Bethesda has just released Wasteland Workshop, the much-awaited second DLC for its massive hit adventure-shooter Fallout 4. This new add-on is focused on giving players a multitude of craftable items they can use to help enhance their in-game settlements.
While many fans praised Automatron for enhancing Fallout 4's gameplay by adding new characters quests and equipment, gamers don't seem to be too keen on Wasteland Workshop since the add-on doesn't have any new stuff to bring to the game aside from settlement items.
If you're not sure about picking up Wasteland Workshop, you might want to check out these comments from gamers about what they think of the new Fallout 4 DLC.
Really, No Stories And No Missions?
IGN's Jared Petty said he was never really a fan of Fallout 4's settlement building feature, but with the new craftable items introduced in Wasteland Workshop, he was able to transform his settlement into a zoo filled with weird animals found in the post-apocalyptic world.
"It's a bit disappointing that there are no stories or missions built around these new settlement options, but the new tools in the toolbox do make Fallout 4 a more creative game," Petty wrote. "It's amusing to capture raiders and deathclaws, imprison them in your settlements, and then force them through gauntlets of elaborate traps."
Petty, however, noted that the ability to capture various creatures in the Wasteland doesn't make player characters more powerful, which quickly wears off the charm of the add-on.
He also said the new monster cages included in the DLC are very interactive, but crafting them can be very cumbersome for gamers.
Decontamination Arch
Charles Battersby of Geek pointed out that one of the issues some players found in Fallout 4 is how tiresome it can be to set up trade routes between settlements in different towns.
The original game doesn't include any extra perk or special scores players can use to help them establish these supply lines, forcing them to use up whatever they've already accumulated in the game.
This significantly hinders the ability of gamers to build their characters whichever way they like or to build them in order to use one of Fallout 4's core mechanics better. Unfortunately, this is not addressed in Wasteland Workshop, according to Battersby.
He said one good thing about the DLC, however, is its introduction of the Decontamination Arch, which effectively removes radiation levels in settlements. This new structure can be built as soon as gamers install the new add-on.
In the end, Battersby said Wasteland Workshop makes it even more bothersome for players to build and manage their settlements instead of making it any easier.
"Some people will happily spend the time and resources needed to create extravagant Thunderdomes, with intricate control booths, then wait for their cages to slowly fill up with unlucky wanderers," Battersby wrote. "However, this raises the question of what kind of experience the Fallout franchise is best-suited to create. Do players want want to explore the wasteland like Mad Max, or do they want to run Bartertown?"
Unnecessary Items
Compared to most other gamers who scoffed at Fallout 4's settlement building element, Destructoid's Nic Rowen said he really loves the nitty gritty involved in this in-game feature.
He particularly liked the nixie lights and candelabras included in Wasteland Workshop, which allowed him to spruce up his bars and other shadier parts of his settlements.
Despite these, Rowen said some of the other items introduced in the DLC don't seem to add much to the game such as the ones used for settlement defense. Not only do they take a considerable amount of time to craft, but they are also prone to victimizing other characters who don't pose a threat.
"As a product for humans though, I can't see Wasteland Workshop as anything but a bad buy," Rowen said in his conclusion. "[It's] a cynical ploy to pad out the 'value' of the Season Pass and maybe milk a few weirdos like me who just can't resist neon lights."
Wasteland Workshop is available for purchase worldwide for $4.99. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers in Asia, however, will have to wait a while longer to get a copy of the DLC since it won't be released in the region until April 19.
