Britxbox, 10/10.<blockquote>Choice is a word thrown about increasingly often, but not since Oblivion (surprise!) have I felt that my decisions will have a genuine impact on how the rest of a quest will unfold. Rarely have I felt that my choices were a means to an already scripted end. The multitude of NPCs all have their own conversation trees and I found myself exploring every avenue of conversation in an attempt to learn more about how society has managed to survive and even prosper in some areas.
Fallout 3 is an absolute triumph. Bethesda have created an RPG that not only stands out in the genre, it has further moved the goalposts Bethesda themselves set with Oblivion. It also further highlights how far western developers have advanced the genre compared to the increasingly stagnant offerings from the east.</blockquote>Gameplay Monthly, B-.<blockquote>On its own merits, Fallout 3 is a good, though not great, game; it is not, however, neither a true nor worthy sequel to Fallout or Fallout 2, as it lacks much of the writing and ambiance that made the franchise what it was. The lack of true consequences to the choices made by players is not a road the design of the game should have taken, and the focus on player skill over character skill effectively nullifies the reason why characters need to develop skills in the first place; combined with lackluster writing and world design, Fallout 3 is another disappointing entry into the otherwise barren RPG market that will leave many RPG purists disappointed.
Overall, Fallout 3 will tide RPG enthusiasts over until they get their next fix, although, like many sequels designed by different developers than the origins, fails to truly capture the spirit of the games that preceded it. Nonetheless, it is a fun, if ultimately shallow and repetitive, game.</blockquote>X360, 10/10.<blockquote>As numerous people start to argue whether Oblivion or this is the better game, we feel the need to sit on the fence. The third Fallout is almost the perfect accompaniment to it, extinguishing the problems of old and using the template we love in a world that is sure to appeal to a wider audience. You may not understand why anyone would want to live in a medieval fantasy land, but a post-apocalyptic America will get you intrigued at the very least. Still, in the end it’s the complete freedom and vast magnitude of activities and quests on offer that will reel you in and convince you to dedicate 100 hours of your life to that box underneath your television. Every town has a preposterous amount of pursuits to grab your attention and one expedition will always lead you right into another. Fallout 3 is an absolute behemoth of a videogame and one that stands taller than most, even during the packed holiday season. Not only one of the greatest RPGs ever made, but one of the best games full stop. The end is here!</blockquote>PlayStation LifeStyle blog, 9.5/10.<blockquote>Buy this game, and by no means should you hold off to buy this title. Trophies/glitches or not this is one of the best titles I’ve played in quite some time. It is a completely immersive world. Bethesda really pulled it off this time around, and succeeded where I thought they failed in Oblivion. I know right now if you are a gamer it is hard because there are so many titles that have been coming out that deserve a purchase (trust me my wallet is hurting too), but this title is definitely worthy of a purchase. If you can’t afford it and are still curious at least give it a rent.</blockquote>Game Vortex, 95%.<blockquote>You'll also need to play smart. Going into a situation like Rambo usually isn't the best solution when multiple enemies are present, and it is downright suicidal when those enemies have guns. The VATS system is the key to victory because of the sheer fact that it essentially pauses the game and allows you to select both which enemy you want to attack and the body part that you find most vulnerable. Unfortunately, Fallout 3 also allows you to save anywhere and as often as you want. While this is good because you won't lose your progress, it is also a very easy way to cheat death or undo a screw-up that you may have committed.</blockquote>Ultra Ninjas, 10/10.<blockquote>In fact, one of the main positives throughout your time with Fallout 3 is that sense of discovery – of finding both major and minor details that gift you items, abilities or simply an additional battle or encounter. As an example, I found myself legging it from a chasing enemy and taking shelter in an empty shell of a building. As I ran through the door I heard a loud ‘woosh’ and turned around in time to see an iron girder suspended by chains swing down from the wall and send my pursuer flying a few hundred yards into a wall, which was as pleasing as it was unexpected. The simple act of traversing through the wasteland discovering new places is great fun, and given how much the game focuses on that then it’s a good thing indeed.</blockquote>Daily Mail compares Fallout 3 to Tolstoy and Bergman in terms of artistic level and worries that it is "leaving the mass audience behind".<blockquote>This is quite beautifully written, with dialogue so involving and so nuanced that it would be mesmeric even without the ability to get involved and control the action.
Frequently funny, poignant and often dismally dark, it paints a post-Apocalyptic picture as arresting as anything in the dystopian canon and invites you to navigate it all in pursuit of a father who has fled the security of your sealed bunker for reasons unknown.
It looks amazing, as flinty and bleak as the story demands, but utterly convincing. Peopled with an almost limitless cast of painstakingly well-drawn survivors and scavengers, your progress through the boundless nuclear winter will depend at least as much on your interactions with them as with objects and environment.
To describe it as an open world RPG is a disservice. Yes, you must battle, collect, level up and explore, but the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts. Fighting is revolutionary, particularly the evolving weaponry, the mechanic for accruing attributes both original and intuitive, and the moral complexity frankly daunting.
And therein lies the kernel of that potential problem. It is simply so big, sprawling and layered that I genuinely wonder whether it can be fully appreciated without oodles of both time and inclination.</blockquote>
Fallout 3 is an absolute triumph. Bethesda have created an RPG that not only stands out in the genre, it has further moved the goalposts Bethesda themselves set with Oblivion. It also further highlights how far western developers have advanced the genre compared to the increasingly stagnant offerings from the east.</blockquote>Gameplay Monthly, B-.<blockquote>On its own merits, Fallout 3 is a good, though not great, game; it is not, however, neither a true nor worthy sequel to Fallout or Fallout 2, as it lacks much of the writing and ambiance that made the franchise what it was. The lack of true consequences to the choices made by players is not a road the design of the game should have taken, and the focus on player skill over character skill effectively nullifies the reason why characters need to develop skills in the first place; combined with lackluster writing and world design, Fallout 3 is another disappointing entry into the otherwise barren RPG market that will leave many RPG purists disappointed.
Overall, Fallout 3 will tide RPG enthusiasts over until they get their next fix, although, like many sequels designed by different developers than the origins, fails to truly capture the spirit of the games that preceded it. Nonetheless, it is a fun, if ultimately shallow and repetitive, game.</blockquote>X360, 10/10.<blockquote>As numerous people start to argue whether Oblivion or this is the better game, we feel the need to sit on the fence. The third Fallout is almost the perfect accompaniment to it, extinguishing the problems of old and using the template we love in a world that is sure to appeal to a wider audience. You may not understand why anyone would want to live in a medieval fantasy land, but a post-apocalyptic America will get you intrigued at the very least. Still, in the end it’s the complete freedom and vast magnitude of activities and quests on offer that will reel you in and convince you to dedicate 100 hours of your life to that box underneath your television. Every town has a preposterous amount of pursuits to grab your attention and one expedition will always lead you right into another. Fallout 3 is an absolute behemoth of a videogame and one that stands taller than most, even during the packed holiday season. Not only one of the greatest RPGs ever made, but one of the best games full stop. The end is here!</blockquote>PlayStation LifeStyle blog, 9.5/10.<blockquote>Buy this game, and by no means should you hold off to buy this title. Trophies/glitches or not this is one of the best titles I’ve played in quite some time. It is a completely immersive world. Bethesda really pulled it off this time around, and succeeded where I thought they failed in Oblivion. I know right now if you are a gamer it is hard because there are so many titles that have been coming out that deserve a purchase (trust me my wallet is hurting too), but this title is definitely worthy of a purchase. If you can’t afford it and are still curious at least give it a rent.</blockquote>Game Vortex, 95%.<blockquote>You'll also need to play smart. Going into a situation like Rambo usually isn't the best solution when multiple enemies are present, and it is downright suicidal when those enemies have guns. The VATS system is the key to victory because of the sheer fact that it essentially pauses the game and allows you to select both which enemy you want to attack and the body part that you find most vulnerable. Unfortunately, Fallout 3 also allows you to save anywhere and as often as you want. While this is good because you won't lose your progress, it is also a very easy way to cheat death or undo a screw-up that you may have committed.</blockquote>Ultra Ninjas, 10/10.<blockquote>In fact, one of the main positives throughout your time with Fallout 3 is that sense of discovery – of finding both major and minor details that gift you items, abilities or simply an additional battle or encounter. As an example, I found myself legging it from a chasing enemy and taking shelter in an empty shell of a building. As I ran through the door I heard a loud ‘woosh’ and turned around in time to see an iron girder suspended by chains swing down from the wall and send my pursuer flying a few hundred yards into a wall, which was as pleasing as it was unexpected. The simple act of traversing through the wasteland discovering new places is great fun, and given how much the game focuses on that then it’s a good thing indeed.</blockquote>Daily Mail compares Fallout 3 to Tolstoy and Bergman in terms of artistic level and worries that it is "leaving the mass audience behind".<blockquote>This is quite beautifully written, with dialogue so involving and so nuanced that it would be mesmeric even without the ability to get involved and control the action.
Frequently funny, poignant and often dismally dark, it paints a post-Apocalyptic picture as arresting as anything in the dystopian canon and invites you to navigate it all in pursuit of a father who has fled the security of your sealed bunker for reasons unknown.
It looks amazing, as flinty and bleak as the story demands, but utterly convincing. Peopled with an almost limitless cast of painstakingly well-drawn survivors and scavengers, your progress through the boundless nuclear winter will depend at least as much on your interactions with them as with objects and environment.
To describe it as an open world RPG is a disservice. Yes, you must battle, collect, level up and explore, but the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts. Fighting is revolutionary, particularly the evolving weaponry, the mechanic for accruing attributes both original and intuitive, and the moral complexity frankly daunting.
And therein lies the kernel of that potential problem. It is simply so big, sprawling and layered that I genuinely wonder whether it can be fully appreciated without oodles of both time and inclination.</blockquote>
