Fallout 3 Review (PC)

Roaming in the Wasteland

Released at the back end of 2008, many will know that Bethesda’s game came out to can we say, expectations. The previous two Fallout games are revered throughout the gaming community and fiercely protected by some, Bethesda’s attempt to bring Fallout into the modern gaming world is one that was bound to split fans.

But why has it split fans? Fallout 3 offers a great sequel to two of my favourite RPG’s. At times, yes, it can feel a more console orientated experience but I can accept this when I venture out into the breath taking wasteland. Honestly, the colour brown has never looked so appealing. The wastes are beautiful in a post apocalyptic kind of way, with ever spanning horizons and amazingly atmospheric ruins dotted around the map, the biggest draw of this game is certainly the Capital Wasteland. The graphic style is something cross between Mad Max and American Graffiti, a fifties dystopia in short, Bethesda have achieved the mise-en-scene perfectly.

While stumbling around my first few days into the wasteland I came across a small settlement balanced atop an overpass, while at first trying to Swiss cheese me, they came to warm to my scavenging ways, offering me the opportunity to find a young boy thought to have been kidnapped by creatures of the night. The brave and BB rifle touting adventurer I was I laughed at such a plight and promised to find this boy. Setting off into the night I came across two mutants who broke my arm and then proceeded to laugh at me. Unfazed I stumbled on into the twilight, cursing Mutant kind swearing vendetta. Fast forward an hour and there I was, hid behind a subway column watching a few moody Goth types worshipping another. Pulling out my handy BB Rifle of justice I shot the leader in the eye, forcing him to recoil and shout for assistance, cue intense fire fight. Suffice to say a few quick loads later I had conquered this cult of the night, reclaiming the boy and taking my reward. However, another play through showed me that a peaceful resolution could also be sought. Was I more monstrous than these ghouls? What had I become? Choice is a valuable option in this game.

Through my travels in the waste I have found many things. A town riddled with fire ants, a settlement built upon worship of an Atom Bomb and a Mutant specialising in cooking Humans. Fallout 3 never ceases to amaze the player, a quick jaunt into the Wastelands can see you uncovering fortune, a great weapon and maybe a companion. However, sometimes it can see you returning with three hit points, a broken leg and a conga line of angry Rad Scorpions. The best feature of this game is it’s ability to surprise and shock at every turn, a simple unassuming ruin can be host to an army of Mutants beneath, a Museum, home of a race of friendly Ghouls, Bethesda have done very well in releasing that inner explorer, adding that all important factor of fear and excitement along the way.

Exploring aimlessly is a must rather than a choice

The combat system while a little simple is satisfying. The biggest draw of course is the VATS System. First introduced in the original Fallout, Bethesda have taken it, built upon it, and produced the most gruesome, blood curdling action sequence ever seen before in a game. VATS gives the player a more, sit back and objective view to the action, acting more like a BioWare combat system, it does give a nice change in pace. For the more intense experience, free shooting is a better option, giving you that all important fire fight experience. Fallout 3’s combat plays a little like a Dues Ex style affair. With dice rolls ultimately behind your hit counters, it can at times feel a little unfair and not very fluid. All of this however does instil a sense of the RPG genre and gives the game an added difficulty which is a little harder to come by these days.

Character progression and customization is presented very well. From an opening, intuitive character creation screen, the player is given the option to excel in aspects they wish and create a character perfect for their play. The level system caps at twenty, and although this is a little too early it does give a great sense of progression and the feeling that the player character is becoming more experienced and a true Wastelander.

Bethesda captures the atmosphere well but at times forgets that we are playing Fallout rather than the Elder Scrolls. What I mean by this is, the Fallout universe is full of stories, conflicts and above all else history. At times it feels as thought Bethesda has forgotten that ultimately it is making a sequel to a well loved and familiar game. A much needed link to the previous storyline is never made. This is a fairly obscure complaint to anybody who has never played the original games but at times you help but wish for a reference to The Vault Dweller or Vault 13. With the Enclave and the Brotherhood of Steel all appearing it feels a little strange to leave out reference to a huge part of Fallout’s heritage.

A game which you cant help but mention is Bethesda’s own, Elder Scrolls. While great RPG’s these games are a little vague in story telling, while there is certainly a wealth of lore to be found a player not interested in reading masses of text can be left out in the cold. This is how Fallout 3 feels, with quests not offering much script and storyline unfolded through a series of ‘holotapes’ the immersing appeal of the previous Fallout games is a little lost. This seems to be down to Bethesda’s own inability to tell a story with any gravitas or depth.

Throughout you can’t help but notice a lack of quests and towns. The quests you are given are excellent, but previous games gave us countless hours of gameplay, something which unfortunately Fallout 3 doesn’t offer. Obviously Fallout 3 is a massive, expansive game and make no mistake that I have enjoyed countless hours, the game is what you make of it, exploring aimlessly is a must rather than a choice. You can at times just feel a little disappointed by its lack of certain content.

The issue of Downloable Content is also one that causes much debate. A cross between worthwhile content and fervent money grabbing. With Operation Anchorage being an out of character first person shooter affair, The Pitt offers something more worthwhile with a setting not unlike Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and finally the Brotherhood of Steel DLC offering more end game content .The new complete edition of the game including DLC has been released, but for players who bought the ‘vanilla’ game having to pay ten pounds for each one is a little steep for the three to four hours per of gameplay each add.

Overall Fallout 3 is one of my favourite RPG’s of recent years, its strengths lies in exploration and its truly epic landscape. The story could have been a little more intriguing and the world a little more bustling and content rich, but the Capital Wasteland is a dangerous and exciting place to be.