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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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.
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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.
  30. 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.
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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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