Fallout 3

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5318 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,751 out of 5318
  2. Mixed: 987 out of 5318
  3. Negative: 580 out of 5318
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  1. LoganS.
    Nov 21, 2008
    10
    The hallowed memories of yesteryears games makes the Fallout tradition a challenging project to have undertaken. Bethesda has not released a perfect game, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is indeed a worthy heir to the Fallout lineage. What it has lost by leaving the 3rd person isometric view it has gained back 100 fold by an amazingly detailed world, storylines that go far The hallowed memories of yesteryears games makes the Fallout tradition a challenging project to have undertaken. Bethesda has not released a perfect game, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is indeed a worthy heir to the Fallout lineage. What it has lost by leaving the 3rd person isometric view it has gained back 100 fold by an amazingly detailed world, storylines that go far beyond simple lines of dialog, and many different paths for the player to choose. There is in fact far more content than any single playthrough needs to experience, promising greater replayability.… Expand
  2. JoH.
    Nov 16, 2008
    10
    I just bought fallout 3 6 days ago and I'm just blown away... I played fallout 1 and 2 and I have to say that it does live up to the legacy ! It is definitely one of the best games of his generation (a generation of many many really bad and dull games...but fortunately there is fallout 3 [and starcraft 2 let´s hope it goes well...]). The only negative point about this game are I just bought fallout 3 6 days ago and I'm just blown away... I played fallout 1 and 2 and I have to say that it does live up to the legacy ! It is definitely one of the best games of his generation (a generation of many many really bad and dull games...but fortunately there is fallout 3 [and starcraft 2 let´s hope it goes well...]). The only negative point about this game are the many crashes for the pc version although that doesn't disturb me from loving this game to the full extend, because :yeah it´s that good.… Expand
  3. anarki2k3
    Aug 15, 2010
    6
    I don't know how so many people reviewed this so highly. Fallout 3, as a game, is directionless and vague in all it does, poorly structured (you can skip out half the story if you're not careful), caters for gaming idiots and worst of all is anything but true to the Fallout name.

    Ok so I shall start with the positives, it's a good looking game as long as you remain in first person,    I don't know how so many people reviewed this so highly. Fallout 3, as a game, is directionless and vague in all it does, poorly structured (you can skip out half the story if you're not careful), caters for gaming idiots and worst of all is anything but true to the Fallout name.

    Ok so I shall start with the positives, it's a good looking game as long as you remain in first person, apparently no one in Bethesda has ever seen a real person walking as evidenced by switching to third person. There are some truly great scripted moments that are only really effective because of the level of the graphics, anyone who's played it should know what moments I'm talking about. Moving onto the world itself, it is big and there are a lot of places to go and visit, a lot of people to meet and a lot of items to collect (if you're a hoarder like me). The ambient sound is ok in most places and good in a few, it never gets annoying so I can't really fault it. Weapons sound as they should or probably should, the music sort of sets the scene but is relatively forgettable. That just about wraps up the good things.

    Ok so first of all this game suffers from all the faults Oblivion had and some. "Dungeons" or "Vaults" as Bethesda would have you believe all have that same rehashed feeling they had in Oblivion, as do buildings. As I already mentioned, third person character movement is appalling, though this is not too much of a problem as most people, as I did, for a bulk of the game will be playing in first person. You would have thought with the budget they had and the time they had they could at least get that right however. The other thing is that it can't be played as you would play a first person shooter, you can aim your cross hair over an enemy all you want but that doesn't make it any more likely you will hit; whilst this is true to the Fallout series it doesn't translate in their first person iteration of it, except for when enemies are firing at you; they don't seem to be bound by the same constraints. Neither does VATS for that matter, in the original if you specifically targeted and hit an enemy's body part it would have a noticeable affect on that enemy's ability to fight, in Fallout 3 it doesn't seem to make a blind bit of difference, for example, blinding an enemy would make it near impossible for them to attack you. As for the storyline, what there isn't of it that is, now I know that there is much more to a game in terms of its immersive-ness than the main storyline but it does have to provided direction and motivation to finish the game. The main storyline can be completed in five hours or less if you're skipping parts of it and is not once engaging or driving enough to want to continue. Not good by any standard. It doesn't help that the story is told by an incredibly lacklustre group of NPCs. In fact nearly every character in this game has a personality roughly equal to a shade of beige. They are an incredibly boring group and there is little diversity to them, in fact you will come across many with an overwhelming sense of familiarity, even though you may not have met them yet. Also the game is incredibly buggy, even after numerous patches.

    That covers all of the issues I see with it except for, what is for me, the biggest one of them all. Now then, if you're going to take up already established IP and expand on that you have to pay attention to what that originally stood for. Now I know Fallout has diverged in the past from it's roots but never has it strayed this far. The first two of the Fallout series had some intelligent and very witty writing, a varied, interesting and soulful group of NPCs and hugely interesting world full of sleaze and humour. This variation on the Fallout theme has stripped out all of this, there is never a funny moment, the writing is appalling, NPCs are bland and the sleaze has completely gone. No more can you take a job as a porn star or engage with the post-apocalyptic mob or score drugs from a shady character to fuel your addiction. This strips most of the realism and life out of the world and the fact of the matter is that by comparison to most of the rest of the series Fallout 3 has no soul, it's been stripped out in an attempt to bring it to all out commercial success (yes I know this sounds whiny and unrealistic as these companies are there to make money, but do that with their own IP not just off the back of a recognised and fondly loved and remembered franchise).

    Anyway in conclusion Fallout 3 is, as a game, a mildly above average game. However, as an addition to the Fallout series it is an incredibly poor and disappointing addition so far removed from what Fallout was that it is barely recognisable any more. I just hope that with some of the original Fallout team working on New Vegas they can get that amazingly lively, funny world that Fallout used to be back.    … Expand
  4. ProbMad66
    Mar 13, 2013
    4
    Oh, dear, oh, dear... I tried to love this game so hard... I'm just going to say sorry for the guys that love this game. You have the right to love it, it's fair, but it seems that you either got spoiled by modern game industry or didn't know the beauty of TRUE Fallout universe. Bethesda needs to understand, that not every game that it does needs to be done in the same manner. In the endOh, dear, oh, dear... I tried to love this game so hard... I'm just going to say sorry for the guys that love this game. You have the right to love it, it's fair, but it seems that you either got spoiled by modern game industry or didn't know the beauty of TRUE Fallout universe. Bethesda needs to understand, that not every game that it does needs to be done in the same manner. In the end Fallout started to look like The Elder Scrolls after a while. Please, do not misunderstand me, I love TES, but it's design is unique and suitable only for itself. Bethesda seems to think otherwise. Fallout 3 turned out to be more of a shooter, than an RPG. And when I say that, I mean: 90% shooter, 10% RPG. And in the end: it's certainly isn't the best of both world, but a bad example of adapting a series. The game may be enjoyable for new gamers, but for the old school type of gamers this will be a huge disappointment. I'm still in shock trying to figure out why it's score is better than Fallout 2's...… Expand
  5. Sub-Human
    Aug 6, 2012
    4
    A horrible, flawed title with bugs, a poor storyline and little roleplaying options - an undeserving attempt at one of the greatest RPGs of all time - Fallout. You manage to defeat Vault security despite being a Level 1 wimp, then proceed to destroy supermutants and the Enclave with no particular hardship. On your journey, you meet boring, shallow and two-dimensional characters with poorA horrible, flawed title with bugs, a poor storyline and little roleplaying options - an undeserving attempt at one of the greatest RPGs of all time - Fallout. You manage to defeat Vault security despite being a Level 1 wimp, then proceed to destroy supermutants and the Enclave with no particular hardship. On your journey, you meet boring, shallow and two-dimensional characters with poor voice acting who give you just as boring and shallow quests. The UI can be a chore to use. The game has countless bugs and the animations do *not* resemble human beings. That's not to say, it contradicts the already established Fallout lore. It can be a fun game, but only for a little while.… Expand
  6. temps
    Nov 17, 2011
    2
    Fallout 3 is bland, lengthy, tedious, and repetitive. I often hear people say they like it because the world is so big. Honestly though, who cares if the world is "big"? It really is all just the same burning rubble copy-pasted all over a big map, so there isn't really a whole lot to explore because very little of it is new and you also can't interact with much of it anyway. The onlyFallout 3 is bland, lengthy, tedious, and repetitive. I often hear people say they like it because the world is so big. Honestly though, who cares if the world is "big"? It really is all just the same burning rubble copy-pasted all over a big map, so there isn't really a whole lot to explore because very little of it is new and you also can't interact with much of it anyway. The only things that break the repetition and boredom are the cities, but there aren't that many, and they are very few and far between in a HUGE wasteland. The world is definitely "big," but there also isn't much to do in it or interact with.

    The developer didn't provide any vehicles, so while "exploring," you get to have fun walking...everywhere... at a painfully slow pace. Imagine GTA, but without cars, with a lot of burning buildings that you can't really interact with the vast majority of the time, very few people, and it's populated by the same 5 kinds of bad guys all across 90% of the map. Despite the terrific art-style and interesting setting, the game does a terrible job of storytelling, and what little story-content there is is spread out throughout approximately 60 hours of mind-numbingly repetitive combat and "exploration." Soon, you realize that you are fighting the same bad-guys over and over, that the houses and assorted bits of rubble and trash you see lying all over the world all look more or less the same, and the whole experience is downhill from there.

    Repetitive combat + copy-pasted rubble + no significant story = boring waste of time.

    Don't buy into the hype about the game being "open-world." Open world games aren't that great when everything you come across in the game looks bland, lifeless, and identical to 80% or more of everything else you've already come across in the game.    … Expand
  7. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    7
    Must play? I don't think so Metacrtic, not in a million years. I remember playing this game 5 years ago for the first time and it was an ambivalent experience. Now after finishing New Vegas and loving it, I thought: what the hell, I should replay F3 with the add-ons. So, I did. This game suffers from lots of problems... LOTS. I was playing the GOTY edition and thought the bugs would beMust play? I don't think so Metacrtic, not in a million years. I remember playing this game 5 years ago for the first time and it was an ambivalent experience. Now after finishing New Vegas and loving it, I thought: what the hell, I should replay F3 with the add-ons. So, I did. This game suffers from lots of problems... LOTS. I was playing the GOTY edition and thought the bugs would be fixed, but nope. It's Bugthesda after all. And I don't care about bugs like glitches, people flying and so on. I'm talking about bugs, that make you unable to progress in the game. This is a joke my friends. I had to use console commands, so I could move on with the game as the cutscene that was supposed to show up in Finding the Garden of Eden never did. Had to restart the mission, then I had problems with npcs in other missions, where I would finish the mission, walk up to the npc to tell him/her that I've done the job, yet couldn't speak with them. Sometimes the npcs would disappear, so I would have to clone them. This game is a complete mess. For this alone, I can't call it a good game. It's not a good game when you need console commands to finish it. But but... I love the atmosphere and the places. Loved some missions too. Mostly side quests, because the main storyline is a joke. Fallout 3 isn't even half as good as New Vegas is. And it certainly can't touch the previous Fallout games. Still, I had fun with the game, even when the stupid bugs tried to ruin the whole experience. It's a 7/10. I don't recommend it to people, that hate when game crashes. I counted... game crashed 56 times while I was playing it. It's crazy. Pickens hardly approves!… Expand
  8. PresidentTrump
    May 27, 2018
    6
    I've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Fallout 3. At first, I disliked the game for its buggy and clunky gameplay. After giving the game a chance I enjoyed it, but after spoiling myself with the greatness of New Vegas, I came back not liking Fallout 3 as much. I modded it on PC to my liking and enjoyed it for a while until it started repeatedly crashing. Despite my back andI've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Fallout 3. At first, I disliked the game for its buggy and clunky gameplay. After giving the game a chance I enjoyed it, but after spoiling myself with the greatness of New Vegas, I came back not liking Fallout 3 as much. I modded it on PC to my liking and enjoyed it for a while until it started repeatedly crashing. Despite my back and forth feelings for this game, I believe the overall feeling is positive. Keep in mind this review is based more on personal enjoyment rather complete objectivity, which is only fair because I gave New Vegas a 10.

    First of all, as someone who was introduced to the Fallout series through this game, I was never familiar with the previous installments until much later, which is why I believe I didn't like the game for a while. The game ditches a lot of the things that make the original two games so great. It leaves out a lot of the true RPG elements. Sure you can choose what to say, you can be good or evil, you can level up and choose perks, but you never feel like you really are your character. Fallout 1 and New Vegas do a fantastic job at making your character feel realistic and relatable which is why your actions and choices are important. You feel no connection to The Lone Wanderer. Why do I want to find my Dad? He's in the game for like 20-30 minutes, the only connection I have to him is that he's voiced by Liam Neeson.

    The world of Fallout 3 is interesting on the surface, with towns full of interesting characters and long questlines, but behind this is a landfill of worthless locations with nothing of interest. Half of these locations exist only to give extra Super Mutant, Raider and Enclave camps to clear out and loot. Going out of my way to explore all of these locations showed me that each uninteresting location has the same exact formula. Kill everyone inside that is a threat. Look around and loot everything that has any worth. There is no lore. There is nothing that adds depth to the world. It's all there for you to shoot and loot.

    Speaking of shooting, the shooting mechanics in this game are pretty bad. You pretty much need VATS in order to actually be able to shoot anything. Not to mention the lack of Iron Sights. Having to aim with the inaccurate crosshairs that barely even show where your bullet is gonna go. Whats even worse is that VATS is immersion breaking and unattractive. If you're going to turn a turn-based RPG game into a modern FPS then at least to do the FPS part right!

    Oh man not to mention how TERRIBLE the optimization of this game is. First of all, its a game of roulette if the game even launches when you buy it if you play on anything later than WINDOWS XP until you go into the code of the game and fix TWO LINES. Even then the game will constantly crash until you install Third-Party Mods to fix the game. Even AFTER you fix the game with mods, it still crashes after 5-10 minutes of playing. WHAT THE ****

    While I know I've been trash talking Fallout 3 this whole review, there is something to love about it. The characters are fantastic (even if half of them are done by the same 20 voice actors) and each questline is interesting and unique. There are things to enjoy in Fallout 3, for me it's finding small details that require me to use my own imagination to fill in gaps (even though that's not really something to credit to the developers).

    Would I recommend Fallout 3? No. The game is buggy, broken and uninspired. Despite me enjoying some of it, I would recommend Fallout: New Vegas or the first two fallout games    … Expand
  9. ZekeO
    May 30, 2009
    8
    I gave this an 8 because its a good game over all but the graphics on high are to hard for any computer to handle and the waste land is to populated and things are to far away the map in this game is way to big but its very fun i would rent this first before you buy because you ether love it or hate over all its a good RPG.
  10. Seb
    Nov 16, 2008
    8
    A good game likely to keep you entertained for many hours. If you really didn't enjoy Oblivion, I wouldn't recommend playing this game. The game shares many similarities. Pros: - Large, persistent world to explore. - Plenty of little quirks and side quests to keep you entertained and personalise your gaming experience. - Atmosphere is great. - Good music. - VATS combat system is A good game likely to keep you entertained for many hours. If you really didn't enjoy Oblivion, I wouldn't recommend playing this game. The game shares many similarities. Pros: - Large, persistent world to explore. - Plenty of little quirks and side quests to keep you entertained and personalise your gaming experience. - Atmosphere is great. - Good music. - VATS combat system is fun. - Terrain graphics are quite good. - Plenty of character customisation options. Cons: - Can't help but think of Oblivion when playing the game (It's just way to similar). - Voice acting is often cheesy. - AI sucks. - Characters models and animations are not up to todays standards. - Quests generally consist of 'do things the good way or the bad way'.… Expand
  11. EnglishDan
    Jul 11, 2009
    8
    I would give this a 10, as it is probably the best game I have ever played. The only problem is the crashes, this game crashes so much, I'm not really getting anywhere with it, because it just goes to the last save, though I have noticed disabling SLI cuts them down a bit, and there are patches (if you can get them). So, if you can be bothered trying to fix this game up and making I would give this a 10, as it is probably the best game I have ever played. The only problem is the crashes, this game crashes so much, I'm not really getting anywhere with it, because it just goes to the last save, though I have noticed disabling SLI cuts them down a bit, and there are patches (if you can get them). So, if you can be bothered trying to fix this game up and making optimum conditions for it so it doesn't crash so much, or if you think you can handle it crashing every 5 mins (and sometimes it can be as much as every 10 secs, seriously), then this is a brilliant game.… Expand
  12. KaarleWasama
    Mar 5, 2010
    9
    This game is truly quite miraculous and here's why: It combines in a wonderful way features of FPS and RPG. It even involves some SIMS-type game play including the decorating of your own house, wherever that might be (see for yourself). The playing area is large and flexible, you'll find that restrictions are very few in number. The weapon/item arsenal is very large and This game is truly quite miraculous and here's why: It combines in a wonderful way features of FPS and RPG. It even involves some SIMS-type game play including the decorating of your own house, wherever that might be (see for yourself). The playing area is large and flexible, you'll find that restrictions are very few in number. The weapon/item arsenal is very large and what's more, you can make your own weapons or other stuff. The fact that the game is situated to happen in Washington DC area (and outside) adds to the excitement. This together with the Cold War-type of background story cooks up an amazing game atmosphere. I could go on for pages, enough spoiling though: the goodies are all there for you to find. Bad sides? That's a tough call. If I was forced to dig out one, that would be the fact that the main story is so short. Compared to how large the area is and how much there is to explore and try out, the main storyline seems inadequate. This combined with the fact that once you finish the final objective the game ends is disappointing. Nonetheless the game is wonderful and if you're not in a rush and like scouting around, you'll find tons of stuff to do and even if you only did the main story line there will be hours after hours of gaming to do. I have no regrets of making this purchase even if it cost me $30 :)… Expand
  13. Trineon
    Nov 1, 2008
    8
    As a fan of the previous Fallout games, I was naturally disheartened by the demise of Black Isle Studios and the apparent death of the series. Feelings for seeing Bethesda pick up the license later on were mixed. Joyed to see that a long awaited third sequel was on the way, worried that it's artistic and mechanical direction would stray too far from the style and feel that made the As a fan of the previous Fallout games, I was naturally disheartened by the demise of Black Isle Studios and the apparent death of the series. Feelings for seeing Bethesda pick up the license later on were mixed. Joyed to see that a long awaited third sequel was on the way, worried that it's artistic and mechanical direction would stray too far from the style and feel that made the first two games so gorgeous and in my opinion, the best Western CRPG's I've had the pleasure to experience. The teaser trailer released a year ago was a good indicator of the new developers grasp of the atmosphere (in addition, the fact that they chose the original Inkspots piece intended for FO1 was a welcome tip-of-the-hat to the fans). But the indication that the same engine used for Oblivion was planned for this game resurfaced early fears. I have very much enjoyed Morrowind from Bethesda, despite a general dislike of the arche-typical fantasy-sword-and-sorcery genre of RPG's. Oblivion on the other hand, while possessing an engine that provided a vast, rich and colorful world setting and a character creation system that allowed intensely detailed tweaking when it came to physical looks, still overall disappointed me with a combat system that felt too clunky, voice acting that lacked enthusiasm, level-scaled enemies, and an NPC AI that acted far too awkwardly for me to suspend disbelief. Overall it only felt like a step-up from Morrowind and graphics and physics, with most other aspects feeling like a downgrade. Having played Fallout 3 for several days now, I would posit that the early fears were not entirely misplaced, but thankfully a little bit exaggerated as one would expect from an oversensitive fan base that was hyped up and let down one too many times over the past few years ;) The landscape, colors and settings definetely reflect the feel of the previous games; Desolate, hopeless with death and decay everywhere, no signs of life or motion other than the occasional dust winds. The soundtrack is very fitting to this atmosphere, with pieces that are either soft and slow that induce a sense of solitude, or louder scores that emphasize the vastness of the wasteland, and thus just how hopeless the prognosis of this new world is. As it was with Oblivion, detail is not spared from observation. Whether the player is traversing the wasteland or walking about in the few makeshift towns of surviving communities, they will notice the gritty look of decaying or rotting structures, the various amount of junk material sprawled around and about, perforated or covered with dirt and rust where applicable. The visual and aural setting, certainly does not disappoint. The behaviour of the NPC AI however, is still on the awkward side as it was in Oblivion, though perhaps not as painful to watch. For example, NPC's converse with each other as it was in Oblivion. And while it still looks stiff and artificial, their conversations seem to be more coherent, much unlike the almost completely random lines spouted by their Oblivion counterparts. The voice acting, while not convincing enough to be heralded as an industry example, has definetely improved enough to be considered satisfactory. Different characters sound more apart, and emotion in their tones is easier to pick up. Some textures and models in the game feel a little dated, possibly implying that the game engine has not improved since Oblivion. The first gun you procure in the game (the classic 10mm) looked and felt disturbingly clunky in my hands, although this is partly due to the fact that the pre-rendered drawings and illustrations on the previous games had given the same gun a nicer, smoother look. Fortunately such issues are not numerous, and can be ignored in time, for the most part. Combat has left me with mixed impressions. The game certainly does not play like a typical shooter for obvious reasons; The condition of the weapon as well as your skill in utilizing it directly affects your performance. Still, after previous FPS-RPG's such as System Shock 2 or Deus Ex, the glaring hopelessness of trying to shoot or snipe an enemy from afar, or even middle-range is slightly irritating, more so when said enemy doesn't seem to be having much trouble perforating you with burst fire from the same distance. Still, this is somewhat an early observation. I'm currently Level 5 with a Small Weapons skill of 55 to 60, and all my weapons are at about 55% condition at best. So the challenge, while irritating, is perhaps understandable. The transition from turn-based combat to real-time is disorienting for Fallout veterans like I, who are used to taking their time to plan their moves and spend AP's as efficiently as possible. The paused combat option of VATS compensates for this, but only up to a point. It allows time to think about your next series of moves, and of course, allows for called shots directly influenced by the usual RPG mechanics of the game. The slow-motion cinematic play out of your commands is definetely satisfying to watch, more so when you score a critical hit. However, perhaps due to the shifting camera angles during this cinematic phase, the player is disoriented for a split-second when it ends and combat continues onward. Even if only for a split second, its still typically enough for a speedy AI enemy to fire off a few more shots at you as you regain your senses and move on. For the most part, my combat style has consisted of taking some calculated shots with VATS, then taking cover while my AP's regenerate for the next attempt. The pace feels too slow for an FPS, and perhaps a bit fast for an RPG. Nevertheless, the cinematic phase entertains me enough to overall enjoy combat. Plot wise, I have not made much progress with the main quest, seeking out side quests where I can to extend gameplay. However it looks interesting so far, and I will eventually move onwards. The missions offered from various NPC's so far have not felt boring or tedious. Some are tied to the main quest, others are enjoyable distractions. The amount of solution choices and the feel of the quests are in line with the Fallout spirit. I am once again the diplomat I used to be in the West Coast of post-apocalypse USA, looking for peaceful solutions, but sometimes just going with the flow of my rifle barrel :p Overall, I am enjoying Fallout 3 with great gusto. Yes, I would have very much loved to see the Van Buren project of Black Isle succeed. Having tried out its released alpha form a year or so ago, I have little doubt that the original Fallout 3 that was supposed to happen several years earlier would have been fantastic, probably much better than what we have in our hands today. But sadly that project is buried in history now. I don't subscribe to the belief that "Any X is better than no X." In my opinion, the Fallout 3 delivered by Bethesda is not a cheapened form of Fallout, nor a fundamentally different form of Fallout. It is a Fallout that fully delivers the retro-futuristic, dark-humored setting its fans have come adore. The changes in gameplay, while understandably troubling for some veterans, are not major enough to dismiss this game as a failed Fallout by any means. Still, I would urge Bethesda to either drop this Oblivion engine, or fix those stiff movements for the next installment ;) .....there will be a fourth installment, right?… Expand
  14. Will
    Nov 8, 2008
    8
    Fallout 3 is a wonderful game - certainly more than "Oblivion with guns". It's problem is that it can't make it past the big "now what?" moment. You finally reached level 20, beat the main quest, and when you ask yourself what to do next, there's not much. Once the world is explored, that's that. It could have been such a better game if Bethesda had implemented Fallout 3 is a wonderful game - certainly more than "Oblivion with guns". It's problem is that it can't make it past the big "now what?" moment. You finally reached level 20, beat the main quest, and when you ask yourself what to do next, there's not much. Once the world is explored, that's that. It could have been such a better game if Bethesda had implemented factions and small-time quests, like they did with Morrowind. In games like TES3, when you finished something, there was always something more to do - always. In Fallout 3, there is an end, and it seems to quick to come. Don't get me wrong, though. Fallout 3 is an immensely enjoyable game with a lot to offer to anybody who likes FPS or RPG games.… Expand
  15. PaulM
    Jan 20, 2009
    7
    Fallout 3 is a wonderful but ultimately flawed game. To give some context on my views, I have not played any of the previous Fallout games, however I am a big RPG fan and have completed many great games in the genre, including Oblivion. For the first 15 hours or so Fallout 3 is a 10/10 game, great story good visuals and sound and a really immersive RPG experience. However, I maxed out at Fallout 3 is a wonderful but ultimately flawed game. To give some context on my views, I have not played any of the previous Fallout games, however I am a big RPG fan and have completed many great games in the genre, including Oblivion. For the first 15 hours or so Fallout 3 is a 10/10 game, great story good visuals and sound and a really immersive RPG experience. However, I maxed out at level 20 depressingly early, with huge amounts of cash and ammunition and there was nothing I couldn't kill with my Chinese Assault Rifle, in short the last third of the main plot was an unchallenging procession. I can't believe that Bethesda went to all this effort of making a superficially great game and got the play balance so wrong. MAJOR SPOILER - I also have major issues with the plot at the end. You are given a choice of sacrificing yourself or a character that you met all of five minutes ago for whom you have limited emotional investment. Surely it should have been choice between your own life and your father's for which your whole quest has been about.… Expand
  16. HenryT.
    Jan 5, 2009
    7
    Quite good game. The combat system is simply amazing. I think this game has one issue, bugs. Alot of players have had alot of issues with this game including me. I got the game working in about 20 minutes after installation. The game has been developed very well and for Fallout fans its like a dream come true.
  17. AndersM
    Jan 13, 2010
    9
    Allright. Fallout 3 is a great game. You can use hours and hours running around in the wastelands and killing all sord of weird monsters and doing some Quest. But you will get tirred of this game when you have completed it. GREAT story line. I'll say this is a must buy. expect 40 hours of fun and dont buy any expansions (they suck too expensive and almost nothing new) I'll say Allright. Fallout 3 is a great game. You can use hours and hours running around in the wastelands and killing all sord of weird monsters and doing some Quest. But you will get tirred of this game when you have completed it. GREAT story line. I'll say this is a must buy. expect 40 hours of fun and dont buy any expansions (they suck too expensive and almost nothing new) I'll say this You will LOVE!! this brilliant game… Expand
  18. SimonF
    Nov 21, 2008
    7
    Evan T..How old are you? ... 7 or 8 perhaps? Listing this game and Halo 3 and Gears 2 as the best games in history, smacks of an immature infant. You obviously don't play Proper games do you?...and we don't need you to tell us what to rate a game thanks! Try adding' IMHO' after your comments, as we can make up our own minds! The game itself is not bad, but there are Evan T..How old are you? ... 7 or 8 perhaps? Listing this game and Halo 3 and Gears 2 as the best games in history, smacks of an immature infant. You obviously don't play Proper games do you?...and we don't need you to tell us what to rate a game thanks! Try adding' IMHO' after your comments, as we can make up our own minds! The game itself is not bad, but there are better games out there .… Expand
  19. PaulL.
    Nov 2, 2008
    7
    I have mixed feelings about this game. I loved both oblivion and fallout 2, but I have to agree with some of the other comments that this is more oblivion than fallout. Its a pretty good game, but it lost that strategic element that was so critical in the fallout 2 game. This is essentially a game that is impossible to loose. You could assign skills randomly and still have a playable I have mixed feelings about this game. I loved both oblivion and fallout 2, but I have to agree with some of the other comments that this is more oblivion than fallout. Its a pretty good game, but it lost that strategic element that was so critical in the fallout 2 game. This is essentially a game that is impossible to loose. You could assign skills randomly and still have a playable character. Unlike oblivion, there is no weather effects, in the PC version there is no button to holster your weapon(assuming because they ran out of buttons on the xbox controller), there is no sound when you reload, there is some serious issues with continuity, and there are some really lame bugs in the game. Not bugs that crash the game, just bugs that make you say "that's dumb". I've played it for about 20hrs now, and its becoming a little repetitive, there is no creature or situation that I can get knocked down below 1/2 health. This is a game that is better than most games on the market currently, but it really is not much of an RPG, it belongs with in the basket with Bioshock and half-life 2. So if you like those FPS, you'll love this, it will be a challenge and a change. This may become an more intensive RPG game in the future, IF the release the editor so modders can get a hold of it and make some improvements/corrections. I'd like to congratulate Bethesda for making the transition from 2D to 3D, that had to happen. But it would have been nice if more effort had been made to retrain the strategic elements that made the previous fallouts famous, and not simply modded Oblivion.… Expand
  20. RobertT.
    Nov 2, 2008
    8
    A worthy addition to the Fallout franchise. One point subtracted for not having any multiplayer capability whatsoever. A second point subtracted for including "Xbox Live" support in a PC game without any other multiplayer support whatsoever. If I wanted to have anything to do with Live achievements and other BS, I would have bought a Xbox.
  21. BradB.
    Nov 2, 2008
    7
    While the graphics/environment are amazing as a gamer who loved Fallout/Fallout 2 I was semi disappointed in Fallout 3. As many previous raters have said this is a great game for oblivion followers. "Oblivion, with guns" is a perfect description of the game. Storyline was too flimsy, leaving me sometimes confused, "what next"? The new VATS addition was great while the pipboy took obvious While the graphics/environment are amazing as a gamer who loved Fallout/Fallout 2 I was semi disappointed in Fallout 3. As many previous raters have said this is a great game for oblivion followers. "Oblivion, with guns" is a perfect description of the game. Storyline was too flimsy, leaving me sometimes confused, "what next"? The new VATS addition was great while the pipboy took obvious hits. Skills were very limited compared to fallout 3. The new condition/repair could have been left out of the game as it didn't add any substance. Overall, great game for oblivion lovers, not for fallout followers. Can we get a release date for D3 please?!?… Expand
  22. MattC
    Nov 2, 2008
    8
    Very fun game to play - visuals, atmosphere, action, and story are decent. Runs very well. Definitely not 'Oblivion with guns' - they've learned a little since Oblivion. There's some brilliant moments - they've nailed the feeling of exiting the vault perfectly, and some action sequences are amazingly good fun, such as the behemoths. I haven't really come Very fun game to play - visuals, atmosphere, action, and story are decent. Runs very well. Definitely not 'Oblivion with guns' - they've learned a little since Oblivion. There's some brilliant moments - they've nailed the feeling of exiting the vault perfectly, and some action sequences are amazingly good fun, such as the behemoths. I haven't really come across any "go halfway across the land and collect 5 [item]" to complete a quest. There is some running around to do, but these have interesting story lines. The scale of the game feels right, and I'm happy to see there isn't duplication in dungeons. It isn't perfect through, there's quite a few minor problems, most of which you've probably already read about. None of these issues really effect the fun to had though. The 8-rating reflects these weaknesses and a couple of poor design decisions - e.g. the first town being 2min stroll from the vault. Don't pay attention to the 10/10 reviews - the reviewers must have been intoxicated. I'm not sure what's wrong with some Fallout veterans and Bethesda haters - the game really isn't bad at all. The weaknesses in voice acting etc. aren't really noticable unless you're looking for them. I'm hoping that a series of mods will improve the game - if so you can safely jack up my score to a 9 or 10.… Expand
  23. DereckK.
    Nov 27, 2008
    7
    Too many bugs, sometimes boring, but also immersive and intense. A very good rpg with an interesting storyline and scenario. It could be better but it is good enough to have some fun.
  24. RichC
    Nov 29, 2008
    7
    plot is great and the game takes some getting used to (bieng different from oblivion) but the reason why this game got a 7 was because of the fact once you finish the main plot you either A.) load back to your last spot which doesnt help cuz it auto saves you at the part the game ends or B.) start over. the games definatly worth a buy but if your reading this and didnt get the game yet. plot is great and the game takes some getting used to (bieng different from oblivion) but the reason why this game got a 7 was because of the fact once you finish the main plot you either A.) load back to your last spot which doesnt help cuz it auto saves you at the part the game ends or B.) start over. the games definatly worth a buy but if your reading this and didnt get the game yet. get and do everything else but the quest first.… Expand
  25. JohannVII
    Nov 4, 2008
    8
    First off: as has been previously stated, this game is not Fallout. Nor is it Fallout 2, but I think this goes without saying. Both were (and still are) excellent games, and if you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do. I know some of you out there were looking for a second re-hash of the original Fallout, and you will be disappointed (but hey, given the open nature of the First off: as has been previously stated, this game is not Fallout. Nor is it Fallout 2, but I think this goes without saying. Both were (and still are) excellent games, and if you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do. I know some of you out there were looking for a second re-hash of the original Fallout, and you will be disappointed (but hey, given the open nature of the original games, you can always go play them again). Sadly, Black Isle (and Troika too) is dead and gone forever, and Van Buren died with it. Fallout 3 IS a beautiful realization of a portion of the Fallout universe in the Gamebryo engine (and incidentally is superior to Oblivion in every possible way, though it still suffers from a few of the same pitfalls, and I wish for once my headshot-kill would result in something other than the head flying from the body, though F1/2 used the same sprite animations for each model's death). The modified SPECIAL system used lacks a certain RPG depth, but it still stands above every first-person "RPG" I've played since Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. The dialogue options are almost universally of the form Good, Bad, Neutral, but well-written within that framework, and they often have real consequences beyond a simple Karma shift. The plot is much more developed than those of previous Bethesda games, and a number of the characters have enough dimension to motivate emotional involvement. Finally, I think VATS may be my favorite feature. Though combat becomes repetitive over time, the cinematic presentation (while occasionally utilizing bizzare camera angles) goes a long way to keep it satisfying. I may never get sick of seeing a slow-motion tracking of the railway spike I fired flying to a Feral Ghoul's head and pinning it to the wall. The game is still a bit buggy (random crashes in Vista x64), so I recommend saving often. Overall, it turned out much better than I had hoped: so much so that, though I had originally planned to simply steal the game once it had been cracked, I wound up buying a copy at 6pm on the 28th after watching my friend play for a while. Fallout 3 isn't perfect, but it's easily worth $50 if you have the cash. Now if only someone would come out with a Child-Killer mod.… Expand
  26. MarcA.
    Nov 5, 2008
    7
    The people who played Fallout don't recognize their beloved game, and people who only played Oblivion also think it's very close to it. So, why did they call it Fallout 3? Oblivion: fallout would have been an honest tittle. The ultimate question will anyone remember Fallout 3's extraordinary characters in ten years from now, like we can remember Set the ghoul? will it still The people who played Fallout don't recognize their beloved game, and people who only played Oblivion also think it's very close to it. So, why did they call it Fallout 3? Oblivion: fallout would have been an honest tittle. The ultimate question will anyone remember Fallout 3's extraordinary characters in ten years from now, like we can remember Set the ghoul? will it still be one of the best game ever in ten years from now, a game which like Fallout can be played again, and again, and again? No.… Expand
  27. KevinZ.
    Dec 6, 2008
    7
    This game is decent, but doesn't live up to the first two. Other reviews cover the pros pretty well, I will focus on cons. Combat is fun enough, but not very challenging. I wish there were more actual cities- Unlike the original Fallouts which had plenty of interesting places, this world feels somewhat empty. It is, however, fun to explore. The biggest problem is definitely the main This game is decent, but doesn't live up to the first two. Other reviews cover the pros pretty well, I will focus on cons. Combat is fun enough, but not very challenging. I wish there were more actual cities- Unlike the original Fallouts which had plenty of interesting places, this world feels somewhat empty. It is, however, fun to explore. The biggest problem is definitely the main storyline. I was honestly amazed anyone even took this one beyond the brainstorming phase. Incredibly uninteresting. An immersive world is not enough, I want a story that makes me feel some sort of emotion and/or sparks my imagination. And don't tell me I have to make my own stories, that argument only goes so far. Oh, also plot holes do not constitute interesting developments.… Expand
  28. PeterR.
    Oct 29, 2008
    7
    It's a good game overall. Nice story, nice graphics, decent gameplay, but on the whole it is not nearly as fun as I would expect from a game with such high production values. As with Oblivion, Bethesda's last major RPG, the game is too watered-down to be truly engaging, and it is difficult to look past the ineptly designed controls and user interface, which, contrary to It's a good game overall. Nice story, nice graphics, decent gameplay, but on the whole it is not nearly as fun as I would expect from a game with such high production values. As with Oblivion, Bethesda's last major RPG, the game is too watered-down to be truly engaging, and it is difficult to look past the ineptly designed controls and user interface, which, contrary to Bethesda's statements, do not appear to be designed with the PC in mind. All things considered, it's a step up from Oblivion, and it's generally true to the Fallout franchise, though it's hard to judge that when you consider that Fallout 3 is being made with a different style of play by a different developer in a different century. I recommend this game, but only inasmuch as it is on par with the quality and enjoyment of most games these days. Compared to previous games, both by Bethesda and Black Isle, Fallout 3 has lost its charm.… Expand
  29. BobS
    Dec 26, 2009
    9
    Fallout 3 is amazing game. The game does a great job blending FPS and RPG elements with a very in-depth story. Also the detail level in the game is astounding, making the entire capital wasteland world seem real. Fallout gives you almost complete freedom with how you want to play the game and progress through the story, which makes the replay value very high. My only gripes with this game Fallout 3 is amazing game. The game does a great job blending FPS and RPG elements with a very in-depth story. Also the detail level in the game is astounding, making the entire capital wasteland world seem real. Fallout gives you almost complete freedom with how you want to play the game and progress through the story, which makes the replay value very high. My only gripes with this game that holds it back from being a 10 is that it needs a mini map to make navigation easier and the computer version tends to crash alot.… Expand
  30. AdamG
    Jul 12, 2009
    8
    Fallout 3 is a great game but incredibly glitched and most of the time you'll find your self wedged between a tree and a hill. Forcing me to reload an older save. Another feature is what you have done in the affects the rest of the game and multiple choices of finishing quests.
  31. YeagleyO.
    Jul 2, 2009
    8
    I've played through Fallout 3 three times now (I'm currently on my third game) and I still enjoy it. There are so many possible outcomes, the fun never ends. I do agree, however, that the game isn't what we were promised. We were promised a game with "hundreds of endings", and ended up with only ten or so (which really aren't that differant from eachother). And while I've played through Fallout 3 three times now (I'm currently on my third game) and I still enjoy it. There are so many possible outcomes, the fun never ends. I do agree, however, that the game isn't what we were promised. We were promised a game with "hundreds of endings", and ended up with only ten or so (which really aren't that differant from eachother). And while there are some consiquences for your actions, they're not as major as Bethesda would like you to think. In Megaton, I murdered the doctor, and no one ever noticed. I would have been happy if occasionally one of them mentioned his death. And if you think having a follower changes anything, it doesn't. They become your backup and your pack mule. No one else notices them. If you can ignore major flaws like that, it is a very fun game with some replay value (you always tend to miss something when you play the game the first time). I recommend it, but don't expect it to be revolutionary. Maybe Fallout 4 will be free of these issues?… Expand
  32. JasonL.
    Jul 24, 2009
    7
    I got a strong feeling of deja-vu when I first loaded this game. If you've ever played Oblivion, than you'll pretty much know what to expect with Fallout 3. Aside from the setting and story, almost everything is similar to Bethesda's fantasy RPG; from the menu system and mechanics to the graphics engine and playstyle (the VATS targeting system notwithstanding), there's I got a strong feeling of deja-vu when I first loaded this game. If you've ever played Oblivion, than you'll pretty much know what to expect with Fallout 3. Aside from the setting and story, almost everything is similar to Bethesda's fantasy RPG; from the menu system and mechanics to the graphics engine and playstyle (the VATS targeting system notwithstanding), there's nothing you haven't seen before. It seems like Bethesda took the easy road and decided "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". That's not necessarily bad, but it's not necessarily good either. The good: the main storyline is sweet, but short; tons of locations to explore along with tons of quests; VATS kicks butt; lots of weapons and items to find; unique characters and situations; good variety of NPC voices. The bad: Bethesda is still using the archaic menu system they implemented with Oblivion, which means there's no weapon cycle mapping allowed, and there's only one key to access your entire character menu; the graphics engine is starting to show its age; the many locations all start to look the same after a while (pure laziness on Bethesda's part); the main quest is waaaay too short; not enough character and creature variety; gameplay doesn't seem to change much when higher stats and new skills are added to your character. Certainly not a terrible game, but it's not "the best game of our generation" as many critics are claiming. I have a feeling that, as was the case with Oblivion, the excitement will wear off after a couple years and people will see Fallout 3 for what it really is: a fun game, but nothing groundbreaking or life changing.… Expand
  33. billT
    Jan 15, 2010
    8
    I'm seeing some bad reviews and they are a bit low for this game first off if you think there are only 5 different pieces of armor your exploration in the wasteland included starting out searching the suitcase in the first town killing mr. burke and doing the questline, the main quest isnt realy the main focus of the game the main focus is to explore the wasteland. although there are I'm seeing some bad reviews and they are a bit low for this game first off if you think there are only 5 different pieces of armor your exploration in the wasteland included starting out searching the suitcase in the first town killing mr. burke and doing the questline, the main quest isnt realy the main focus of the game the main focus is to explore the wasteland. although there are parts i agree with the weapons are a bit off and vats is overused but this is an RPG it isnt meant to be realistic in an rpg when you get a high level you can take about 300 bullets. I also agree they couldve put more effort into the speech arm movements ect. but it wasnt my main concern. the quest also could use some work but they do have a bit diversety of the old kill and fetch (while there are many) there are a few that are unmarked that are interesting such as saving a girl from a perverted man. But the main reson i love this game is you do whatever you want in your little box of wastleland you can kill almost everyone except kids of course or decide to save someones life you can sell people off as slaves blow their pants off set offf a nuke or do common repairs whatever you like you can do it. this was my first fallout game and i enjoyed it.… Expand
  34. CCourt
    Jan 24, 2010
    9
    I love this game but wouldn't call it the best game ever, yes it has bugs, yes the dialog could be improved as could a whole host of other things but for all that it is still an excellent and engaging romp, there is some humor in there and the game shouldnt be taken to seriously , so its a post apocolyptic world and some nasty stuff happens the amount of humor that was in the prevous I love this game but wouldn't call it the best game ever, yes it has bugs, yes the dialog could be improved as could a whole host of other things but for all that it is still an excellent and engaging romp, there is some humor in there and the game shouldnt be taken to seriously , so its a post apocolyptic world and some nasty stuff happens the amount of humor that was in the prevous Fallout games was a tad over the top, I think if Bathesda reworks some textures and makes things look a little better it will help, the addons from the GOTY edition take it even further. OK Short version yes it needs some fixing up but its still one realy cool game. Keep up the good work Bathesda, improved what you have and add to it ill keep buying the extras.… Expand
  35. WolfMan
    Nov 11, 2008
    8
    I originally had no interest in getting this game because "Oblivion with guns" turned me off, but after reading a tremendously long review by a poster here stating, yes, all the things that people don't like about it are true, but then... you stop thinking about it and get yourself caught up in the storyline. This influenced me to give it a try. I have to say I really enjoy this I originally had no interest in getting this game because "Oblivion with guns" turned me off, but after reading a tremendously long review by a poster here stating, yes, all the things that people don't like about it are true, but then... you stop thinking about it and get yourself caught up in the storyline. This influenced me to give it a try. I have to say I really enjoy this game, and have got sucked into the storyline. Yes, I agree, this is not the Fallout I was expecting, and frustrations I had from previous Bethesda works have bled onto the page here which is why I withheld two stars. But, that standing, I think Bethesda did a tremendous job with this project. I think Bethesda is getting better, and maturing with its offerings. As a standalone game, for me, Fallout3 has been much more immersive and enjoyable than Oblivion. Yes, there are still some kinks that come from Bethesda, and yes some irritation that what I enjoyed from the previous Fallout series was seriously missing in this game. This game sucks you into a world of nuclear fallout and about survival. At the end of the day I have a smile on my face while playing this game, blowing up super mutants, saving the damsel in distress and surveying the shattered world. it is an enjoyable and immersive experience.… Expand
  36. LarryL
    Nov 13, 2008
    7
    This game is pretty good... but when it comes to Fallout-franchise, pretty good is not enough. In general, the game feels like a mod for Oblivion...I liked Oblivion, but that was years ago. The little things that made Fallout2 so great are missing in this one; the side quests are pretty simple, your stats have little effect on yout game play and the post apocalyptic society that was This game is pretty good... but when it comes to Fallout-franchise, pretty good is not enough. In general, the game feels like a mod for Oblivion...I liked Oblivion, but that was years ago. The little things that made Fallout2 so great are missing in this one; the side quests are pretty simple, your stats have little effect on yout game play and the post apocalyptic society that was flourishing in FO2 has changed to Raiders that only want to kill you in FO3. This game is a FPS with some RPG elements.… Expand
  37. RyanB
    Nov 15, 2008
    7
    I'd like to first say that if your reading this try to ignore the 0 reviews, not that they are wrong but that 0 is no were near the rating Fallout 3 deserves. Maybe a 5 at the minimum but not 0. I just finished the game and although I'm a bit disappointed (the ending sucked bad) I did enjoy many moments in the game, I played on the good side I tried to do good things and so I'd like to first say that if your reading this try to ignore the 0 reviews, not that they are wrong but that 0 is no were near the rating Fallout 3 deserves. Maybe a 5 at the minimum but not 0. I just finished the game and although I'm a bit disappointed (the ending sucked bad) I did enjoy many moments in the game, I played on the good side I tried to do good things and so thats where my game lead me. Pros: - A truly large and expansive world - Models, textures, and overall look of the world is good - Locations are many and varied (with the exception of vaults) - Combat is fun, challenging, and engrossing when enemies die in viscous ways - Weapons have a nice 'punch' like shotguns or missile launchers - Side quests, although lacking in complexity and immersion, are somewhat interesting - Main quest is good with many unexpected (thus pleasant) surprises - The lock pick system is by far the most well done of any I've seen in a game before. - Hacking was enjoyable at the start, but gets boring later. - Has the same comedy as the original Fallout Cons: - Although early on combat is quick and fun later I found it to lack tactics. It quickly become *pew pew* *heal* and repeat - The handy radar system tells you the direction of enemies and allies when your close to them (within a hundred feet or so) This is a bad thing because it makes adventuring less exciting when all you need to do is look down to check if you in danger, no one can sneak up on you. - Its stupid how you can eat dozens of things and use dozens of stimpacks instantly to heal at anytime. - Often controls are unresponsive, such as going to your inventory or opening doors while being shot at - The conversations, quests, and A.I all have the same problems they did in Oblivion The conversations lacked any interesting dialogue, choices were limited and many times made no sense. The quests were semi interesting but could have been much much better The A.I. is horrible, both in combat and not. Ex. The sheriff of a town was killed, the sheriff was an incredibly important person in the town yet no one reacted at all to his death except for his son which only changed his dialogue choices. - Combat becomes boring and annoying later when it might take a few clips to kill one person. I had 100 small guns and It still took me multiple clips to kill someone. - The game had many errors, like leather jackets in the vault, and the errors pertaining to the Fallout universe. - Karma made no big difference. - Enclave shoots you on sight though they really have no reason to attack you. In Conclusion: It's worth playing but it isn't all that great. Graphics are good. Combat is fun at the start, stale at the end. Quests are sub-par. A.I. and immersion is horrible.… Expand
  38. DylanF
    Nov 2, 2008
    7
    Before I start, let me go ahead and clarify that I havn't played any of the Fallout games, even those considered non-canon. I'm a big fan of Bethesda. Not just for the Elder Scrolls, but also for some of the games they've published like Call of Cthulhu. When I figured out they were remaking Fallout, I thought it would be a good time to get in on the Franchise. Now, I can Before I start, let me go ahead and clarify that I havn't played any of the Fallout games, even those considered non-canon. I'm a big fan of Bethesda. Not just for the Elder Scrolls, but also for some of the games they've published like Call of Cthulhu. When I figured out they were remaking Fallout, I thought it would be a good time to get in on the Franchise. Now, I can see the comparisons with Oblivion. The MELEE combat is almost identical. The way you interact with the world is pretty spot on as well. But in my opinion, the engine is where the similarities end. For one, Fallout 3's world doesn't even have a flavor of Oblivion. It's dark. It's gritty. And in places like Downtown DC, it is pretty obvious that there's few safe havens. There's alot of scrounging early on, though I will admit that it does get easier to find mid ranged equipment and ammunition, but stuff like Mini Guns and Mini Nukes stay relatively rare. As for combat, melee, like I said, is very similar to Oblivion. However, I went with guns, more specifically energy weapons. Let me say that it operated NOTHING like Oblivion's bow and arrow, or even spells. Each weapon felt considerably different. Firing my pea shooting 10mm was far and away different than the gatling gun or missile launcher. Now, the game could have easily gotten a 9 out of 10 or even a perfect score, but I did have a few complaints: First, the characters were pretty bland. The only characters I really cared for at all were Fawkes, Butch, and Amata, but even these characters didn't have enough depth or related quests. You couldn't even ask much about their past, or how they felt about certain things. Dogmeat, one of the only announced followers. was awful. Yea, he could be sent to go get stuff, but he acted very little like a real dog, which I guess is kind of biased after playing fable ii. I mean it just followed behind me and alot of the time I had to look behind me to make sure he was following. In fable ii the dog would bark, run ahead of you, and interact with other people. Which will kind of fit into my last complaint. Second, the different factions don't really feel that alive. The Enclave felt like it had field operations going on, but you almost never saw the Brotherhood of Steel doing anything important save for a few instances. And last, in the 4 years since Oblivion, they weren't able to add any kind of dynamic content to the world. Roving bands, yea sure, people who talk to one another, ok, shops that close, alright. But come on. You never have more than 2 people talking to each other. Those roving bands are just that. Roving bands; they never interact with anything. And you can learn very little from the people themselves. You talk to them, get all the information they have initially, and then you never have to go back to them. They have nothing to reveal about current events, or the past. Still, small complaints from a game that accomplishes so much. Much more than alot of the other games that have come out. And to the people who DID play Fallout who don't believe it stays true: Despair, black humour, and violence. That's what I understand made the series. Well it's all there. If you're complaints are about leaving the turn based system, or the non isometric view: That's evolution of technology. I don't want strategy. I want immersion, story, graphics, AND strategy. All of these are in the game.… Expand
  39. JesseW.
    Nov 30, 2008
    7
    The Bugs. There were some nights playing where it would crash, I would start it up again. It was crash. I would restart. It would crash. Inconsistent Difficulty. I found myself "tweaking" the difficulty level up and down as things either became too hard or too easy. This really becomes annoying in the final act of the main quest where no mater how high you set the difficulty, you The Bugs. There were some nights playing where it would crash, I would start it up again. It was crash. I would restart. It would crash. Inconsistent Difficulty. I found myself "tweaking" the difficulty level up and down as things either became too hard or too easy. This really becomes annoying in the final act of the main quest where no mater how high you set the difficulty, you can't lose. Bad Performance on lowest setting. I have a Dell 670 with a Geforce 7800. There is no reason a game at 800x600 with AA off should chug. Ever. The story. It's quite simply underwhelming when you finish the game and ask yourself. That's it? I spend the entire game wondering when the grand, epic story was going to kick in. In the end I ended up fixing a *drumroll* water purification plat. wow. And the worst thing is, they never explained why the forces of bad didn't want it fixed and they never showed me the end results. I'm not sure why anyone in their right mind would get from the start of this game to the end of it if it were not a video game, but a story for a movie. What's my motivation, people? There really is only one character class. That's called the action hero. In Fallout 1 and 2 it was nearly possible to talk your way through the entire game. It was possible to be a melee character. Here there is one. Shoot stuff. gain levels. Shoot stuff. Unconvincely convince people of pointless things. So I hate to say it but they have put out a wonderful looking but unrepentantly boring game with a lot of bugs. In the end I don't k now why I played through the whole thing and can't quite remember what it was all about. Compare that to Fallout 1, where almost a decade later and I still rememeber.. The Master and his creepy base, or the first time i saw ghouls or when I first broke into the "Military Base" to see the mutated inhabitants. There are all of the pieces of a great game here, but unconvincely placed into an ill thought out and uninspired story. I have to admit fighting my way through the subway with ghouls popping out every corner was thrilling but I have to ask myself. WTF was I even doing down there in the first place? I think I was looking for the story for a game that has none.… Expand
  40. FreedomC.
    Dec 11, 2008
    7
    Main story line was too short and the final parts were too easy. There were a lot of side quests, but a story driven gamer will feel rushed by the main story and can easily beat the game without doing 90% of the side quests. Once every hour or two I will get a random crash with no error messages. There are holes in some of the story lines/quests, that are so big, you cold drive a truck Main story line was too short and the final parts were too easy. There were a lot of side quests, but a story driven gamer will feel rushed by the main story and can easily beat the game without doing 90% of the side quests. Once every hour or two I will get a random crash with no error messages. There are holes in some of the story lines/quests, that are so big, you cold drive a truck through them. The AI opponents run at you very fast, but not in a very intelligent manner. Great look and feel. Good implementation of several game devices. I agree that the thing that will make this game an 8 or 9 will be the Mod community as BS did not spend enough time with the plot of the vanilla box.… Expand
  41. WKT.
    Dec 23, 2008
    7
    Decent game, but a lot of space for improvements (thank you modders!). Can't see how it got 92% though. Anyway, it was pretty fun playing this game. You got all these customization you can do - facial features (but somehow you can't change your body shape - you could do it in Van Buren), skills, decisions, etc. Then you get to explore a huge world with awesome graphics, an Decent game, but a lot of space for improvements (thank you modders!). Can't see how it got 92% though. Anyway, it was pretty fun playing this game. You got all these customization you can do - facial features (but somehow you can't change your body shape - you could do it in Van Buren), skills, decisions, etc. Then you get to explore a huge world with awesome graphics, an excellent wastelandish atmosphere (ghostly abandoned vaults were good). And it's really easy to learn how to play this game too. The VATS was interesting for a while and it helps you get through tight spots. Some side quests are good, e.g. Moira's. And oh, I love the music. The radio station is a darn good concept. But as usual there are flaws. First of all, it's really easy to get stuck - so save often, or just use the console. It's really frustrating when you spent 15 minutes killing off a horde of super mutants then get stuck when you were exploring in some rubbles. Then there is the poor AI (I'm not sure if higher difficulties fixes that). For example, enemies tend to get stuck with obstacles and that gives you infinite time to finish them off. Another example is extremely aggressive allies that will attack high level enemies with bare hand. Walking around in the wasteland can be pretty tiresome. Yeah running speed is too slow - could have had a sprint button or something like that. NPCs can be a bit bland - they are not as fleshed out as in Fallout e.g. not as emotional or as sarcastic. Facial animations are really bad haha. I was playing Half-Life 2 and I was surprised with the facial animation - and that was released at the end of 2004... hm. Games too easy - you can be a jack of all trades and be the master of everything. Takes a lot of traps to kill you too. Yeah that's right, everything. Strategy and smart allocation of skill/char points/ perks doesn't seem as vital now since they don't really critically affect what you can do and poor management doesn't seem to cripple you as much as in Fallout. Main quest is not that interesting imo - in the end it seems like a chore and no better than some of the better side quests. One thing I sorely missed was the element of randomness. E.g. in Fallout, sometimes when you attack you critically miss and drop your weapon, or you hit so hard that the enemy passes out, etc. In Fallout 3 eventually everything becomes kinda routine. And one thing that baffles me is the disappearance of the ability to retrieve ammo from a gun (or maybe I missed it). Again it's a decent game. I would say it's a watered down, adapted-to-casual-gamers version of Fallout. An analogy would be those non-technical scientific books written for the mass rather than for intellectuals in that field, you get what I mean?… Expand
  42. HardcoreGamer
    Dec 29, 2009
    9
    I am not a big fan of RPG, but this hybrid got me hooked. Intriging story which changes depending on your choices. Allows you to team up (NPC). There are a few minor glitches. This is, by far, the best game I played this past year.
  43. Jargonecius
    Jan 25, 2009
    7
    Eh... I never had any problems with crashing, I ran the game with Windows XP 64 bit. The game was REALLY fun... all the way until the ending. My thought at the ending was summed up with one word: "..... What!?!" You die no matter what, even if you have the guy who's immune to radiation, they won't go in, claiming this is my destiny and they wouldn't dare rob me of it. After Eh... I never had any problems with crashing, I ran the game with Windows XP 64 bit. The game was REALLY fun... all the way until the ending. My thought at the ending was summed up with one word: "..... What!?!" You die no matter what, even if you have the guy who's immune to radiation, they won't go in, claiming this is my destiny and they wouldn't dare rob me of it. After that I just couldn't stomach to look at the game, it just seemed to me like they were so lazy or cheap they didn't want to pay the narrator a few extra bucks to do multiple endings.… Expand
  44. AnonymousMC
    Feb 11, 2009
    7
    I have lots to say but not enough ways to say it. so in short this is a good game, buy it, have fun. but don't expect a fallout game like th first 2. this game lacks depth and is mediocrity short. The combat is interesting but at times a pain. Ending is terrible, and the game is more abouting completing missions than exploring a nuked out city. needs more incentive to explore (sinceI have lots to say but not enough ways to say it. so in short this is a good game, buy it, have fun. but don't expect a fallout game like th first 2. this game lacks depth and is mediocrity short. The combat is interesting but at times a pain. Ending is terrible, and the game is more abouting completing missions than exploring a nuked out city. needs more incentive to explore (since there are very interesting things to find like the tree people or the alien)… Expand
  45. Anonymous
    Jun 16, 2009
    7
    Buggy as hell, stats are meaningless in-game, and the dialogue is average to bad, but if you enjoy dungeon crawling like I do, then it's a fun game. Definitely needed the patches and dlc to be a good experience, which should not be something that is necessary in a commercially released game. Overall, above average, but nothing spectacular.
  46. scottd
    Dec 31, 2009
    9
    A game testimate to a theory that i have: a game series in the hands of someone who thinks of growth of a franchise over nostalgia and fanservice will always be superior in the end
  47. Ignatius_Reilly
    May 29, 2014
    5
    The worst Fallout in the series. While it has things like a vault, and Enclave, everything else about it is a pure watered down Bethesda hack job. As a romp around a nuclear wasteland, it's fine, but as far as feeling like your character has any choice in anything, it's far from what came before. No matter what character you build, you can do anything, so role playing is pretty muchThe worst Fallout in the series. While it has things like a vault, and Enclave, everything else about it is a pure watered down Bethesda hack job. As a romp around a nuclear wasteland, it's fine, but as far as feeling like your character has any choice in anything, it's far from what came before. No matter what character you build, you can do anything, so role playing is pretty much gutted. Though there are some interesting side areas, the main quest is terribly bland with little choice involved. Combat is dull, requiring little tactics since VATS is god mode, and so long as you're smart enough to click Target> Head, you'll win every time and never take damage. It's a cheap knock off of the series. Get New Vegas, if you want a better next gen Fallout experience. Or better yet, play the old games, to understand just how far off the mark Bethesda was when they tried to make an actual RPG. Terrible game.… Expand
  48. BlackWidow
    May 7, 2020
    10
    I am very late to the party by writing a review for this, but I decided after doing one for FO4, i'd do one for 3 as well. Now don't get me wrong, FONV is a great game, but it's not as good as FO3. I have played the tar out of this game since it was released and just began playing it again.

    Bethesda did an awesome job on this game. It's not only (imho) the best game in the fallout    I am very late to the party by writing a review for this, but I decided after doing one for FO4, i'd do one for 3 as well. Now don't get me wrong, FONV is a great game, but it's not as good as FO3. I have played the tar out of this game since it was released and just began playing it again.

    Bethesda did an awesome job on this game. It's not only (imho) the best game in the fallout series, and one of the best games ever made, but Bethesda's finest creation. Yes, there's Morrowind and Skyrim, but FO3 is still better. Any ways, here is my list of the Good and Bad points for FO3.

    THE GOOD

    Gripping and Intriguing story.
    Colorful and memorable characters.
    Incredible voice acting.
    Superb musical tracks.
    GNR Radio and Three Dog are wickedly cool!
    Beautifully detailed world.
    Very nice graphics for 2008.
    "Broken Steel" DLC is as good as the main game.
    Lots of quests with lots of twists.
    Tons of replay value due to character choices.
    Exploration is awesome. Just awesome!

    THE BAD

    Prone to the occasional freeze or crash. SAVE OFTEN.

    That's about it. As you can see, despite that 1 BAD point, I have nothing negative to say about the game. It's a true masterpiece and I thank Mr. Howard and all the DEVS at Bethesda for making FO3 for us. 10/10.    … Expand
  49. Cougargames
    Nov 1, 2019
    8
    The only good Fallout game from Bethesda a little bit shorter than your usuall BEthesda game but a great game overall
  50. Demon2017
    Jun 24, 2022
    6
    Игра, ставшая классикой, но на самом деле - это стандартный дибилизм от Тодда Говарда. Клёвый большой мир, который интересно исследовать, неплохая графика для своего времени, но квесты и сюжет, как обычно на средне-нижнем уровне.Игра, ставшая классикой, но на самом деле - это стандартный дибилизм от Тодда Говарда. Клёвый большой мир, который интересно исследовать, неплохая графика для своего времени, но квесты и сюжет, как обычно на средне-нижнем уровне.
  51. Panica3643D
    Jun 16, 2018
    9
    Сама база Fallout 3 скучновата, но дополнения вносят в игру разнообразие и игра становится намного интереснее. Хорошее добротное RPG с открытым и огромным миром, который можно часами исследовать. Боевая система кривая, но с изюминкой.Сама база Fallout 3 скучновата, но дополнения вносят в игру разнообразие и игра становится намного интереснее. Хорошее добротное RPG с открытым и огромным миром, который можно часами исследовать. Боевая система кривая, но с изюминкой.
  52. DioXGaming
    Mar 3, 2020
    10
    Amazing game! Best game to play, finish and end or play over and over again with mods or not. BUT if you have so many mods in the game and enter a building then Fallout 3 would crash and the only way to fix this is to kill your character and respawn for it to load properly and play it and do it over again everytime you open and close the game which is annoying. Also there's noAmazing game! Best game to play, finish and end or play over and over again with mods or not. BUT if you have so many mods in the game and enter a building then Fallout 3 would crash and the only way to fix this is to kill your character and respawn for it to load properly and play it and do it over again everytime you open and close the game which is annoying. Also there's no windowed-fullscreen so you have to use your phone to search the internet to know how to easily finish the quest otherwise the game would manually close if you're not patient and the game's engine is too old. I have Fallout 3 GOTY so I have no problem with any crashes in-game and only have problem with too many mods crashing my game. I wish I could finish all the quest but I have OCD so this is going to take a while for me to finish and Fallout 3 is very interesting.… Expand
  53. Nagita
    Nov 20, 2018
    5
    Fallout 3 welcomes the Fallout franchise to the world of 3D.
    Here we had not yet seen the revival of interest in the isometric model.
    An awkward conversion, but with the promise of greatness. The classic Fallout RPG mechanics has been adjusted to suit the first person view and action model of a shooter. The step away from turn based, tactical combat too is seen clearly in this new    Fallout 3 welcomes the Fallout franchise to the world of 3D.
    Here we had not yet seen the revival of interest in the isometric model.

    An awkward conversion, but with the promise of greatness.
    The classic Fallout RPG mechanics has been adjusted to suit the first person view and action model of a shooter. The step away from turn based, tactical combat too is seen clearly in this new iteration.

    We see a shift in storytelling, where the scope of choice is narrowed down though still present. And the general atmosphere of the game is lighter, with jolly music to keep you company as you run or jump across the wasteland to save the world.

    Still, it is Fallout. If a bit bland.
    Bethesda will take what they learned in this game, and make for us a better RPG in the next, surely.    … Expand
  54. Australian-Dark
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    I love this game I play it all the time with mods and i have played over 200 hrs with this game i enjoy it way better than new vegas new vegas was ok but this games world is better the expansions are better sure the companions are better in new vegas and the weapons are better but overall I prefer this game I own every fallout for pc it even looks better in my opinion new vegas is just tooI love this game I play it all the time with mods and i have played over 200 hrs with this game i enjoy it way better than new vegas new vegas was ok but this games world is better the expansions are better sure the companions are better in new vegas and the weapons are better but overall I prefer this game I own every fallout for pc it even looks better in my opinion new vegas is just too barren it feels way too much like a western game and it looks to and I'm not a fan of the map it's too small and I don't like the world that much… Expand
  55. PaulKorsky
    May 13, 2021
    5
    Благодаря этой игре я понял за что обожаю новый Вегас. Он понимает что его движок ну совсем не прельщяет стрельбой, и там могут пройти часы без единого выстрела. Здесь экшена так много, что на третий час от него тошнит, и я уверен что моя блевотина будет как раз в тон цветовой гаммы этой игры. Этот эпизод серии не самое худшее что было с фоллом, есть же 76. Нооо, есть первая, есть вторая иБлагодаря этой игре я понял за что обожаю новый Вегас. Он понимает что его движок ну совсем не прельщяет стрельбой, и там могут пройти часы без единого выстрела. Здесь экшена так много, что на третий час от него тошнит, и я уверен что моя блевотина будет как раз в тон цветовой гаммы этой игры. Этот эпизод серии не самое худшее что было с фоллом, есть же 76. Нооо, есть первая, есть вторая и есть Вегас, который во всех аспектах лучше, даже стрелять там не так отвратительно. А если рассматривать третью часть как шутан, то лучше уж в чётвертую пойти.… Expand
  56. Chubac
    May 13, 2020
    8
    Good RPG with badly aged gunplay and graphics. When it comes to Fallout games it's one of the better ones.
  57. Xeculiar
    Dec 23, 2021
    7
    decent game just i really hate having to install mods just to make the game work properly but bethesda is too dumb to realize people still enjoy this game after many years new vegas still better though
  58. Vittle
    Mar 11, 2022
    6
    Fallout New Vegas is 100 times better!
    Its not a bad game but it dose not have that fallout Oh Yea thing.
  59. Tromble
    Jun 28, 2021
    6
    Fallout 3 is okay, the series hasn't been totally flandarized by this point but you can totally feel that it is on its way.

    I would not recommend Fallout 3.
  60. Nekrips
    Jul 29, 2022
    5
    An interesting attempt to transfer the legendary world of Fallout into a fully 3D space. The game has its own interesting moments and some atmosphere. And also good additions that reveal more of the lore of the world. But for the most part, it is empty, boring, poor in content, very interesting to explore, and with a rather poor history. Locations are gray and empty. Most travel passesAn interesting attempt to transfer the legendary world of Fallout into a fully 3D space. The game has its own interesting moments and some atmosphere. And also good additions that reveal more of the lore of the world. But for the most part, it is empty, boring, poor in content, very interesting to explore, and with a rather poor history. Locations are gray and empty. Most travel passes through the same type of tunnels (Hi, Skyrim). Cities look corridor-like and limited. Bethesda's idiotic auto-leveling system makes gameplay annoying. The character creation system looks pointless and has almost no effect on anything. Locations are no longer so interesting to explore, there are no interesting descriptions of various items and the possibility of their use. Now it's just trash.
    For me, this is the weakest game in the Fallout series so far.    … Expand
  61. deathbringer
    May 22, 2019
    3
    I thought it was a good game when I played it as a kid back in 2009. However, it really isn't good. It's a bad game in most aspects. Compare it to New Vegas and it's just pathetic in every way.
  62. superszuruburu
    Jun 10, 2020
    1
    Trash game, looks ugly, is nothing like original Fallout games, filled with bugs, stupid level design, putrid story, horribly quirky and plain dumb dialogues, dumbed down rpg system, I could go on but I really don't feel like it. The game doesn't deserve any attention. It's a walk in the amusement park with guns and **** baseball bats. A dull, stupid game.
  63. AlexT.
    Oct 28, 2008
    8
    Fun game, I've liked it so far and I think it's better than oblivion in many, many ways, voice acting is juiced up, atmosphere is breath-taking. All in all it's a solid, fun game. BethesdaSUX, Fallout 3 was made by Bethesda, -not- Black Isle, you can't expect to play the exact same game you did over 10 years ago. And why would you want to? And to have a go at the Fun game, I've liked it so far and I think it's better than oblivion in many, many ways, voice acting is juiced up, atmosphere is breath-taking. All in all it's a solid, fun game. BethesdaSUX, Fallout 3 was made by Bethesda, -not- Black Isle, you can't expect to play the exact same game you did over 10 years ago. And why would you want to? And to have a go at the inconsistency is just nit-picking. It's like you Fallout 1/2 die-hards go out to get this game, just to find every possible way you can criticize it.… Expand
  64. noname
    Oct 30, 2008
    10
    I'm giving this game 10 rating because I hate the oldschool Fallout fanboys and people who gives the game ratings before it's even released!!!!11one (Just kidding, I honestly believe it deserves more than 7.8. And I'm Fallout fan too. It's not Fallout 1 or 2 but it's good in it's own right. If it gets that many 100% percent reviews it can't be THAT bad.)
  65. JordanD.
    Jan 3, 2009
    10
    I love this game. Combat is interesting, dialogue is great, but is hinderd by bad voice acting, i love the fiction, lots of content, but not half as much as oblivion, which makes sense because the fallout isnt bethesdas series, and too remain faithfull to the series, they have to stay with the established fiction.
  66. OliverS.
    Oct 6, 2009
    10
    Probably one of the best games I've ever played, it improved on Oblivion and its engine, had a fantastically immersive game world with an awesome atmosphere - loved the radio personally, much of the lack of the variety in Oblivion was dealt with and there were a ridiculous amount of unique locations, the stat system worked just fine if you ask me, and I found the graphics to be a lot Probably one of the best games I've ever played, it improved on Oblivion and its engine, had a fantastically immersive game world with an awesome atmosphere - loved the radio personally, much of the lack of the variety in Oblivion was dealt with and there were a ridiculous amount of unique locations, the stat system worked just fine if you ask me, and I found the graphics to be a lot better than the 'dated' graphics others are talking about here. Only faults are poor AI, a fair amount of bugs (but considering the scope of the game it's hard to fault them) and VATS glitching sometimes. Otherwise, between this game and the DLC I've spent well over 100 hours in and around the Wasteland. Loved every minute of it!… Expand
  67. AndyB.
    Nov 2, 2008
    10
    As a fan of both fallout and oblivion all I see here is the best that both games had to offer. The "turn based" combat is excellent and visually stunning, the storyline is captivating. Its one of if not THEE best game out at the moment. The folks here who have rated this game "0" clearly have no idea what they are talking about!
  68. laxleonidas
    Sep 16, 2011
    7
    I'm dissapointed by this game. It has to be continued of legendary games like F1 and F2? What's good abut this game, is the open world. As a sandbox - F3 make a good work. Here's many secrets, quests and NPC's.
  69. AdamK
    Nov 5, 2008
    10
    Stunning game, the whole apocalyptic atmosphere really works in this game, exactly what I have been waiting for. Day/Night cycles are impressive, however would have loved to see much more changing weather... V.A.T.S should be a buyable upgrade... it makes for very easy killing. I must say im very impressed so far, and hopefully look forward to fallout 4 if it is planned.
  70. VictorGar
    Dec 22, 2012
    0
    I have read about the constant crashing of this game but I thought that since they released a GOTY version it would probably have already been fixed. WRONG!. The game crashes every minute (literally) even if I have followed the steps to fix it that were posted in most forums. Is is completely shameful that such an unstable game is out in the market YEARS after its release with no fix. ItI have read about the constant crashing of this game but I thought that since they released a GOTY version it would probably have already been fixed. WRONG!. The game crashes every minute (literally) even if I have followed the steps to fix it that were posted in most forums. Is is completely shameful that such an unstable game is out in the market YEARS after its release with no fix. It only cost me 2.5 euros in GamersGate but I am still really angry that I have spent hours trying to fix it to no avail.

    Shame on you Bethesda    … Expand
  71. MrD
    Jan 4, 2009
    10
    There's enough details in the other user comments to justify a 10. I'm just adding my vote to help offset the retards who give it a zero. Zero would mean the worst game ever made. FO3 is NOT the worst game ever made. It's fine to have your opinion that FO3 might be the worst Fallout game ever made. But the worst game ever made? Voting any game a zero is a sign of a hollow There's enough details in the other user comments to justify a 10. I'm just adding my vote to help offset the retards who give it a zero. Zero would mean the worst game ever made. FO3 is NOT the worst game ever made. It's fine to have your opinion that FO3 might be the worst Fallout game ever made. But the worst game ever made? Voting any game a zero is a sign of a hollow vote. Wish there was some way to flag retarded posts for deletion... And a lesser rant: for people that refuse to give a 10 because that would mean a perfect game... umm... then you really have a scale of 9. 10 means "as perfect as any game you will buy at present." The industry and technology are advancing, and will always advance. Ratings on video games are on a curve, not an absolute. You know, by that logic, why give things 9... surely the 9's of the future will make current games look like a 5, maybe we should reserve more than just 10 for the future? Yeah, let's rate all current games a maximum of 5 so that the future has room for 6,7,8,9, and 10s. D'oh!… Expand
  72. Diplod-Opus
    Sep 19, 2012
    1
    I cant remember playing a more tedious and broken game. the interactions with enemies is neither FPS like nor RPG like and the game runs terribly slow for something that has ancient graphics.
  73. faceless-1
    Sep 9, 2012
    4
    When Bethesda announced new Fallout game i was really excited. In the end fallout 3 was one of the biggest disappointments. Game play is inferior to both Oblivion and original fallout. The main story line is short and boring. I expected much more from Bethesda.
  74. SteveM.
    Nov 4, 2008
    10
    A Fallout sequel that has been well worth the wait. This game is a true show of Bethesda's ability to recreate that FO environment. Equipped with amazing visuals, atmospheric sounds and top notch gameplay. The immersion factor is at an all time high with this game.
  75. JamesB.
    Dec 30, 2008
    10
    This is one of the best RPGs I've ever played in my 36 years. There's a large world to explore with numerous imaginative quests that can be done any time you like. The perks system makes the game especially fun. I played this game 8 hours a day for a week. This is the only game in which I've ever had to choke back tears at the end -- literally. After this one, I can forgive This is one of the best RPGs I've ever played in my 36 years. There's a large world to explore with numerous imaginative quests that can be done any time you like. The perks system makes the game especially fun. I played this game 8 hours a day for a week. This is the only game in which I've ever had to choke back tears at the end -- literally. After this one, I can forgive bethesda softworks for having released oblivion.… Expand
  76. lizard
    Oct 31, 2008
    10
    Great game, I haven't played the previous Fallout games but I really enjoyed playing Oblivion, this is more of the same but with cooler weapons and a more interesting setting. Despite being mainly grey the landscape is far from being bland, everything seems natural and the attention to detail is superb - it's the kind of world that just begs to be explored. Combat is fun and the Great game, I haven't played the previous Fallout games but I really enjoyed playing Oblivion, this is more of the same but with cooler weapons and a more interesting setting. Despite being mainly grey the landscape is far from being bland, everything seems natural and the attention to detail is superb - it's the kind of world that just begs to be explored. Combat is fun and the AI appears to be an improvement over that seen in Oblivion. Everything runs like a charm even with graphics settings turned up quite high. I feel I have only just begun to scratch the surface of this game but so far it lives up to all my expectations .... and then some, I can see Fallout 3 occupying quite a bit of my time over the coming weeks.… Expand
  77. Myoga
    Oct 29, 2008
    10
    BethesdaSUX is retarded . . . So Fallout 3. The entire fate of the Fallout series falls upon Bethesda's shoulders. Do these people know the fallout universe? do they even try to convey the hilarious parallel universe? Hell yeah! Bethesda created a perfect game to go along with the fallout series mostly because they went away from where the other fallouts took place. They created BethesdaSUX is retarded . . . So Fallout 3. The entire fate of the Fallout series falls upon Bethesda's shoulders. Do these people know the fallout universe? do they even try to convey the hilarious parallel universe? Hell yeah! Bethesda created a perfect game to go along with the fallout series mostly because they went away from where the other fallouts took place. They created their own world using the rules of fallout and it does not fail. VATs is the most satisfying way of killing anything. Combine the weapons, carnage, choices, and spectacular graphics, this game steals best game of 08. Well worth the $50+, Oh yeah, fuck you BethesdaSUX.… Expand
  78. BMF
    Oct 30, 2008
    10
    Great game Bethesda captured the feal of the original games very well the only con i can think of is the animation for running and some other movements is very strange looking and erratic.
  79. OmerE
    Oct 31, 2008
    10
    I see where some people are coming from, when comparing the original installments in the franchise with this newest one. It is indeed quite a bit different. But different isn't bad. I'm really thoroughly enjoying this gaming experience. It is predominantly a first-person/third person shooter with a stronger (but not pure) RPG element. Despite all that, it's really just well I see where some people are coming from, when comparing the original installments in the franchise with this newest one. It is indeed quite a bit different. But different isn't bad. I'm really thoroughly enjoying this gaming experience. It is predominantly a first-person/third person shooter with a stronger (but not pure) RPG element. Despite all that, it's really just well put together. Most people downvoting Fallout 3 are basically cult-loyal to the original 2 games. I don't really think anything could have been done to appease these people. I really enjoyed 1 & 2, and 3 does feel incredibly different, and at times, it's hard to take it seriously as a 'true' addition to the series.. but it's definitely addictive, immersive, vast, detailed, beautiful and enjoyable. I think that deserves a 10 in itself. There's really nothing that I don't like about this game. As far as action-RPGs are concerned, this totally blows Far Cry 2 and Clear Sky out of the water. Get it. The people complaining are really being way too anal for their own good. They're just upset that this game isn't Fallout 1 or 2.… Expand
  80. JasonM
    Jan 3, 2009
    9
    Overall amazing game...really a work of art. The only things I found wrong was: 1. the game crashed on numerous occasions (looked up online and got a codec fix) 2. The main story is EXTREMELY short. The first time I played I went straight through the story...got about 12 hours of gameplay. I started the game over and did the sidequests...I'm still playing and I've gotten 33 hours.
  81. Mannhorse
    Sep 26, 2015
    9
    When you develop or publish a game, and you somehow manage to have Liam Neeson in it, then that means that you made an excellent game. The graphics may be a bit mediocre, but the gameplay and the atmosphere are top-notch, and the voice-acting, especially Liam Neeson as the father, is amazing.
  82. SilverDragon7
    Sep 6, 2016
    8
    The Fallout series has always had this unique vibe with the gameplay and the world itself. The Storyline is developed and shows conflict but risking your life and sacrificing your father just to purify water is a bit off. The land is huge. Not as big as GTAV or Just Cause 2 but still... It is huge. It gives the player a reminder that Fallout 3 is a free roam and free choice RPG andThe Fallout series has always had this unique vibe with the gameplay and the world itself. The Storyline is developed and shows conflict but risking your life and sacrificing your father just to purify water is a bit off. The land is huge. Not as big as GTAV or Just Cause 2 but still... It is huge. It gives the player a reminder that Fallout 3 is a free roam and free choice RPG and that the player doesn't need to follow the story. The content is overwhelmingly massive. Almost all the NPCs have something to say when you interact, just like other Bethesda games like Skyrim. Fallout 3 also has a good and reliable modding community so you will never get bored. For a game, made in 2008 and still popular today is incredible. Fallout 3 really is 'the ultimate video game.'… Expand
  83. butcher23411
    Sep 16, 2017
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game should not be called fallout. Fallout is entirely different, than what this game is. This is just a shooter, "glorified" with a terrible story, awkward voice acting, AND you have to buy a dlc to continue playing after you finished the main story. Not to mention, the game is really easy due to the fact that the player could just rush the story. Also, in the last mission, you can't even really kill anybody, and you actively have to hunt enemies so maybe you can get the kill. The only reason it's even playable is the atmosphere of a post apocalyptic DC, and wandering in the totally unbalanced wastes. If you want to play a fallout game, just go play FNV, you won't regret it.… Expand
  84. SnorriS.
    Nov 4, 2008
    10
    After a bad year in gaming My Pc finally made some sense Conan was awful (I might have had too high hopes) Warhammer Delivered fine for two weeks then I lost all my will of playing it. Fallout 3 I love that game a fallout game you can play on a 2008 gamer pc (I thought it wouldnt play this nicely) it is the best rpg title in years for me .It is a rpg not an fps great story funny and damn After a bad year in gaming My Pc finally made some sense Conan was awful (I might have had too high hopes) Warhammer Delivered fine for two weeks then I lost all my will of playing it. Fallout 3 I love that game a fallout game you can play on a 2008 gamer pc (I thought it wouldnt play this nicely) it is the best rpg title in years for me .It is a rpg not an fps great story funny and damn those super mutants.From an hardcore Fallout fan I say it is a true fallout game not oblivion 2.… Expand
  85. BenH.
    Nov 6, 2008
    10
    Well what can i say... this game is Jaw dropping amazing. I don't think i have ever played a game so completely absorbing. When i finally finished the game i felt completely lost... like i was missing something i really cherished. I was straight away googling to find out information about whether there would be an expansion. This game is really about personal preference. You can do Well what can i say... this game is Jaw dropping amazing. I don't think i have ever played a game so completely absorbing. When i finally finished the game i felt completely lost... like i was missing something i really cherished. I was straight away googling to find out information about whether there would be an expansion. This game is really about personal preference. You can do most things your own way.. if someones talking down to you.. you don't have to take it, just hit the foolish sucker with your super sledge then rob his dead body blind haha. I won't go to much into the specifics of the game as people should just try this game and learn for their selves. Best game i have played in years and quite possibly the best game i have ever played.. and that is really saying something since im a multiplayer fiend. The other realy great thing about this is that it is built on the Oblivion Engine, Oblivion is one of the most modded games in history by fans. What this means is that fallout 3 is going to get a whole heap more content in the near future for us to play around with. The Modders already are very talented and practiced with Oblivion engine so we can expect the same on Fallout. The last thing i have to say is shame on you to the hardcore fans of fallout that gave this game a Zero. Even if this game had nothing to do with fallout it would still be one of the best games ever made. The fact you gave it a zero just shows that your reviews should not even be posted on this site. It makes me quite sick to be honest. I have played both Fallout and Fallout 2 and this game absolutley reeks of fallout and does the game justice. In fact this game makes fallout probably my favourite series of all time. Bethesda well done you really are the masters of Single Player RPG.… Expand
  86. StuartD.
    Nov 7, 2008
    10
    Pure.Digital.Crack. Yes, I recognize that the purists of the great, 1990's era Black Isle/Interplay prequels may not be entirely thrilled with the latest addition to the trilogy, but Fallout 3 is an incredible title. The gameplay is easy and intuitive, the graphics gorgeous (in an oppressively dark way), the story immersive. For anyone who liked Oblivion, they're bound to like Pure.Digital.Crack. Yes, I recognize that the purists of the great, 1990's era Black Isle/Interplay prequels may not be entirely thrilled with the latest addition to the trilogy, but Fallout 3 is an incredible title. The gameplay is easy and intuitive, the graphics gorgeous (in an oppressively dark way), the story immersive. For anyone who liked Oblivion, they're bound to like this. For those who liked the old Fallout games, give it a chance. I think you'll find it immersive.… Expand
  87. MattB
    Oct 30, 2008
    9
    Near perfect game with some bugs that may well be fixed by christmas. Graphics are stunning (aside from the wooden character animations) and the sheer number of places to visit and blow up is amazing. Felt like i was in a fallout game from the start!
  88. BorisM
    Oct 30, 2008
    9
    I just read through a couple of 0 ratings and it seems like these people didn't even play the game. There are definitely similarities to Oblivion, but they are quickly forgotten due to the strong atmosphere. As for the complaints about color...Did you guys even play Fallout 1 or 2? It's a barren, desolate world that is devoid of color because the world has been destroyed. I just read through a couple of 0 ratings and it seems like these people didn't even play the game. There are definitely similarities to Oblivion, but they are quickly forgotten due to the strong atmosphere. As for the complaints about color...Did you guys even play Fallout 1 or 2? It's a barren, desolate world that is devoid of color because the world has been destroyed. It's not supposed to be bright shiny rainbow land. I'm sorry, but after so many years after a nuclear holocaust, paint is probably going to have faded away. Fallout 3 does a fantastic job painting a bleak, dangerous world where you start out struggling to survive against the odds and slowly develop skills to become king of the wastes. The game also allows you to develop a character that works best with your style. Your choices really do matter outside of the main narrative. Blow up Megaton early on and you'll struggle through the rest of the game because you've lost the ability to gain the experience and bonuses from the quests obtained there. Stab the people who want to blow it up in the back and you'll be dogged by assassins for the rest of the game. All in all, the game is superbly done with an atmosphere that expounds on the foundation created with Fallout 1 and 2. If you want a game experience that is exactly like the first two games, you won't get it. But you will get an enjoyable romp through a desolate, dangerous, and expansive world that feels familiar and foreign at the same time.… Expand
  89. marrey
    Jan 12, 2010
    10
    The first to combine and FPS with RPG and Universal acclaim did wonderfully!! Some say Boarderlands was better..........NOT. For the first time ever I felt free to do anything I wanted with my character, go wherever I wanted. This is not a role playing game........it's roleplaying first person shooter (tm)......loved every minute of playing this game. The DLC's (downloadable The first to combine and FPS with RPG and Universal acclaim did wonderfully!! Some say Boarderlands was better..........NOT. For the first time ever I felt free to do anything I wanted with my character, go wherever I wanted. This is not a role playing game........it's roleplaying first person shooter (tm)......loved every minute of playing this game. The DLC's (downloadable content) was ......good/ok. UNversal acclaim need to introduce multiplayer to FALLOUT.........they have started a whole new genre and its fantastic!!!… Expand
  90. Sgt.Awesomeness
    Jan 24, 2010
    10
    I've spent around 24 hours total on this game and haven't even cracked the surface of all the available objectives in the Capital Wasteland. That's what interests me about RPGs, the vast possibilities. Normally i'm a fan of a good old fashioned FPS game, but occasionally a game like Fallout 3 will come out with such complex and endless gameplay and will take me away I've spent around 24 hours total on this game and haven't even cracked the surface of all the available objectives in the Capital Wasteland. That's what interests me about RPGs, the vast possibilities. Normally i'm a fan of a good old fashioned FPS game, but occasionally a game like Fallout 3 will come out with such complex and endless gameplay and will take me away from FPS to a huge free-roam world like no other. A great game!… Expand
  91. TrevorG.
    Nov 2, 2008
    10
    Absolutely incredible game. Fallout 3 is a near perfect genre meld, borrowing the best virtues of First Person Shooters and RPGs. This game creates a stunningly immersive and incredibly detailed world that combines action, storytelling, and player choice into an unrivaled masterpiece. I have largely steered away from RPGs, due to a dislike for both the fantasy genre and stats based Absolutely incredible game. Fallout 3 is a near perfect genre meld, borrowing the best virtues of First Person Shooters and RPGs. This game creates a stunningly immersive and incredibly detailed world that combines action, storytelling, and player choice into an unrivaled masterpiece. I have largely steered away from RPGs, due to a dislike for both the fantasy genre and stats based gameplay, as well as a love of the first person perspective. Immersion is key to me. Half-Life 2 had previously been the bar for the "perfect game", but Fallout 3 may have vaulted over it. The attention to detail is unbelievable. Bethesda has created a magnificently realistic post-apocalyptic world that defies belief with it's plausibility. It is a testament to their work that you quickly stop marveling at the world and forget that the crumbling world around you had to be painstakingly created. It feels like the developers built a city, nuked it, then traveled 200 years in the future to see what it was like. I just "beat" the game, in terms of finishing the main storyline and being kicked to the main menu. I have not, however, experienced a large quantity of what this game has to offer. Depending on your choices, you create the "game" as you see fit. My decisions led me down a path that my friends did not go, and thus we experienced different things. I visited places they didn't even know about, and vice versus. We did different quests, and completed some in different ways. All of this blends seamlessly with the immersion and storyline to create a living world that is nothing I have ever seen.… Expand
  92. starwarsfanatic
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    Fallout 3 is the best game ever, and all the haters are just sad that its not a turn-based game anymore. Well I think that the RPG/FPS format is genius. Also, who cares if it has a lot of bugs? Thats what makes the game so unique.
  93. WireRage
    Dec 15, 2013
    10
    I love this game. The customization is amazing, the world is huge and expansive and there isn't anywhere you can go without finding something interesting.
  94. valentino
    Dec 12, 2013
    10
    Loved this game when it first came out. The arsenal of weapons to choose from was immense, the gore, gameplay, exploration, scare factor, and graphics were all superb. Story could have been better but the good points about the game more than make up for any shortfalls in that area.
  95. JonM
    Oct 30, 2008
    9
    It seems that some people bought F3 having already decided it was a steaming pile. Anything would be considered a steaming pile if approached in this way. F2 was considered a steaming pile by many players of F1 because they approached it in this way. Think about that before venting your nerd rage.
  96. iseeall
    Jul 29, 2013
    3
    Trash and disgrace to the name. It's a mediocre shooter game, except that you will miss even if your cursor is exactly on the target since your skill with guns isn't high enough. Nice graphics, sure, but the gameplay is way out of anything related to Fallout. I didn't play it past the starting location and I am sure there is nothing more to see in this game. The developers are just anotherTrash and disgrace to the name. It's a mediocre shooter game, except that you will miss even if your cursor is exactly on the target since your skill with guns isn't high enough. Nice graphics, sure, but the gameplay is way out of anything related to Fallout. I didn't play it past the starting location and I am sure there is nothing more to see in this game. The developers are just another league compared to the creators of the original Fallout 1 and 2 games. If you want to make a shooter game, name it different, why take "Fallout" and anger the fans?… Expand
  97. EvanT
    Nov 16, 2008
    10
    This is along side COD 4, Halo 3, and Gears 2 as the best games in history. BTW Derek T, you are a dumb f**k. I am pretty sure that there is something wrong with your brain. The game is a extremely improved mod of Oblivion, if a mod at all (most people don't think that it is a mod, it took three years to make). The movements and animations are better than any other free world game, This is along side COD 4, Halo 3, and Gears 2 as the best games in history. BTW Derek T, you are a dumb f**k. I am pretty sure that there is something wrong with your brain. The game is a extremely improved mod of Oblivion, if a mod at all (most people don't think that it is a mod, it took three years to make). The movements and animations are better than any other free world game, just look at San Andreas 2, and there is a world of difference. There is no reason that anyone should rate this less than a 9.… Expand
  98. Onholyservicebo
    Feb 28, 2014
    4
    This is definitely a game where the user reviews reflect the quality far better than the critic reviews. As an FPS the game is slow and clunky, the weapons lack iron sights, and the enemies are hp sponges.(Human enemies can survive point blank headshots.) Vats is what you'll be using, a boring slow mo action sequence that's buggy and unreliable. As an RPG there is decent c&c, but characterThis is definitely a game where the user reviews reflect the quality far better than the critic reviews. As an FPS the game is slow and clunky, the weapons lack iron sights, and the enemies are hp sponges.(Human enemies can survive point blank headshots.) Vats is what you'll be using, a boring slow mo action sequence that's buggy and unreliable. As an RPG there is decent c&c, but character building is uninspired and many of the perks and stats have little to no effect on how you play the game.

    It's bug riddled, even with the patches, the ending is shoddy, and it isn't much better with DLC. All in all fairly mediocre, it does have scale on it's side, it's one of the larger games I've played, and the atmosphere is rather nice, otherwise don't bother with this game, it certainly doesn't stand the test of time, and likely only garnered universal acclaim because of it's sheer scale at the time of it's release.    … Expand
  99. Bigm0nkey
    Dec 10, 2015
    0
    the worst game in the fallout franchise, everything except combat is worse and dumbed down. good thing the combat system is improved from previous games because combat is what you will be doing 90 percent of this game. very little unique side quests, most are just repeatable dungeons, and the main story has atrocious writing and none of the factions make a lick of **** sense. the lore hasthe worst game in the fallout franchise, everything except combat is worse and dumbed down. good thing the combat system is improved from previous games because combat is what you will be doing 90 percent of this game. very little unique side quests, most are just repeatable dungeons, and the main story has atrocious writing and none of the factions make a lick of **** sense. the lore has been absolutely destroyed with the institute and the entire story. such a disappointment, fallout 3 was a great game even though it had many flaws but fallout 4 is a huge step backward. please just give the fallout franchise to obsidian and don't **** it up anymore Bethesda.… Expand
  100. lutan1
    Apr 16, 2011
    2
    I don't get it. What's all the hype about this game? Same thing over and over and over- just in different parts of the map/world.

    Seriously overhyped. This is boring.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. PC PowerPlay
    90
    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 worlds like a charm, and it’s so easy to get the hang of, you’ll be cracking skulls like there’s no tomorrow. [Dec 2008, p.55]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    100
    A vast and open world of unimaginable possibilities opens in front of you in Fallout 3. Great story, flawless combat system, and the option to choose your own way makes it a hot candidate for game of the year. [Nov 2008]
  3. Meristation
    95
    Fallout 3 is one of this year's best games. It's an unforgettable journey that lives up to the series. You are an ex-vault 101 inhabitant, and you discover a whole new world, full of zombies, mutants, raiders, aliens and all kinds of creatures. Welcome to this post-apocaliptic reality, where you are going to spend hundreds of hours.
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