Vault-Dweller No More
Fallout 3 has arrived, bringing with it an epic adventure, but can it live up to its predecessors?
Published: October 28, 2008
Fallout 3 isn't quite a direct continuation of the original games (or game, since they don't technically include Fallout 2 as cannon), but then the same teams that made those games aren't around anymore (at least not as they existed during the Black Isle days). Instead, it feels like a spiritual successor to the original. Make no mistake, the game is peppered with references to that original adventure all over the place, but having things take place on the other side of the country also allows the game to feel like a spin-off rather than a direct continuation. The Oblivion influence is obviously prevalent too, but it can be mitigated to some degree by just not playing the game like Oblivion. Melee combat feels almost identical until you use the V.A.T.S. system to punch someone's head off, and of course having ranged weapons and being able to target multiple body parts is absolutely vital to enjoying the combat this time around.
No matter what the game's similarities to other Bethesda projects, one thing that's universal to all of them sticks out here: this game is deep. Objectives often have three or four different ways around them, and with high enough skills, dialogue options can stretch out to a half-dozen or more. The game adapts beautifully to different styles of play, from rewarding stealthy players with the ability to drop a live grenade into someone's pocket while they aren't looking to letting heavy gunners charge into the fray, spraying bullets and energy beams at every moving thing in sight. You can be a tremendous asshole in the game and get rewarded for it. In fact, I can't really think of a game where you can be more of a dick and have a great time enjoying it.
In short, Fallout 3 is a monster of a game, packed to near-bursting with extra, entirely optional content. That the game's strategy guide is practically Bible-length should make it plain just how much Bethesda has poured into things, and the result is an rich, engrossing, almost endlessly rewarding game that, while hardly perfect, and some might argue isn't a true Fallout game, is nevertheless one of the best gaming experiences you'll find this year. If you even remotely enjoyed Bethesda's earlier games or have a hard-on for the Fallout series yet don't take those earlier games as rote gospel, you're going to have an absolute blast here.
Fallout 3 may not have been exactly what I expected, but that doesn't mean it was disappointing -- not in the grand scheme of things. I still had an incredible time with things, actually gave a crap about some of the characters and indulged my darker side for a time. Any game that lets you do that with hardly any real crossover between play styles deserves a very, very strong look, and I for one am thankful I got to take this trip through the Wastes.
