“Nostalgia Goggles”: A Fallout Fan’s Review of Fallout 3

War…war never changes… But Fallout has evolved.

My level of anticipation was almost as high as my level of apprehension when I loaded up Fallout 3 for the first time. I had put down $54.99 to play this on my PC, but that number was dwarfed by the $200 I spent upgrading my video card in order to play this game. But my apprehension ran far deeper than any wallet-related fears: in my numerous Fallout-related articles here at GotGame, I have stressed time and time again that the Fallout universe is one of the most engrossing, mesmerizing, cinematic, energetic, lovable, believable, detailed, makes-you-proud-to-be-a-gamer gaming universes ever created. A decade after the release of Fallout 2, the Fallout 2 cinematic where the ancient oil tanker comes to life still takes my breath away. Without a single doubt in my mind, I truly believe that Fallout 1 and 2 deserve to take their place as two of the most important video games ever created, as well as two of the greatest.

So it’s safe to say that I would have no problem ripping Fallout 3 to shreds if it gave me the chance.

For my first few hours into the game, I felt like doing just that.

The first in-game cinematic did succeed in pumping me up for wasteland roaming, however. Bethesda hit this one spot on: I don’t think I could’ve forgiven them if the first words uttered in the game were not “War…war never changes.”

After loading up my game and being treated to an opening cinematic that effectively got my blood pumping and alleviated almost all of my fears, it was time to go through the character creation process and begin my quest as the wasteland’s next savior.

And that’s where it all threatened to fall apart.

Looking back on it now, as much as I hate to admit this, I thought of casting aside Fallout 3 in anger time and time again as I got used to the battle system, V.A.T.S., the first-person perspective, the redone menu system, and all the other tweaks and twists that separates Fallout 3 from its earlier genre-shaping brethren. A lot of this seems trivial, but as a Fallout super-fan it really felt hard adjusting to the numerous changes. First off, the perspectives: both first-person and third-person take some getting used to if you’re not a fan of Bethesda and/or haven’t played any of their “Elder Scrolls” games. Second, every inch of information is relegated to the PIP-Boy. Quests, the radio, any notes, weapons, ammo, aids, both the local and world maps…everything, every last drop or morsel or fragment or knickknack…it’s all there. This led to plenty of confusion early on: I’d switch to the item screen, use an aid, go to the map, then inevitably I’d run into danger and have to flip through the menu systems again because I forgot to toggle from the map back to the item screen, and once in the item screen I accidentally clicked on the “Aid” menu instead of “Weapons,” then I had to scroll down and select the weapon, and…it goes on.

In general, the opening hours were a time of trial and tribulation. There is a learning curve, no doubt. We all have different preferences and abilities, so I can’t really say whether the learning curve is truly steep or not. But, whether I like to admit it or not, frustration set in and I contemplated completing this review early and tearing Fallout 3 apart. Or simply not doing it at all.

Continued on page 2.

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