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Bethesda Softworks has me a bit confused. Having played Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, I had about all I could take of the ubiquitous publisher. I wasn't a fan, and figured I was done. Elder Scrolls seemed like it should have all the right ingredients for a good RPG epic; swords, magic, a complex system of law and order, etc. Critics salivated over it and still consider it one of the best games on the original Xbox. Unfortunately, the combat was lame and aggravating, not to mention fairly uninspired. I recall a particular "battle" my archer, Leo the Barbarian, fought against a trio of rats. I lost. To rats. With a sword. When I heard about the high scores Oblivion garnered, I was adamant that I wouldn't be suckered in.
After playing Fallout 3, I have to say, I wonder if I missed something about Morrowind. Considering my previous bias, let me be the first to say Fallout 3 is a superb game; actually, a superb experience. Experience is in fact the only way to describe a game of this magnitude. From the moment of your on-screen birth/tutorial, the game makes it clear that, short of taking in-game potty breaks, this will likely be the most immersive RPG experience you've ever had.
Bethesda has taken great pains to set the atmosphere in Fallout 3 and it shows. The second your avatar (who is completely customizable, by the way) emerges from his safe underground home in Vault 101, you will feel the desolation of this post apocalyptic vision. And you will love it. After a particularly jarring wakeup you emerge from the vault (against the wishes of the authorities) in search of your father who has abandoned you. It's a rather simple set up, but it primes the stage for an amazing and expansive story.
Following the advent of some planet destroying war (or something to that effect), the world is a bitter and much crueler place. Irradiated beasts—Brahmin (two headed cows), giant ants, and Radroaches—roam the earth and attack anyone upwind, bandits stalk the burned out cityscapes and grassless hillsides and the few remaining "good people" have holed up in shanties and scrap metal settlements. Food and water, particularly pure food and water, are nearly impossible to come by.
Almost every box of cereal and bottle of water you will find is irradiated. Your character has to maintain a constant balance between drinking or eating and keeping your body free of harmful radiation. At first it doesn't seem like much, but after a few intense battles the scarcity really sets in. The mechanic does an excellent job of putting you into the world it creates; drinking toilet water because it has more health than radioactive roach meat is definitely an experience not to be missed.
In Fallout 3 you are outfitted with a PipBoy 3000; it's a clever way for the game to disguise its inventory systems. The PipBoy catalogues food and supplies, keeps track of game progress and status (like radiation levels), and collects quest clues and blueprints for new weapons. There is a steep learning curve, but it's definitely worth taking the time; effective use of the PipBoy can definitely keeping track of things easier. And there is much to keep track of.
In true Bethesda form nearly every item in the game can be picked up. From forks to shot glasses players can retrieve, store, sell, or use anything they find; they can also "liberate" the items from hapless traders and home owners. There is even a special weapon, aptly called the Rock-It Launcher, that will turn your trash into makeshift grenade ammo.
Without exaggeration I can say that the combat in Fallout 3 will leave you absolutely breathless. Your character, known as the Vault Dweller, can become proficient in an amazing array of weapons (from small arms like pistols or combat knives), to a much more interesting arsenal that includes the uber-destructive Fat Boy and one of my personal favorites: the laser rifle. Each of these is destructive and effective in its own right, and they all carry their own strengths and effects. Watching your enemies melt into ashes after a few well-placed laser blasts never gets old.
Despite the incredible weapons at your disposal, Fallout 3 will still manage to challenge even the most proficient death dealers. To call your enemies intelligence "artificial" doesn't seem fair; the responses of NPC's and combatants are so lifelike it feels like playing a human.
In one particular outing I made the mistake of accidently attacking a trader and her bodyguard. After absorbing a number of shotgun shells, I leaped into a ditch and hid behind a giant rock. I hurled out a few grenades to slow down my pursuers. When I heard the trader yell "Grenade!" I assumed I was safe again. I peeked up over the edge of the hole only to find that they had dodged my grenades, flanked the mountain that protected me, and were assaulting me from my exposed backside. It was an incredible instance of autonomy and players will surely notice the intuitive strategies of the enemies the first time a hoard of traders attacks like a pack of dogs in a deserted supermarket.
One of the more unique features Fallout 3 offers is the VATS targeting system. Think of it as Bethesda's version of bullet time. In or out of battle, players can access VATS at the press of a button. The targeting screen comes up, the action freezes and players are free to dial up as many shots on individual enemy body parts as they can, provided they have enough Action Points. It may not be very realistic, but it is wildly entertaining to blow off an arm to prevent enemies from firing back. I literally never got tired of it.
After every kill, every lock successfully picked, every pocket successfully looted, and every quest completed, players are awarded experience points. These points amount to higher levels that can then attribute changes in one of the characters many skills. It's all pretty typical RPG fare, but what's most interesting is probably the perks. These bonuses and buffs provide an amazing variety to gameplay. Some perks increase accuracy or weapons effectiveness, but others provide more interesting twists like the Bloody Mess, the perk which causes enemies to explode in a, well, bloody mess. Every level earns you a new perk (there are several), and there is a level cap. It's a blessing and a curse; it allows for a greater replay value, but it restricts gameplay. This supposedly prevents "god-like" characters, but one has to wonder would it be too much to ask to just scale the enemies up?
There are hundreds of other things that make Fallout 3 a great game and one review couldn't cover it all. The sound is top notch and every bullet and chamber cock can be heard with amazing clarity. Graphically, there are some glitches, and a slight load time when entering new or rarely visited areas, but for the most part kudos are in order. The whole world looks just as it should and some places (Springvale School) are so well designed it's scary (literally).
Overall, what makes Fallout 3 such a phenomenal experience is the cohesiveness of the whole game. From humorous and interesting NPC's who you legitimately want to know, to engrossing sounds and sights, there is very little not to love. The game's total length is fully up to the player; you can literally spend hours on side quests and avoid others entirely. I am told a full play through (if such a thing is possible in a game this dense) can take upwards of 100 hours. The amazing thing is every single play through will be different. This is definitely a must-play for any gamer (if you can consider yourself such without having played Fallout 3).
Fun Factor: VATS limb popping never gets old.
Game Length: 25-30 Hours on the low end.
Difficulty: Depends how you play.
On the Negative Side: Level cap? Lame.
Bang for Your Buck: You can replay this game forever. Seriously.
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