Don't waste your time
Dead Money is a disappointing add-on for Fallout: New Vegas that shies away from what made the core game so enjoyable while simultaneously ignoring any lessons learned from Fallout 3's DLC.
Like Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage, Dead Money sends the player to a new area, alone, with no way to return to the Mojave until the quest line is completed. All your equipment and items are taken from you as you begin, and Dead Money quickly turns into a series of frustrating and drawn-out fights against enemies who seem slightly too strong for the limited supply of weapons the game gives to the player. The environment is also riddled with traps, the point of which seems to be to drain the player's meager supply of stimpaks by crippling as many limbs as possible. Certain types of enemies are immune to all damage, and many areas are littered with radio transmitters that instantly kill the player if she lingers too long within range.
The linear story is also incredibly repetitive. Each main objective or story beat is repeated three times, and while the entire pack is shorter than Honest Hearts or Old World Blues, I found myself sighing as I was presented with yet another fetch quest or trap-filled stretch to navigate in an attempt to pad out the game.
I'm willing to forgive or overlook a lot in mediocre DLC for games I love - for example, most Mass Effect 1/2 DLC isn't amazing, but it's more Mass Effect. Having enjoyed Honest Hearts and Old World Blues, I came into Dead Money with low expectations, but was willing to look past that for more Fallout and a raised level cap. Sadly, it's not worth it. Save your time and money, and give this one a miss.
