Xbox One Review: ‘Fallout 4: Wasteland Workshop’

Wasteland Workshop is latest downloadable content (DLC) for Bethesda’s open-world role-playing game, Fallout 4. The second of three announced DLC packs, Wasteland Workshop is available for purchase, individually or as part of the game’s “Season Pass.” Like the previous add-on, Automatron, it adds a new workshop feature, design options, and most importantly the ability to capture live creatures, and have them fight for your amusement. It is worth noting that Wasteland Workshop is the smallest of the planned add-ons, both in file size and in the amount of actual content that it adds to the game.

I’m sure there is an audience for Fallout 4’s Wasteland Workshop, but I’m not really sure who it is. I suppose if you’re trying to squeeze every last bit of content out of the game, it’s at least something new. Unlike the add-ons from previous Fallout games, this one adds absolutely nothing to the game’s narrative. Like I mentioned earlier, you can capture humans or other creatures to make them fight for your amusement. There is a good amount of new stuff you can build, of course it’s mostly all related to building Mad Max-styled arenas.

Personally, my biggest problem with Fallout 4 isn’t with amount of things you can build, in the game. My primary disappointment is rooted in its lack of narrative density. Sure, the game can voice a hundred different names, but about half way through the game, your companions stop saying anything new. No, Wasteland Workshop won’t let you assign a captured Deathclaw as a companion. Those plot holes are why I prefer Bioware’s RPGs to Bethesda’s. I have the same issue with all of the Grand Theft Auto also-rans. I really need interesting characters, and a compelling story to put more than a couple of hours into a game. A big sandbox just isn’t enough of an incentive for this reviewer.

Speaking of characters, Wasteland Workshop does have some significant character requirements.  To be able to construct all of the new items, players will need to have bought the “Animal Friend” and “Wasteland Whisperer” perks, along with at least four points in the “Science” attribute. Of course all of my main character’s attributes were assigned to charisma, and lock picking, which runs completely counter to the point of this add-on. If you do build out your character to take advantage of the add-on, there are also three new achievements that can be earned.

Unfortunately, I’m fairly disappointed in the DLC Bethesda has offered for Fallout 4 so far. Automatron was essentially a single three-part quest, and there are no new quests in Wasteland Workshop. Trying to squeeze every possible bit of entertainment out of game, really isn’t my thing, particularly when it’s based entirely on emergent gameplay. I suppose if Fallout 4 is only game you’re going to play for the year, the new add-on will give you something else to do, but again I’d prefer that they focus on story, over competing with Minecraft.

Fallout 4 is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, and Use of Drugs. This game can also be found on: PlayStation 4, and Windows PC.