Planet Fallout interviews Desslock

[UncannyGarlic]

@Texas Renegade, The point of Nuking DC is to destroy the US power base. It's a morale attack as much as a military attack (taking out the Pentagon and the surrounding federal infrastructure).

Also congress and the many civillian agencies (though I'm not sure that they are all located there).

What a lot of people don't realise is that Desslock really, really like Bethesda. He loves them, in fact. And it's mutual, hence him being the first to see the game.

I have masses of respect for Desslock and expect his final look at the game to be honest and on the level, but do realise he is biased in favour of Bethesda.

This was many things but balanced and critical it certainly wasn't. Quite frankly, I was shocked and disgusted that he could say that this is somehow true to Fallout and that Fallout 3 was somehow more plausible. Hopefully his review will actually be even a little critical.

 

[Dork Mage]

Yes, the combat is great, in my opinion – it’s repetitive, and over-the-top violent (necks are apparently very brittle after the apocalypse), but it’s consistently rewarding. I’m very pleased with VATS.

This is fishy. He's contradicting himself.

What a lot of people don't realise is that Desslock really, really like Bethesda. He loves them, in fact. And it's mutual, hence him being the first to see the game.

repetitive but rewarding? Sounds like he is trying really hard to say things that are truthful that can be taken as positive but is actually meh, if not outright negative.

 

[Brother None]

Yeah well I wouldn't start attributing intentions or opinions to him in blank salvo shots like that

 

[Jiggly McNerdington]

Desslock is generally pretty on the level about things in my experience. He has ripped games in the past.

Except he also really liked Oblivion and Hellgate London, and said something along the lines of NWN2 having the best story since PS:T. I've lost a bit of faith in his reviews, but at least he's a known quantity so I have a better idea of how to gauge the review when it comes.

 

[Kindo]

Except he also really liked Oblivion and Hellgate London, and said something along the lines of NWN2 having the best story since PS:T.

Neverwinter Nights 2 has the best story since Baldur's Gate II - but it doesn't even come close if you make a comparison. Its expansion, however (Mask of the Betrayer), has the best story since Planescape: Torment, but again, doesn't even graze the splendor of that game. Just thought I'd add that in, seeing how I'm very fond of NWN2 and MoB, and it seems they don't get half as much praise and attention as they deserve.

 

[Seymour the spore plant]

Definitely less humor, and the setting is darker.

this is the first Fallout where the world/setting actually seems remotely plausible as well

As I mentioned above, I think Bethesda really nailed their vision of the Fallout world – it’s more developed, more detailed, more plausible, and more interesting than in prior games. It’s actually quite haunting, which despite all the great qualities of the earlier games, wasn’t something that came across on those games.

Excuse me while I throw up. I knew Desslock was something of a TES fanboy, but this stuff is way too out there. Darker, less humor, more plausible, haunting? There's just too much info around on imbecilic shit for me to believe allegations of that caliber - the guy is basically saying it's better than the original in these aspects while it looks ludicrous even by Fallout 2 standards.

Sure, it *might* be possible that these things don't constantly swamp you while playing and thus aren't always noticeable. But for the sheer volume of them - even on the main quest, which renders some stupidities unavoidable - I very much doubt it.

 

[quasimodo]

To give you some measure of how much you can trust Desslock, here is a quote:

"Oblivion is one of the greatest RPGs of all time, and you just sound silly suggesting otherwise - let alone trying to "divorce" it from the genre, when it's actually one of the best representations of the genre, ever - just because you prefer the 6 RPGs that have been released with more dialogue choices."

There you have it, right straight from the horse's......mouth.

 

[Pope Viper]

That's not a direct quote, is it?

If so, this guy really plays both sides of the fence.

 

[Per]

That's not a direct quote, is it?

It is.

 

[Pope Viper]

Thanks, I also found this quote interesting.

But I definitely wish we'd had more of Troika/Black Isle's Fallout series - those games were awesome, and it's a drag they went out of business.

 

[entropyjesus]

To give you some measure of how much you can trust Desslock, here is a quote:

"Oblivion is one of the greatest RPGs of all time, and you just sound silly suggesting otherwise - let alone trying to "divorce" it from the genre, when it's actually one of the best representations of the genre, ever - just because you prefer the 6 RPGs that have been released with more dialogue choices."

There you have it, right straight from the horse's......mouth.

That could explain why he thinks Fallout 3 is remotely interesting. His opinion means nothing if he honestly thinks that Fallout 3 is more serious AND plausible than the originals. Seriously, gimme a break, Dess.

 

[UncannyGarlic]

To be fair, he did say, "But I definitely wish we'd had more of Troika/Black Isle's Fallout series - those games were awesome, and it's a drag they went out of business," right after. Still, that only supports the notion that he wants to play both sides of the fence but I don't see how you could think that Oblivion is anywhere near the level, RPG-wise, that Fallout or PS:T are, regardless of whether or not you love or hate it.[/quote]

 

[quasimodo]

That quote was shocking to me, especially from an old-timer who knows RPGs and is a Fallout fan.

I played Oblivion and I was struck by how Bethesda managed to omit, remove, or diminish almost everything I look for in an RPG.

Desslock is certainly on my ignore list for FO3 reviewers.