The World of The Gunny

Fallout 3....

First off, let me say, if you are going to give this game a fair review, be sure to park your Beth-phobia and hurt over Black isle not completing Project: van Buren at the door. Believe me, I had to...

Fallout 3 has been and still is surprisingly engrossing. It had been since the day it arrived at the FOB Falcon in the Amazon.Com box and still is nearly 1 week later since I purchased it, and so far folks, I am not done yet. The game is huge... thanks in part perhaps by its parent engine from Oblivion. Now, I won't say the game is perfect, far from it, but it is endearing. The scope, the size of this game isn't exaggerated and it does perhaps pay a better homage to the '50's Retro Future era than Fallout 1 and 2 ever did. Of course, such words would be considered heretical, perhaps even closer to treason... but even some Fallout loyalist will grudgingly admit the VATs system isn't not only fun, it also has a strategic value in the game. Mind you, you can mix it up with Run and gun tactics, but VATS can make a difference between victory and a painful death.


Now let us break it down

Character Creation
This is by far one of the juiciest moments in gaming history. You can edit everything from race - (Asian, African American, Caucasian and Hispanic) and depending on your rcae it will determine what Father looks like. The depth of customization is only limited to your patience. The hairstyles, a lot of them are fifties style. The birth till you escpae the Vault are pretty great moments in the game. Especially when your having a Birthday or taking the GOAT exam to determine what you'll be in the Vault.


STORY: Fallout 3 does have a nice solid story... Now before you guys launch empty nuka-cola bottles at me... I suggest you play the game... I know the deal with you Kenn, and I will be sure to forward you a copy. I won't get all spoilerish, but the storyline with you the main character finding your Father is a good one and not only that the fate of the wastelands too... It falls on a subject no one really talked about in Fallout universe, aside from FO1 where you had to find a Water Chip to save your Vault. Water folks. Clean water for the wastelands....


The super mutants as many of you feared aren't West Coast Remnant, but it would seem the sinister folks at Vault Tec had used the residents of a Vault as test subjects for FEV. These East Coast mutants are savage and pretty basic. Almost like the morlocks from Time Machine. They want to survive and they want food... Humans make good prey... and since they can't reproduce, they capture humans and those that they don't eat, they change.

The Enclave's return perhaps caused the most contention between Fallout die hards. Because we all know we pretty much wasted the President and the Oilrig. However, we can't leave out the fact that the Enclave did have assets in Navarro, and according to CANON - i.e the Fallout Bible, those that survived moved on. In Fallout 3, the Enclave are present, but they aren't as huge as they were, though during your travels you will find them setting up relay points across the wastes. And the random encounters do hold some sense. The Enclave is smaller, a fraction of their former self... and you will find later hints of other former Enclave operatives who made lives for themselves in the wasteland if you can hack the right terminals.

You will see Enclave broadcasting propaganda worthy of any tin horn dictatorship. Make no mistake, the Enclave had a very bad agenda for the wastelands.


The Brotherhood of steel.. Here you have the BOS who decided to be noble and defend the wasteland and a small faction calling themselves the outcasts who stick to old BOS mandate of securing tech. Play the game and you will understand the rift and I think its nice to see BOS.


There are endless things I could talk about Fallout 3 about... I will say for sure, that though there are some bugs, I haven't had many crashes... and that is in part to me playing for long hours (games engrossing).

You have plenty of quests to wet your appetite... Whether you want to be a shining light of good or the dark hand to smoother the weak in the wastelands... or just a neutral party who is all about personal survival. It is funny either way, and I found a lot more flexibility to do what I want and to reap the rewards or the consequences.

An interesting encounter is when you run into a remnant of the Chinese Army... and they'ree all ghoulifed, and yes, you can even pick up their radio signals and propaganda omn your pipboy... Very interesting. Almost reminds me of things that VC Radio chick you

The game is filled with junk and if your a pack rat, you can collect 'em all. Some items are worth something to others, so you never know.


The game also touches on the subject of cannibalism... now for you to part take in that you have to have a perk by that name... and well aside from healing you, you suffer negative karma... Aside form FO1, there never has been mention of cannibalism in any other Fallout titles. The wastelands is a desperate place, and in Capital Wastes, you can feel the desperation... Radiation is by far more a threat than I ever felt in the original Fallout titles... Contaminated water sources, food and the ever feral ghouls. Exploring subway tunnels yields a lot of things but you never know till you enter. This game makes you fear radiation. of course, if you part take in this that is your choice.


The children. A lot of die hard fallout fans lement the inability to kill kids. I am neutral to that idea. But the kids in this game have by far more personality than they did in the other games...


What perhaps is one of the major black marks for me in Fallout 3 is the excessive explosion of body parts. Don't get me wrong, let the death fit the caliber... I mean seeing a head pop now and again is fun, but it grows a bit tiring after a while...

You also get to explore various Vaults and learn of their roles... From 106 where that psycho gas was released, and yes, you too can experience the effects... You get the idea that Vault-Tec didn't build all these vaults for total survivor benefits.

The Radio stations are true to the theme, and its good to hear of your exploits over the radio system, as well as a Radio Play - which will bring some of you to tears of laughter :D


My Score

8/10

Pros
-True Retro 50's futuristic theme
-Good story and depth
-Vault life is interesting
-Great Post apocalyptic themes
-Great replay value
-Mechanics are simple and you can hot key


CONs
-Fallout 3 in name
-Excessive head popping and unrealistic body destruction
-Some of the bugs still present in the game
-No damn shadows
-Items don't have descriptions
-No traits
-Perks are a bit too positive
-Voice overs are somewhat wooden...


And that's my review and I am sticking to it.

Good review bud. I hope others here at WoTG will give us their views in a review. And I am glad to see you are enjoying the game. That is, afterall, what gaming should be about.

Well done.



Cheers, Þórgrímr

FO3 Review.

Honestly, I can say that this game is better than Van Buren could have been. By all accounts, Van Buren looked like it would be running a very similar engine to the originals (and would have very similar combat to FOT, which i was not a fan of), and while that would have been good, it wouldn't have been mind blowing. Which is what the use of the engine in FO3 has been to me. VATS did just that - it blew my mind. I've never seen anything like it before, but i have a sneaking suspicion we'll get to see it on the next elder scrolls installment... in fact almost every other FPS RPG will try to rip it off.

In the Beginning.

Character Creation.

This goes far beyond what i've seen before. Gone are the days when you'd spend half an hour or more staring at a sheet of numbers umming and ahh'ing over skills that give you more, or less, skill points and whether this would fit into the character you want to play. The way they've set it up... character creation set out to play over the years of natures character creation... it makes staying in character and choosing the right skills for that style that much easier. It also gives you a better feel for the game.. a better vibe.

Speaking of the Vibe, being an FPS it allows so much more immersion into your character and the game itself, which, IMO, gives a much better feel to the game and the atmosphere of post-apoc D.C. Playing Fo1, 2 and tactics with its fixed skycam view always distanced me from my character.

Story

The story was very good. Having to find your dear old dad, saving the wastes from evil incarnate... but the story felt familiar. Especialy the Enclave (SPOILER President Eden is too much like the Master, and his plan was ripped straight from FO2). Apart from that little gripe, i've got no real worthy complaints about the main story.

Questing

because of the level 20 cap, there isn't really much point to sidequesting, apart from getting more of a story to the wastes. From a pure powergamers point of view, this can be petty boring. I've spent about 6 or 7 hours already strolling through the wastes, finding things, killing things, and feeling pretty invincible - Lvl 20 with the right perks and well-repaired PA.. not much can hurt you. my only problem is running out of ammo or space in my inventory.

There are some real treats to be found if you quest through the game, and if you decide to do this after lvl 20, then the Explorer perk is a must. However, some of the places are a bit out of the way, so be prepared for long walks on the glassified beach.

Random Rants

The lvl 20 cap shits me to tears. Simply because of that, i have reason to hate Bethesda and everything it has ever done. RPG's should NOT have level caps, pure and simple, let alone one as stupidly low as 20. Especially one where there is so much potential in the wastes wasted simply because once you get to 20, there really isnt much point in exploring it unless you're a die-hard fan. Frankly, this level cap is the main reason why I can't see FO3 getting many reviews over 8/10.

You seem to get more crits if using VATS than if you just run and gun. In fact, you seem to do more damage using VATS. I've tested this out. On your average supermutant master, with a chinese assault rifle, using vats i can target the torso and drop the ugly son of a bitch using on average, less than ten bullets. Without using VATS, and doing my best to target the torso, they dont stop until there is at least a mag of lead in there. These "scientific" tests were carried out at nipple biting range.


The weapon creation feature is nice, however, If they went to all the trouble of doing that, they could have given every item a damage rating so you could stab someone to death with a stimpack (defeats the purpose a bit, though). There isn't really a wide choice of weapons, like in FO2, but there really doesnt need to e, i suppose, but it would have been nice if there were more than 2 types of assault rifle.

I give this a 7/10. It is a great game, but there is simplytoo much wasted potential from that fucking level cap. if it was 30 or 40, yes, i could uderstand it. But 20? get fucked.

Benno, good review bud.

Only commentary I have is that VATS is a 'ripoff' as you call it, of a game mechanic called Bullet Time. Give it a google for an explanation. You will see what I mean.

But I am glad to see you are enjoying the game.



Cheers, Þórgrímr

I wouldn't call it a full ripoff. IMO the only similarity is slowing the action. Only thing is... bullet time in games slows all the game action down... not stop it so you can pick targeted shots for percentage chances to hit.

I think the reason for more criticals in VATS is the same as why aimed shots yield criticals more in the other two... The critical chances are much higher, especially if you aim at say.... the head :D

@thor = yeah, bullet time. I've played max payne. This is not the same at all. In normal "Bullet Time" scenarios it slows down game time so you have more time to pick where you want to go or shoot, or both. Old mate Osama Bin Raghead still shoots at you and runs where he wants to run while you're choosing what to do. I'm with Wolfblade on this one - VATS is something entirely different. It pauses the game, you tell it you want to shoot the other guy in the head, then it shows a cinematic of you doing so, while old mate victim doing his best to stop you doing what you're doing, which doesnt end very well for him 9 times out of 10.

Wolfy - as for Crits... try it with Ye Olde Missile Launcher. Anyway, as I said in the review, they were carried out "Scientifically" - I.E. "Hey, that seems to be a bit different, wonder it works with this guy" DAKKADAKKADAKKA! "Nope... next subject" and so on until I get bored. I guess it keeps with the 50's theme........

Cool, I stand corrected on VATS. Gald you two are on the ball. I would hate to give an improper perception of the game.



Cheers, Þórgrímr