Fallout 3
Features
Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post apocalyptic Washington, D.C. Every minute is a flight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.
Achievements
Soundbytes: Soundbyte 1 -- Soundbyte 2
Review By: Browncoat
Rating: 
To start off with I have probably upset someone already for my less than spectacular score for Fallout 3. I'll stand by it and I'll tell you why, you just have to be patient. I had never played the first two Fallouts... well, technically that's not true. I created a character in both games only to stop when I saw the graphics. Sometimes you can't go back. I had heard many positive things from friends of mine who had played it. Visiting the local game store, it was now in my price range. (Picking up a game for under $10, makes me forgive any minor flaws immeadiately.) So, the big question is, how does it play? The opening scenes are done really well, with scenes from your birth to your first steps, your 10th birthday, (an important one in the Vault), and then shortly after your 18th birthday. It does make the small vault feel like the home it' suppossed to. Depending on the choices you make in conversations
you either grow to love or hate your fellow inhabitants. Then all hell breaks loose because your dad left the vault. No one is suppossed
to do that and the Overseer flips out and starts killing. You escape the sudden chaos and find yourself in the wasteland, no place
to call home, a pistol with a few extra clips, and no idea where to go. Mostly you want to find your dad, esspecially to find out
what the hell he did to piss everyone off.
That's the rough start of it. From there it's all about your choices. Help someone, or rob them. Do the favor for the key, or break in.
Not always that black or white, but you get the idea. The wasteland is a harsh place too. You see while you and some others hid in a vault,
the world suffered through a nuclear holocaust. Landmarks you know aren't the same, mutations on pretty much every living creature
has happened. It's a pretty lawless time too, with only a few pockets of order left.
Gameplay is nice. Your weapons must be cared for, either by you scrounging parts off similar weapons, or by paying one of the shop keepers
to fix it up. A beat up weapon is less effective the longer it goes uncared for, and can eventually break. Armor too, gotta keep that in
good shape. I loved the desperate feel early in the game where you used every weapon in your arsenal every time you went out, simply
beacuse you had to use what you could find ammo for. Rotating out weapons because the were wearing out also lend a nice touch to the
gameplay. There is a whole world to explore, just a word of caution, not all cities are going to be happy to see you. Some have
been overrun by gangs, and will be more than happy to kill you and take your stuff. Quests are littered out there too. Many times I
would be curious what was out there, only to find a new town and a new set of quests. Nothing told me to go in that way, and I could
have completely ignored those areas and finished the game. Felt organic, ya know? Not a gentle (or not so gentle) nudge from the game
to get you to go there, just if you happen to find it, these people could use your help.
Later on into the game the desperate need to scrounge everything is gone. You have enough money and places to shop at that you don't need
to scrounge through everydesk drawer or trash can hoping to find scrap to sell. You still can! You just don't have to in order to
survive anymore. Unfortunately there are a few pops in the story too. Occasionally I would find myself doing a mission I did not care
for just to advance the story. Ussually the story is decent, just no too epic.
I could go on and tell you all my exploits with my Lone Wanderer, about my companions and the friensdships I made, the enemies I laid
waste to. But you don't need to hear all that. Here's the bottom line. This was a top tier game that is now in the very affordable
range. It has the most add-on content of any game I've ever seen, and is a pretty damn decent game to play. The story may drag from
time to time, but overall if you are looking for a good RPG or Shooter title this one is worth your attention.
High Points:
Enviroments feel real
You truly do feel alone
Combat is a tense and frantic affair
Low Points:
Wander into the wrong area and you're dead
Some story missions are the least fun of the game