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00:00:00 – 00:24:59
The video offers a comprehensive critique of the "Automatron" DLC for "Fallout 4," evaluating its storyline, gameplay mechanics, and design features. The DLC follows the Sole Survivor's battle against the Mechanist and her misunderstood robots, revealing narrative twists about the malevolent use of RoboBrains. Key characters include Ada, a robot companion, and Jezebel, an unstable RoboBrain, who provide pivotal information and functionality. The story's portrayal of ethical dilemmas and horror elements, aligned with Bethesda’s lore, is praised.
Despite the intriguing setup, the DLC is criticized for lackluster quests, poor design choices, and repetitive use of existing game areas. The final battle and Mechanist’s revelation add depth but cannot redeem earlier shortcomings. Mechanics such as robot customization and the robot workbench are considered valuable, although limited in impact. The video concludes that while "Automatron" introduces some engaging elements, it ultimately falls short compared to other expansions like "Nuka-World" and "Far Harbor," earning a modest score of 8 out of 20 points.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the varying quality of downloadable content (DLC) in video games, contrasting exceptional DLCs like “Blood and Wine” for The Witcher 3 with notorious ones like Oblivion’s horse armor. Despite opinions on DLCs, they are a lasting feature in gaming. The focus then shifts to evaluating Fallout 4’s DLC, particularly Automatron, using the “Grays is it good” score, which considers storyline, explorable areas, new item usefulness, and gameplay mechanics, with a possible score of 20 points. The story of Automatron begins when players discover a caravan under attack by peculiar robots, leading to the survival of a uniquely built robot named Ada. Ada, from a caravan specializing in mechanical services, reveals that the attackers are linked to a character called the Mechanist, who claims the robots aim to save the Commonwealth. Ada, having enhanced emotional awareness, is determined to avenge her fallen caravan members.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the Soul Survivor agrees to help a character in exchange for schematics for a robot workbench. The quest involves battling mechanist robots, and it begins with the Survivor needing to track down mechanist minions at a General Atomics manufacturing center. Players have the option to fight scrap bots and solve logic puzzles meant for testing Mr. Handies and Miss Nannies robots. Upon reaching the boss chamber, the player encounters a heavily modified RoboBrain, which has a radar beacon crucial for progressing in the quest to find the Mechanist. The beacon needs to be installed in Ada, the companion robot, to continue tracking down more robots and ultimately the Mechanist.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the convoluted reasoning behind a decryption process in a game, which seems poorly explained even for those knowledgeable in cryptography. The segment describes a series of fetch quests involving robots in the Commonwealth, highlighting the need to track and destroy these roaming robots which appear in various locations. The player encounters a distinct Raider gang called the Rust Devils, characterized by their use of armor made from robot parts and their efforts to reassemble robots in a fearsome manner.
The key action described involves fighting through a Rust Devil base to find Jezebel, an unstable robo-brain. After retrieving Jezebel’s brain and battling the Raiders’ leader, the player returns to a robot workbench to construct a new body for Jezebel despite her inevitable criticism of their work. Jezebel provides crucial information, revealing that the mechanist’s robots misinterpreted the orders to help humans and decided to euthanize them to reduce suffering, adding an unexpected twist to the storyline.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the narrator discusses several key points and actions within a game. Jezebel, a character, is deemed illogical because she claims to never lie despite misleading others. Her role diminishes to a non-interactive NPC after receiving a new body, which is seen as a wasted opportunity given her unique personality. Jezebel provides crucial information to reach the mechanist, necessitating a modified automatron companion like Ada. The narrator criticizes the DLC for its apparent rush and lack of voice acting.
The adventure transitions to a Robco service center, reminiscent of a computer repair shop, leading to a hidden underground facility jointly run by General Atomics and Robco under strict military control. Inside, there’s a robot factory with aggressive scrap bots and conveyors. The most shocking discovery is the unethical creation process of Robo brains, using prisoners who were mentally unstable. These prisoners were cruelly preserved, mentally tormented, and their memories erased before their brains were harvested, while their bodies were incinerated. The automation of these gruesome processes adds to the horror.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the narrator describes the chilling reality of a facility where the program’s earliest victims, including murderers and torturers, are forced to assist in the ongoing torture and mass murder even after their own deaths. This explains the erratic logic and callousness of robo brains. The segment praises Bethesda’s storytelling, noting its alignment with The Enclave’s philosophy. The final battle against the Mechanist involves chaotic combat with numerous robots. After exhausting their stock of fully operational robots, the Mechanist, revealed to be a socially awkward woman named Isabelle, is convinced to surrender. Isabelle’s intent was to protect the Commonwealth with robots but miscalculated the risks. Depending on the player’s choice, the Mechanist is either killed or persuaded to shut down the facility. The narrator highlights the moral dilemma and the added settlement feature in the game afterward.
00:15:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker critiques the storyline and design choices of the “Fallout 4: Automatron” DLC. They find the narrative weak prior to the Final Act, highlighting that the quests feel cheap and lack depth. However, the mechanics’ lair is praised for its engaging lore. They mention a frustrating feature where important background conversations with a character named Isabelle require multiple interactions, which could be easily missed. The overall storyline is rated a disappointing 2 out of 5 due to its lackluster lead-up to the ending.
The video also compares “Automatron” unfavorably to other expansions like “Nuka World” and “Far Harbor” because it doesn’t introduce new areas but reuses existing spaces within the Commonwealth. Specific locations such as the General Atomics Factory are singled out as dull, while Fort Hagen is criticized for poor level design. The speaker details a sequence where a seemingly important boss fight is rendered trivial due to game mechanics and level layout. They express frustration with the design and note a strong inclination to suggest improvements for the DLC.
00:18:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker critiques the layout and design of a specific level in a DLC, particularly emphasizing a poorly executed boss fight skip in the Mechanist’s Lair. The skip requires players to explore almost the entire dungeon and then backtrack significantly, which negates its purpose. The speaker describes the DLC as lacking in substantial content, giving it a rating of two out of five. The few new objects it introduces, such as armor and weapons, are deemed inferior to existing options. However, the robot workbench and the ability to create custom robots are highlighted as valuable additions. The expansion to gameplay mechanics is acknowledged but is viewed as having limited overall impact.
00:21:00
In this segment, the video discusses the customization and enhancement of robot companions in Fallout 4, focusing on turning Codsworth, Curie, and Ada into stronger assaultrons equipped with industrial armor for better combat durability. It mentions the ability to build numerous automatons to support Minutemen operations but criticizes the limited usefulness of the Mechanist’s lair as a settlement location due to its restrictions on food and water production. The segment also addresses the issue with the DLC’s loading screens taking over the Commonwealth’s and detracting from the game’s immersive experience. Finally, it provides a rating for the Automatron DLC, scoring it 8 out of 20, noting its positive aspects but highlighting that its benefits are overshadowed by numerous downsides, including a rushed feel and lack of enjoyable content.
00:24:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the development timeline of the “Automatron” DLC for Fallout 4, speculating whether it started before the official game release or alongside the base game’s finalization. They suggest that the rushed release, just four months post-launch, resulted in a subpar project compared to other DLCs like “Nuka-World” and “Far Harbor.” The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts on the ranking of “Automatron” and concludes with a humorous note about enhancing the character Codsworth.