Video Games Trailer

As the ferry docks in the decrypt amusement park, complete with the ruins of ferris wheel poking above the rows of run-down and long-shuttered booths, I find myself already facing one of those tricky moral conundrums Fallout 3 is known for. Do I explore this fascinating post-apocalyptic wonderland, or head off to that mansion on the hill?

Fortunately, in this instance, it really doesn't matter. At roughly one-fifth the size of Fallout 3's initial game world, the entirety of the new landmass that the June 23-due Point Lookout DLC adds to Bethesda's action-RPG is open from the start, enabling you to ignore that quest about the ghoul in the mansion and just explore the wetland.

That lighthouse out in the distance? That cathedral on the hilltop, ever-so-slightly obscured by the murky haze that permeates the swampy area? Go for it.

While you're exploring, don't be surprised if you run across some more quests. Over half a dozen "free roaming" quests are hidden throughout the overall area. And hey, if you get a hankering to head back to the more familiar trappings of post-apocalyptic Washington D.C., no worries. You can always hop on the ferry, ride on home, and come back later.

Undoubtedly, some will make a beeline for that mansion on the hill. After all, you're here to investigate the mysterious fruit that's been popping up. And Desmond, the former secret agent turned ghoul that lives on that hillside, he might know something about it.

First though, you'll have to help the recluse fight off the Tribals that have invaded his rotting estate. Upon entering his mansion, you walk into a firefight--hounds running amuck, ceiling-mounted turrets blazing away, and Desmond laying waste to the foes. He assumes you'll help, tasks you with ridding his house of the invaders, and runs off to hide somewhere. A random dude exploiting you? In Fallout? Go figure.