after finally engaging with all the extra stuff in this I actually do think I just prefer the base game as-is, warts and all. these additions tend to stick out like a sore thumb and either feel completely superfluous (I never once felt the need to use alternate ammo during my entire hardcore playthrough) or just kind of annoying. After going through all the dlcs, too, I can safely say you arent really missing anything if you just mod all this chaff out and move on with your life, maybe now i can Finally move on with Mine...

feels more like an ambitious fan project than something actually cohesive honestly. the idea of Enshrining the Capital C Courier as some like Motive Force of Civilization just kind of feels like something out of a video essayist's and/or fanfic writer's google doc draft. anyway while the story is corny, the gameplay itself isnt really helping since it cannot stop jingling its keys at you at every opportunity to make sure youre Not Getting Bored. hard to have a long introspective "lonesome" walk to think on my status as an apparent Great Man of History when theres something i have to blow up every 10 fuckin feet

absolutely the high water mark for the dlcs when it comes to atmosphere and actually feeling like something that connects to the main story. Neat premise that is executed well for the Most part (stealth and platforming sections are just never going to play nicely in this engine). the classic move where they take away all your items actually clicked for me here too, IMO these games are strongest around the beginning where you really have to put everything you scrounge up to use, and that feeling of scarcity really sells the tension in this, especially with the constant health loss in hardcore mode. as with all of these it's a bit rough around the edges, but this is the only one that has a strong enough direction to see it through.

absolutely the high water mark for the dlcs when it comes to atmosphere and actually feeling like something that connects to the main story. Neat premise that is executed well for the Most part (stealth and platforming sections are just never going to play nicely in this engine). the classic move where they take away all your items actually clicked for me here too, IMO these games are strongest around the beginning where you really have to put everything you scrounge up to use, and that feeling of scarcity really sells the tension in this, especially with the constant health loss in hardcore mode. as with all of these it's a bit rough around the edges, but this is the only one that has a strong enough direction to see it through.