think Tank and created an evil entity for the Think Tank members to fight, serving as a distraction to stifle their work and ensure that they would never affect anything and anyone beyond the realms of the Big MT compound.
He also altered his former colleague’s cartography, geometers and data collections, seeing them lose parts of their personality and their grasp on reality.
Then convinced them that nothing beyond Big MT even existed and that his robotic creations, the robot scorpions, could consume their intellect, forcing them to stay inside. In truth, it’s hard to decide if the man is evil when you weigh everything up, so we guess you’ll have to play this DLC to make your own mind up.
Dr. Klein
Dr. Klein is the leader of the Think Tank scientists and the mastermind behind capturing The Courier and using your brain to travel to the Mojave, break free from their prison at Big MT, and use the Mojave and its residents for larger-scale experiments and testing.
However, due to the actions of Dr. Mobius and a hugely inflated ego. Dr. Klein not only lacks the intelligence that he once had as a sentient being but also has the inability to listen to his peers—leading to Klein sending the player on fetch quests for technology that he doesn’t understand and equally has no use for.
The Sink
This is a bit of a cheat entry, but we hope you’ll forgive us as there is a lot of characters within this very small space.
Throughout the DLC, the player will find activation holotapes throughout Big MT, which reinstate the personalities of the sinks operating systems. These are essentially robotic assistants who not only have great perks to offer but also can hold a conversation.
You’ll have an auto-doc that can heal you and perform surgeries to exchange artificial limbs and your real ones on the fly. You’ll have a hippie botanical garden system to chat to, and you’ll have a maniacal toaster that is hellbent on the destruction of the world, and that’s just to name a few.
Each has interesting personalities and dialogue options to explore, so be sure to chat with each one as you unlock their personalities.
The Think Tank Scientists
It would be rude not to also introduce the rest of the scientists within this DLC, so here is each one and a little bit about them:
- Doctor 0 – The Robotics expert at Big MT who loathes Dr. House and Robco Industries.
- Doctor 8 – The member of the Think Tank that got into an altercation with Elijah turning his time at Big MT. He lost access to his voice module and has to speak through text on his screen. He is also responsible, rather ironically, for the creation of the Sonic Emitter.
- Doctor Bourus – The lead animologist at Big MT who overseen the Cyberdog project. He is also the lead scientist in charge of DNA splicing, and he is credited for the creation of both Night Stalkers and Cazadores.
- Doctor Dala – The chief scientist on the study of humanology, mineralogy, and the Think Tank member who has a deep fascination with the human body and anatomy.
Key Locations
The Think Tank
The Think Tank is the area within this DLC where the player encounters the five main scientists of the expansion. Here, the player will not be able to draw weapons and attack due to a passive emitter that the player cannot overcome unless they have access to their brain.
The Research Facilities
There are several research facilities dotted around Big MT that allow players to explore, find the technology and past work of the Doctors within The Think Tank. You’ll learn about the tests around such things as stealth suits, sonic emission, Saturnite, DNA data splicing, and much more.
Higgs Village
This is the area of Big MT that used to serve as the living quarters of the brains within The Think Tank. This is the area where you arguably learn the most about the scientists and get a good understanding about them before they had their brains scrambled, courtesy of Dr. Mobius. It also gives us huge Tranquility Lane vibes.
The Forbidden Zone
This is the end game area of this DLC and where you will encounter Dr. Mobius. Within this area, you will battle against the ‘boss battle’ represented by the Giant Robo-Scorpion, and this is where you will finally confront Dr. Mobius and get your brain back.
Little Yangtze
A Chinese concentration camp that was established before the end of the Great War and was sanctioned as a way to create test subjects for the scientists at The Think Tank. This harrowing area of the map is a bleak representation of the evil and lack of regard that the Think Tank brains have for humankind.
Marquee DLC Items
- Big Mountain Transportalponder
- Christine’s CoS silencer rifle
- Elijah’s advanced LAER
- K9000 cyber dog gun
- Sonic emitter
- Elijah’s jury-rigged Tesla cannon
- Stealth suit Mk II
- Valence radii-accentuator
- Christine’s CoS recon armor
Unique Mechanics and Features
The Sink
The Sink is a feature that allows the player to have a permanent base. Something that was lacking in the series until this addition. Thanks to the player being able to travel to and from Big MT, even after the DLC has concluded, this area serves as a home for the player.
The player can warp from anywhere in the Mojave to The Sink through the use of the Big Mountain Transportalponder and when can then travel back to the Mojave exactly the same way, being teleported to the Mojave Drive-In by default.
The Sink also features several robotic aids that provide various different functions, making this a home base with a myriad of functions. Here are some of the things that you can do within The Sink:
- Auto-Doc – Heals the player, provides implants and mutations, allows for cosmetic surgery and haircuts, and will remove addictions + radiation
- Botanical Station – Allows the player to clone any plant within the game and is an unlimited source of Salient Green, the versatile plant alternative
- Blind Diode Jefferson – The Jukebox that allows you to upgrade frequencies on your Sonic Emitter
- Book Chute – A means of creating unlimited skill books and also a source of Scrap Metal
- The Light Switches – Light Switch One grants a 12-hour buff to Science, Repair, and Intelligence. Whereas Light Switch Two will grant a 12-hour buff to Charisma, Barter, and speech
- Muggy – A mini Securitron capable of making scrap electronics and energy cells
- Sink – A constant source of purified water
- Sink Central Intelligence Unit – A hub that allows you to control the other entities within The Sink and also serves as a merchant
- Toaster – Has the power to upgrade melee weapons into Super-Heated versions.
Time to Complete
This will depend on how much time you spend digging around for lore and scouring Big MT for technological wonders. However, on average, we would say that a player will finish the main quest line of Old World Blues within about five hours.
Recommended Level
Old World Blues, much like Lonesome Road, is an unforgiving DLC that isn’t meant for new characters. Lobotomites that you’ll meet from the moment you step outside The Think Tank hit hard, and it only gets harder for the player from there. So with that in mind, we would say that players should take this one on when they are at level 25-30 for the best overall experience.
The Lonesome Road
Synopsis
Lonesome Road is the grand finale of the Fallout New Vegas DLC offerings. In this DLC, the player will take a trip to a location known as the Divide, the closest area to the Mojave where the bombs dropped.
This area, known for its earthquakes and harsh storms, is the most rundown and wartorn area you will encounter within the entire game and features some of the most brutal environments, enemies and also serves as the closure you need regarding the Courier’s story.
You will be contacted by ‘Courier Six,’ the courier who was originally supposed to deliver the platinum chip to Mr. House. In his transmission to the player, he promises to explain “The why of it,” but only if you take this last job and travel to the heart of the divide to meet him.
Ulysses holds the key to the past for the courier. While the player knows nothing of their character’s life before Benny shot them in the head, Ulysses seems to know your history and all other branches of post-war history, for that matter.
So this is your chance to fill in the gaps, settle old scores, and cap off the interwoven story told throughout every DLC within the game. Plus, you’ll uncover the story of E-DE, the player companion from the vanilla game.
Key Characters
Ulysses
Ulysses is the main antagonist of this DLC and the overarching antagonist throughout the three other DLC’s, playing a secondary role in each of these stories also. Ulysses is a former member of Caesar’s Legion and a former courier, just like the player character.
Ulysses was meant to take the job that got you shot in the head, but after his strange disappearance, the courier decided to take on the job. Before the disappearance, he was a trusted Frumentarius who wandered the wastes disguised as a courier to gain intel for The Legion.
However, after run-ins with the NCR and growing frustrated with the ideals and methods of The Legion, Ulysses decided to try and find a new home where new views and ideals could be created. He found this in the form of The Divide, an untapped region of the wasteland but beginning to establish itself.
He grew fond of this area which he considered his home, his community, and when the NCR and The Legion inevitably came knocking, he was willing to fight to retain his home. However, it would be the courier who would unwittingly destroy The Divide.
The player character delivered a package for the NCR, which contained launch codes for the nuclear warheads within the Ashton Silo, causing irreparable structural and environmental damage to The Divide and killing Ulysses’ dream of a fresh beginning.
That day, The Courier made an enemy of Ulysses, and this sets in motion the events of Lonesome Road.
E-DE
E-DE may be a rather unassuming companion from the vanilla version of the game. However, this robot, or at least an exact replica of E-DE, has quite a compelling backstory. This E-DE is a player companion that will accompany the player through The Divide.
The player will find upgrades throughout The Divide that can be applied to E-DE, offering various perks and buffs. Plus, this E-DE is much more emotive than the Mojave counterpart. This robot is a clone of the Mojave E-DE made possible through remove scanning and the advanced engineering capabilities of the Ashton Silo.
E-DE has a compelling back story which is told through audio logs played at checkpoints throughout The Divide that speak of RALPHIE, Dr. Whitley, and other characters mentioned by name only throughout the DLC campaign. E-DE also serves as a means of communication between the player and Ulysses.
Key Locations
The Divide
The Divide is an area that represents a large strip of land in the northwest of Nevada, just off the Nevada-California border. Before the devastation caused by The Courier and their package for the NCR, there were two main towns known as Hopeville and Ashton.
The area would be abandoned post-war, mostly due to the effects of Big MT and their meteorological experiments. However, some inhabitants would stay and create small tribes and communities.
There is an argument to say that The Courier is the sole reason that this community even survived the initial stages of its formation as they were the sole courier who would forge a supply line between The Mojave and these towns. However, The Courier would also be the unwitting harbinger of destruction for The Divide and its people.
The High Road
The High Road is a large strip of intersection that acts as the only accessible road allowing anyone to travel from Ashton to Hopeville. This plays host to a Marked Man known as The Beast and multiple Deathclaws.
Hopeville
This is the area of The Divide where the pre-war military decided to base the operations of all meteorological research. This area was also a town that offered services to the soldiers and a home for residents of Hopeville. This town was also the location of the Hopeville Missile Base.
The Courier’s Mile
This is an area that represents ‘Ground Zero’ when speaking of the destruction that the courier caused. This area has a large crater in the ground that showcases the devastation caused by the nuclear warheads and is also teeming with radiation.
Ulysee’s Temple
Ulysee’s Temple is an area you will find at the very end of your journey through The Divide. It is the largest nuclear warhead facility within The Divide and has the capacity to fire multiple warheads simultaneously.
It also still has dormant nuclear warheads that can be utilized by the player if they so choose. This is the area where you will have your final showdown with Ulysees, whether that be a war of words or a trading of bullets.
Marquee DLC Items
- Advanced riot gear
- Courier duster
- Scorched Sierra power armor
- Ulysses’ duster
- US Army combat armor
- Auto-inject stimpak
- Arc welder
- Old Glory
- Red Glare
- Red Victory grenade rifle
- Shoulder mounted machine gun
- Roughin’ it! bedroll kit
Time to Complete
The Lonesome Road DLC is the longest run of all four expansions on offer. Not only due to its difficulty but also due to the mass of content on offer too. So for that reason, we would suggest that the player sets aside at least 6-7 hours to complete this DLC campaign.
Recommended Level
This DLC is by far the most challenging of the main four on offer here. So we would suggest that you have a character that is at least level 30-35. However, it may be a more enjoyable experience if you have a fully maxed-out character level.
Gun Runner’s Arsenal
Synopsis
Gun Runners Arsenal is a DLC expansion within Fallout New Vegas that, unlike those above, acts as more of a challenge-orientated and item-based addition.
The context for this DLC is that The Gun Runners, a weapons merchant within the Mojave, has released a new, exclusive armament of weapons, mods, and ammo. So with this DLC, you can play around with new weapons, complete a new set of challenges and achievements, and generally cause all sorts of mayhem.
Marquee DLC Items
- Battle rifle (GRA)
- Cleansing Flame (GRA)
- Embrace of the Mantis King! (GRA)
- Esther (GRA)
- Gehenna (GRA)
- Greased Lightning (GRA)
- Li’l Devil (GRA)
- Medicine Stick (GRA)
- Paciencia (GRA)
- Ripper (GRA)
- Sleepytyme (GRA)
- Sprtel-Wood 9700 (GRA)
- The Smitty Special (GRA)
- Two-Step Goodbye (GRA)
FAQs Section
Question: What is The Best DLC On This List?
Answer: This is a subjective one, and therefore, there are no right and wrong answers. However, I do have my own personal opinion, and it’s a somewhat controversial one. My favorite of those on offer was the Dead Money DLC. I loved the concept, the story, the characters, and the gritty setting.
Then if you are interested, my least favorite was Honest Hearts due to its weaker narrative. However, it is still a very strong DLC.
Question: How Does The FNV DLC Compare to the Rest of the Series?
Answer: In my book, Fallout New Vegas is untouchable when it comes to DLC content. Not only because the writing, the concept, and the cohesion are there to see, but also because the DLC’s are all consistently phenomenal with no filler content.
This cannot be said for Fallout 3 or Fallout 4, as while outings like Point Lookout, Far Harbour, and The Pitt were all excellent, they were highlights in a string of content that didn’t consistently deliver.
Question: Is Hardcore Mode Part of The DLC in FNV?
Answer: No, hardcore mode is a new feature that was added right from the day of release within the vanilla game. This was added to give more experienced players a harder challenge and to give role-playing gamers a chance to further immerse themselves in the world of Fallout New Vegas.
This question likely arises from the fact that Bethesda created a Survival Mode for their latest main title in the series, Fallout 4, which was released months after the game hit the shelves.
DLC As Far As The Eye Can See!
As you can see from the information above, Fallout: New Vegas offers what I would personally consider to be one of the most refined, cohesive, and astounding added content packages on the market.
At the time of release, each addition was more than worth the price of admission, and now that the GOTY version of this game sells for dirt cheap, you can get in on the action at a huge discount.
I loved every moment of exploring these incredible, rich new lands with FNV, and I have a sneaking suspicion that you will too. So, I urge you to play these additional adventures for yourself and witness the wonders they have in store for yourself.