There are two types of "Fallout" fans. There are the fans that want a serious, albiet darkly comedic, portrayal of post-apocalyptic America, and then there are other fans who want a madcap, laugh-a-minute jaunt, filled with parodies and pop culture references. In short, fans either like the serious tone of "Fallout 1" or the goofy tone of "Fallout 2." "Fallout: New Vegas" actually managed to offer both, even including a trait which, when selected, offered more of the goofy for fans of that style.
Thus far, though, the DLC packs for "New Vegas" have been pretty grounded and serious. That all changes with "Old World Blues," the next pack which is scheduled to launch in a week. Just watch the trailer and you'll know what I mean.
Tonally it seems the team is going with a classic sci-fi horror movie, complete with mad scientists and skin stealing. And robots with an addiction to mugs, apparently.
Personally I don't mind the change in tone, so long as a bit more attention is paid to keeping the gameplay fresh. Branching storylines and multiple solutions have always been a crucial element in the "Fallout" games, but the last "New Vegas" DLC pack, "Honest Hearts," didn't really have much of that, save for the very end. Whatever the case, it'll be interesting to see what the excellent writers behind "New Vegas" are able to do once the realism gloves come off.
"Fallout: New Vegas - Old World Blues" is scheduled to launch on July 19 for Xbox Live, PSN and PC. It'll cost $10 on all platforms.