When I rejoined the ranks of Fallout 76 with a new year-long sub last July, I had two primary goals. The first was to become an expert shotgunner, and the second was to dive into some of the game’s newest expansions, including its expeditions to “The Pitt” and Atlantic City. As my new dweller, Karla, recently dinged 100 with every shotgun perk to her name and one of the best such weapons the game has going (a frosty beast called the “Cold Shoulder”), I can safely say goal number has been achieved. I don’t know why I had largely ignored shotguns in any Fallout game till now – maybe because of the lack of range? – but I’m definitely a fan now. Better yet, I’ve also built Karla into a power armor user. So, between her tough Ultracite armor and her trusty shotgun, she can take down anything. Well…almost. As long as it isn’t flying. (Lookin’ at you stupid Scorchbeasts!) With my character goal achieved, how have things gone with all the new content? “Slowly but okay” might be the best way to put it.

I might have said somewhere in passing in a previous FO76 post that The Pitt expedition was…eh, fine. Having now playing through the basics of the Atlantic City expedition, the same goes for it, too – it’s fine. The bottom line is that these expeditions are designed for groups and farming. Each have different characters and plotlines, Atlantic City much more so than The Pitt, and each expedition offers a couple different spots to explore, but neither is particularly engaging story-wise. Granted, The Pitt’s story was already excellently relayed as Fallout 3 DLC, so maybe Bethesda didn’t feel the need to retell it. It’s a place to go to trounce around an industrial graveyard, take on difficult enemies, and reap the rewards associated with doing so.

At its core, the Atlantic City expedition harbors the same vibe as the Pitt, but it has a decent story that has players traipsing between Appalachia and the “Shore.” Once that story is completed, then the only reason to visit AC is to achieve expedition rewards.  That said, it is a more interesting place to inhabit than The Pitt, and its areas invite some exploration. The choice for the seaside, gambling haven to become a nightmarish swamp over an eroded beach (well, maybe they are one in the same?) was a good one, as was the addition of swamp-like creatures called the “Overgrown.” Sure, they might be moss-covered ghouls and fancy floaters (new enemies in Appalachia), but they feel like they belong. I guess the same should be said of AC’s three factions: the highly-organized and in-control Municipal Government, “The Family” (a.k.a. the Mob), and a guild of entertainers called the “Showmen.” While the Muni and the Family are at each other’s throats, the Showmen are just there, throwing pie grenades around and whatnot.

For my money, the game’s Skyline Valley expansion is where it’s at. Released in the summer of 2024, this content added a huge, new section of territory to explore to the southern portion of the game’s map. Inspired by the actual Skyline Drive that runs through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, Skyline Valley is all about caravans, content for which had been added previously and was added after (in the Milepost Zero update of Fall 2024) and a giant electrical storm that’s engulfed the region. Players are into a new vault, Vault 63, to find out why this storm as taken over Shenandoah, as NPCs call it, and why it’s also crawling with electrified ghouls called “The Lost.” I recently completed its story, and it’s pretty darn good. I won’t give away the punchline, but it left open several questions, especially about The Lost themselves. Things seem ripe for a second part of the story, but in the meantime, exploring Skyline Valley has been a blast. There are new enemy encounters, new spots to loot and interact with, and the constant storm keeps players on their toes as they navigate through the region’s winding pathways.

I mentioned the addition of caravans, which is not new – the Blue Ridge Caravan has been in the game for some time – but allowing players to run their own caravans is. I may give that a go at some point, but more immediately, I’m eyeing the game’s brand-new content under the season title “Glow of the Ghoul.” Just released, it gives players the opportunity to turn themselves into ghouls! This will be Karla’s fate when I get around to it. What’s really intriguing is that new ghoul mechanics and perks are being added, too. The most significant change for me will be Karla’s new need for radiation and the elimination of the food and thirst meters. No matter how hard I try different builds/perks, all my FO76 characters have ended as full health, fully fed, non-radiation builds, so being a ghoul is definitely going to sweep me out of my comfort zone. I can’t wait!

All images, including lede, were captured by author during PS5 gameplay of Fallout 76 © Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Game Studios Austin (2018-2025).