Where the Daedra At?: A n00b’s Review of Fallout 3

Bethesda Softworks had their hands full when they decided to take on Fallout 3. Not only did they have to craft a next-gen version of a universe that thousands of gamers love and have been missing for a decade, but they also had to appeal to a massive audience of people who have never played a Fallout game in their lives, yet wondered what all the fuss was about. Here at GotGame, we are fortunate enough to have both of these demographics represented to review the title for us. Oliver Saenz is a massive Fallout fan who has been educating the rest of us on the intricacies of the Fallout world, while Graham Bennett is a fan of Bethesda’s previous work, but has never played Fallout 1 or 2. For Oliver’s review click here, for Graham’s, hit the jump.

I was remarkably skeptical when Bethesda Softworks announced Fallout 3. I liked the idea of the Fallout universe, but Bethesda is a relatively small development house and I knew this new project was going to take considerable development time away from my beloved Elder Scrolls franchise. While I figured Fallout 3 would be an alright game, I couldn’t help but be a bit miffed that I might have to wait even longer for the inevitable (if unannounced) Elder Scrolls V. So I had a pretty big chip on my shoulder early on because this game would probably delay my next Tamriel fix.

When you first click ‘new game’ in Fallout 3, you’ll be greeted with what is probably a familiar sight by now. The lovely teaser cinematic to the theme of the 1941 tune “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire” by The Ink Spots. Despite the fact that you’ve already seen this video a dozen times since last year’s E3, once you have the controller in your hands, you will get a little excited about this game. Trust me, even through my previously mentioned cynicism towards the game, I still felt like I was a part of something important. It also told me I was terrible at holding a grudge.

The tutorial segments just keep that unexplainable feeling alive as I progressed through gameplay that simulates the tutorial stage we all went through for our very own lives. By that, I mean childhood. You start the game at the start of your character, at his or her birth, and you quickly progress through a series of highlights from his or her younger days. Each stage in your character’s life brings with it an important game mechanic, whether it’s how to interact with objects by opening the door of your play-pen and picking up your toys, or having your first branching conversations with other kids at your tenth birthday party. The use of childhood as a basis for your character really makes you feel attached to him/her even before the game truly begins. Once you’ve escaped the vault and venture out into the wastes, your character will have already grown on you quite a bit.

Continued on page 2.

Pages: 1 2 3