PC PowerPlay Australia gives Fallout 3 a 9.<blockquote>Unlike Oblivion, enemy levels remain fixed for the duration of the game. Travelling back to lower-level areas as a seasoned veteran no longer runs the risk of being accosted by a noob raider with power armour and a mini-gun.
This does mean there are zones out there that are grotesquely dangerous to a Level 6, but knowing when to fight or take flight is all part of the fun.
(...)
Help is at hand in the form of the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS). Combat takes place either in real-time, FPS-style, or through VATS. It's not exactly turn-based, but it works very well indeed (much better than real-time).
The system is powered by Action Points (AP), with a varying amount of points depending on proficiency, stat allocation and weapon.
(...)
If the standard level of grue [sic] isn't enough, a mid-level perk, Bloody Mess, will make kills even more, well, bloody, meaning even a humble pistol kill can make an enemy look like they just swallowed a family bucket of grenades.
There is something strange about the physics here, however, and it's a deeper problem than the unlikely body-popping that Bloody Mess can deliver.
Character models bounce around just a little too much, unless all that radiation has mutated the asphalt somehow. The added bounce gives the distinct impression of fighting puppets, as enemies flail around on the floor like marionettes on heat.
Combat often inflicts a heavy toll. Even a few stray shots from a distant Raider can have a marked impact on hit points, and players are just as prone to being crippled as an enemy.
Wise indeed is the player who invests a few points in the Medicine skill and keeps their reserves of Stim Packs, Pure Water and other assorted restoratives as well-stocked as possible.
In a post-nuclear world, these commodities are hard, and expensive, to come by.
A cheaper option is to take a nap on a bed where possible, but this can be difficult given that beds with an 'owner' are strictly off-limits.
(...)
On top of keeping tabs on all the other attributes, the Pip-Boy kindly monitors Karmic alignment. It's not hard to figure out what actions are going to affect Karma, for better or worse. In populated areas the consequences of your actions are made clearer still, with Karma negative actions flagged red on the UI.
(...)
Anyone opting to play a real "bad ass" will be glad to know that slavery is back, so dust off the old stun gun, wheel out those slave collars and get ready to kiss that Karma goodbye.
(...)
It is a testament to level design that the faster option between two points doesn't always feel like the best option. Trekking across the map on foot often brings up unexpected diversions and side-quests and greatly enhances your immersion in the game.
(...)
Having said all that, it's worth remembering that people in towns rarely turns aggressive unless they spot someone breaking the law. Committing a crime is one thing, but being caught is another matter entirely.
Get caught indulging in minor crimes, such as theft and trespass and the owner of the property will attempt to reclaim it, either by putting their dukes up, or running for help. Fighting back escalates the Assault, which is classified a major crime.
Assault someone and the victim's friends (basically anyone in the vicinity) will all get stuck in. The same applies for Murder. With a whole township on your tail the only options are to kill every mother-humping last one of them, or hide out and wait until they forget about that one time you slayed their best mate, and cease their hostilities.
(...)
That's right folks, the panic about the perspective-shift was totally unfounded. The game looks fantastic. It oozes Fallout from every pixel and the lack of self-referential hilarity only adds to the immersive effect of the world.
Fears about the Oblivion engine are partially justified, with the odd whiff of it in the omniscient town dwellers who keep managing to spot small-time larceny through three sets of walls and doors.
Fears about the removal of real-life drug references and a shift to first-person perspective are entirely unjustified. The third-person feels like a letdown at first, but once you get used to it, it's perfectly functional.
Minor niggles aside, Fallout 3 is almost entirely spectacular. Everything from the graphics, to the sound, to the plot is first-rate. The VATS system works like a charm and it's so easy to get the hang of, you'll be cracking skulls like there's no tomorrow. The depravity has escaped the censors block too, with slavery sneaking in through a back door.
(...)
System required: Beastly
Pros: Brilliant art direction; so much content!; Three Dog. Yeah!
Cons: Odd character physics; no timed autosave; map isn't too clear</blockquote>He sure talks about the perspective a lot. As if that was the only or even the biggest concern about the game compared to it predecessor. Turn-based, Mr Reviewer?
Thanks Manticore.
This does mean there are zones out there that are grotesquely dangerous to a Level 6, but knowing when to fight or take flight is all part of the fun.
(...)
Help is at hand in the form of the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS). Combat takes place either in real-time, FPS-style, or through VATS. It's not exactly turn-based, but it works very well indeed (much better than real-time).
The system is powered by Action Points (AP), with a varying amount of points depending on proficiency, stat allocation and weapon.
(...)
If the standard level of grue [sic] isn't enough, a mid-level perk, Bloody Mess, will make kills even more, well, bloody, meaning even a humble pistol kill can make an enemy look like they just swallowed a family bucket of grenades.
There is something strange about the physics here, however, and it's a deeper problem than the unlikely body-popping that Bloody Mess can deliver.
Character models bounce around just a little too much, unless all that radiation has mutated the asphalt somehow. The added bounce gives the distinct impression of fighting puppets, as enemies flail around on the floor like marionettes on heat.
Combat often inflicts a heavy toll. Even a few stray shots from a distant Raider can have a marked impact on hit points, and players are just as prone to being crippled as an enemy.
Wise indeed is the player who invests a few points in the Medicine skill and keeps their reserves of Stim Packs, Pure Water and other assorted restoratives as well-stocked as possible.
In a post-nuclear world, these commodities are hard, and expensive, to come by.
A cheaper option is to take a nap on a bed where possible, but this can be difficult given that beds with an 'owner' are strictly off-limits.
(...)
On top of keeping tabs on all the other attributes, the Pip-Boy kindly monitors Karmic alignment. It's not hard to figure out what actions are going to affect Karma, for better or worse. In populated areas the consequences of your actions are made clearer still, with Karma negative actions flagged red on the UI.
(...)
Anyone opting to play a real "bad ass" will be glad to know that slavery is back, so dust off the old stun gun, wheel out those slave collars and get ready to kiss that Karma goodbye.
(...)
It is a testament to level design that the faster option between two points doesn't always feel like the best option. Trekking across the map on foot often brings up unexpected diversions and side-quests and greatly enhances your immersion in the game.
(...)
Having said all that, it's worth remembering that people in towns rarely turns aggressive unless they spot someone breaking the law. Committing a crime is one thing, but being caught is another matter entirely.
Get caught indulging in minor crimes, such as theft and trespass and the owner of the property will attempt to reclaim it, either by putting their dukes up, or running for help. Fighting back escalates the Assault, which is classified a major crime.
Assault someone and the victim's friends (basically anyone in the vicinity) will all get stuck in. The same applies for Murder. With a whole township on your tail the only options are to kill every mother-humping last one of them, or hide out and wait until they forget about that one time you slayed their best mate, and cease their hostilities.
(...)
That's right folks, the panic about the perspective-shift was totally unfounded. The game looks fantastic. It oozes Fallout from every pixel and the lack of self-referential hilarity only adds to the immersive effect of the world.
Fears about the Oblivion engine are partially justified, with the odd whiff of it in the omniscient town dwellers who keep managing to spot small-time larceny through three sets of walls and doors.
Fears about the removal of real-life drug references and a shift to first-person perspective are entirely unjustified. The third-person feels like a letdown at first, but once you get used to it, it's perfectly functional.
Minor niggles aside, Fallout 3 is almost entirely spectacular. Everything from the graphics, to the sound, to the plot is first-rate. The VATS system works like a charm and it's so easy to get the hang of, you'll be cracking skulls like there's no tomorrow. The depravity has escaped the censors block too, with slavery sneaking in through a back door.
(...)
System required: Beastly
Pros: Brilliant art direction; so much content!; Three Dog. Yeah!
Cons: Odd character physics; no timed autosave; map isn't too clear</blockquote>He sure talks about the perspective a lot. As if that was the only or even the biggest concern about the game compared to it predecessor. Turn-based, Mr Reviewer?
Thanks Manticore.
I've been a collector of this particular mag for a few years now and they've been pretty good with their (p)reviews and I've got a few good games from their influence, but as for this particular one I don't know...
