Bethesda Pinball PS5 REVIEW - Revisiting The DLC On Pinball FX Midnight!!! How Does it Score?

The Bethesda Pinball DLC for Pinball FX Midnight on PS5 delivers three virtual pinball tables inspired by iconic Bethesda Softworks franchises including Fallout, DOOM, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. These tables blend fast-paced pinball action with RPG-inspired progression elements like character customization, quests, item collection, and faction or ability choices. They emphasize survival and combat in hostile environments, featuring detailed theming, mode-based scoring, and franchise-specific events. The pack updates older designs with modern visuals and physics suitable for PS5, while adding questline challenges that unlock rewards.

Fallout Table ...

The Fallout table immerses players in the post-apocalyptic Commonwealth wasteland. It features a relatively compact and tight layout with ramps, runways, and open spaces that encourage high-speed ball movement, supported by multiple flippers (including upper ones) for precise control. Power outages can plunge sections into darkness, adding tension and visual variety. Graphic design elements capture the retro-futurist 1950s aesthetic mixed with radiation-scarred ruins, Vault-Tec branding, and irradiated landscapes, complete with animated enemies and environmental details like super mutants.

The dot matrix (DMD) or screen display shows Pip-Boy-style interfaces for character stats, inventory, and quest progress. Soundtrack and effects draw heavily from the series' iconic radio tunes, ambient wasteland sounds, and combat barks, creating an immersive audio layer.

The table draws primarily from Fallout 4 (and broader series elements), placing you as the Sole Survivor from Vault 111 exploring a nuclear-devastated world. Core loops involve joining factions (Minutemen, Railroad, Brotherhood), raiding Vaults, and collecting Vault-Tec Bobbleheads that grant perks. Vault quests require hitting targets to open hatches, then completing timed searches and enemy fights without depleting health ultimately culminating in a multiball wizard mode after gathering all Bobbleheads by raiding the ultimate Vault. Faction alignment and shop visits (using bottle caps for items) add light RPG depth.

DOOM Table ...

The DOOM table stands out as a frantic, high-energy experience set in a demonic UAC research facility and Hellish realms. Its layout includes loops, portals, spinning areas, hidden passageways, and a third flipper for upper-playfield access, plus a mini-table section for a Breakout-style demonic challenge. Graphics burst with bloody, sci-fi horror imagery featuring gore, demonic spawns along the sidelines, runes, and intense red/orange infernal palettes that make the playfield feel alive and threatening.

The DMD displays aggressive combat feedback, rune progress, and Slayer stats. Soundtrack and effects deliver pounding industrial/metal riffs, demon roars, weapon fire (including super shotgun launches), and ominous commentary from figures like Samuel Hayden, heightening the rip-and-tear intensity.

It channels the DOOM reboot (2016) and Eternal, along with classic entries, casting you as the DOOM Slayer tearing through hordes of demons. Gameplay focuses on combat escalation wherein demon corruption levels trigger larger spawns while modes involve things like navigating portals, tackling bosses like the Cyberdemon, and using weapons to clear threats. Multiball modes amplify the chaos, rewarding aggressive play to "earn the DOOM Slayer name." The table leans into nonstop action rather than heavy story, perfectly suiting the source's fast-paced demon-slaying fantasy.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Table ...

The Skyrim table evokes the vast, mountainous fantasy of Tamriel with ramps, hidden upper passageways, and a small third flipper. A dragon occasionally flies overhead, spitting fire that can ignite parts of the playfield for dramatic visual effects and altered ball behavior. The lower half feels relatively open and easier to track, while the upper playfield adds complexity. Graphics feature Nordic architecture, snowy peaks, magical auras, armor, and enemy models in a rich, epic fantasy style.

The DMD handles quest logs, skill trees, loot menus, and dragon shout indicators. Audio includes the memorable Skyrim soundtrack (with its iconic main theme), ambient wilderness sounds, magic whooshes, combat clashes, and dragon roars.

Directly inspired by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you play as the Dragonborn on a journey to craft weapons, wield magic, equip armor, trade goods, mine materials, train skills, and complete side quests before facing Alduin the World-Eater. Persistent character customization carries across sessions, letting you boost stats via loot and items. Modes include dragon shout mini-playfields and a 4-ball wizard mode teaming with Nord heroes to defeat Alduin. Side activities like learning shouts or battling dragons integrate the RPG freedom and epic scale of the game.

Table Unlockables ...

Beyond core gameplay, the DLC incorporates questline challenges across the tables, such as limited-flipper runs, score thresholds, or forced multiball conditions that mix up sessions and unlock rewards. These feed into a "Pinhall" virtual museum or arcade space for decorating with figures, posters, statues, and other collectibles earned from completions. Broader customization options include ball physics tweaks, modifiers, and table-specific perks (Bobblehead bonuses in Fallout, equipped loot stats in Skyrim). High-score leaderboards, social features, and persistent progression add replay value, though some RPG elements (shops, equipping) feel secondary to pure pinball flow.

The Verdict ...

All three tables rate highly for playability on PS5, benefiting from solid physics, responsive controls, and camera options that handle complex layouts well (though frequent view switches help on denser tables like DOOM). The DOOM table excels as the most frantic and accessible crowd-pleaser, with its chaotic multiballs and boss fights delivering pure adrenaline. Fallout offers a tighter, speed-focused challenge with rewarding collection loops, while Skyrim provides epic scale and RPG depth but can feel slightly less engaging in its simpler sections. As tributes, they succeed admirably. Each table captures the spirit, visuals, audio, and key mechanics of its source material without feeling like a shallow skin. DOOM nails the aggression, Fallout the exploration and perk-hunting, and Skyrim the heroic fantasy journey. Minor criticisms include occasional menu fiddling for RPG systems and the pack's price point, but the authenticity and fun outweigh them. 

This DLC is best suited for fans of the Bethesda franchises who enjoy themed pinball with light RPG twists, or pinball enthusiasts seeking variety beyond traditional mechanical designs. If you love DOOM's intensity, wasteland scavenging, or shouting at dragons while flipping, it's a worthwhile pickup, especially on PS5 for its enhanced presentation. Casual players might prefer starting with a trial if available, but dedicated fans will find plenty of nostalgic value and replayability here.