Fallout 4: Which Is the Best DLC So Far?

Fallout 4’s third piece of DLC, Far Harbor, has just released, and players are already setting sail for these unknown shores and the secrets they hold. Far Harbor’s launch marks the last of the expansion releases that Bethesda has announced so far, with Automatron and Wasteland Workshop releasing before it. Therefore, it seems like the right time to take a look at which is the best addition so far.

While each one has offered its own unique features and brought something a little different to the game, not all of them have been equally comprehensive. So without further ado, let’s see how they stack up against one another.

Automatron – $9.99

Starting with the one that kicked it all off back in March, Automatron was a solid start to Fallout 4’s post-launch content. The expansion featured an enjoyable quest-line sending us on an adventure across the wasteland in search of the Mechanist. However, the fun didn’t just stop with quests.

You see, with tons of hostile robots now populating the wasteland, it was only fair that Bethesda allowed you to create your own robot companion, and take it along for the ride. The vast number of parts to switch out and customize each of your robots with meant you could make yourself a pretty unique metal friend. That’s not all Automatron brought, either. Offering a host of new and interesting weapons, and a hilarious AI companion in the form of ADA, Automatron helped to enrich your experience even when its missions were over.

All in all, we really enjoyed Automatron. It captivated the best of science-fiction while retaining the core of what makes Fallout great. It was a little short, but the price point fairly reflected this.

Wasteland Workshop – $4.99

The month of April saw Fallout 4’s second expansion land in the form of Wasteland Workshop. This DLC focused on the settlement building aspect of Fallout 4, adding a ton of items and a cool new feature to spruce up your settlements.

Wasteland Workshop’s list of new items and crafting components was pretty substantial, with many settlement fans overjoyed that they finally had a new building material, or that roof they’d been waiting for, for oh so long. However, what grabbed many players’ attention most was the ability to capture creatures of the wasteland and pit them against one another, or your settlers, in a battle to the death. You could build yourself an arena, gather your settlers, and watch the chaos unfold as a Deathclaw took on a Yao Guai in a battle to the death. Unfortunately, the novelty quickly wore off and Wasteland Workshop’s additions weren’t enough to sway those who weren’t already invested in the game’s building elements.

That said, Wasteland Workshop was never meant to be quite as substantial as its two DLC counterparts. It was a cheap and cheerful expansion that ultimately had limited appeal, and due to this, it didn’t hit quite as hard as Automatron did before it.

Far Harbor – $24.99

Rounding off Fallout 4’s confirmed DLC offerings is Far Harbor. Confirmed to be the biggest of the three, this expansion would have players exploring a completely new area just off the coast of the Commonwealth mainland.

With a much larger quest line than Automatron that has you investigating one of Nick Valentine’s case files, Far Harbor’s story is a captivating one that keeps you interested and moving through its numerous missions. Alongside this, it has a whole host of new weaponry, new enemies, new perks, and a landmass that’s roughly 20% of the size of Fallout 4’s ordinary map. It’s safe to say that Far Harbor brings a ton to the table. While all of this is great, it’s the little things that help to make Far Harbor truly shine.

Everyone’s favorite synth detective, Nick Valentine, has been given a whole bunch of dialog options and is a true treat to take along with you for the ride. Far Harbor is incredibly atmospheric too, with fog and lighting really helping to make this island feel like nowhere else you’ve previously explored in the wasteland. Unfortunately, these visual improvements have led to a bit of a stuttering framerate, but if you can look past this, Far Harbor is one hell of a piece of DLC.

Which Is Best?

It may come as no surprise, but for us, Far Harbor clinches it as the best piece of DLC for Fallout 4. While Automatron was an excellent start to the post-launch proceedings, it was all over a little too soon and didn’t quite give us the number of distractions from the main quests that Far Harbor does. It should be noted, though, that Far Harbor weighs in as the priciest of all of the content packs.

With Far Harbor only having recently released, we’re sure there are still plenty of secrets to be found around the spooky island, but from what we’ve seen of the expansion, it’s the leader of the pack, and a shining example of content expansion – an engrossing main quest, tons of additional weapons and items, and an interesting new place to explore.