The first expansion pack for Fallout 4 has arrived: Automatron.
The new downloadable content retails for $9.99, and is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. But, is it worth it?
If you can’t view the video, some minor spoilers will follow:
Automatron places the player in a bit of a predicament. Robots have begun invading the Commonwealth, and no one appears to know why. After receiving a desperate message via radio signal, you discover a caravan attacked by robots unlike anything you have yet seen in the Fallout universe.
Following the attack, you’re told by the lone survivor of the caravan – a robot named Ada – that someone named “The Mechanist” has been sending robots into the Commonwealth, and they’re wreaking havoc upon innocent civilians. Together, you work to track down The Mechanist’s robots and discover the person’s lair. Along the way, you are given the ability to create your own robots, or “Automatrons.” Creating your own Automatrons is easy. It works exactly the same way as modifying your guns or armor, so it’s intuitive and easy to understand. You’re able to customize nearly every feature of the robot, from weapons and armor, down to paint color and voice. It’s a very impressive system. Additionally, you unlock more modification options by scavenging parts from vanquished foes. This adds a fun new scavenging element to Fallout 4.
The storyline for Automatron is pretty straight-forward, but there are a couple surprises thrown in. Overall, it amounts to a main quest or two. Nothing too extensive, but just long enough to provide a solid foundation for building bizarre robots. After the completion of the main quest, you’re given some seek and destroy missions to hunt down rogue robots. That’s about it, in terms of the DLC’s story. Honestly, The Mechanist’s story isn’t nearly as interesting as some of the information you come across while trying to stop the character. Much of this information revolves around Robobrains, unethical experiments, and the marriage of man and machine. It’s fascinating stuff, so don’t skip out on reading the terminals.
Automatron also adds a variety of new weapons and armor. Among these welcome additions are the hand-held buzzsaw and lightning chaingun. As for armor, since I sided with The Railroad, I have stuck to modifying armor with Ballistic Weave (like Maxson’s Battlecoat). The new DLC adds a new class of robot armor, made from scavenged parts. There’s also a suit of armor better than Maxson’s Battlecoat, when it has been upgraded with Ballistic Weave. You can even find a few unique pieces of power armor.
The new expansion is not without faults, however. I experienced several bugs while playing Automatron. My robot would become stuck, glitch into walls, or have some other serious issue. I also encountered a major problem during the final part of the expansion’s main story, which caused me to have to revert to a previous save (it worked after this).
Overall, Automatron is worth its $9.99 price tag. By structuring the expansion around the modular design of the robots, Bethesda has created DLC without a real expiration date. For most downloadable content, you play the missions, and then you’re done. Automatron sticks with you – literally. You can take your robot companions with you for all of the upcoming announced expansions (and those yet to be announced). It’s a fun new take on an element familiar to all Fallout players.
If you’re concerned about surviving the robot invasion, check out our tips to get you prepared to face The Mechanist.
