Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian Entertainment’s contribution to the Fallout universe, is a beloved RPG for its compelling narrative, intricate world, and player choice. But for many potential players, the big question remains: just how much time are you signing up for when diving into the Mojave Wasteland, especially with all the downloadable content (DLC)? The answer, like much in the world of Fallout, is complex and depends heavily on your playstyle.
Understanding The Base Game Length
At its core, Fallout: New Vegas offers a significant gameplay experience even without the DLC. Focusing solely on the main story, a playthrough will typically take between 25 and 30 hours. This assumes a relatively direct route, prioritizing the core narrative of finding Benny and deciding the fate of New Vegas.
However, a significant part of Fallout’s appeal lies in its open-world nature. Ignoring side quests and exploration is almost sacrilegious. If you’re the type of player who enjoys wandering the wastes, uncovering hidden locations, and engaging with the numerous factions and characters, you can easily double or even triple that playtime. A more completionist run, tackling many side quests and exploring a decent chunk of the map, would likely clock in around 50 to 60 hours.
The Impact Of The DLC: A Significant Time Investment
Now, let’s factor in the DLC. Fallout: New Vegas features four major story DLCs: Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road. Each of these adds a substantial chunk of content to the overall experience.
Dead Money: A High-Stakes Heist
Dead Money presents a challenging survival scenario in the Sierra Madre Casino. Known for its oppressive atmosphere and resource scarcity, Dead Money is not for the faint of heart. Completing the main questline in Dead Money will generally take around 10 to 15 hours. However, its unique mechanics and demanding gameplay may extend that time, especially for those unfamiliar with its intricacies. The focus on stealth and resource management can add to the challenge and therefore the play time.
Honest Hearts: Exploring Zion National Park
Honest Hearts transports you to the beautiful but dangerous Zion National Park. This DLC features a more traditional Fallout experience with a focus on exploration, combat, and faction interaction. Honest Hearts is generally considered one of the shorter DLCs, with a main quest completion time of around 8 to 12 hours. Exploring the park fully and completing all side quests can easily push that number closer to 15-20 hours.
Old World Blues: A Sci-Fi Adventure In The Big Empty
Old World Blues is arguably the most quirky and humorous of the Fallout: New Vegas DLCs. It takes place in the Big Empty, a pre-War research facility filled with bizarre experiments and eccentric personalities. Old World Blues is a bit longer than Honest Hearts, typically requiring 12 to 18 hours to complete the main story. The DLC’s focus on dialogue, exploration, and combat against robotic enemies ensures a varied and engaging experience that can easily extend beyond 20 hours for completionists.
Lonesome Road: A Journey To The Divide
Lonesome Road serves as a thematic conclusion to the Courier’s story arc. It features a more linear structure than the other DLCs, focusing on a journey through the ravaged landscape of the Divide. Lonesome Road is generally considered to be on par with Dead Money in terms of length, taking around 10 to 15 hours to complete. The DLC’s combat-heavy gameplay and thought-provoking narrative make it a compelling addition to the overall Fallout: New Vegas experience. Fully exploring the Divide and uncovering all its secrets can easily push the playtime beyond 15 hours.
Putting It All Together: The Total Playtime
So, how long will it take to beat Fallout: New Vegas with all DLCs? Let’s break it down:
- Base Game (Main Story): 25-30 hours
- Dead Money: 10-15 hours
- Honest Hearts: 8-12 hours
- Old World Blues: 12-18 hours
- Lonesome Road: 10-15 hours
Adding these figures together, a relatively focused playthrough of Fallout: New Vegas with all DLCs, prioritizing the main quests, will take approximately 65 to 90 hours.
However, this is just an estimate. If you are a completionist, aiming to experience everything the game has to offer, you should expect to spend significantly more time in the Mojave Wasteland.
A completionist run, including all side quests, exploration, and thorough engagement with the DLCs, could easily exceed 150 hours. Some dedicated players have even reported spending over 200 hours in a single playthrough.
Factors Affecting Playtime
Several factors can influence how long it takes to beat Fallout: New Vegas with all DLCs:
- Playstyle: As mentioned earlier, your approach to the game will have a significant impact. Are you a speedrunner, focusing solely on the main quest? Or are you a completionist, meticulously exploring every nook and cranny?
- Difficulty Level: Playing on a higher difficulty setting will naturally increase the time it takes to complete the game, as you’ll need to be more careful and strategic in combat.
- Character Build: Your character’s skills and abilities can also affect playtime. A well-optimized build can make combat encounters easier and faster, while a poorly optimized build can lead to more frequent deaths and restarts.
- Familiarity with the Game: If you’ve played Fallout: New Vegas before, you’ll likely be able to complete the game faster than a first-time player.
- Modding: Mods can significantly alter the gameplay experience, potentially increasing or decreasing the playtime depending on the mods you choose. Some mods add new content, while others make the game more challenging or easier.
Maximizing Your Time In The Mojave
Regardless of your playstyle, here are a few tips to maximize your time in Fallout: New Vegas:
- Explore: The Mojave Wasteland is filled with hidden secrets and interesting locations. Take the time to explore and uncover them.
- Talk to Everyone: Many quests and opportunities are unlocked through dialogue. Talk to as many characters as possible to learn more about the world and its inhabitants.
- Experiment with Different Builds: Fallout: New Vegas offers a wide range of character builds. Experiment with different skills and perks to find a playstyle that suits you.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help: If you’re stuck on a particular quest or encounter, don’t be afraid to consult a walkthrough or ask for help from other players.
- Most Importantly, Have Fun: Fallout: New Vegas is a vast and rewarding RPG. Take your time, enjoy the journey, and immerse yourself in the world.
Fallout: New Vegas, enriched with its compelling DLCs, offers a truly expansive and immersive gaming experience. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the wasteland or a newcomer eager to explore, understanding the potential time commitment is key to enjoying the journey. The 65-90 hour estimate for a main quest focused playthrough with all DLC is a good starting point, but remember that your individual experience may vary greatly depending on your playstyle and completion goals. So, prepare yourself for a long and rewarding adventure in the Mojave Wasteland! Embrace the choices, face the consequences, and carve your own legend in the world of Fallout: New Vegas.
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun!
How Many Hours Would A Completionist Run Of Fallout: New Vegas With All DLCs Typically Take?
A completionist run, meaning experiencing nearly everything the game and its DLCs have to offer, including all significant quests, exploring most locations, and reaching a high character level, can realistically take anywhere from 150 to 200 hours. This estimate accounts for thorough exploration, tackling side quests, engaging with the various factions, and delving into the detailed lore present in both the main game and the DLC expansions.
The time will vary based on your chosen difficulty level, your familiarity with the game mechanics, and your desire to achieve specific achievements or trophies. Playing on a higher difficulty or aiming for 100% completion across all areas will naturally extend the playtime. Optimizing your build and knowing the quest pathways can also speed things up, but expect a significant time commitment regardless.
What Is The Average Playtime For Just The Main Story And DLC Main Quests In Fallout: New Vegas?
Focusing solely on the main storyline of Fallout: New Vegas, along with the main quests of each of the four DLCs (Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road), will generally take between 50 and 70 hours. This assumes a relatively direct approach, minimizing side activities and unnecessary exploration, while still engaging with the core narratives of each section of the game.
The DLC content collectively adds a significant chunk to the main game’s playtime, each offering unique environments, characters, and questlines. Your specific playstyle and chosen difficulty can affect this time, but the 50-70 hour range is a reasonable estimate for someone focused on the essential story content of the base game and DLCs.
Does The Player’s Skill Level Affect The Time It Takes To Beat Fallout: New Vegas With DLCs?
Yes, a player’s skill level significantly influences the time required to complete Fallout: New Vegas and its DLCs. Experienced players familiar with Fallout mechanics, optimal builds, and efficient quest completion can drastically reduce their playtime compared to newcomers. They can navigate challenges more easily, resolve quests faster, and avoid unnecessary deaths, leading to quicker progression.
New players, on the other hand, will likely spend more time learning the game’s systems, experimenting with different builds, and figuring out the best strategies for combat and quest resolution. This learning curve inevitably adds to the overall playtime, particularly in the early stages of the game and when encountering tougher enemies or complex quests within the DLCs.
How Do The DLCs Affect The Overall Playtime Of Fallout: New Vegas?
The four major DLCs for Fallout: New Vegas (Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road) collectively add a significant amount of playtime to the base game. Each DLC offers its own self-contained story, new environments, and unique challenges, typically adding between 8 to 15 hours of gameplay per DLC for a focused playthrough. This translates to a total of approximately 32 to 60 hours of additional content across all four expansions.
Beyond the main questlines within each DLC, there are also numerous side quests, optional locations to explore, and challenges to overcome, which can further extend the playtime. Completionists aiming to fully experience each DLC can easily spend significantly more than the average estimate, delving into every corner and uncovering all the secrets each expansion has to offer.
Does Difficulty Setting Influence Playtime In Fallout: New Vegas With All DLCs?
The difficulty setting in Fallout: New Vegas directly impacts the playtime, particularly when considering the game along with all its DLCs. Higher difficulty levels, such as Very Hard or Hardcore, increase enemy health, damage output, and resource scarcity. This forces players to adopt more cautious and strategic approaches to combat and exploration, leading to longer engagements and more frequent deaths.
Conversely, lower difficulty settings allow players to progress more quickly through the game, as enemies pose less of a threat and resources are more readily available. Players can take more risks, engage in combat more aggressively, and avoid the need for extensive resource management, thus reducing the overall time required to complete the game and its DLCs.
What Are Some Tips To Reduce The Playtime Of Fallout: New Vegas While Still Experiencing The Core Content?
To reduce playtime while still experiencing the core content of Fallout: New Vegas and its DLCs, prioritize the main story quests and the essential side quests that offer significant rewards or character development. Focus on optimizing your character build for combat or skills relevant to quest resolution, minimizing wasted time on ineffective strategies. Fast travel strategically to avoid unnecessary travel time between locations, and use online resources such as guides or wikis to quickly resolve challenging quests or find key items.
Additionally, consider skipping non-essential exploration or side activities that don’t contribute significantly to the main narrative or character progression. However, be mindful of missing out on unique experiences or valuable loot. By carefully balancing efficiency with content engagement, you can significantly reduce your playtime without sacrificing the core Fallout: New Vegas experience.
How Does Player Choice Impact The Length Of A Fallout: New Vegas Playthrough Including DLCs?
Player choice heavily influences the length of a Fallout: New Vegas playthrough with all DLCs. The game’s branching storylines, faction allegiances, and moral decisions lead to significantly different paths and outcomes, impacting the amount of content experienced. Choosing a specific faction alignment, such as the NCR or Legion, locks out certain quests and opportunities associated with opposing factions, potentially shortening the overall playtime.
Furthermore, the decisions made within the DLCs can also affect their respective lengths. Some choices lead to faster resolutions, while others unlock new quests, challenges, or interactions. The player’s willingness to explore different options and engage with the consequences of their actions will directly determine the time investment required to complete the game and its downloadable content.