All of this game’s DLC is beloved, but it’s a pretty popular consensus that Dead Money is the weakest. That being said, I’ve never agreed with that. I’ve always really liked how the DLC strips you out of your comfort zone and starts you fresh in a totally new setting.
and some would say lonesome road is, since it has only 2 characters. this game can be seen in every way possible, ask someone which faction is the best for mojave, some would even say the legion is the best option
Honest hearts is the weakest tbh, I love the landscape and, the Survivalist and Joshua Graham but the white legs just feel generic. Daniel’s whole plan could have been an interesting moral dilemma between pacifism and violence, but it falls flat when it’s revealed his plan is to move the Sorrows out of THEIR home, instead of maybe brokering a peace treaty with the White legs and convincing them Caesar isn’t worth it.
I just learned it recently, but you can actually get a friend in the Sierra Madre If you use the NCR radio to get a ranger, that ranger is going to follow you till you as long as they are alive, and since the game does not count them as companion, they are not dismised by the DLC start script. Since they follow you into loading zones, this allows you to get them to the DLC, and even maybe smuggle some objects into it, with the reverse stealing mechanic
@@NeCoruption also for some reason when I tested it, only the ranger would came into the DLC, even tho the soldier also should come, but I might have just gotten unlucky
@@NeCoruption I don't think the Legion has got any NCR radio like item, but im not sure as I tend to do NCR runs I havent played that much with it yet, but I do plan on finishing Sierra Madre on my hardcore explosive build, but from what I played, the NCR ranger ran away from the Ghost people
My only huge complaint about Dead Money is that you can't come back to the villa after you leave back for the Mojave. Dean mentioned the areas/sewers under the town where the ghost people come from. I wanted to go there, dive deeper in that place.
Ssme here. It's actually my favorite dlc in the whole franchise and I love the challenge of it. Start in from scratch and making every bullet count. I just wish we could get back to in after we finish it.
It fits with the idea that you need to let it go. Nothing lasts forever. Nevertheless, it's a pity you can't come back whenever you feel like it. Although, it does give a good reason to start a new run altogether.
When I first entered the Sierra Madre, I was annoyed at how punishing everything was, but when I returned to the Mojave, I found myself missing the emotion the harsh mechanics and atmosphere provided. Also I miss watching my head explode.
Challenging? This DLC was the only one that felt like a post apocaliptic world setting because you had to scavange everything from 0 and that really made you think about every move and bullet you waste. While in the wasteland you had everything available to you. The scarcity in dead money is just perfect. Plus the traps the enemies the radios its amazing. One of the best DLCs hands down
@@PolishGod1234 lonesome road shows us what the US would be after a nuclear apocalypse, ironically, more so then the base fallout game. just sheer destruction.
Strips you of everything you once had, gives you one of the best energy weapons in the game, and gives you about 40 or so stimpaks by around 30 minutes in lol
@Furfox I honestly like all the DLC's. Honest Hearts for the setting, Dead Money for it's story (and also the setting), Old World Blues for its absolute comedy (and again, the setting), and Lonesome Road also again for the story, and that The Courier has some past (not that i wanted, but I am someone who's able to work with pretty much anything, so that's fine with me), and also for the devastative setting. And also for the fact i can nuke thw NCR and The Legion lmao
No DLC has stuck with me like Dead Money did. I was totally unprepared for it and felt totally vulnerable with all my equipment gone. I also had never liked playing with companions and the thought that if they died I died was a shocker. I was also playing on hardcore on a dead is dead playthrough. It was my favorite experience in all my time in New Vegas. I only ever did it once. The experience was scarred on my mind. I miss Christine though. My favorite companion.
Also my favorite DLC. But Sinclair didn't lock Vera in. It was the security system. She actually never wanted to rob Sinclair on her own volution, but was blackmailed by Dean to do so. Ironically, telling Sinclair about the plot is what led him to his lone demise in the vault, trying to undo the traps. And to hers, dying alone in her suite. I AM NOT CRYING, I HAVE SAND IN MY EYES!
I really did like this as while Sinclair did forgive her and give up on his revenge it was also let go of way too late same as Vera’s fear of being blackmailed and they both had already crossed the rubicon and couldn’t undo what was going to happen before they “self destructed” themselves
I played a melee/unarmed character when I first played through this, so basically all of the enemies were completely stomped for me. The characters in this DLC as well as the general vibe are very good, but as far as the environment, enemy variety, gameplay mechanics etc I honestly can't put this above any of the other DLCs. The existing issues with Dead Money are made 100x worse on a hardcore character as well. Between the gas and the collar explosions, it basically turns the DLC into a completely painful experience
My friend told me the cloud was the worst part of the whole experience for always poisoning you. I started playing and thought, hey, this isn’t so bad. Just avoid the big red clouds, take risks for all the good loot, Dean even gives me a perk to avoid it. Then I wondered where a chunk of my health was going and realized “oh my god it’s _ALWAYS_ poisoning you”.
Nothing really changes with hardcore on. The main probs are level scaled enemies + the ghost people having negative/infinite perception, making stealth near impossible. Also, christine being a mute just doesnt work, i dont even think it couldve work in f4 with how little is done animation wise there. The level scaling issue is 2nd only to owb imo tho, constantly getting ambushed by exploding 600-1k hp robo scorpions is just a nightmare late game
Nicely done! DM is so hauntingly sad. Not being able to return is so heartbreaking. You are forced to realize you must live in the moment because tomorrow is impossible. Later I found out that Veronica’s true love is destined to remain in that city of the dead for eternity amongst the ghost people.
Everyone hates it… but I really like Honest Hearts. I think it’s a refreshing step away from the trouble of the Mojave to help these people. It really makes me feel like Clark in a way, helping the tribes with their problems with the white legs.
Can't understand why most people would hate Honest Hearts. I can understand not liking Dead Money, since depending on your build it can be pretty annoying, but Honest Hearts? Joshua Graham would be perfectly capable of carrying the whole DLC on his back even if the rest of it sucked, and it doesn't.
@@NavarroRefugee I dislike Honest Hearts because the quests are boring and the DLC's setting does not really work for me - I love "classic" post-apocalypse with desolation and destruction (Lonesome Road's Great Divide is stunningly beautiful), whereas Honest Hearts is just some forest with red rocks which does not even look pretty. Yeah, Joshua Graham is awesome character, I like DLC's main conflict, endings and Survivalist’s story, but the DLC is just not fun to play.
@@NavarroRefugee That's the problem right there, Joshua Graham is the only good part of Honest Hearts. It could have been a lot better, but Obsidian had to cut like 70% of the content because of time, bugs or memory limitations.
I really like the setting and the quests in honest hearts. However, if enjoy it much more if there was more of a branching story structure. I recently played a legion character and the DLC was awkward narratively.
For people really struggling with it: Do the final DLC, Lonesome Road, first and kill the optional Deathclaw boss Rawr first. Loot the claw, but don't craft the weapon Fist of the North Rawr. Start Dead Money, for some reason the item won't get taken away, craft the weapon asap and you have a weapon that will carry you.
The reason being the game considers the Talon a quest item before crafting, quest items(such as the platinum crisp) can NOT be removed from your inventory forcefully unless there's a specific script to prompt it (such as Daddy Kaisar taking the chip temporarily upon entering the fort)
I don't think most people have an issue with fighting the ghosts. My thinks the unkillable laser ghosts, toxic clouds, and radios are the issue most players have, well that and the traps.
Frankly I don’t know how that would help matters much, but good to know I guess. Better to have a plastic spork in a war zone over a plastic spoon I suppose.
Actually, man - and this is something I'm surprised not many people realized, not even Josh Sawyer - the Gold Bars are NOT the treasure of the SM. The Chips are. Sure, the gold is pretty, and if you really want to get it, it's really easy even without exploits, you just take the implant GRX perk. But it actually has one of the worst Price to Weight ratios. And it's much too expensive for most merchants to buy anyway. The chips are weightless, and plentiful, and they can buy pretty much everything you need: stims, chems, ammo... You break the bank at the SM and you'll never have shortages of anything anymore.
For gold bars, usually i just store them at the bunker until i decide to start Lonesome road, after clearing out the silo i use the comissary to sell my gold bars, You can sell two of them before the machine runs out, plus caps regenerate if you open and close the comissary two times
One thing about dead money that thought of around a year ago was where the hell did all of the damn bear traps come from? It's a casino not a hunting lodge, the villa, where most of the bear traps are found was still under construction before the war, but I'm sure that bear traps weren't required for the job. I could understand every other trap, Mines, shotguns,tripwires, etc. But bear traps, it just doesn't make sense.
Yeah the bear traps are a little strange. I like to think because the Sierra Madre is located up in the mountains near the Grand Canyon, maybe Sinclair bought lots of bear traps because he intended to protect the residents from wandering bears. He was paranoid about everything, so it could make sense.
That's assuming that they ARE bear-traps in the Fallout universe. They may just be generic traps for catching any large vermin wandering around the desert.
Isn't there a plot-point that the "vending machines" are actually more like, star trek replicators/automatic workbenches, able to create almost anything if it can be set up to.
The letting go part inspired modders to create hardcore yet so interesting mod "dust" For new Vegas. I would like to hear your opinion on it since it's everything dead money yet ampt up really high (kinda disagree with mod creator on removing quests altogether, but it's his vision of the mod and it's depressing, challenging, nerve wracking but also rewarding, which dead money dlc is)
DUST starts strong but quickly falls flat on it's face when you realize there is no nuance or strategy and every challenge just boils down to overwhelming the player with waves of enemies.
I hate to say this but it’s basically a Metal Gear Survive mode built on the Fallout engine. That’s not a knock, but how else would you describe it? You get what you check a box for on the mod manager.
It's funny because I actually love Dead Money for the exact reason why people hate it. Strip away my gear and leave me with only my stats? Amazing! The game environment because of how it's designed makes it that I'm constantly scavenging for resources to survive to the point where cans that I'd pass up in the main game is treasure to me as it's an ingredient used in healing items. I can see why it's divisive but imo it does something more than just "more New Vegas" which imo is what Honest Hearts and Old World Blues is (even though I love Old World Blues) whilst still being New Vegas.
Dead Money is the only DLC that actually brought tears to my eyes. When Dog and God are reunited at the end, when he says “I’m wounded,” it somehow broke me. It was incredibly powerful
One of the best rewards of this dlc imo is Elijahs holotape. You can use it to increase veronicas attack speed 150% or your own critical damage 50% if you decide not to give it to her. The relationship between Veronica and Elijah with all the dialogue options of hers is a really nice touch
This caused me to remember that any time I started a new game I had this love-hate thing about dead money. I always looked forward to go there, but I also was always scared shitless, as I normally don't like any types of horror whatsoever. But dead money definitely sells itself with this atmosphere and the way it brings something new. And now looking back I think I could say it was the absolute worst, but at the same time my absolute favourite because it is the most memorable of all.
I played the entire game and DLC before looking into the discourse around them Dead money was my favorite for the characters and story/arcs I loved the challenge of getting all the gold out of the vault and esp locking Elijah in too
Cool beginning to your video. I never liked starting out with ZERO, yet your info has given me much to consider. Your videos have added new interest to my gaming approach. Good content and my interest with this game has been elevated. Thanks for the info! By the way, I really like your videos.
If you played it, what did you think of Operation Anchorage? A similar thing happens. It takes away your gear and gives you a new package to start with
Honest Hearts was always my least favorite DLC, followed by Dead Money, Lonesome Road, and then Old World Blues. However, after watching this and thinking about them all some more, Dead Money might become my second favorite after Old World Blues.
I'd sincerely advise against that for your own sanity. The story is lackluster and you can find the whole thing on youtube without the physical and mental anguish of having to sit through this mess of a DLC. If the crappy mechanics was the only problem I'd say go ahead by all means since NV isn't exactly known for it's next gen gunplay, but even with mods to patch out bugs it's horribly optimized, crashes often, physics bugs out the wazoo, unfair hazard placement(you quite literally have to do dark souls style die-to-learn shit with the radios and speakers, except Dark Souls actually gives you a fighting chance). The only real reason you'd play this DLC isn't even the loot or the story but so that you can give closure to Veronica about Elijah and get a neat perk for her in return. On the other hand because NV was horribly underdeveloped you can't also tell her that her lover is still voluntarily residing within the madre villa even though that would seem just as if not more important to her than figuring out what happened to her grandpa she presumed dead already.
Dead Money is what Fallout is meant to feel like: strategy & skill ingenuity to overcome hazardous & environments stacked against you. You weapon & armour condition is so goddamn precious and stimpacks & ammo are the most valuable items in the world, you will replay the same scenario over & over with different tactics to succeed with as few losses as possible, you will question if wearing out your strong weapon is worth saving a stimpack.
Dead Money was awesome, but it was very unpolished, even by New Vegas standards. The bomb collar was so damn annoying and finicky, the radios that set it off had terrible hit boxes and where hidden behind trash. The villa map was disorienting (in a bad way), very samey design and a pain to traverse Other than that and some other hickups, the story was awesome, the survival elements are really cool and refreshing and the setting is awesome
Dead money is honestly my favorite for all the reasons ppl dislike about it. The main theme is honesty applicable to everyone and it's nothing short of amazing with how they portrayed this
This is absolutely no doubt my favourite dlc in the fallout franchise, and I actually wanted to share an anecdote once when I was playing it alone at night while it was raining a lot outside. I was underpowered in that moment, on my way to get the revolver and a ghost I hadn't seen jumped in front of me just as the power went off in my house. It scared the crap out of me. The dark and scary atmosphere of this dlc is what I really like, and how you need to think about everything you do, as it has consequences.
I remember the first time I started Dead Money it was the morning before I had testing in 10th grade, and while I was taking my test, I could only think about the ghost people. It's a very vivid memory for me lmao
FNV was my first open world RPG and so Dead Money was my first experience with this type of content and oh boy.... I was terrified! I was so stressed out the whole time but I love the concept of abandoned places that seems as people just up and left and thr lore behind the ghost people, ugh, so amazing. This is my favorite DLC by far. I've gone on to play 4, 3 and started the first one last week and I can claim it is still my favorite part of any game. The atmosphere, the music, the colors, the lore, the mechanics, just amazing. Can't say how much I love Dead Money enough. My fiance even got me a "Left my heart at the Sierra Madre" shirt for my birthday this year lol
I haven't had an issue with this dlc besides the final area and making sure Dean is on my side. I have beat it twice on very hard, so I don't know if everyone is having issues with hardcore. I absolutely love the fact it strips you bare, it allows you to see which play style and weapons you now should run with.
This is the reason why I also love Missing Link DLC in Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Director's Cut), because it forces you to rethink your character, but also at the same time, allows you to adjust your playstyle to what really suits you. You will by then know which augmentations and weapons really suit your style, and you and you can then focus on what works for you.
Honestly my favorite fallout DLC immersion-wise. The soundtrack & general atmosphere is amazing. Sure the other DLCs were prettier, funnier, or meant more to the story, but I still remember waking for the first time in that courtyard thinking "oh...... sh*t". All my fallout friends hate it, and to be honest, I can see how some see it as a chore. But to finally get back to the mojave after the first time finishing it felt so freeing, like you had actually just gone through some major sh*t. Something you'd want to run straight to your favorite NPC to tell about, I remember immediately running back to freeside just to feel safe. Also I was quite the fan of saw movies as an edgy kid/teen when this dlc came out, so trapping Elijah in the vault for eternity was super satisfying.
I've always thought to myself that Dead Money was one the horror game I've ever played, and it's a DLC. A DLC is so entertaining that it could've been it's own thing and I would've still bought it, imagine a Fallout as a horror survival
Part of me kinda wishes that you lost your items in the other dlcs, I know it's far more fitting for the story of the sierra madre, but there's something so satisfying of having to scavenge entirely new areas.... except maybe lonesome road, that'd be rough.
Dead Money is in my opinion is the Fallout equivalent of Star Wars - The Last Jedi. It takes the concept of what Fallout is and strips it back to turn it on its head but still give us something that’s an honest representation of what Fallout is. Strong themes and highly controversial.
When I was 12 I hated this dlc now I'm 25 and it's my all time favorite. I come here right away on a new play through. It's doable but tough between 1-5
I was thinking of making this exact video for my channel, but I think you made it better than I ever could! Great job! I’ve always defended dead money and it’s always been my favorite dlc!
Dead Money has always been my personal favorite DLC of this game, I never understood why it got hated on soooo much, glad to see DM getting the love it deserves
It’s hated because it’s a boring, annoying, unpleasant, unfun, shit tier Bioshock clone with a message that’s delivered with all the grace of a Chris Chan comic and all the emotional/intellectual depth of a kiddie pool.
I played the game as a diplomat in hardcore hard speech, barter, science, repair, lockpick, survival 100 my only offensive skill was guns at 100, everything else I ignored. So when the game took all my items and gave me a filthy energy weapon and bullet spongy enemies that eat frag mines I knew I was not going to have fun
I personally don't know if I'd call Dead Money the best DLC, but I'd definitely not call it a bad one by any means, it's truly legendary in how it forces you to actually feel everything from a point of absolutely nothing, making you appreciate every little scrap you get, every little reprieve of "exploit" you can take. It's not a "roll in with big guns, one shot everything, take all the loot" over and done, but an actual full experience that you'll remember every minute of.
I love this game so much, because as I go through life I find new appreciation for each DLC. First it was the little kid inside me that loved Lonesome Road and thought it was the best. Then as I started to appreciate the narrative more, Dead Money became my favorite, because it was time to let go of certain things in life. Then later I loved the goofiness of Old World Blues as my humor adapted to the sheer silliness of the current century. And now I'm a lost adult, finding some solace in the words of Joshua Graham from Honest Hearts. New Vegas has been there for every piece of me throughout the years and that's why it's my favorite game of all time.
While dead money is hard, I still enjoyed it. That being said Old world blues will still always be my favorite. I love the humor, the campy B movie sci-fi aspects to it and it's also not exactly a walk in the park. For me dead money comes in second.
I literally just did a Run on Dead Money from a LVL 1 Courier Hardcore mode (on Hard too), Finished that run a couple days ago. How cool that you release a video on it, Honestly such a fun challenge!
When I first played the DLCs my list was 1.Old world blues 2.Lonesome road 3.Dead Money 4.Honest Hearts But now after like 200+ playthroughs 1.Old world Blues 2.Dead Money 3.Honest hearts 4.Lonesome road For me lonesome road just lost more and more charm as time it went on, the reason why it was so good at first was all the build up and anticipation. Meanwhile Old world blues and dead money had both the challenge and the story/setting done absolutely great.
This. Lonesome Road was the culmination of a lot of things, but after you beat it a few times, it feels much more tacked on. The linear gameplay makes each combat scenario a but of slog, the weapons and armor are pretty unnecessary since you already have good shit from the rest of the game by the time most people start it, and nuking the other sides at the end doesn't really effect the end game.
Saw another commentor say this, and I wanted to re-iterate for maximum chances of it being seen as I like the idea. A video on Fallout: Dust was their idea, it's a game changing mod for FNV that makes it infinately more challenging with a lot more emphasis on planning, survival, and sneaking, with even more unique things put in and tons of lore all over. It's rough, especially first time, but man can it feel great taking out a group of enemies with a good plan, rather than blasting them to bits easily in vanilla.
It's bad, just came to say that. I adore the premise, being stripped of all high end gear and plunged into a cloudy red hell with assorted dangers and lore intrigue. Until I actually played it and realized the experience wasn't difficult because it was well designed but because it was horribly designed. The map is same-y and hard to navigate, the ghost people are too tough!... unless you as a low strength courier with no melee skill crumple them up like a used napkin, the holograms are just an annoyance, and the radio placement literally requires you to die before you can determine where they are as the game intends most of the time. Not to mention that one wonky bit of Bethesda physics can send you careening down into at best fall damage and at worst a pocket of the cloud. Oh that's not even the worst part of this DLC, it's the damn story, Dean is legit just a character forcefully shoehorned into it for the sake of having another heist memeber, Dog/God isn't any more or less interesting than other mentally ill mutants, Christine's dialogue prior to gaining Vera's voice is PAINFUL to click through, and Elijah's motivation for being at the Madre to begin with is shoddy at best.
Just played it for the first time tongiht, and I’ll be the first to admit I was pleasantly surprised with how scary and fun it was to have to actually think and be careful with what I did, only issue I’m having is that I found the ghoul (he was the last one) but now he isn’t coming to the fountain and I’ve already moved onto the next stage where to take them to their individual place, not sure if that’s going to be a problem, I have no idea where the ghoul guy is or went after I talked to him😅
The story, tone, and gameplay have made this my favorite dlc, but I revoke that when I’m in the vault trying to run up a flight of statues and down a path to reach a terminal that if I don’t reach in time will kill me (in which the collar always explodes right before I’m able to activate the terminal)
I agree with this video. I have done around 5 or 6 full 0 to 50 playthroughs of this game and now I do Dead money ASAP instead of leaving the struggle for last. The slow health drain outside, the lack of supplies, the greed of the player. I had moments where I had no food to eat and I scavenged instead of buying stuff because I wanted to save the chips. Its all amazing. Its meta, cringy as it is to say it. One criticism I have is that it actually isn't that scary of a DLC in terms of combat for an unarmed build. The last playthrough I had I steamrolled every ghost with the bear trap fist ( and the deathclaw gauntlet :) ) because unarmed is so suited for that DLC. But any other build really gets that authentic experience. None of the weapons, even the holorifle before getting the mods and OC or MAX MF cells, are super powerful when you need them to be. One ghost took all of my AP on VATS so if there are multiple you really aren't safe. Combine that with all of the times I ran into traps during combat and you really feel what dead money was aiming for. Its the best DLC IMO. Lonesome road second because I like Ulyssies and OWB and HH
its even more fun on hardcore mode as when you are outside the cloud slowly eats away your health so adventuring is a health hazard and makes the game way more challenging, my advice before entering is drink a bunch of atomic cocktails so you wont have to sleep because you wont get a chance to do so once you get there, also there is one pack of fixer near the end of the game so addiction is common in my playthroughs because of hydra being so useful, its my favourite dlc by far and hardcore changes your play style for the better
I came somewhat late to the New Vegas party. I had it on PS3 but was too young to really enjoy the game, and as such only did one play through. As cringe as it sounds I considered it inferior to fallout 3 at the time. Then I got back into it as an adult and loved it. I got all the DLCs, and honestly, I disliked all of them, save for dead money. I considered lonesome road and old war blues to be stuffed with boring dialogue. And aside from the survivalist I also considered honest hearts to be somewhat boring and short. But dead money entranced me. Its theme of letting go of the past resonated with me, and I loved its creepy atmosphere and difficulty. Fallout New Vegas is a masterpiece, and Dead Money is the perfect DLC for such a great game. It’s surprising to hear it’s considered the weakest of all the DLCs for this game, because from the moment I played it it was my favorite. Thanks for explaining concisely why it really is just so great.
It isn't fun if you spent twelve hours building a gun based character and suddenly you have no guns or bullets and you just die constantly trying to fight smoke zombies and holograms with a cosmic knife. Its not that it can't be rewarding. Its simply that its so punishing for most on their first attempt that they never bother to give it a second chance. I still don't really enjoy it unless I play a melee build. It just doesn't lend well to the sneak and shoot playstyle most fallout players adopt.
Maybe you tried it at too low a level. I remember it also being punishing but I found it kind of refreshing when compared to how easy new Vegas itself could be.
I think the problem with Dead Money is that it discouraged many things that people love about RPG's. The more you explore, the more health you lose to the cloud. Oh you spent a game building a powerful character with guns skill and awesome weapons. You get none of them. Oh you want to talk to NPC's? They are all hostile to you. Want to go and do anything you want? Elijah, the cloud, the collars, and virtually everything in game is preventing you. Granted it was defiantly meant to be that way. It just irks a lot of people, like me, who like the freedom to do whatever we want while feeling badass.
I played all dlc's in Fallout NV and out of all of them this one stuck with me the longest, the mystery, the companions, how this eerie feeling that everything is haunted creeps on you. Just a fun time!!
I feel like correcting one aspect. Sinclair actually didn’t trap Vera in the room, and we can see from the message he left her on the vault terminal that he intended it to protect her in case of the nukes, and provided her with ways of survival. The fact that the elevator in her room leads to the vault also proves this. She just didn’t know that it was her voice that activated it, and was trapped (likely from the stress of her being addicted to chems, Dean abusing and blackmailing her, and the possibility that she may have grown feelings for Sinclair). Just a little correction I felt like adding. Great video overall dude, hope you keep it up.
I played NV for the first time after watching Badger’s video on it. Dead Money was #1 dlc on completing the game. All the aspects gone over in the video is spot on in why I lived it so much. The moment that always calls back to me is when Christine has to access a terminal or something to keep power on, and her gratitude of not forcing her into an elevator to access her part of the plan. The option to take her hand as an act of trust between the Courier and her, and thinking on the ending the dlc, the comforting melancholy that the relationships built with her and the others ended on your final encounter with each of them, one way or another. Ironically I despise the Old World Blues dlc for similar reasons the video says people didn’t like DM. Using ammo based weapons against the robot enemies and basically doing no damage was so annoying. I felt like both DM and OWB both can potentially postemptively punish players who don’t specialize a certain build or equipment. Except DM does it well, taking things away and making you adapt with what you have, where OWB lets you keep everything you own, but can make it all useless and have you feel helpless. Add that to less impact in story and dull side quests instead of a tight focused story DM came out on top
Dead Money literally changed how I played New Vegas afterwards along with other Fallout games afterwards. Before, I never gave melee weapons much of a chance. Dead Money forced me to use melee and to value the rarity of ammunition. Even after I got out and ammo became commonplace once again, I never fully let go of the discipline Dead Money instilled.
I'd have to add that at the time many people were still running vats heavy stealthy gun builds so being thrown into the Sierra Madre without your gear totally destroyed their builds making it extremely difficult to beat the dlc.
Dead money is truly a difficult place but it is really fun I like going into dead money at level 7 The first time u play dead money it really hits u hard but the 2 or 4 time u really have fun Fallout new vegas DLC is top of the line everyone of them is completely different and challenging in there own ways.
I think Dead Money would have made more sense as the last or 2nd to last DLC since it finalized Elijah's story line. Like how Lonesome road finalized Ulysses' story. I think it would make sense to release something like Honest Hearts > Old world Blues > Lonesome Road/Dead Money
I definitely feel you with the vending machine reward being too great, considering I left with 4000 chips, and about 10,000 pre-war cash from converted chips. This was after I had accidentally bought 100 Med-X in the Villa.
The context for DLC back then is certainly different years down the road. Now, with New Vegas as beloved as it is, new players can just get the ultimate edition for a reduced price. Back then, they only had vanilla New Vegas, had to pay extra for Dead Money alone, and weren’t entirely sure what to expect. They were locked into a difficult heist campaign with no way back, and probably wouldn’t get much use out of the rewards for completing Dead Money. They wouldn’t get to return, or bring the companions, and would probably already have most of the main campaign done. Today Dead Money is admired more as an optional side mode, a self contained story with its own flavor of challenge and narrative alongside the other distinct DLC’s that practically come with the game now.
I can agree with a lot of the points raised here, and the video was very well crafted. Dead Money has grown on me for sure, though with Hardcore enabled it can definitely be a very challenging slog if you make too many mistakes
The performance for the English VA of Elijah is one of my all-time favourites in video games. Incredible stuff and his solo narration of the game's final ending slide provided at least one companion dies is one of two massive reasons to always kill Dean Domino. My wife enjoys this DLC more than I do, since there ARE times I get, ah...aggravated. But with that said, it's still also to me the best DLC, possibly for any game ever and certainly for the modern Fallouts. (Honest Hearts is close behind but it just...didn't have enough time to cook; Lonesome Road is absolutely excellent but it doesn't have as much 'punch' in narrative and gameplay; Old World Blues is actually last in New Vegas despite how great Muggy is; and none of the F3/4 DLCs match up.)
I can understand why people hate it, but I really, really loved the Dead Money DLC. It reminded me of Project Overlord and Leviathan from the Mass Effect games; it took your certified badass of a main character and thrust him into a strange, unknown setting that made them feel truly vulnerable. A small touch of survival horror to give you that "small fish in a big pond" feeling here and there is a great thing for action RPG type games, even if it loses a lot of the impact after one playthough.
I felt very strongly for Christine and god and after leaving i felt bitter sweet saying good bye to them all. It's was sweet to finally leave and get my armour and Mojave friends back but i liked those characters and it is so bitter sweet you can't see them again yet they think of you during the course of the other dlcs
By the end of the DLC I had fallen in love with it. Admittedly, I was frustrated when I first started the DLC. However, by the time I got to the Sierra Madre, I was more than equipped and knowledgeable about what the game expected out of me. Did I misstep a few times a die? Sure. But I never felt cheated. The story was seriously one of the best second only to the Survivor’s story line in Honest Hearts. Whenever I recommend FO:NV to anyone, this DLC immediately comes to mind along with Vera’s hauntingly beautiful song.
Dead Money is the only DLC that I will specifically prepare a character for. I will do Lonesome Road first, because I want the Fist of Rawr for Dead Money, for example.
Honestly all of the dlcs are some of the best dlcs ive experianced in gaming. All four campaigns are connected and all have fantastically written characters. Dead money in my opinion is the most challenging dlc in a good way. Ive beated dead money many times with many builds. I actually love how you can cannot come back to the Madre unlike the other dlcs where you can return to the divide or BM you cant come back to the Sierra Madre. Once you go through those doors you let go. Youve let go of the Sierra Madre and you must move forward. You can listen to Father Elijah's final words using the radio on your pip boy and you can hear Elijah slowly sufficating refusing to Let Go Elijah slowly fades away and dies. You can even give Elijah's holotape for Veronica and Veronica also learns to let go She lets go of Elijah as a past memory. Even years now its still amazing how fallout new vegas is still getting talked and praised.
I actually played this dlc the other day and I honestly began to play the whole game differently because of it for the better . (Hardcore ups the difficulty significantly)
![YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Catch Me [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KxwEXXFQMTY/mqdefault.jpg)
*"Begin again?" Some things you don't get up from...*
still sends shivers down my spine
All of this game’s DLC is beloved, but it’s a pretty popular consensus that Dead Money is the weakest. That being said, I’ve never agreed with that. I’ve always really liked how the DLC strips you out of your comfort zone and starts you fresh in a totally new setting.
I think Honest Hearts is generally considered the weakest, as its very lightweight and pretty basic
@@Jkrocsko old world blues is the weakest by far imo
and some would say lonesome road is, since it has only 2 characters. this game can be seen in every way possible, ask someone which faction is the best for mojave, some would even say the legion is the best option
Honest hearts is the weakest tbh, I love the landscape and, the Survivalist and Joshua Graham but the white legs just feel generic. Daniel’s whole plan could have been an interesting moral dilemma between pacifism and violence, but it falls flat when it’s revealed his plan is to move the Sorrows out of THEIR home, instead of maybe brokering a peace treaty with the White legs and convincing them Caesar isn’t worth it.
I hate OWB. Too silly even for Fallout and the loot is OP. Dead Money rules.
I just learned it recently, but you can actually get a friend in the Sierra Madre
If you use the NCR radio to get a ranger, that ranger is going to follow you till you as long as they are alive, and since the game does not count them as companion, they are not dismised by the DLC start script. Since they follow you into loading zones, this allows you to get them to the DLC, and even maybe smuggle some objects into it, with the reverse stealing mechanic
Omg you're amazing
Gunna plant NCR money on him and cheat lol
@@NeCoruption also for some reason when I tested it, only the ranger would came into the DLC, even tho the soldier also should come, but I might have just gotten unlucky
@@mytn4576 if I discover anything while doing this I'll try to come back here and let you know. Any idea if it works with the legion too?
@@NeCoruption I don't think the Legion has got any NCR radio like item, but im not sure as I tend to do NCR runs
I havent played that much with it yet, but I do plan on finishing Sierra Madre on my hardcore explosive build, but from what I played, the NCR ranger ran away from the Ghost people
My only huge complaint about Dead Money is that you can't come back to the villa after you leave back for the Mojave. Dean mentioned the areas/sewers under the town where the ghost people come from. I wanted to go there, dive deeper in that place.
Ssme here. It's actually my favorite dlc in the whole franchise and I love the challenge of it. Start in from scratch and making every bullet count. I just wish we could get back to in after we finish it.
I've often thought about a mod that adds the sewers underneath the Villa. Dark and scary, teeming with Ghost People and thick pockets of the Cloud.
It fits with the idea that you need to let it go. Nothing lasts forever. Nevertheless, it's a pity you can't come back whenever you feel like it. Although, it does give a good reason to start a new run altogether.
You gotta let go tho
play the fallout dust mod
When I first entered the Sierra Madre, I was annoyed at how punishing everything was, but when I returned to the Mojave, I found myself missing the emotion the harsh mechanics and atmosphere provided. Also I miss watching my head explode.
Play on hardcore your next time though.
What fuckin emotion? The anger at the shitty mechanics or general disgust toward every sentient being you converse with during your time there?
@@my9thaccount140 not very sentimental are you
@@my9thaccount140 such a baby
@@moonlightning8269 OK masochist
Challenging? This DLC was the only one that felt like a post apocaliptic world setting because you had to scavange everything from 0 and that really made you think about every move and bullet you waste. While in the wasteland you had everything available to you. The scarcity in dead money is just perfect. Plus the traps the enemies the radios its amazing. One of the best DLCs hands down
have you ever played the New Vegas Mod called Dust? I hope you have because it describes what you wish FONV was
Lonesome Road also felt post-apocaliptic, its atmosphere and world design was do good. The divide felt like destroyed Hellhole
Literally just trial and error, also, Fallout isn't post-apocalyptic, it's post-post-apocalyptic.
@@PolishGod1234 lonesome road shows us what the US would be after a nuclear apocalypse, ironically, more so then the base fallout game. just sheer destruction.
Strips you of everything you once had, gives you one of the best energy weapons in the game, and gives you about 40 or so stimpaks by around 30 minutes in lol
Dead Money is also my absolute favorite. The story, the themes, the characters, the atmosphere, the difficulty... It's all so fantastic.
@Furfox That's fine.
@Furfox I honestly like all the DLC's. Honest Hearts for the setting, Dead Money for it's story (and also the setting), Old World Blues for its absolute comedy (and again, the setting), and Lonesome Road also again for the story, and that The Courier has some past (not that i wanted, but I am someone who's able to work with pretty much anything, so that's fine with me), and also for the devastative setting. And also for the fact i can nuke thw NCR and The Legion lmao
No DLC has stuck with me like Dead Money did. I was totally unprepared for it and felt totally vulnerable with all my equipment gone. I also had never liked playing with companions and the thought that if they died I died was a shocker. I was also playing on hardcore on a dead is dead playthrough. It was my favorite experience in all my time in New Vegas. I only ever did it once. The experience was scarred on my mind. I miss Christine though. My favorite companion.
i love how theres still fallout nv analysis videos coming out over a decade after release the game is a masterpiece
haven't heard that sort of statement not ever
Also my favorite DLC. But Sinclair didn't lock Vera in. It was the security system. She actually never wanted to rob Sinclair on her own volution, but was blackmailed by Dean to do so. Ironically, telling Sinclair about the plot is what led him to his lone demise in the vault, trying to undo the traps. And to hers, dying alone in her suite. I AM NOT CRYING, I HAVE SAND IN MY EYES!
Yeah I’m surprised he missed that
I really did like this as while Sinclair did forgive her and give up on his revenge it was also let go of way too late same as Vera’s fear of being blackmailed and they both had already crossed the rubicon and couldn’t undo what was going to happen before they “self destructed” themselves
@@dpsdct7217 Such a tragic tale... It's writing genius!
Its pretty ironic that the message of "letting go", is being told in a heist-like story plot.
The game when I carry all the gold out inside father Elijah leg: but.. letting go! Mah message!
I played a melee/unarmed character when I first played through this, so basically all of the enemies were completely stomped for me. The characters in this DLC as well as the general vibe are very good, but as far as the environment, enemy variety, gameplay mechanics etc I honestly can't put this above any of the other DLCs.
The existing issues with Dead Money are made 100x worse on a hardcore character as well. Between the gas and the collar explosions, it basically turns the DLC into a completely painful experience
My friend told me the cloud was the worst part of the whole experience for always poisoning you. I started playing and thought, hey, this isn’t so bad. Just avoid the big red clouds, take risks for all the good loot, Dean even gives me a perk to avoid it.
Then I wondered where a chunk of my health was going and realized “oh my god it’s _ALWAYS_ poisoning you”.
@@Mecceldorf Yep lol, pure relentless agony from start to finish
Nothing really changes with hardcore on. The main probs are level scaled enemies + the ghost people having negative/infinite perception, making stealth near impossible. Also, christine being a mute just doesnt work, i dont even think it couldve work in f4 with how little is done animation wise there. The level scaling issue is 2nd only to owb imo tho, constantly getting ambushed by exploding 600-1k hp robo scorpions is just a nightmare late game
Nicely done!
DM is so hauntingly sad. Not being able to return is so heartbreaking. You are forced to realize you must live in the moment because tomorrow is impossible.
Later I found out that Veronica’s true love is destined to remain in that city of the dead for eternity amongst the ghost people.
Everyone hates it… but I really like Honest Hearts. I think it’s a refreshing step away from the trouble of the Mojave to help these people. It really makes me feel like Clark in a way, helping the tribes with their problems with the white legs.
Can't understand why most people would hate Honest Hearts. I can understand not liking Dead Money, since depending on your build it can be pretty annoying, but Honest Hearts? Joshua Graham would be perfectly capable of carrying the whole DLC on his back even if the rest of it sucked, and it doesn't.
@@NavarroRefugee While I think Honest Hearts’ story and characters are great, the gameplay and setting were pretty boring in my opinion.
@@NavarroRefugee I dislike Honest Hearts because the quests are boring and the DLC's setting does not really work for me - I love "classic" post-apocalypse with desolation and destruction (Lonesome Road's Great Divide is stunningly beautiful), whereas Honest Hearts is just some forest with red rocks which does not even look pretty. Yeah, Joshua Graham is awesome character, I like DLC's main conflict, endings and Survivalist’s story, but the DLC is just not fun to play.
@@NavarroRefugee That's the problem right there, Joshua Graham is the only good part of Honest Hearts. It could have been a lot better, but Obsidian had to cut like 70% of the content because of time, bugs or memory limitations.
I really like the setting and the quests in honest hearts. However, if enjoy it much more if there was more of a branching story structure. I recently played a legion character and the DLC was awkward narratively.
For people really struggling with it: Do the final DLC, Lonesome Road, first and kill the optional Deathclaw boss Rawr first. Loot the claw, but don't craft the weapon Fist of the North Rawr. Start Dead Money, for some reason the item won't get taken away, craft the weapon asap and you have a weapon that will carry you.
You can do it with Dogtag fists too
The reason being the game considers the Talon a quest item before crafting, quest items(such as the platinum crisp) can NOT be removed from your inventory forcefully unless there's a specific script to prompt it (such as Daddy Kaisar taking the chip temporarily upon entering the fort)
I don't think most people have an issue with fighting the ghosts.
My thinks the unkillable laser ghosts, toxic clouds, and radios are the issue most players have, well that and the traps.
honestly when you take out rawr you surely wont have a problem completing dead money anyway
Frankly I don’t know how that would help matters much, but good to know I guess. Better to have a plastic spork in a war zone over a plastic spoon I suppose.
Actually, man - and this is something I'm surprised not many people realized, not even Josh Sawyer - the Gold Bars are NOT the treasure of the SM. The Chips are.
Sure, the gold is pretty, and if you really want to get it, it's really easy even without exploits, you just take the implant GRX perk. But it actually has one of the worst Price to Weight ratios. And it's much too expensive for most merchants to buy anyway.
The chips are weightless, and plentiful, and they can buy pretty much everything you need: stims, chems, ammo... You break the bank at the SM and you'll never have shortages of anything anymore.
For gold bars, usually i just store them at the bunker until i decide to start Lonesome road, after clearing out the silo i use the comissary to sell my gold bars, You can sell two of them before the machine runs out, plus caps regenerate if you open and close the comissary two times
One thing about dead money that thought of around a year ago was where the hell did all of the damn bear traps come from? It's a casino not a hunting lodge, the villa, where most of the bear traps are found was still under construction before the war, but I'm sure that bear traps weren't required for the job. I could understand every other trap, Mines, shotguns,tripwires, etc. But bear traps, it just doesn't make sense.
Yeah the bear traps are a little strange. I like to think because the Sierra Madre is located up in the mountains near the Grand Canyon, maybe Sinclair bought lots of bear traps because he intended to protect the residents from wandering bears. He was paranoid about everything, so it could make sense.
Sinclair was a visionary! He thought ahead for decades, and I never saw a SINGLE YaoGuai during my time at the Sierra Madre!😯😌
Weren't the bear traps set by people from the post war not pre war? They could've brought them from the Mojave
That's assuming that they ARE bear-traps in the Fallout universe. They may just be generic traps for catching any large vermin wandering around the desert.
Isn't there a plot-point that the "vending machines" are actually more like, star trek replicators/automatic workbenches, able to create almost anything if it can be set up to.
The letting go part inspired modders to create hardcore yet so interesting mod "dust" For new Vegas. I would like to hear your opinion on it since it's everything dead money yet ampt up really high (kinda disagree with mod creator on removing quests altogether, but it's his vision of the mod and it's depressing, challenging, nerve wracking but also rewarding, which dead money dlc is)
Quests were removed because of the time skip. As for why new ones weren't made - probably too much effort.
DUST starts strong but quickly falls flat on it's face when you realize there is no nuance or strategy and every challenge just boils down to overwhelming the player with waves of enemies.
Yeah no, it's basically just Fallout 76 on launch day, solo, set in New Vegas.
It looks like fun at first but wears itself thin in two minutes.
I hate to say this but it’s basically a Metal Gear Survive mode built on the Fallout engine. That’s not a knock, but how else would you describe it? You get what you check a box for on the mod manager.
It's funny because I actually love Dead Money for the exact reason why people hate it. Strip away my gear and leave me with only my stats? Amazing! The game environment because of how it's designed makes it that I'm constantly scavenging for resources to survive to the point where cans that I'd pass up in the main game is treasure to me as it's an ingredient used in healing items. I can see why it's divisive but imo it does something more than just "more New Vegas" which imo is what Honest Hearts and Old World Blues is (even though I love Old World Blues) whilst still being New Vegas.
Him:"it's almost like you're starting a brand new game"
Me who immediately went there at the beginning of the game
Dead Money is the only DLC that actually brought tears to my eyes. When Dog and God are reunited at the end, when he says “I’m wounded,” it somehow broke me. It was incredibly powerful
One of the best rewards of this dlc imo is Elijahs holotape. You can use it to increase veronicas attack speed 150% or your own critical damage 50% if you decide not to give it to her. The relationship between Veronica and Elijah with all the dialogue options of hers is a really nice touch
This caused me to remember that any time I started a new game I had this love-hate thing about dead money. I always looked forward to go there, but I also was always scared shitless, as I normally don't like any types of horror whatsoever. But dead money definitely sells itself with this atmosphere and the way it brings something new. And now looking back I think I could say it was the absolute worst, but at the same time my absolute favourite because it is the most memorable of all.
I played the entire game and DLC before looking into the discourse around them
Dead money was my favorite for the characters and story/arcs
I loved the challenge of getting all the gold out of the vault and esp locking Elijah in too
It also brought back my good memories playing Bioshock 1 and 2
"we have Bioshock 2 at home"
Cool beginning to your video. I never liked starting out with ZERO, yet your info has given me much to consider. Your videos have added new interest to my gaming approach. Good content and my interest with this game has been elevated. Thanks for the info! By the way, I really like your videos.
If you played it, what did you think of Operation Anchorage? A similar thing happens. It takes away your gear and gives you a new package to start with
Honest Hearts was always my least favorite DLC, followed by Dead Money, Lonesome Road, and then Old World Blues. However, after watching this and thinking about them all some more, Dead Money might become my second favorite after Old World Blues.
1
I really enjoyed this style of video. Never played Dead Money, but I think you have convinced me to give it a try.
I'd sincerely advise against that for your own sanity. The story is lackluster and you can find the whole thing on youtube without the physical and mental anguish of having to sit through this mess of a DLC. If the crappy mechanics was the only problem I'd say go ahead by all means since NV isn't exactly known for it's next gen gunplay, but even with mods to patch out bugs it's horribly optimized, crashes often, physics bugs out the wazoo, unfair hazard placement(you quite literally have to do dark souls style die-to-learn shit with the radios and speakers, except Dark Souls actually gives you a fighting chance). The only real reason you'd play this DLC isn't even the loot or the story but so that you can give closure to Veronica about Elijah and get a neat perk for her in return. On the other hand because NV was horribly underdeveloped you can't also tell her that her lover is still voluntarily residing within the madre villa even though that would seem just as if not more important to her than figuring out what happened to her grandpa she presumed dead already.
@@GameBang666 I loved the experience and I think it's one of the greatest things in New Vegas
Dead Money is what Fallout is meant to feel like: strategy & skill ingenuity to overcome hazardous & environments stacked against you.
You weapon & armour condition is so goddamn precious and stimpacks & ammo are the most valuable items in the world, you will replay the same scenario over & over with different tactics to succeed with as few losses as possible, you will question if wearing out your strong weapon is worth saving a stimpack.
Dead Money was awesome, but it was very unpolished, even by New Vegas standards.
The bomb collar was so damn annoying and finicky, the radios that set it off had terrible hit boxes and where hidden behind trash.
The villa map was disorienting (in a bad way), very samey design and a pain to traverse
Other than that and some other hickups, the story was awesome, the survival elements are really cool and refreshing and the setting is awesome
Making a brand new character & going into this DLC on hardcore when it came out was *hellish*. I love it so much for that awful, awful experience
You're the ancestor of Sunny Smiles
Dead money is honestly my favorite for all the reasons ppl dislike about it. The main theme is honesty applicable to everyone and it's nothing short of amazing with how they portrayed this
This is absolutely no doubt my favourite dlc in the fallout franchise, and I actually wanted to share an anecdote once when I was playing it alone at night while it was raining a lot outside. I was underpowered in that moment, on my way to get the revolver and a ghost I hadn't seen jumped in front of me just as the power went off in my house. It scared the crap out of me. The dark and scary atmosphere of this dlc is what I really like, and how you need to think about everything you do, as it has consequences.
I left my Heart in the Sierra Madre ❤️
I'm definitely playing this again I always come back to new Vegas it's so addicting fr I started on 360 never new how great It could really be
I remember the first time I started Dead Money it was the morning before I had testing in 10th grade, and while I was taking my test, I could only think about the ghost people. It's a very vivid memory for me lmao
I’d love to see more of these this is really well thought out and well spoken
FNV was my first open world RPG and so Dead Money was my first experience with this type of content and oh boy.... I was terrified! I was so stressed out the whole time but I love the concept of abandoned places that seems as people just up and left and thr lore behind the ghost people, ugh, so amazing. This is my favorite DLC by far. I've gone on to play 4, 3 and started the first one last week and I can claim it is still my favorite part of any game. The atmosphere, the music, the colors, the lore, the mechanics, just amazing. Can't say how much I love Dead Money enough. My fiance even got me a "Left my heart at the Sierra Madre" shirt for my birthday this year lol
Dead Money is fucking amazing, as long as you experience it through a RUclips video. Like this one
I haven't had an issue with this dlc besides the final area and making sure Dean is on my side. I have beat it twice on very hard, so I don't know if everyone is having issues with hardcore.
I absolutely love the fact it strips you bare, it allows you to see which play style and weapons you now should run with.
Same I never really had much trouble with it no matter what character I was playing. Only wish I could go back every once in awhile just for the lols.
I don’t wanna let go. I wanna return to the sierra madre after beating it and just explore places i’ve missed 😂
This is the reason why I also love Missing Link DLC in Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Director's Cut), because it forces you to rethink your character, but also at the same time, allows you to adjust your playstyle to what really suits you. You will by then know which augmentations and weapons really suit your style, and you and you can then focus on what works for you.
Honestly my favorite fallout DLC immersion-wise. The soundtrack & general atmosphere is amazing. Sure the other DLCs were prettier, funnier, or meant more to the story, but I still remember waking for the first time in that courtyard thinking "oh...... sh*t". All my fallout friends hate it, and to be honest, I can see how some see it as a chore. But to finally get back to the mojave after the first time finishing it felt so freeing, like you had actually just gone through some major sh*t. Something you'd want to run straight to your favorite NPC to tell about, I remember immediately running back to freeside just to feel safe. Also I was quite the fan of saw movies as an edgy kid/teen when this dlc came out, so trapping Elijah in the vault for eternity was super satisfying.
I've always thought to myself that Dead Money was one the horror game I've ever played, and it's a DLC. A DLC is so entertaining that it could've been it's own thing and I would've still bought it, imagine a Fallout as a horror survival
Part of me kinda wishes that you lost your items in the other dlcs, I know it's far more fitting for the story of the sierra madre, but there's something so satisfying of having to scavenge entirely new areas.... except maybe lonesome road, that'd be rough.
I agree, after watching the video it is definitely a top tier DLC. I also love the secret ending you can get in Dead Money!
Having gone through the DLC for the first time recently, this video is completely spot on.
Dead Money is in my opinion is the Fallout equivalent of Star Wars - The Last Jedi. It takes the concept of what Fallout is and strips it back to turn it on its head but still give us something that’s an honest representation of what Fallout is. Strong themes and highly controversial.
When I was 12 I hated this dlc now I'm 25 and it's my all time favorite. I come here right away on a new play through. It's doable but tough between 1-5
I was thinking of making this exact video for my channel, but I think you made it better than I ever could! Great job! I’ve always defended dead money and it’s always been my favorite dlc!
Dead Money has always been my personal favorite DLC of this game, I never understood why it got hated on soooo much, glad to see DM getting the love it deserves
It’s hated because it’s a boring, annoying, unpleasant, unfun, shit tier Bioshock clone with a message that’s delivered with all the grace of a Chris Chan comic and all the emotional/intellectual depth of a kiddie pool.
I played the game as a diplomat in hardcore hard
speech, barter, science, repair, lockpick, survival 100
my only offensive skill was guns at 100, everything else I ignored.
So when the game took all my items and gave me a filthy energy weapon and bullet spongy enemies that eat frag mines
I knew I was not going to have fun
I personally don't know if I'd call Dead Money the best DLC, but I'd definitely not call it a bad one by any means, it's truly legendary in how it forces you to actually feel everything from a point of absolutely nothing, making you appreciate every little scrap you get, every little reprieve of "exploit" you can take. It's not a "roll in with big guns, one shot everything, take all the loot" over and done, but an actual full experience that you'll remember every minute of.
love DEAD MONEY
the only """bad""" thing about it is that you have to finish it to leave..
I love this game so much, because as I go through life I find new appreciation for each DLC.
First it was the little kid inside me that loved Lonesome Road and thought it was the best.
Then as I started to appreciate the narrative more, Dead Money became my favorite, because it was time to let go of certain things in life.
Then later I loved the goofiness of Old World Blues as my humor adapted to the sheer silliness of the current century.
And now I'm a lost adult, finding some solace in the words of Joshua Graham from Honest Hearts.
New Vegas has been there for every piece of me throughout the years and that's why it's my favorite game of all time.
While dead money is hard, I still enjoyed it. That being said Old world blues will still always be my favorite. I love the humor, the campy B movie sci-fi aspects to it and it's also not exactly a walk in the park. For me dead money comes in second.
I literally just did a Run on Dead Money from a LVL 1 Courier Hardcore mode (on Hard too), Finished that run a couple days ago.
How cool that you release a video on it, Honestly such a fun challenge!
Amazing video and I agree with you on dead money
The radio message you get from the assassin at the end when you return gets me everytime I hear it.
When I first played the DLCs my list was 1.Old world blues
2.Lonesome road
3.Dead Money
4.Honest Hearts
But now after like 200+ playthroughs
1.Old world Blues
2.Dead Money
3.Honest hearts
4.Lonesome road
For me lonesome road just lost more and more charm as time it went on, the reason why it was so good at first was all the build up and anticipation. Meanwhile Old world blues and dead money had both the challenge and the story/setting done absolutely great.
This. Lonesome Road was the culmination of a lot of things, but after you beat it a few times, it feels much more tacked on. The linear gameplay makes each combat scenario a but of slog, the weapons and armor are pretty unnecessary since you already have good shit from the rest of the game by the time most people start it, and nuking the other sides at the end doesn't really effect the end game.
I think the thing I love so far starting this dlc is that it reminds me and gives me so many OG bioshock vibes.
Excellent video, I remember hating this DLC at first but then ending up loving it xD
(old world blues will always be number 1 though)
Saw another commentor say this, and I wanted to re-iterate for maximum chances of it being seen as I like the idea. A video on Fallout: Dust was their idea, it's a game changing mod for FNV that makes it infinately more challenging with a lot more emphasis on planning, survival, and sneaking, with even more unique things put in and tons of lore all over.
It's rough, especially first time, but man can it feel great taking out a group of enemies with a good plan, rather than blasting them to bits easily in vanilla.
It's bad, just came to say that. I adore the premise, being stripped of all high end gear and plunged into a cloudy red hell with assorted dangers and lore intrigue. Until I actually played it and realized the experience wasn't difficult because it was well designed but because it was horribly designed. The map is same-y and hard to navigate, the ghost people are too tough!... unless you as a low strength courier with no melee skill crumple them up like a used napkin, the holograms are just an annoyance, and the radio placement literally requires you to die before you can determine where they are as the game intends most of the time. Not to mention that one wonky bit of Bethesda physics can send you careening down into at best fall damage and at worst a pocket of the cloud. Oh that's not even the worst part of this DLC, it's the damn story, Dean is legit just a character forcefully shoehorned into it for the sake of having another heist memeber, Dog/God isn't any more or less interesting than other mentally ill mutants, Christine's dialogue prior to gaining Vera's voice is PAINFUL to click through, and Elijah's motivation for being at the Madre to begin with is shoddy at best.
It sounds like you didn’t understand the story at all if you’re criticizing why Dean was part of the heist.
“No, it’s not me.. it’s everybody else 🤓”
My favourite part of dead money was when I gambled until I was banned and then I bought 400 stinpacks
Dead Money has always been my favorite. My senior quote in my high school year book is a quote from Vera Keyes about letting go.
Just played it for the first time tongiht, and I’ll be the first to admit I was pleasantly surprised with how scary and fun it was to have to actually think and be careful with what I did, only issue I’m having is that I found the ghoul (he was the last one) but now he isn’t coming to the fountain and I’ve already moved onto the next stage where to take them to their individual place, not sure if that’s going to be a problem, I have no idea where the ghoul guy is or went after I talked to him😅
Never played "dead money" but it makes sense how it sets you up for the reat of the game no matter when you start it.
Dead money is the first DLC that I played that makes it feel a different from the usual thing to do in game.
The story, tone, and gameplay have made this my favorite dlc, but I revoke that when I’m in the vault trying to run up a flight of statues and down a path to reach a terminal that if I don’t reach in time will kill me (in which the collar always explodes right before I’m able to activate the terminal)
I agree with this video. I have done around 5 or 6 full 0 to 50 playthroughs of this game and now I do Dead money ASAP instead of leaving the struggle for last. The slow health drain outside, the lack of supplies, the greed of the player. I had moments where I had no food to eat and I scavenged instead of buying stuff because I wanted to save the chips. Its all amazing. Its meta, cringy as it is to say it.
One criticism I have is that it actually isn't that scary of a DLC in terms of combat for an unarmed build. The last playthrough I had I steamrolled every ghost with the bear trap fist ( and the deathclaw gauntlet :) ) because unarmed is so suited for that DLC. But any other build really gets that authentic experience. None of the weapons, even the holorifle before getting the mods and OC or MAX MF cells, are super powerful when you need them to be. One ghost took all of my AP on VATS so if there are multiple you really aren't safe. Combine that with all of the times I ran into traps during combat and you really feel what dead money was aiming for.
Its the best DLC IMO. Lonesome road second because I like Ulyssies and OWB and HH
its even more fun on hardcore mode as when you are outside the cloud slowly eats away your health so adventuring is a health hazard and makes the game way more challenging, my advice before entering is drink a bunch of atomic cocktails so you wont have to sleep because you wont get a chance to do so once you get there, also there is one pack of fixer near the end of the game so addiction is common in my playthroughs because of hydra being so useful, its my favourite dlc by far and hardcore changes your play style for the better
Honestly ive never had a problem with sleep deprivation in dead money, Maybe its because i ran away from an army of ghost people for half the dlc.
As a default sneak character creator, this DLC was hard but fun. It gave the best and most unique energy sniper in the game, I love the Holorifle.
Counterpoint: Speakers
I came somewhat late to the New Vegas party. I had it on PS3 but was too young to really enjoy the game, and as such only did one play through. As cringe as it sounds I considered it inferior to fallout 3 at the time. Then I got back into it as an adult and loved it. I got all the DLCs, and honestly, I disliked all of them, save for dead money. I considered lonesome road and old war blues to be stuffed with boring dialogue. And aside from the survivalist I also considered honest hearts to be somewhat boring and short. But dead money entranced me. Its theme of letting go of the past resonated with me, and I loved its creepy atmosphere and difficulty. Fallout New Vegas is a masterpiece, and Dead Money is the perfect DLC for such a great game. It’s surprising to hear it’s considered the weakest of all the DLCs for this game, because from the moment I played it it was my favorite. Thanks for explaining concisely why it really is just so great.
It isn't fun if you spent twelve hours building a gun based character and suddenly you have no guns or bullets and you just die constantly trying to fight smoke zombies and holograms with a cosmic knife.
Its not that it can't be rewarding. Its simply that its so punishing for most on their first attempt that they never bother to give it a second chance.
I still don't really enjoy it unless I play a melee build. It just doesn't lend well to the sneak and shoot playstyle most fallout players adopt.
Maybe you tried it at too low a level. I remember it also being punishing but I found it kind of refreshing when compared to how easy new Vegas itself could be.
Nice content mate, high quality and well produced - keep it up!
I think the problem with Dead Money is that it discouraged many things that people love about RPG's. The more you explore, the more health you lose to the cloud. Oh you spent a game building a powerful character with guns skill and awesome weapons. You get none of them. Oh you want to talk to NPC's? They are all hostile to you. Want to go and do anything you want? Elijah, the cloud, the collars, and virtually everything in game is preventing you. Granted it was defiantly meant to be that way. It just irks a lot of people, like me, who like the freedom to do whatever we want while feeling badass.
I played all dlc's in Fallout NV and out of all of them this one stuck with me the longest, the mystery, the companions, how this eerie feeling that everything is haunted creeps on you. Just a fun time!!
Not having my gear or being able to come back places this one at the bottom, for me, but I still love it
I snuck out with all the gold. On Xbox 360.
Nice same
I feel like correcting one aspect. Sinclair actually didn’t trap Vera in the room, and we can see from the message he left her on the vault terminal that he intended it to protect her in case of the nukes, and provided her with ways of survival. The fact that the elevator in her room leads to the vault also proves this. She just didn’t know that it was her voice that activated it, and was trapped (likely from the stress of her being addicted to chems, Dean abusing and blackmailing her, and the possibility that she may have grown feelings for Sinclair). Just a little correction I felt like adding. Great video overall dude, hope you keep it up.
I played NV for the first time after watching Badger’s video on it. Dead Money was #1 dlc on completing the game. All the aspects gone over in the video is spot on in why I lived it so much. The moment that always calls back to me is when Christine has to access a terminal or something to keep power on, and her gratitude of not forcing her into an elevator to access her part of the plan. The option to take her hand as an act of trust between the Courier and her, and thinking on the ending the dlc, the comforting melancholy that the relationships built with her and the others ended on your final encounter with each of them, one way or another.
Ironically I despise the Old World Blues dlc for similar reasons the video says people didn’t like DM. Using ammo based weapons against the robot enemies and basically doing no damage was so annoying. I felt like both DM and OWB both can potentially postemptively punish players who don’t specialize a certain build or equipment. Except DM does it well, taking things away and making you adapt with what you have, where OWB lets you keep everything you own, but can make it all useless and have you feel helpless. Add that to less impact in story and dull side quests instead of a tight focused story DM came out on top
personally, i ABSOLUTELY LOVE Dead Money! its my favorite DLC for new vegas. i would play it again and again. the story is good
Dead Money literally changed how I played New Vegas afterwards along with other Fallout games afterwards. Before, I never gave melee weapons much of a chance. Dead Money forced me to use melee and to value the rarity of ammunition. Even after I got out and ammo became commonplace once again, I never fully let go of the discipline Dead Money instilled.
I'd have to add that at the time many people were still running vats heavy stealthy gun builds so being thrown into the Sierra Madre without your gear totally destroyed their builds making it extremely difficult to beat the dlc.
Doesnt the holo rifle still work with vats sniping and stealth?
@@davidburnett5049 yeah it did.
@@davidburnett5049 I remember running out of ammo for it mad early into the DLC
Dead money is truly a difficult place but it is really fun I like going into dead money at level 7
The first time u play dead money it really hits u hard but the 2 or 4 time u really have fun
Fallout new vegas DLC is top of the line everyone of them is completely different and challenging in there own ways.
I think Dead Money would have made more sense as the last or 2nd to last DLC since it finalized Elijah's story line. Like how Lonesome road finalized Ulysses' story. I think it would make sense to release something like Honest Hearts > Old world Blues > Lonesome Road/Dead Money
i always loved dead moneys story
I definitely feel you with the vending machine reward being too great, considering I left with 4000 chips, and about 10,000 pre-war cash from converted chips.
This was after I had accidentally bought 100 Med-X in the Villa.
Even this DLC on Hardcore was like a 6-8 hour run through. Had a blast through all of it though!
The context for DLC back then is certainly different years down the road. Now, with New Vegas as beloved as it is, new players can just get the ultimate edition for a reduced price. Back then, they only had vanilla New Vegas, had to pay extra for Dead Money alone, and weren’t entirely sure what to expect. They were locked into a difficult heist campaign with no way back, and probably wouldn’t get much use out of the rewards for completing Dead Money. They wouldn’t get to return, or bring the companions, and would probably already have most of the main campaign done. Today Dead Money is admired more as an optional side mode, a self contained story with its own flavor of challenge and narrative alongside the other distinct DLC’s that practically come with the game now.
I can agree with a lot of the points raised here, and the video was very well crafted. Dead Money has grown on me for sure, though with Hardcore enabled it can definitely be a very challenging slog if you make too many mistakes
The performance for the English VA of Elijah is one of my all-time favourites in video games. Incredible stuff and his solo narration of the game's final ending slide provided at least one companion dies is one of two massive reasons to always kill Dean Domino.
My wife enjoys this DLC more than I do, since there ARE times I get, ah...aggravated. But with that said, it's still also to me the best DLC, possibly for any game ever and certainly for the modern Fallouts. (Honest Hearts is close behind but it just...didn't have enough time to cook; Lonesome Road is absolutely excellent but it doesn't have as much 'punch' in narrative and gameplay; Old World Blues is actually last in New Vegas despite how great Muggy is; and none of the F3/4 DLCs match up.)
I can understand why people hate it, but I really, really loved the Dead Money DLC. It reminded me of Project Overlord and Leviathan from the Mass Effect games; it took your certified badass of a main character and thrust him into a strange, unknown setting that made them feel truly vulnerable. A small touch of survival horror to give you that "small fish in a big pond" feeling here and there is a great thing for action RPG type games, even if it loses a lot of the impact after one playthough.
I felt very strongly for Christine and god and after leaving i felt bitter sweet saying good bye to them all. It's was sweet to finally leave and get my armour and Mojave friends back but i liked those characters and it is so bitter sweet you can't see them again yet they think of you during the course of the other dlcs
By the end of the DLC I had fallen in love with it. Admittedly, I was frustrated when I first started the DLC. However, by the time I got to the Sierra Madre, I was more than equipped and knowledgeable about what the game expected out of me. Did I misstep a few times a die? Sure. But I never felt cheated. The story was seriously one of the best second only to the Survivor’s story line in Honest Hearts. Whenever I recommend FO:NV to anyone, this DLC immediately comes to mind along with Vera’s hauntingly beautiful song.
Dead Money is the only DLC that I will specifically prepare a character for. I will do Lonesome Road first, because I want the Fist of Rawr for Dead Money, for example.
Honestly all of the dlcs are some of the best dlcs ive experianced in gaming. All four campaigns are connected and all have fantastically written characters. Dead money in my opinion is the most challenging dlc in a good way. Ive beated dead money many times with many builds. I actually love how you can cannot come back to the Madre unlike the other dlcs where you can return to the divide or BM you cant come back to the Sierra Madre. Once you go through those doors you let go. Youve let go of the Sierra Madre and you must move forward. You can listen to Father Elijah's final words using the radio on your pip boy and you can hear Elijah slowly sufficating refusing to Let Go Elijah slowly fades away and dies. You can even give Elijah's holotape for Veronica and Veronica also learns to let go She lets go of Elijah as a past memory. Even years now its still amazing how fallout new vegas is still getting talked and praised.
I actually played this dlc the other day and I honestly began to play the whole game differently because of it for the better . (Hardcore ups the difficulty significantly)
Letting go of those companions was hard as hell. I had mad love for them.
I'm glad someone else feels the same. It was my favorite DLC for a while. Now it's Old World Blues, but I'd say Dead Money is second.