MYSTERD'S VERDICT:
EXTREMELY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

REASON FOR THE VERDICT:
Implementing back in the real choices & decision-making elements FO series are known for (good, evil, neutral & special choices per quest), while still retaining the major improvements found in FO4 base-game (i.e. combat/shooting mechanics & the equipment/settlement building/upgrading).

INTRO:
Let's face it: FO4 possibly disappointed a lot of the long-term FO-fans/players w/ its lack of real choices (especially on side quests), who have played numerous FO-games before. This really put people who have never played FO game & picked up FO4 (base-game) at an advantage, as they have no previous FO games to really compare FO4 to. Though, as someone who plays lots of shooters, ARPG, ARPG/shooter hybrids, and also other games - I still could appreciate FO4 with the improvements in combat.

Long-term Fallout franchise fans finally can rejoice, as this Far Harbor DLC implements back in the main thing FO4 was lacking: real decision-making choices per quest (good, evil, neutral, gray & special choices per quest), no matter if the quests are either main quests and/or side quests. Over the 15-20 hours of likely gameplay the player will get out of this DLC, there's no doubt in my mind: this is what Fallout fans are looking for, expanding on the excellent foundation Fallout 4 already brought to the table instead of just bringing only more of Fallout 4 ARPG/shooting stuff to the table.

EXPANDING...WITH PERSONALITY:
If you look at a lot of Bethesda's base-games in their franchises (i.e. see Oblivion & Skyrim), a lot of them suffer from being so big that many parts can feel generic and/or lacking personality. A lot of their expansions/DLC's - i.e. see Morrowind's Tribunal & Bloodmoon; Fallout 3's Point Lookout & The Pitt DLC's; Oblivion's expansion Shivering Isles both of Skyrim's major content DLC's of Dawnguard & Dragonborn, for perfect examples of this - offer up much smaller areas with more interesting quests & decision-making opportunities; and/or areas & characters w/ more personality...which remedies a lot of those problems w/ their base-games. There's great news here: Far Harbor is no different, in that regard.

Like FO4's base-game (where you're looking for your son all over Boston), you're again...looking for someone. Taking place in Far Harbor, which is their own version of Bar Harbor, Maine - you're off to find a missing girl for their parents. You don't know if she was kidnapped, left on her own volition, or what; it's up to you to figure that out and then decide what to do w/ your findings (when the time comes). That is honestly...just the start of things here & the tip of the iceberg here, as that one personal story leads into a much more epic storyline & set-up, slowly but surely.

A lot of characters here are often flawed, interesting, have worthwhile back-stories, and even often offer up shades of gray - which can make it tough at times to make decisions on who to side with (if you decide to side with anyone). B/c of this DLC feeling smaller & much more personal in many instances, you will likely care about characters & their quests here. And even some factions here like DIMA's faction and the Children Of Atom, are very interesting factions b/c they often have their own issues, flaws, and strengths. You're often not just dealing with good and evil here, as you also will deal with shades of gray - which makes for a more interesting experience here.

With the whole fisherman area/settlement; small quaint town; some horror & monster elements (and lore); and other vibes this DLC gives off - this gives us a lot more personality than you'd normally find in Bethesda's often big base-games. It also feels like this entire DLC was very much hand-crafted to each inch, as there a quests everywhere...often with real choices. NPC's and characters often have their own back-story, quests, and personality. It really feels like this FH DLC here is to Fallout 4 what Point Lookout was to Fallout 3.

OLD LONGFELLOW:
One (possible) companion & important character in particular, is named Old Longfellow. Once you meet-up with him, you will see he is a perfect embodiment of most of this DLC: he is absolutely brimming with personality & humor. Like having Serana from Skyrim's Dawnguard DLC be the stand-out companion, Fallout 4's Far Harbor has Old Longfellow. Old Longfellow always seems to banter & comment about specific quests within this DLC; in specific areas in the game; if your player takes certain actions; and even in important dialogues with important dialogues in the game - which makes it feel like it's necessary to take him with you throughout the Far Harbor experience on at least on entire play-through of this DLC.

OUTRO:
Sure, there's more of the Fallout 4 combat, mechanics, Minecraft style settlement-building (if you want to use it) here. Sure, there's more and new weapons (like the cool Harpoon Gun), armor, and whatnot here - which is awesome. But, honestly, it's the return of the decision-making & obvious that different permutations (b/c there are a few different important stories & sub-stories that matter here) can result from your decisions, make this experience even more so worthwhile. An already great ARPG/shooter hybrid (Fallout 4 base-game) gets to be even greater b/c it brings back the decision-making FO series is known for here with Far Harbor DLC.

By bringing back the decision-making FO series is known for and by retaining the already improved combat formula FO4 provided (ARPG/shooter hybrid), Far Harbor excels in delivering an unforgettable FO4 DLC. This feels like a more complete FO4 experience with Far Harbor here, which gamers are likely looking for. With at least around 15-20 hours worth of content here for most gamers - well, I spent a little over 20 hours and have not done everything here in this DLC - this is an excellent DLC that delivers the FO4 experience here...but with much more personality, story, character, and decision-making.

If you liked or loved Fallout 4 (base-game), get this DLC. If you were disappointed on Fallout 4 (base-game) b/c of its lack of choices, this DLC turns that around: get this DLC.

Simply put: Far Harbor DLC embodies everything that a Fallout gaming experience should be about.

[b]MYSTERD'S VERDICT:[/b] EXTREMELY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. [b]REASON FOR THE VERDICT:[/b] Implementing back in the real choices & decision-making elements FO series are known for (good, evil, neutral & special choices per quest), while still retaining the major improvements found in FO4 base-game (i.e. combat/shooting mechanics & the equipment/settlement building/upgrading). [b]INTRO:[/b] Let's face it: FO4 possibly disappointed a lot of the long-term FO-fans/players w/ its lack of real choices (especially on side quests), who have played numerous FO-games before. This really put people who have never played FO game & picked up FO4 (base-game) at an advantage, as they have no previous FO games to really compare FO4 to. Though, as someone who plays lots of shooters, ARPG, ARPG/shooter hybrids, and also other games - I still could appreciate FO4 with the improvements in combat. Long-term Fallout franchise fans finally can rejoice, as this Far Harbor DLC implements back in the main thing FO4 was lacking: real decision-making choices per quest (good, evil, neutral, gray & special choices per quest), no matter if the quests are either main quests and/or side quests. Over the 15-20 hours of likely gameplay the player will get out of this DLC, there's no doubt in my mind: this is what Fallout fans are looking for, expanding on the excellent foundation Fallout 4 already brought to the table instead of just bringing only more of Fallout 4 ARPG/shooting stuff to the table. [b]EXPANDING...WITH PERSONALITY:[/b] If you look at a lot of Bethesda's base-games in their franchises (i.e. see Oblivion & Skyrim), a lot of them suffer from being so big that many parts can feel generic and/or lacking personality. A lot of their expansions/DLC's - i.e. see Morrowind's Tribunal & Bloodmoon; Fallout 3's Point Lookout & The Pitt DLC's; Oblivion's expansion Shivering Isles both of Skyrim's major content DLC's of Dawnguard & Dragonborn, for perfect examples of this - offer up much smaller areas with more interesting quests & decision-making opportunities; and/or areas & characters w/ more personality...which remedies a lot of those problems w/ their base-games. There's great news here: Far Harbor is no different, in that regard. Like FO4's base-game (where you're looking for your son all over Boston), you're again...looking for someone. Taking place in Far Harbor, which is their own version of Bar Harbor, Maine - you're off to find a missing girl for their parents. You don't know if she was kidnapped, left on her own volition, or what; it's up to you to figure that out and then decide what to do w/ your findings (when the time comes). That is honestly...just the start of things here & the tip of the iceberg here, as that one personal story leads into a much more epic storyline & set-up, slowly but surely. A lot of characters here are often flawed, interesting, have worthwhile back-stories, and even often offer up shades of gray - which can make it tough at times to make decisions on who to side with (if you decide to side with anyone). B/c of this DLC feeling smaller & much more personal in many instances, you will likely care about characters & their quests here. And even some factions here like DIMA's faction and the Children Of Atom, are very interesting factions b/c they often have their own issues, flaws, and strengths. You're often not just dealing with good and evil here, as you also will deal with shades of gray - which makes for a more interesting experience here. With the whole fisherman area/settlement; small quaint town; some horror & monster elements (and lore); and other vibes this DLC gives off - this gives us a lot more personality than you'd normally find in Bethesda's often big base-games. It also feels like this entire DLC was very much hand-crafted to each inch, as there a quests everywhere...often with real choices. NPC's and characters often have their own back-story, quests, and personality. It really feels like this FH DLC here is to Fallout 4 what Point Lookout was to Fallout 3. [b]OLD LONGFELLOW[/b]: One (possible) companion & important character in particular, is named Old Longfellow. Once you meet-up with him, you will see he is a perfect embodiment of most of this DLC: he is absolutely brimming with personality & humor. Like having Serana from Skyrim's Dawnguard DLC be the stand-out companion, Fallout 4's Far Harbor has Old Longfellow. Old Longfellow always seems to banter & comment about specific quests within this DLC; in specific areas in the game; if your player takes certain actions; and even in important dialogues with important dialogues in the game - which makes it feel like it's necessary to take him with you throughout the Far Harbor experience on at least on entire play-through of this DLC. [b]OUTRO:[/b] Sure, there's more of the Fallout 4 combat, mechanics, Minecraft style settlement-building (if you want to use it) here. Sure, there's more and new weapons (like the cool Harpoon Gun), armor, and whatnot here - which is awesome. But, honestly, it's the return of the decision-making & obvious that different permutations (b/c there are a few different important stories & sub-stories that matter here) can result from your decisions, make this experience even more so worthwhile. An already great ARPG/shooter hybrid (Fallout 4 base-game) gets to be even greater b/c it brings back the decision-making FO series is known for here with Far Harbor DLC. By bringing back the decision-making FO series is known for and by retaining the already improved combat formula FO4 provided (ARPG/shooter hybrid), Far Harbor excels in delivering an unforgettable FO4 DLC. This feels like a more complete FO4 experience with Far Harbor here, which gamers are likely looking for. With at least around 15-20 hours worth of content here for most gamers - well, I spent a little over 20 hours and have not done everything here in this DLC - this is an excellent DLC that delivers the FO4 experience here...but with much more personality, story, character, and decision-making. If you liked or loved Fallout 4 (base-game), get this DLC. If you were disappointed on Fallout 4 (base-game) b/c of its lack of choices, this DLC turns that around: get this DLC. Simply put: Far Harbor DLC embodies everything that a Fallout gaming experience should be about.