Metascore
81 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Broken Steel certainly changes the game for the better and is a must buy for all Fallout 3 owners. Even the subtle changes to normal characters in the Wasteland are noticeable such as those slackers in Megaton who complain about the water. Bottom Line is that there is much to explore, must to experience and much to disintegrate in the game and this is why the final score is so high for the expansion.
  2. All in all, Broken Steel winds up being a great diversion and a good excuse to re-visit the Capitol Wastelands. Between the continuation of the storyline, the tougher enemies, and the great amount of action given, it's well worth the $10 to take a ride with the Brotherhood of Steel one more time.
  3. Put simply, if you love Fallout 3, Broken Steel is an essential purchase.
  4. Broken Steel enhances the entire Fallout 3 world with new items, quests and monsters, extending an awesome experience. [July 2009, p.88]
  5. With a solid new campaign, an improved level cap, dozens of new perks and tons of powerful weapons at your disposal, Broken Steel is hands down some of the best content Fallout 3 has to offer.
  6. The level barrier is raised to level 30 with this DLC, which is a very cool aspect. Sadly the RPG parts of Broken Steel are not so well done.
  7. 85
    Lifting the level cap breathes new life into a great game, but shouldn't totally overshadow a new series of quests that is a lot of fun.
  8. If you almost bought The Pitt but held off because $10 seemed maybe just a bit too much, then go ahead and pick up Broken Steel because it's definitely worth the cost this time.
  9. Worth every one of your 680 pennies for a bit more Fallout 3 and the lack of a proper ending to put a stop to your fun. [July 2009, p.92]
  10. One of the finest examples of downloadable content that other developers should emulate.
  11. The bottom line here is that Broken Steel is more Fallout 3, and if you're a fan that can't possibly be a bad thing. Like with the other DLC, the story will probably only take you a few hours to go through and then you're left with the goodies.
  12. A solid set of new missions. The real benefits come with being able to fix the ending and explore more of the world afterwards.
  13. With solid quests adding flavor to the endgame and with new ways in which to scratch your itchy trigger finger while Perking out your Monty Haul avatar, fans who haven't gotten their fill of Rad Away, Nuka-Cola, and Fancy Lads Snack Cakes may find that this add-on might be as good a reason as any to head back into the wastes.
  14. Satisfying. [Nov 2009, p.73]
  15. Broken Steel raises the maximum level to 30, adds 14 new special talents and allows you to explore the world even after finishing the game. That's all good, but it's probably coming out too late for most Fallout gamers.
  16. Broken Steel is important in the sense that it continues the individual campaign of Fallout 3, however, its technical features and lack of novelty are a bit of a shame. The extension that we are discussing here offers a slightly longer duration than its preceding expansions, but it is less intense that the action in Operation Anchorage and less interesting than the captivating The Pitt.
  17. While it lacks the scope or density of Oblivion's The Shivering Isles, it's the most you're going to get out of Fallout's current batch of DLC. And as a long-anticipated reopening of the game's original map, it at least gives you something to live for.
  18. I don't recommend buying Broken Steel, because it's a matter of principle – let's not encourage trade in endings. You won't miss anything important anyway – this DLC is only slightly better than its mediocre predecessors.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Negative: 3 out of 9
  1. I don't know where all the "It's too short" comments are coming from. It has more quests and content than any of the other expansions (with the possible exception of Point Lookout, which I found so drab and boring that I didn't finish any of the side quests). The added level cap is more than enough of a reason to get this DLC over any of the others, but on top of that it actually felt like a continuation of Fallout 3 rather than a crappy side mission. Operation Anchorage and Mothership Zeta were just quick combat missions that felt tacked on. Broken Steel actually added new content to the Capitol Wasteland and changed the world that I had come to know and enjoy. To me, the missions were the most exciting of any of the DLCs, and the Tesla Cannon is easily the greatest weapon in the game and reason enough to complete it. To all the people who are saying that Bethesda cut content from the main game and threw it in Broken Steel just so they could charge us more money for it just plain need to get over it. Fallout 3 was a HUGE game, and I doubt that any more than 1% of the people who played it ever completed all the quests. There was a ton of content that was cut from Half-Life 2 and used in the HL2: Episodes that was merely cut DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. The situation is likely the same here. It doesn't mean it was an intentional ploy by Bethesda to get more money out of us. Broken Steel was awesome. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't the money grab people keep making it out to be. Buy it. Full Review »
  2. anonymous
    0
    Just to be clear for anyone who hasn't realized it yet: Bethesda purposely shortened the main quest and gimped the ending of Fallout 3 in order to sell it to you at a latter date. It approaches a mild form of extortion, and judging by the success of this and other comparable DLC, it's a sure thing that a growing number of incomplete games like this will be sold and resold to you again and again in the foreseeable future. As customers we should not accept this. Full Review »
  3. AnonymousMC
    5
    1) What is this Broken Steel DLC about? -> It is about the level cap and freeroam-after-ending. -> I had a strong feeling that the last portion of original game (such as ending, level cap) were removed so it can be repackaged into purchasable DLC pack. It's a very cheap marketing tactics I really have seeing dev practicing such things to the loyal fans. 2) Does this DLC pack involve choice/decision making and its consequence,aka roleplaying? ->Barely, most of the content is focused on combating enclave remnant force. Only choice that you are making is either leave Citadel to be burned or not...which I dont think it qualifies to be an RPG thing. 3) The Level-up perks for lvl 22-30, are they good? -> No, not at all. -> most of the perks they added should be for level 4-12. -> there is nothing special or unique in terms of high level actions or roleplaying. -> lvl 30 perk, Nuclear anomaly is suppposed to be the strongest perk in the entire game..but it is bugged and kills player at frequent occasion. 4) Then, what is so good about this DLC? -> again, Level-caps and Freeroam after Ending were taken as hostage by the dev. Any player who enjoyed should buy it. Full Review »