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. AndyE.
    Dec 2, 2008
    6
    A huge disappointment. Fallout made for console players. Everything which used to be great in the previous games is spoiled now. Just run next to the enemy, press v, aim for the head and bingo. After repeating 200 times I forgot the game and I highly doubt returning to it.
  2. Derek_Z10
    Dec 2, 2008
    0
    Worst game I have played all year and has the worst ending I have seen EVER! All of your actions in game if you were a good person or a bad person has no effect. The side quests that you do don't mean anything. I beat the game in 8 hrs and only explored probably 1/4th the map. But once you beat it you cannot keep playing it just ends, and it ends pathetically.
  3. EricB.
    Dec 1, 2008
    10
    anyone who didn't like the game has shity taste in games. probably people that like to play my simis life or trials or my pets or little big planet crappy games like those just a bunch of shitty opinions. I am sorry that the game didn't let you pick flowers like on harvest moon and feed your pets but it did offer good dialogue and great game play so its like oblivion but just anyone who didn't like the game has shity taste in games. probably people that like to play my simis life or trials or my pets or little big planet crappy games like those just a bunch of shitty opinions. I am sorry that the game didn't let you pick flowers like on harvest moon and feed your pets but it did offer good dialogue and great game play so its like oblivion but just fallout game play well sorry to burst your bubbles but that was the point. there is no other game out there like fallout 3 and that is what makes it good, to create something new and different is not easy so i give them allot of crdit for this one.… Expand
  4. AnonymousMC
    Dec 1, 2008
    10
    A fantastic RPG, Brilliant game, the stories and quests stand up to the classics, and the game has enough changes to keep it interesting.If you liked the exporation and the other elements that made Oblivion great, take it to the next step to Fallout 3.
    Is the game's of the year 2008.
  5. 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
  6. ColbyA.
    Nov 29, 2008
    4
    Oblivion FPS Mod. Poor storyline, poor execution. Not what I had hoped. The V.A.T.S. system takes most of the skill out of the game, and I still don't get how I can miss 5 shots with a 95% chance to hit, but get 3 shots with a 5% chance to hit. No sense at all. And the AI left much to be desired. Much like FarCry 2, this game falls short of its promises. Also, the storyline is Oblivion FPS Mod. Poor storyline, poor execution. Not what I had hoped. The V.A.T.S. system takes most of the skill out of the game, and I still don't get how I can miss 5 shots with a 95% chance to hit, but get 3 shots with a 5% chance to hit. No sense at all. And the AI left much to be desired. Much like FarCry 2, this game falls short of its promises. Also, the storyline is incredibly short and the game ends - it's not open-ended roaming, you can complete and end the game. Even after I did ALL of the sidequests in the game and then completed the main quest, it was still very short. I'd recommend another game over this.… Expand
  7. Malithion
    Nov 29, 2008
    5
    Oh man. Talk about overrated. Reviewers see amazing graphics and suddenly its the "game of the year." There's a huge number of problems with this game, and that's not because of bugs. First of all, the main quest is horribly written, and, unlike Oblivion, you can't continue playing after it (although PC Gamer's editor still seems to think you can). The main quest is Oh man. Talk about overrated. Reviewers see amazing graphics and suddenly its the "game of the year." There's a huge number of problems with this game, and that's not because of bugs. First of all, the main quest is horribly written, and, unlike Oblivion, you can't continue playing after it (although PC Gamer's editor still seems to think you can). The main quest is essentially a drawn-out version of a "fix this thing by getting this item" quest. You're not saving your people, you're not fighting bad guys, but rather repairing a water pump. Some favorite bits: 1) when one major character dies from being in a room filled with huge amounts of radiation, while characters in the same room live without any further explanation. 2) PC Gamer review: "But most egregious is the late-game introduction of a character that refuses to use the special abilities that are his raiso d'etre, injecting a farcical interlude into an otherwise poignant moment." This "poignant moment" is nothing short of one of the most ridiculous endings I've seen in a video game, period. I won't spoil it for you, but I definitely won't say its worth the trouble. Most of the story is a re-tread of old ideas from the previous games. Yes, it is supposed to be in the same vein as the previous Fallout games, but FO3 does not achieve that. Whereas decisions in previous games would affect the entire world, blowing up a whole town will only make a couple of main-quest NPC's take real notice. The dialogue sticks out as the some of the most horrible I've seen in a long time. Having a high intelligence will allow you to state things that are obvious, rather than insightful. Such as when speaking to Three Dog during the GNR quest, the player can say: "[Intelligence] So you fight the Good Fight with you voice on Galaxy News Radio." Another good example is during the first part of the Wasteland Survival Guide quest given by Moira (Bethesda's poor attempt at 'dark humor'): "[Intelligence] The Raiders were using the pharmacy as a place to store their best gear." As Bethesda's Pete Hines said: "Dialogue wasn't a battle we wanted to pick ... we just don't have unlimited monkeys and typewriters." The gameplay itself does not make up for FO3's other flaws. Combat is ridiculous: you can take a direct hit from a missile launcher and keep going (while wearing leather armor, no less), Raiders and other enemies can take 20 rounds of 10mm hollow-points to the face without dying, and a number of the "long-range" weapons (such as the Sniper Rifle) are useless due to the fact they have poor accuracy even if you have mastered the small arms skill. Even at maximum difficulty, the game doesn't provide much of a challenge to either RPG or FPS fans, and a number of the Oblivion's flaws are in Fallout 3. Most notably, just as in Bethesda's previous endeavor, the game quickly devolves into an endless cycle of dungeon-crawl, fetch an object, trade loot, complete quest, and repeat. Very quickly into the game, playing becomes dull and monotonous. Especially when you reach the level cap of 20. At this point, only the promise of interesting quests will keep you playing, and as I have stated, well-developed ones are few and far between. Amazingly, the side quests aren't even as good as Oblivion's. Fallout 3 fails in that it accomplishes neither the goal of an RPG, namely, a deep, believable world with interesting characters and a good story, nor does it accomplish the goal of an FPS; to provide an exciting combat experience and intense gameplay while you pursued an objective. It is at no point immersive, as you feel detached from the world of the game. Few of the characters have any depth or logic behind their actions. It fails to be a sandbox-type game, as you are limited to doing the same things Oblivion allows you to do. In the original Fallout series, you could play most of the game in a way that focused on dialogue, or focus on stealth rather than confrontation. Perhaps Bethesda dumbed down the combat so that characters with weak fighting skills could more easily survive the battles they are constantly forced into. Additionally, the game world is tiny, even smaller than Oblivion. While this does mean that there is less walking distance, it also served as a convenient excuse to put less into the game. There are few unique areas, and even they follow the tired dungeon formula of Oblivion (in fact, the majority of 'dungeons' in the game actually are underground). All in all, Oblivion has some strengths: graphics, a solid engine, and good performance. However, it lacks either a solid RPG or FPS element. Characters aren't interesting, and combat is almost as dull and repetitive. It may have nice looks, but there's not a lot of meat on the bones here. There's just no challenge to this game.… Expand
  8. ChrisR
    Nov 29, 2008
    4
    Fun game, but I am not particularly happy with paying a lot of money for something that borders on a mod for oblivion, which in itself was a mediocre game with great graphics. Sadly, not much has changed. Rack this one with CounterStrike- Mods that should never have been made.
  9. 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
  10. RobS
    Nov 28, 2008
    5
    I think most of the positive reviews here have been written after one or two plays of the game. I too was at first blown away by the seemingly endless, and incredibly beautiful landscapes, and the freedom of choice. There is also some great exploring moments and some incredible voice acting on offer. Also mention must be made of the lightning fast load times. On those impressions alone I think most of the positive reviews here have been written after one or two plays of the game. I too was at first blown away by the seemingly endless, and incredibly beautiful landscapes, and the freedom of choice. There is also some great exploring moments and some incredible voice acting on offer. Also mention must be made of the lightning fast load times. On those impressions alone this game is a 9star without doubt, however it is with continued play that the many frustrations in this game begin to show. First combat - even with my gun skills ramped up, and many perks to aid it, I find myself completely reliant on the v.a.t.s getting some lucky heashot kills, as the enemy scale up faster and have better weapons. Plus there guns are far more accurate than yours, they can shotgun you halfway across the map, you will have difficulty hitting them right in front of you. You will need every health boost and also use quick load. Combat usually ends up with you trying to lure 1 enemy at a time, into a prepared minefield, and then jumping in and out of cover using vats/powerfists, then repeating the process with enemy number 2. Then comes the complete repetitiveness of both the missions, and the dialog options. You never have more than about 3 talk options, two of which usually get the same response. As to the missions? Go to building A, kill everything that moves, then either talk/kill the object character. Rinse repeat ad infinitum. And reviewer Lou S? Take the cock out of your own mouth m8, and reread your review - you slate it worse than I do. Idiot.… Expand
  11. RyanD.
    Nov 28, 2008
    10
    If I could sum up this game in one sentence, it would be this: Fallout 3 is incredibly fun and even a month later I am finding new stuff to do in the game! To be honest I have not played Fallout 1 and 2. Not yet anyways since I am about to buy them online. But I want to say this to the hardcore FO 1 and 2 fans: if you wanted Fallout 1/2 then go back to playing 1 and 2. Face it, the If I could sum up this game in one sentence, it would be this: Fallout 3 is incredibly fun and even a month later I am finding new stuff to do in the game! To be honest I have not played Fallout 1 and 2. Not yet anyways since I am about to buy them online. But I want to say this to the hardcore FO 1 and 2 fans: if you wanted Fallout 1/2 then go back to playing 1 and 2. Face it, the isometrical perspective in RPGs is old. Zelda on the NES old! Try and appreciate what the game is, not what the game isn't. OK? No? Then cry some more would you kindly? My conclusion with Fallout 3: No gamer should miss it and they have absolutely no reason to do so!… Expand
  12. qoobah
    Nov 28, 2008
    6
    It all looks nice at the beginning. Then things (plot, repetitive world and tasks, so much to do but nothing I really WANT to do, or seems relevant to the story) go downhill so much, that after investing 30 hours into it I just couldnt bring myself to still be immersed or care about what I'm doing. I guess the keyword to this game is "repetitivness" in almost every aspect. The game It all looks nice at the beginning. Then things (plot, repetitive world and tasks, so much to do but nothing I really WANT to do, or seems relevant to the story) go downhill so much, that after investing 30 hours into it I just couldnt bring myself to still be immersed or care about what I'm doing. I guess the keyword to this game is "repetitivness" in almost every aspect. The game was far too long and samey without any sign of overarching plot, or any incentive for me to care about it in the long run.… Expand
  13. UffeR.
    Nov 27, 2008
    9
    Worthy 3d-follow-up in the fallout series even if it doesnt quite have that super-extra-fantastic feeling of Fallout 1 and 2. Probably since stunning 3d graphics and sound requires magnitudes of more work than the engines of previous games. Also its probably much easier to convey a story in 2d. Cheaper content and simpler editorys also helps when creating the all that crazy lovable Worthy 3d-follow-up in the fallout series even if it doesnt quite have that super-extra-fantastic feeling of Fallout 1 and 2. Probably since stunning 3d graphics and sound requires magnitudes of more work than the engines of previous games. Also its probably much easier to convey a story in 2d. Cheaper content and simpler editorys also helps when creating the all that crazy lovable fallout 1 and 2 stuff that are missing in Fallout 3. That said Fallout 3 does a good job of putting you in the fallout atmosphere where you once more roam, save and raid the postapocalyptic world to your pleasure. Hats off to you Fallout 3 team. You are heroes in my book for pulling this off and thank you for the time and love you have put into this series.… Expand
  14. LukaM.
    Nov 27, 2008
    6
    A decent game, but unfortunately nothing revolutionary, unlike the original Fallout games which are in many aspects more advanced than their successor. I would classify it as an average FPS with minor elements of RPG. This game simply tries to impress an audience which is too wide and diverse, which makes it an average product at best.
  15. 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.
  16. Mike
    Nov 27, 2008
    10
    It has by far exeeded my expectations. D.C. wasteland feels real and the only bad thing about the game is that it is going to end. For now I spent nearly 50 hours avoiding the unevitable.
  17. RopertP.
    Nov 27, 2008
    0
    Meybe for someone that game is greate, meybe that game has something to show but not for me, i got enough of it, that game is one huge BUG! - that game do not deserved for that high ranking marks - what is wrong with it..? Do not known - sometimes i can play 3-4 hours in row with no crash in othertimes got crash after 3-5 min of play - this is not a fault of my PC this is fault this Meybe for someone that game is greate, meybe that game has something to show but not for me, i got enough of it, that game is one huge BUG! - that game do not deserved for that high ranking marks - what is wrong with it..? Do not known - sometimes i can play 3-4 hours in row with no crash in othertimes got crash after 3-5 min of play - this is not a fault of my PC this is fault this crappy game - now i must w8 for patches why? beacouse im foreginer so im play at nonEnglish wersion... This is not Fallout 3 this is Crapoult 3 - remeber Gothic 3 that game has that same problems and rankings of that game..? LOW - that same from me to Fallout 3… Expand
  18. JeffC
    Nov 26, 2008
    6
    Pros: Looks good, minor bugs, interesting storyline, interesting, immersive start. Cons: IMO it was just incredibly boring after the first hour or so. There is plenty to do but nothing I actually wanted to do. I felt like I was playing Myst / Uru but instead of solving interesting puzzles I would have an incredibly boring conversation with someone and then kill something with a water Pros: Looks good, minor bugs, interesting storyline, interesting, immersive start. Cons: IMO it was just incredibly boring after the first hour or so. There is plenty to do but nothing I actually wanted to do. I felt like I was playing Myst / Uru but instead of solving interesting puzzles I would have an incredibly boring conversation with someone and then kill something with a water pistol. If this game is rated this high then URU - POTS also deserves game of the year. Note: Multiplayer might be ok but I was too bored with the singleplayer to want to find out. Not my shot of gin, perhaps yours.… Expand
  19. KS
    Nov 25, 2008
    9
    A fantastic RPG. While the plot is a bit on the short side, any user with common sense and a sense of adventure will be able to happily occupy plenty of time with all the side quests and places to explore. Not to mention fooling around with reacting to the quests in different ways. Great world, good continuation to the Fallout series, but it's certainly not the originals.
  20. EvanS.
    Nov 24, 2008
    10
    Fallout 3 is one of the best games ever to come out this year, and perhaps this decade. Don't be turned away by the depression the wasteland causes and the sometimes too easy VATS system, everything from the speech choices to the quests are well thought out and executed perfectly. If you liked the exporation and the other elements that made Oblivion great, take it to the next step to Fallout 3 is one of the best games ever to come out this year, and perhaps this decade. Don't be turned away by the depression the wasteland causes and the sometimes too easy VATS system, everything from the speech choices to the quests are well thought out and executed perfectly. If you liked the exporation and the other elements that made Oblivion great, take it to the next step to Fallout 3 Do not hesitate to purchase this game, the wastes are waiting.… Expand
  21. LouS.
    Nov 24, 2008
    8
    WOW.... it's sounds like everyone who has said this game is Bad had a Cock in their mouth at the time of play. Just saying. Anyways, Onward! Ya!... OK, so the game has some glitches, sure happens to the best of em'. Look past some minor graphical errors and maybe some AI stupidity and you have a game that's A) fun to play [especially if you screw around with cheats]. B) WOW.... it's sounds like everyone who has said this game is Bad had a Cock in their mouth at the time of play. Just saying. Anyways, Onward! Ya!... OK, so the game has some glitches, sure happens to the best of em'. Look past some minor graphical errors and maybe some AI stupidity and you have a game that's A) fun to play [especially if you screw around with cheats]. B) immerseve enough that I was excited to play it again after I had spent a day or two doing other things. And C) a vast improvement on the current "The Elder Scrolls" philosophy, which is very exciting considering their vision. But since I'm a Cynic as well as a Critic I'll tell you about the bad shit. YES the AI is still in the uncanny valley but is on the far side of the valley and starting to crawl up the wall. VATS is fun but feels somehow jaded, like it's thinks it's the only way to properly play the game, but since you can still shoot outside of VATS, it's not.The weapons do still feel like gun equivalents of RPG swords, this is to be expected though, but the weapons are varied enough to still be interesting. When I started playing it on the normal difficulty, I found myself standing on top of a mountain of stimpaks, ammo, and vagina fairly easily which was sorta a bummer since I like the scavenger ideal of the game world. Perhaps my biggest beef with the game is a matter of tactics. While in combat it's hard to be able to do much of anything but shoot at the enemy. To me this brings up images of old tunnel runner RPG gameplay. Which is fine, I guess, but besides laying down mines and luring enemies into them you can sneak around and try to be be unnoticed and gain a single sneak attack against A enemy on the first shot. Once this happens all enemies within line of sight of you instantly notice you and charge at you. Fun!!!.......NOT. It's fairly annoying because there is no good stealth to this game. Once noticed all bad guys will attack you if there in the vicinity. And, the ones in the room next to you will hear the cries of their friends heads exploding and do nothing about it. It just seems like the game could use more of a sense of "gamest realism". The idea of if I can think of it I should be able to do it in the game within the confines of the game world. On a better note, one of the better things about sneaking though, as an improvement, is putting live Grenades in someones pocket. That never get's old. On to the Good stuff! The story, well........Ya It's pretty good...... OK the voice actors are nice as long as there important characters, Like your father or Three-Dog. Not having to feed that damn Conversation Pie to everyone was by far the best improvement in the game. Yes I do acknowledge that is a Oblivion reference but it's undeniable not realize that this is what every one else has said. Anyways, main quest seems short but takes you all across the map and lets you go explore on your way there. Side quest are varied enough to not seem like repeats of other quest Ex. fetch this, kill that. That general World of WarCarafe bull shit they give you. The game world is nicely detailed with some interesting back story to places you visit given to you via what looks to be the video games tourist terminals. Overall it's a fun game with some minor flaws in design, but it's one step closer to what a sandbox styled games should be. It should be interesting to see what Bethesda comes out with next.… Expand
  22. JosephP.
    Nov 24, 2008
    10
    Brilliant game, the stories and quests stand up to the classics, and the game has enough changes to keep it interesting. All the skills count for something, and each play through with different tagged skills is a new challenge.
  23. AnonymousMC
    Nov 23, 2008
    9
    Being a huge fan of the Oblivion series, I found comfort in the largely similar missions system. I hadn't played a Fallout game prior to this so the game was both foreign, and familiar. I absolutely loved the steampunk Mad-Max like feel, and I loved the free open world brought to life by the game. The only shortcoming I found truly was in physics. I absolutely hated how they turned upBeing a huge fan of the Oblivion series, I found comfort in the largely similar missions system. I hadn't played a Fallout game prior to this so the game was both foreign, and familiar. I absolutely loved the steampunk Mad-Max like feel, and I loved the free open world brought to life by the game. The only shortcoming I found truly was in physics. I absolutely hated how they turned up air resistance for what seemed to be dramatic effect. All it did was make the world feel artificial.… Expand
  24. MichaelW.
    Nov 23, 2008
    9
    Anyone who is a fan of immersive, entertaining, and/or unique video game experiences should strongly consider checking out Fallout 3. While many have said it is "Oblivion with Guns", the resemblance is only in basic combat mechanics and gameplay perspective. Everything else is uniquely Fallout. Everything from the environments to the little objects you find strewn everywhere, to the Anyone who is a fan of immersive, entertaining, and/or unique video game experiences should strongly consider checking out Fallout 3. While many have said it is "Oblivion with Guns", the resemblance is only in basic combat mechanics and gameplay perspective. Everything else is uniquely Fallout. Everything from the environments to the little objects you find strewn everywhere, to the surreal experience of listening to swing music as you obliterate zombies adds to the impressive ambiance of the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 3. While I have not played the first two in the series, this game has drawn me in like very few can, it is among such games as Legend of Zelda and Mass Effect in that area. This is one of the few games where the player can actually get emotionally invested in the characters and the plot. While I will not give spoilers, suffice it to say that there are plenty of moments that made me want to laugh, cry, and even throw things at my TV. One moment in particular created a feeling of complete helplessness, something I have never felt in a video game. The sheer variety of weapons is one of the most pleasant surprises, especially those which you cobble together using schematics found throughout the world. Most of the custom weapons have an odd fusion of new tech and old tech, especially the Railway Rifle, a modified hunting rifle-type weapon that fires railroad spikes. Every weapon is satisfying and fun to use. For added fun, check out the "Bloody Mess" perk, if you can for added combat entertainment. All in all, I can safely give this game my highest recommendation, and it should be on any gamer's must-play list.… Expand
  25. SlawekG
    Nov 21, 2008
    10
    Aside from some minor bugs - game is brilliant - you can feel the wasteland. Short main story but in old Fallouts you could finish it even faster then here - it backs it up with vast amount of side quests and locations you can visit. RPG of the year for me - maybe even game of the year we shall see.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. AnonymousMC
    Nov 20, 2008
    0
    Ha, ha, ha, we tricked you! You thought that it was going to actually run on a PC. Then to top it off we just put a new wrapper on Oblivion and told you it was Fallout. You all fell for it. We have your money now. Nothing you can do about it. Patch it, sure well patch it, It won't fix anything but we will patch it. Ha ha ha ha.....
  29. AnonymousMC
    Nov 20, 2008
    4
    This game is pretty and all but, buggy, buggy, buggy. It is completely infuriating. Load, take two steps, crash. Repeat over and over again. patching that they came out with makes it worse. everyone says wait for the real patch? They should have fixed it before they released it. Last game I buy from Bethesda.
  30. AnonymousMC
    Nov 20, 2008
    9
    I won't write a long review here, i'll just sum up the pro's and con's as i see them:

    pro's: expansive world, great storyline, great side quests, vast array of characters to meet and interact with, awesome weapons, the ability to make your own weps is nice cons: suffers a bit from "consolitis" - meaning things like only 3-4 dialog options at a time from    I won't write a long review here, i'll just sum up the pro's and con's as i see them:

    pro's: expansive world, great storyline, great side quests, vast array of characters to meet and interact with, awesome weapons, the ability to make your own weps is nice

    cons: suffers a bit from "consolitis" - meaning things like only 3-4 dialog options at a time from limited console screen space, VATS makes it almost too simple in combat sometimes, canned responses from "non-major" characters, sub-par graphics in some areas from being ported from a console with limited texture memory (although better than oblivion)    … Expand
  31. AnonymousMC
    Nov 19, 2008
    8
    While the AI is somewhat buggy, it is a total BITCH to try and get to certain areas (I would walk around a quarter of the map trying to get past a seemingly endless mountain of rubble) something makes this game outrageously fun. It has great graphics, and it's plays like an RPG, and comes packed full of different weapons, armor, and little hiding spots full of suprises.
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. MarkT.
    Nov 16, 2008
    10
    A few small shortcomings, just things were you say "It would have been cool if they did this", but any minor issues with the game are more than made up for by the fact that I've almost never had this much fun gaming.
  35. 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
  36. TheStodd
    Nov 16, 2008
    10
    A few bugs, but so far Game of the Year without a doubt. The game Oblivion should have been! Ignore the naysayers - this is something very special, just make sure your rig can handle it (which any reasonable system should do).
  37. Dr.Piranha
    Nov 16, 2008
    10
    This is quite the extraordinary game. Not only do you have have the amazing story line, you have your choices on how you want to carry it out. You can choose to go down the path of the good and the righteous, or you could be as evil and maniacal as you wish. And you don't just have to do the campaign, you have many many choices of little side quests to do along the side. Depending on This is quite the extraordinary game. Not only do you have have the amazing story line, you have your choices on how you want to carry it out. You can choose to go down the path of the good and the righteous, or you could be as evil and maniacal as you wish. And you don't just have to do the campaign, you have many many choices of little side quests to do along the side. Depending on how you play the game, you get a different ending. This does have its little flaws... its little glitches, but nothing major... and nothing that takes away from the playablity and the fun.… Expand
  38. [Anonymous]
    Nov 15, 2008
    2
    I don't usually review/rate games but the incongruity between the rave reviews and what I experienced with this game compel me to do so. Lame story, writing, and voice-acting. Simple, repetitive gameplay that requires no skill development (unless you count patience while enduring extreme boredom as a skill); laughable NPC AI. The only redeeming aspect of this game is the interesting scenery.
  39. 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
  40. WinstonC.
    Nov 15, 2008
    5
    Fallout 3 seems to be a very solid, old-school PC RPG tailored for the X-Box, then ported 1:1 over to PC without any attempts to make it an actual PC game. 1) Installation and Setup: The game doesn't even create shortcuts, instead expects the player to insert the DVD to auto-play the launcher program. Graphic settings can only be changed before starting the game using that launcher Fallout 3 seems to be a very solid, old-school PC RPG tailored for the X-Box, then ported 1:1 over to PC without any attempts to make it an actual PC game. 1) Installation and Setup: The game doesn't even create shortcuts, instead expects the player to insert the DVD to auto-play the launcher program. Graphic settings can only be changed before starting the game using that launcher on the DVD in a windows-98-style box. The options also wouldn't recognize the native 1920x1200 resolution of a 24" monitor until installing the first patch. 2) Everything concerning the graphics and interface in-game is a 100% console port. The mouse has some kind of brake before it starts moving at proper speed, which makes the mousepointer feel like using a clumsy joypad - this makes aiming and navigating through menus an annoying experience. All fonts and most items in-game are vastly oversized (dialogue texts probably 120 pixels high, models for small objects like cigarette boxes as large as DVD boxes, etc). Simple actions like opening the map, browsing the inventory, or even switching weapons require endless clickfests through the only in-game interface tool (pipboy) that has EVERYTHING clumped into it and requires you to click through the categories over and over again. Basically the interface lacks any kind of ergonomical features to make a PC gamer feel comfortable during play. An example is the need to pause every single fight several times to open the "pipboy" menu, select "items", select "weapons", scroll up and down to find grenades / sidearm / rifle, equip it, leave the menu, fire it, then repeat the whole procedure to switch back to the previous weapon. I just can't believe that the game doesn't even have basic weapon slots like STALKER has them, not even to speak of essential shortcuts to the various elements of the pipboy screen. 3) AI doesn't seem to exist on 3/4 difficuilty level. Once enemies spot the player, they just keep running towards him in a straight line most of the time. Sometimes they just disappear to show up again later in a random place. Also NPCs always seem to blow themselves up with grenades, example they throw grenades while charging at you. Fighting in a group with a friendly NPC is a horrible experience from the beginning to the end. Generally the fighting feels the same or even worse than Morrowind back in the days. 4) Dialoges and resulting story are often a mess. Example you kill the evil barkeeper, then his hooker takes over the bar and also recognizes his death in dialogue with you, but in the next sentence she is still afraid to help you because the (dead) barkeeper might not like that. Noone else in town recognizes his death anyway, not even after killing everyone else in there. 5) Karma system: Basically a copy of D&D alignment, but doesn't seem to work for me. I'm killing a camp of bloodthirsty vampires and murderes, and my Karma goes down? WTF? 6) Skill system / character creation: Seems really outdated in 2008. Players can only guess what might be useful and will often end up with a crappy skilled character after some time. Unless they read through guides which tell them where to put their points into etc. 7) Realism vs. Gameplay - I think from a 2008 point of view, the developers have tried to put realism into things where it's not necessary or even hinders gameplay, but didn't put any realism where it would have been essential. Example gunfights in this game are even worse than 1992's Wolfenstein 3D. You're always short on ammo (which feels realistic and makes the game interesting), but all weapons have a huge, random spray radius which make carefully aimed shots useless. Self-healing in-combat seems to be very limited and there's even a complex damage system with crippling etc. in place , but out of combat you just need to take a few sips from a nearby toilet or sleep for 1 hour which will magically heal any kind of damage. 8) Sound and Graphic Art: First of all, the graphics in general are average at best and probably wouldn't have been anything special about 4-5 years ago. All animations and models are very poorly done, things look exactly like in Morrowind too many times. Sounds vary from realistic sounds while pushing around garbage, to explosions that sound like a bag of flour dropped from a skyscraper. Weapon sounds are horrible and make the stiff gunfights even worse. Voice acting in the german version is below-average amateur level - All characters have been dubbed by probably 4 different people and none of them has an interesting voice. Generally i think they should have used one of those cartoon filters on the graphics to make it at least somehow special to look at, but right now it's just cheap mass ware without any kind of style or soul about it. 9) Sprinting - Why the hell can't you sprint in this game? No matter wether you carry 200 kilos of equipment or walk around naked, you can never sprint under any circumstances. Tactics are pretty much useless, all you can do is either frontal assault or place some landmines before doing that frontal assault. 10) Censorship in the german version: I don't know if there is any blood & violence in the original version, but in german, despite an 18+ rating, there's no blood of any kind which makes the game feel even more sterile. 11) I could go on but let's sum it up. I gave this game a 5 because there still seems to be a solid, old-school, Elder Scrolls RPG behind it where you'll spend endless hours with exploring, searching for items, doing quests - but art, interface, storytelling are so bad that you can't even call it outdated, it's just low quality. How this game can get scores of over 90 is a mystery to me. Actually i might have given this a 7 or 8 if it was some kind of isometric top-down view RPG like Fallout / Jagged Alliance, but trying to crossbreed Morrowind with hardcore shooter elements on an X-Box platform has totally failed. My advice is to wait until this game becomes low-budget in the stores, because right now the game is not worth the full price under any circumstances.… Expand
  41. AW
    Nov 14, 2008
    10
    This game is truely amazing! Very innovative with unique ideas. Although the end left me feeling a bit empty because I thought you would be able to continue playing in the world, it was definitely the best game since Half Life 2. Great job Bethesda! PLEASE MAKE ANOTHER SOON!
  42. JamesP.
    Nov 14, 2008
    10
    In a sea of commercials, Fallout 3 Stands as real content. This game provides hundreds of hours of playtime. It has a meaningful and entertaining story. Its visuals are above par for the genre.
  43. DissapoinTedY
    Nov 14, 2008
    0
    Flawedout 3 keeps crashing! The reviews are not telling you the truth--google it, read up on it--great game (apparently) but it isn't working for many of us. For those of you with few or no problems--great enjoy it, your reviews are all that keep most of us from selling/returning the game.
  44. ChristopherB.
    Nov 14, 2008
    9
    Superior game overall. The main story may be a little short. Don't rush through it as this game unlike the Elder Scrolls ends when you complete the main quest line. Character creation is absolutely brilliant.
  45. MarcoS
    Nov 13, 2008
    5
    I give the 5 for effort and because it's a game that appeals to some people. But it is NOT a RPG in the sense of Fallout 1 and 2; it is more like that shallow fantasy theme park that was Oblivion.
  46. MichaelL.
    Nov 13, 2008
    10
    Bethesda has made yet another game that blows away the competition. Bethesda makes in my opinion the best RPG games that I have ever seen, with stunning graphics to many hours of work trying to become a good, or bad, guy while earning a nice amount of cash along with the experience. The quality of their work shows almost as if the game disk doesn't reflect light, the light shines from it.
  47. NoName
    Nov 13, 2008
    10
    An instant classic. This game joins KOTOR, Half-Life, Half-Life 2 and System Shock 2 as one the best games of all time. Beware though, for those looking for a simple shooter (like Call of Duty, Halo) you may be disappointed. This is an FPS-RPG, don't expect a twitch game.
  48. MarkS.
    Nov 13, 2008
    1
    Yes i give only 1 point! This is no fallout 3, this is madness!! The only point comes that they even tried to conver oblivion to fallout and for that i can see some light "fallout" curtain over oblivion here. Teleporting in houses, stiff and badly named npc:s (villager etc), Fighting, scaling opponents, those annoying glowing eyes in dark! (sound cool tho but its not), even the dialog is Yes i give only 1 point! This is no fallout 3, this is madness!! The only point comes that they even tried to conver oblivion to fallout and for that i can see some light "fallout" curtain over oblivion here. Teleporting in houses, stiff and badly named npc:s (villager etc), Fighting, scaling opponents, those annoying glowing eyes in dark! (sound cool tho but its not), even the dialog is poor like in oblivion! Argh! capped leveling!? Theres just so much wrong in this game and i haven't find a single enjoyable thing yet! This game is bad as my writing. (100/100 from gamespy! did you guys even tried the game, i will not renew my account there anymore, bye..)… Expand
  49. 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
  50. VidM.
    Nov 12, 2008
    8
    Great game! Exceeded my expectations, which were damned high considering the countless times I played through the original games, loving every minute of it. Bethesda did a good job of mixing Fallout with what they do best in Elder Scrolls. Nice attention to detail and making good on the little things. Some broken quests and quirky graphical flaws keep an otherwise great game from being a Great game! Exceeded my expectations, which were damned high considering the countless times I played through the original games, loving every minute of it. Bethesda did a good job of mixing Fallout with what they do best in Elder Scrolls. Nice attention to detail and making good on the little things. Some broken quests and quirky graphical flaws keep an otherwise great game from being a perfect masterpiece. Another gripe is the needless watering down of the Fallout character building system. Tagging skills no longer spurs growth in those skills (no more two-for-one point-buy while under 100). Also, skills can no longer exceed 100, even though 100 does not guarantee success for any skill. However, the game is more accessible now that it stands up as a full-blown FPS, as well as an RPG with flavorings of survival horror at lower levels (no follower, no ammo, braving the ghoul-infested metro tunnels with a flashlight).… Expand
  51. RobG.
    Nov 12, 2008
    9
    I was in love with the fallout franchise from the moment I began playing the original in '98, and Fallout 3 - for me at least - manages to hit all the same buttons. Beautiful, funny, fantastic and the most atmospheric game I've ever seen. The only criticism I could possibly level at it is that the game world is a little bit busy and would be better if it were a bit bleaker.
  52. JasonH.
    Nov 12, 2008
    9
    Alright, I won't commit and say it's the best game of all time, but i will say I've spent the last couple of weeks locked away focused on not much else. I've gone back and tried to play the old FOs out of nostalgia, but let's face it; its not 1998 anymore. I've seen a lot of criticism of FO3's similiarity to Oblivion (which, in my opinion was a selling Alright, I won't commit and say it's the best game of all time, but i will say I've spent the last couple of weeks locked away focused on not much else. I've gone back and tried to play the old FOs out of nostalgia, but let's face it; its not 1998 anymore. I've seen a lot of criticism of FO3's similiarity to Oblivion (which, in my opinion was a selling point) calling it a imitator. But would these fans have been satisfied with a top down isometric view at 5 fps which is how it was done for three installments running? I don't think its fair to rate a game based on how "good" its prequels were anyway. If Fallouts 1 and 2 never existed would this have been a good game? I say emphatically YES.… Expand
  53. PaulS
    Nov 12, 2008
    9
    Don't listen to all the whiners giving this game a 2. I played and enjoyed Fallout2. However, I knew this could never be like that. That game style is gone from developers. Bestheda has done quite a good job incorporating all the other areas that made Fallout good and put it into a modified FPS. I enjoy using VATS as well as the run and gun method. So far the story, sandbox world, Don't listen to all the whiners giving this game a 2. I played and enjoyed Fallout2. However, I knew this could never be like that. That game style is gone from developers. Bestheda has done quite a good job incorporating all the other areas that made Fallout good and put it into a modified FPS. I enjoy using VATS as well as the run and gun method. So far the story, sandbox world, characters, etc all are quite good. Not perfect, but real enough for me to get lost in the story. If you enjoyed the old series, and are okay with it not being a true RPG, take the plunge.… Expand
  54. AlexV
    Nov 12, 2008
    10
    Superb, first and foremost a role-playing game but the VATS system works really well combined with fps. Glad they kept the humour and a worthy addition to the fallout series, can't wait for the next (hopefully with more advanced graphics and as good an fps as rpg). Huge fun just exploring with adventure around every turn and kept me glued to the computer for the first time in ages.
  55. MiKE
    Nov 12, 2008
    10
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! You will be addicted, hooked! The game is simply amazing, once you start playing it, you will not want to stop! I played the PS3 first and I was impressed, and now I am playing the PC version and you just can't compare the two! The PC version is alot better, the graphics are crisp, the animation are better, and the controls feel like this game was made for the PC.
  56. Chris
    Nov 12, 2008
    9
    This is truly a tribute to Fallout, not a direct sequel. The story is ok, but (and i hate to compare to Oblivion) unlike Oblivion where scope and epic scale was the goal, Fallout 3's goal seems to be depth. Each side quest, as few as there are, are well thought out, alter the ending, and have multiple ways through them. The graphics are a SMALL, and I mean small, improvement over This is truly a tribute to Fallout, not a direct sequel. The story is ok, but (and i hate to compare to Oblivion) unlike Oblivion where scope and epic scale was the goal, Fallout 3's goal seems to be depth. Each side quest, as few as there are, are well thought out, alter the ending, and have multiple ways through them. The graphics are a SMALL, and I mean small, improvement over Oblivion, but not much has changed. Be warned, this game is not for the action gamer, the FPS elements are light and are not that good. Your character moves slow and the models are a little stiff. Basically, what was lacking in Oblivion is present here. It just needs a construction editor… Expand
  57. P.Sh.
    Nov 12, 2008
    10
    This game is almost better than part 2 of the Franchise. I say "almost", because it tries to send a message and doesn't quite succeed. The ending is as linear as that of Fallout 2, only more visually impressive and a dozen times worse. The lack of post-game gameplay is disappointing, considering this is a Bethesda game, and the lack of a narrated epilogue detailing the future of the This game is almost better than part 2 of the Franchise. I say "almost", because it tries to send a message and doesn't quite succeed. The ending is as linear as that of Fallout 2, only more visually impressive and a dozen times worse. The lack of post-game gameplay is disappointing, considering this is a Bethesda game, and the lack of a narrated epilogue detailing the future of the setting is disapointing, considering this is a Fallout game.… Expand
  58. joshq
    Nov 11, 2008
    9
    Really enjoyable, as for a lot of negative reviewers, maybe it's not for everyone, personally I'm more of a strict fps fan (though I do like progression), yet this game tops my list over stalker: clear sky, crysis warhead sp, and far cry 2... First off this game completely succeeds in implementing a side quest system, nothing is kill or collect this many of that, every side Really enjoyable, as for a lot of negative reviewers, maybe it's not for everyone, personally I'm more of a strict fps fan (though I do like progression), yet this game tops my list over stalker: clear sky, crysis warhead sp, and far cry 2... First off this game completely succeeds in implementing a side quest system, nothing is kill or collect this many of that, every side quest is a small story of its own.. the main storyline is refreshingly good for a change, the vats system isn't required it can be seen as a turn-based combat system or just a special bonus to the fps combat, i personally liked it though... there's a lot of different play styles you can take on from a gameplay standpoint and a decision (moral) standpoint. The cool things you stumble upon aren't just liked with the main quest, a lot of it you discover on your own. A playthrough itself is long and enjoyable and there's a lot of replay value.… Expand
  59. 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
  60. KeithB.
    Nov 11, 2008
    4
    This game is a highlight of the derivative - meaning it is exceedingly derivative given its visibility. Sure, there are tons of generic copy-paste DS brain-age games, PC FPSes, etc, but they generally are forgotten within weeks of release. But this game is a big deal, and it's getting nothing but great reviews(just like what happened with Oblivion), meaning it will have lasting This game is a highlight of the derivative - meaning it is exceedingly derivative given its visibility. Sure, there are tons of generic copy-paste DS brain-age games, PC FPSes, etc, but they generally are forgotten within weeks of release. But this game is a big deal, and it's getting nothing but great reviews(just like what happened with Oblivion), meaning it will have lasting visibility. Is it too much to ask for an RPG to "capture my imagination"? What ever happened to that concept? I know it's still possible. Portal captured my imagination. Katamari Damacy did it. So why has it been so long since an RPG has done it? RPGs are the games that need to do this MOST!… Expand
  61. BryanT.
    Nov 11, 2008
    6
    This game did not live up to my expectations. I played Bethesda's TES: Oblivion and loved it, beating it multiple times. It is true that Fallout 3 is basically Oblivion with guns, but its a very bad oblivion with guns. Very bad voice acting- the characters dont match up with what they are saying. The character could be saying that the world is about to blow up while nonchalantly This game did not live up to my expectations. I played Bethesda's TES: Oblivion and loved it, beating it multiple times. It is true that Fallout 3 is basically Oblivion with guns, but its a very bad oblivion with guns. Very bad voice acting- the characters dont match up with what they are saying. The character could be saying that the world is about to blow up while nonchalantly standing there with a minor arm movement. There are also many bugs including invisible items, problems with the targeting system, and AI problems. I have no idea why so many reviewers gave this game a 100. Really? This game is so perfect that you could play for ten hours straight while having 0 problems, glitches, or otherwise unwanted actions? No, that's not the case. This is a B- game, not an A++ game. It does have an interesting storyline, if a little predictable. My suggestion: Play a friends game for a while, or the whole thing (story line takes just a few days to beat), or wait until this game is under 30 or even 20 dollars. If other gamers have noticed all the things wrong with this game too then that shouldn't take too long.… Expand
  62. Granger
    Nov 11, 2008
    9
    This game does have several rough edges, but it has successfully drawn me in despite them. I've devoted almost all my gaming time to this game and keep wishing I could find more time to play it. Don't try to play this as just an FPS, as a hybrid strategy of using VATS and real-time combat works well and has greatly increased the fun factor for me. The main quest is pretty good, This game does have several rough edges, but it has successfully drawn me in despite them. I've devoted almost all my gaming time to this game and keep wishing I could find more time to play it. Don't try to play this as just an FPS, as a hybrid strategy of using VATS and real-time combat works well and has greatly increased the fun factor for me. The main quest is pretty good, but the side quests and exploring on your own are where this game shines.… Expand
  63. Max
    Nov 11, 2008
    10
    I really don't understand why some reviewers give this game 5/10, 2/10 or even 1/10. The most common argument is that this game is a mod to Oblivion. This is total nonsence, you can say it on almost all of the games coming out today. For example, around 60% of the new games use the Unreal Engine. Does it make them Unreal mods? My guess is that the low scores are coming from I really don't understand why some reviewers give this game 5/10, 2/10 or even 1/10. The most common argument is that this game is a mod to Oblivion. This is total nonsence, you can say it on almost all of the games coming out today. For example, around 60% of the new games use the Unreal Engine. Does it make them Unreal mods? My guess is that the low scores are coming from Fallout1&2 hardcore fans and from people who thought they were bying a FPS. So, if you're hardcore fan of Fallout1&2 and you don't mind that it's gone 3D and realtime, then Fallout3 delievers. However, if you want an overhead view and turn based combat then Fallout3 isn't for you. Just don't bash it, say it like it really is: "This game isn't for me". Also, if you're looking for FPS you really shouldn't buy this game, because it's not (although it resembles one). Sure there are technincal issues, misplaced dialogs and incorrect AI on some occasions (mostly concerns NPCs), however they're all neglegible when you look at the whole picture. Interesting and very long side quests, immersive and vast world (I think the underground part is almost as large as the one on the surface), and easily 100+ hours of gameplay, that is of course if you don't just play for the main story line, which can be sprinted very fast (should I remind you that, Fallout1&2 and Oblivion had very short main story, and most of the game was about exploring and side quests). One thing to note is that PC versions surpasses the 360 and PS3, and I'm not talking about graphics here. It's all about the modding community, which makes this game even better with every comming day. And almost forgot, kudos to Bethsoft for the soundtrack. IMHO it's easily one of the best soundtracks for games. Normally I'd give this game 9/10 but because of all those 1/10 I'm going to rebalance the score. Solid 9/10.… Expand
  64. MikeW.
    Nov 10, 2008
    10
    This game is great, I'm having a very enjoyable experience here. I don't think its perfect, more a 9 than a 10, but like others here I'm trying to balance out the moron PC fanboys that are pissed that the console playing population can experience their beloved and coveted fallout. Get a life, guys. Its not like the game is *your* private intellectual propery. Probably take This game is great, I'm having a very enjoyable experience here. I don't think its perfect, more a 9 than a 10, but like others here I'm trying to balance out the moron PC fanboys that are pissed that the console playing population can experience their beloved and coveted fallout. Get a life, guys. Its not like the game is *your* private intellectual propery. Probably take this more seriously than the black isle programmers. As to following the old series, I think this is pretty well in line, as many difference could be account for by the fact that it takes place on the east coast, instead of in Cali. which is where Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 took place. That does eliminate the whole tribal component, but hey, we get bombed out metro stations and downtown DC. I mean the geographic scale is much better than, say, Fallout 2. I mean New Reno was like 2 screens, teeny tiny... Reno is huge. At least they made an attempt to represent what a *city* looks like. people giving this less than a 6 are not being honest about gameplay and are instead voting on... some peripheral reason (e.g. pc turfwar pissing fight, angry nostalgia, comparison to obliv., politics of game studios etc.) The one notable exception is people having stability issues, which have been minimal in my game time. Note to others on metacritic: This scoreboard is here to rate the FREAKING GAME; not the studio, not the franchise, not games related to it, not the platform you play it on. Why is that so hard? Everyone's an expert on writing game code, apparently, and expects the programmers to fulfill their wildest dreams for 50 bucks. Puh-lease... its a f*cking game, relax a little. This mentality is exactly why people interested in computing and related sciences got such a bad reputation. You angry fan-boys are social cripples.… Expand
  65. MikeB
    Nov 10, 2008
    10
    Amazing game, with the best atmosphere I've experienced in a game since the first half-life! Not a shooter and not a rpg, but something all together different and wonderful. It does have some bugs, but most can be avoided at least until the patches finally come out.
  66. AurelianoF
    Nov 10, 2008
    10
    One of the best game i have ever played. Awesome environment with stunning graphics, sounds and atmosphere. What i liked about this game it's the oportunity of do whatever you want, go to any place you want, and especially the oportunity of take different decisions. At the beginning i didn't hold hope for this one since i never played Fallout 1 and 2. But then i gave it a try One of the best game i have ever played. Awesome environment with stunning graphics, sounds and atmosphere. What i liked about this game it's the oportunity of do whatever you want, go to any place you want, and especially the oportunity of take different decisions. At the beginning i didn't hold hope for this one since i never played Fallout 1 and 2. But then i gave it a try and i realized how amazing it is.. This is a ''MUST HAVE''..… Expand
  67. MatthewN.
    Nov 9, 2008
    10
    Game follows very closely to Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. Very pleased with visuals as well as great voice acting. Immersive game play that brings back old and creates new memories of great gaming under the fallout name.
  68. AnonymousMC
    Nov 9, 2008
    9
    Heavy on the Sherlock Holmes puzzle story lines, which is most of the time quite entertaining. The Bullet-time-like VATS combat is refreshingly fun, while still not quite being required for success, allowing for old-school shootem-up. A myriad of new and classic weaponry, and some stunning scenery, imaginative quests, and fun swear-word-littered dialog combined with an obviously dark senseHeavy on the Sherlock Holmes puzzle story lines, which is most of the time quite entertaining. The Bullet-time-like VATS combat is refreshingly fun, while still not quite being required for success, allowing for old-school shootem-up. A myriad of new and classic weaponry, and some stunning scenery, imaginative quests, and fun swear-word-littered dialog combined with an obviously dark sense of humor make this one the best FPS since Half-Life.… Expand
  69. DerekT.
    Nov 9, 2008
    2
    So, I just tried this game on the 360(too bad i couldn't get to try the pc version.) and at first, I was interested in the story, gameplay, graphics ect. but I must say, pretty much everything people say that is flawed about this game is true sadly. It would seem that Bestheda Studios really doesn't A) Care all that much about the franchise, or B) They can't make games So, I just tried this game on the 360(too bad i couldn't get to try the pc version.) and at first, I was interested in the story, gameplay, graphics ect. but I must say, pretty much everything people say that is flawed about this game is true sadly. It would seem that Bestheda Studios really doesn't A) Care all that much about the franchise, or B) They can't make games worth shit. I did play Oblivion(on the 360) and noticed that all this game really is, is a poorly made mod of the oblivion engine. Characters, boring and forgettable. Movements and animations, total shit. All around, this game resembles nothing of the Fallout franchise. And if the pc version is the same as the 360, i would never even pay $20 for it.… Expand
  70. AndréL.
    Nov 8, 2008
    9
    This game is excelent, the targeting system allied with the camera movement is very well balanced, history is good, with many possibilities, imense territory to explore, oh, and the songs from the radio are very addictive! I just don´t give 10 because they copied many things from oblivion, but im my personal analysis, this didn´t damaged the game! Resuming: Good RPG and This game is excelent, the targeting system allied with the camera movement is very well balanced, history is good, with many possibilities, imense territory to explore, oh, and the songs from the radio are very addictive! I just don´t give 10 because they copied many things from oblivion, but im my personal analysis, this didn´t damaged the game! Resuming: Good RPG and shooter(the body´s can blown and splice in so many ways!)… Expand
  71. MichaelR
    Nov 8, 2008
    10
    I loved Fallout 2, but I love Fallout 3 more. Fallout 3 is damn near perfect. I bought it with a sceptical mind, and within a few hours the game convinced me that it was a work of genius. I could write a long review why it's excellent, so all I will 'say' are these words: brilliant, detailed world; mature content; great quests; great graphics; wonderful atmosphere; I loved Fallout 2, but I love Fallout 3 more. Fallout 3 is damn near perfect. I bought it with a sceptical mind, and within a few hours the game convinced me that it was a work of genius. I could write a long review why it's excellent, so all I will 'say' are these words: brilliant, detailed world; mature content; great quests; great graphics; wonderful atmosphere; imaginative enemies and monsters; great story and writing . . . . Buy it . . . you will not be disappointed.… Expand
  72. RogerS
    Nov 8, 2008
    5
    Be aware this game is unplayable for some people. Not a true review of the game, it may be great, but if you are planning on purchasing I suggest you read the Fallout 3 message boards. There is no fix at this time and the game will crash when you start the game. It is not related to system requirements. I love Bethesda and their games, but sadly I suggest you hold on to your $50 till a Be aware this game is unplayable for some people. Not a true review of the game, it may be great, but if you are planning on purchasing I suggest you read the Fallout 3 message boards. There is no fix at this time and the game will crash when you start the game. It is not related to system requirements. I love Bethesda and their games, but sadly I suggest you hold on to your $50 till a patch is released to address this.… Expand
  73. 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
  74. J.W.
    Nov 8, 2008
    10
    If all you're concerned about is how close this game sticks to everything you hold dear concerning the old games, then don't buy this game because you'll never be pleased as you're an obsessive who needs to grow up and realise that trying to cling to the past and refusing to accept a game is honestly good because of the developer is incredibly pathetic, immature If all you're concerned about is how close this game sticks to everything you hold dear concerning the old games, then don't buy this game because you'll never be pleased as you're an obsessive who needs to grow up and realise that trying to cling to the past and refusing to accept a game is honestly good because of the developer is incredibly pathetic, immature behaviour. the game is fun. It carries the spirit of Fallout if only you'll let it show you. The combat is rich and varied, and frantic and fun enough to keep you constantly entertained. Character customisation is also fantastic, and the sheer amount of polish and content in the game is truly breath-taking. There are a few niggling little bugs, like the fact that some keys cannot be unbound on the keyboard and the occasional glitch but they're little things which should easily be solved with a small patch and don't tend to come up often. If you've never played Fallout before, buy this. If you have played Fallout before, buy this and don't be stupid, because it really and truly is a fantastic Fallout game.… Expand
  75. BillM.
    Nov 8, 2008
    10
    So atmospheric, and so much to explore. Easily one of the best games this year. People who give this a 0 have a bad case of sour grapes. When you look at most user scores they're between 8-10. Do metacritic use standard mean for the user rating average? Even median would be more useful because it would lessen the effect of a few crazies who give out 0s.
  76. Gerard
    Nov 7, 2008
    6
    I'm reading a lot of nerd comments about how this didn't follow to the 'T' of what Fallout used to be......well as a avid game player who just never happened to get his hands on either the Fallout series or Oblivion, I'm not biased. ----Graphics:9 ------- Great graphics that you can tone up or down and great draw distances. Despite there being much better looking I'm reading a lot of nerd comments about how this didn't follow to the 'T' of what Fallout used to be......well as a avid game player who just never happened to get his hands on either the Fallout series or Oblivion, I'm not biased. ----Graphics:9 ------- Great graphics that you can tone up or down and great draw distances. Despite there being much better looking games, the sheer size of this game gives it a thumb up for me-------Gameplay:8-------somewhat repetitive but enjoyable at the same time. Turn on the pipboy radio and you really get a good wasteland soundtrack to kill to or turn it off and let the atmospheric music take over. I love the balance Bethesda tries to take in making this game realistic, but not annoyingly so. -------Storyline:8--------- I like the depth that you can question people and talk to them about their issues and the land and everything around you, i hate how nothing you do in this game seems to make much difference. When it comes down to it, this game only gives the illusion of a non-linear game, in that it has a bunch of side-quests. The main storyline is a wee bit on the weak side and it seems like much more in the way of exotic tech or sidequests was just passed over with the satalite relay stations-------Misc:3--------Make no mistake, this game was released as a Beta version and was buggy as hell. It took me 2 hrs just to get my game to RUN the first time. I get crashing to desktop anywhere from 5 min to 5 hrs into the game with the average being about 1.5 hrs. The pipboy's music ( not during the talking, just the music ) is horribly distorted.… Expand
  77. 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
  78. AnonymousMC
    Nov 6, 2008
    9
    Fallout 3 is a stunning sequel to the original series. Bethesda has managed to remain faithful to the original Fallout 1 & 2 but have released a new fully realised 3D world in Fallout 3. I am most impressed by the adult storyline. This gritty post holocaust world is well worth exploring. Bravo Bethesda!
  79. 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
  80. ErixisBlade
    Nov 5, 2008
    9
    This game is beautiful--I don't fully understand what some people are saying about it being last gen. No, it's not Crysis, but it is gorgeous, meticulously detailed, and totally atmospheric. I didn't play the original Fallout games until recently, so I don't have some of the nostalgic attachment to them that some have--yes, I would have appreciated more humor (though This game is beautiful--I don't fully understand what some people are saying about it being last gen. No, it's not Crysis, but it is gorgeous, meticulously detailed, and totally atmospheric. I didn't play the original Fallout games until recently, so I don't have some of the nostalgic attachment to them that some have--yes, I would have appreciated more humor (though there are many genuinely funny moments in the game, some of them very dark indeed), and yes the difficulty is a bit uneven--but on the whole, this game is completely faithful to the spirit of Fallout. Awesome game, a blast to play. The best thing about this game is the attention to detail and the incredible stories that each of the game's areas tell--there are no bland run of the mill dungeons or towns or anything--every place has a story waiting for the observant explorer to discover it. This it the beauty of that game, and it's what keeps me up regularly til 4 in the morning playing. A few bugs (all of which I have faith will be quickly addressed--Bethesda is pretty good about such things) keep it from being a 10 from me, but make no mistake--this is not a game you should miss.… Expand
  81. LauraE.
    Nov 5, 2008
    10
    Fallout 3 is a fantastic game. I loved the fantasy world of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and this game brought me out of the fantasy magic world into the nuclear war torn future world. I also love the interactive AI in the game, because unlike Oblivion the speech choices depend on your abilities and your sex. I personally enjoyed Fallout 3!
  82. GuilhermeG.
    Nov 5, 2008
    10
    Let me be clear : fallout 3 missed a lot of things from the original games: Difficulty, Humor, Music, Interface among other things. And there are other less stelar points such as textures, animation and the barter and quest interface. And yes there are quite a few choices that show that Bethesda stuck too much stuff from the Elder Scrolls series. Epic music in fallout games ? Epic fail. Let me be clear : fallout 3 missed a lot of things from the original games: Difficulty, Humor, Music, Interface among other things. And there are other less stelar points such as textures, animation and the barter and quest interface. And yes there are quite a few choices that show that Bethesda stuck too much stuff from the Elder Scrolls series. Epic music in fallout games ? Epic fail. Vampires in Fallout games ? Epic fail. Enemies too easy to kill ? Epic fail. Get yourself radiated with 600 rads and don't die or loose much health like in the first games? Epic fail. (but it would be like that, because in reality, it takes a few hours to feel the effects even with that dose of radiation - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_bombs_and_health#Radiation_poisoning). I started very doubtfull of this game and noticing all of these things, but somewhere along the way you'll notice: I am playing fallout. You'll be searching lockers, tables and what not for your stuff. You'll be killing off ghouls and super mutants, raiders and mole rats. You'll be performing critical hits. You'll be leveling up expending the experience points on the same attributes as in previous games, and choosing the same perks. The game will suck you in. This I assure you. When you enter a mine field ridden busted down village, enter an abandoned house, where all windows are boarded up, with only a few sun rays going through, paint peeling off the walls, then you go up the stairs into the bedroom to find two sequeletons holding each other in bed...It's beyond words. The ambiance on this game is pure crack. The desolated wasteland is very well represented and it is oppressing. You'll be scavenging stuff to survive and managing your equipment with care. Traps will kill you. It's fun when you're walking around and then hear something drop on the floor. You look around and don't notice anything. You keep moving. Then you see at the edge of the screen something black rolling on the floor. You look down and then you understand : it's 3 grenades dropped from a trap in a walkway above you. Oh sh*t. And BUM. Also the first time you see a Super Mutant Behemoth is memorable. Hell yeah. About the interface, I already said where it fails. Other than that I think Bethesda chose to use a more realistic approach to the pip boy, and seriously i see no problem with that. It works fine for most things. It's a logical approach and seriously if you try to understand the original pip boy from the images, what the hell was that ? A PDA ? With valves ? With what shape ? Bethesda made an interesting choice and I like it. It's not as usable but far more realistic, and that's fine for me. I miss the sarcastic remarks, I miss the really dark humor, I miss the incredibly moody music and the high difficulty of the game. Sometime during my game experience I started thinking, damn this feels life the first fallout. And it does. Let me be clear though, besides the landscape, the game looks very last-gen. You won't get crispy clear textures like stalker, crysis and dead space. You won't get all those lightning effects. You won't get great facial expressions. But this is very much a work of love for the series and it shows. I quickly forgot the animations, the shoddy colision detection and the textures. I quickly forgot the stuff that shows that the mentality at Bethesda is very much stuck in the Elder scrolls series. You start wanting to find out about what is going on there, why this radio signal, where are these people, what secrets lurk in those tunnels ? You'll fight for your survival, make choices that affect character's lives, and explore. It WILL suck you in. I miss a lot of things from the original series and yes I'm sad that Bethesda didn't capture them. I'm sad that the game is wattered down for mass comsuption and the interface for console use. I wish brotherhood of steel guys felt more hardcore and invicible. I wish there was the plasma gattling gun. I wish you could apply medical care to yourself like in the original series. I wish mutants were much much harder. I was terrified of those guys in the originals, even at top levels. I wish the AI was better. I wish there was better dialog choices. I wish for the original fallout music. I wish the environment was even more scary, something more like stalker. I wish.... But you have to realize that I don't think anyone else could have done a better job. Everything in this game has a reason to be. I can perfectly understand almost all of the decisions Bethesda made in relation to this game. They all have logic and show that the game was really well tought. It shows a lot of dedication and hard work. Yes many things are different, but I still keep feeling like I'm back playing fallout 1. And it sucks you so much cause now you're playing in first person. Watching in your face all of those things you imagined when you were playing them 10 years ago. It's not perfect but it's a great game, with a huge scope that will keep you busy for a long time. Just thinking about some of the stuff I've played and watched sends me shiffers from the back of my head down my spine. It has been a long, long time since a game was able to make me feel like this. I am a hardcore gamer, from the days of playing on a 48k Spectrum with games stored on audio tapes, and I'm not easily impressed by most recent games. Far Cry 2 bores me to death, for example. Most game reviews suck these days and give wrong ratings. I would give Far Cry 2 a strong 60 or 70 at most. Fallout 3 would get a very strong 90, maybe 95. But to give this game a zero out of spite ? I'm giving it 10 just to counterbalance those brainless scores. Anyone that gives this game a zero only because it's not the original fallout, and doesn't recognize the great things about it is seriously retarded. This game is great on its own. It's strange but i keep thinking to myself : It's not fallout and at the same time, it IS fallout. I think Bethesda should go back to their labs, work on the engine, improve a lot of things : animation, collision detection, AI, textures, lightning. This engine needs an overhaul. Because I can't wait for another entry in the series. Fallout 4, for sure. Don't care about any MMORPGs, give me a proper singleplayer experience any day of the week. To sum this up : it's great to be playing fallout again. About time. Hell yeah. Oh and by the way, I can confirm something that I highly doubted when reading it in other reviews : VATS doesn't get old.… Expand
  83. 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.
  84. LiquidWolf
    Nov 5, 2008
    10
    Excellent game that is a good return to the Fallout genre. It's not quite what Fallout 1 and 2 were, but it is a still a good game in and of itself. I've never really played a game through twice, but this one will be the first in my memory.
  85. 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
  86. JexterD
    Nov 5, 2008
    9
    A great game by it's own standards. Albeit I am a fan of old Fallout series, I also liked this game. After playing a game like this, I just do not see how people will even want to play a linear FPS. Fallout 3 is a game that definitely was worth the wait, but like with all great titles there are some small things that could have been done in a better manner. However, this is a great A great game by it's own standards. Albeit I am a fan of old Fallout series, I also liked this game. After playing a game like this, I just do not see how people will even want to play a linear FPS. Fallout 3 is a game that definitely was worth the wait, but like with all great titles there are some small things that could have been done in a better manner. However, this is a great title for those who prefer sandbox type of games over the linear overdose we seem to be getting these days.… Expand
  87. Goobah
    Nov 4, 2008
    7
    Oblivion with guns? Very much so, for better or worse. Oblivion wasn't my type of game, and I'm afraid that F3, despite having brilliant atmosphere, is't cutting it as well. My main gripe with this game is that Bethesda willingly chose to discard a lot of acknowledged achievements in cRPG design that have happened lately. Dialogue system is quite simply abysmal, in a Oblivion with guns? Very much so, for better or worse. Oblivion wasn't my type of game, and I'm afraid that F3, despite having brilliant atmosphere, is't cutting it as well. My main gripe with this game is that Bethesda willingly chose to discard a lot of acknowledged achievements in cRPG design that have happened lately. Dialogue system is quite simply abysmal, in a post-Mass Effect world. A lot of lines are too long, or too short, depending on situation. Voice acting is acceptable, but the moral system is severely lacking, and the fact that time "freezes" when you talk to someone doesn't help immersion at all. Now I don't really like sandbox games as in my opinion -too much- of free roaming puts you off the main quest, and story is what I value the most in cRPG's. Thats exactly the case with F3, as with Oblivion - in the midst of exploration I tend to loose track of why am I doing all this in the first place. It doesn't matter that the main quest is intriguing, if it gets lost in the midst of countless hours spent on exploring a beautiful and atmospheric but ultimately boring world. And having a completionist soul, focusing on just the main quest, which is maybe 10% of what the game has to offer, doesn't satisfy me. All in all it's not a game for people who don't have too much free time on their hands. Last but not least, I find it has actually very little in common with original Fallouts. Sure, times have changed, but it seems that apart from artistic direction, there is no feel, humor and atmosphere of the original games here. And I do believe that's another consequence of Bethesda not being able to get over their own game design method. I respect their choice, and obviously they are happy (too happy imo) with the results they are getting - but I'm not. All in all, Fallout 3 isn't the game I was waiting for, and instead is "only" an enjoyable experience.… Expand
  88. AnonymousMC
    Nov 4, 2008
    10
    After about an hour of playing I found myself thinking "Oh no... Oblivion again... I've already played that game." Now, after around 20 hours of play I cannot wait to get home from work to jump back into this detailed, immersive and quite addictive game. Take the detractors with a grain of salt. This game is great!
  89. 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
  90. 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
  91. EricM
    Nov 4, 2008
    9
    I will say this right off the bat: I have not played any of the original Fallouts so I do not know how this game measures up to them. Also, I am primarily a FPS gamer, not an RPG gamer. With that said, Fallout 3 is a genuinely fun and entertaining game. The detail of the Fallout world is amazing and the weapon selection is awesome. However, the game does lose a point for poor physics and I will say this right off the bat: I have not played any of the original Fallouts so I do not know how this game measures up to them. Also, I am primarily a FPS gamer, not an RPG gamer. With that said, Fallout 3 is a genuinely fun and entertaining game. The detail of the Fallout world is amazing and the weapon selection is awesome. However, the game does lose a point for poor physics and the way it seems to chug along at random points. However, I am accustomed to Valve games where the physics and smoothness are incredibly fluid. Anyway, overall: worth the $50. Not even close to finished and I feel like I got my money's worth.… Expand
  92. MatthewB.
    Nov 4, 2008
    10
    A truly great game, where you feel there's always something new lurking round the next pile of nuked rubble. It takes out a lot of the more fussy aspects of Oblivion, and adds some innovative features like the VATS targeting system.
  93. JanJ.
    Nov 4, 2008
    5
    Unfortunately, a big disappointment to many. This game is a GOOD example of BAD design. Graphics and sounds are poor, which doesn't help much. Everything is dumbed-down. This game has more common with Bethesda's other game - TES: Oblivion, than with previous Fallout games. Story is nice. Some of the quest ideas and some of the dialogue humor is OK. An average game with a lot of Unfortunately, a big disappointment to many. This game is a GOOD example of BAD design. Graphics and sounds are poor, which doesn't help much. Everything is dumbed-down. This game has more common with Bethesda's other game - TES: Oblivion, than with previous Fallout games. Story is nice. Some of the quest ideas and some of the dialogue humor is OK. An average game with a lot of hype. It's not worth the money, believe me.… Expand
  94. 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.
  95. NickA.
    Nov 3, 2008
    9
    Fallout 3 is a First Person Shooter with strong RPG elements. Apart from a cone of fire, you shoot where you aim, but the attributes, skills, and perks you invest in determine the amount of damage you cause. True to Fallout 2, attribute, skill, and perk choices are plentiful and allow for an enormous variety of roles to play. The 'Oblivion with Guns' criticism is true only to a Fallout 3 is a First Person Shooter with strong RPG elements. Apart from a cone of fire, you shoot where you aim, but the attributes, skills, and perks you invest in determine the amount of damage you cause. True to Fallout 2, attribute, skill, and perk choices are plentiful and allow for an enormous variety of roles to play. The 'Oblivion with Guns' criticism is true only to a point. Same engine, so you might recognize the *.ini file. Same story driven dialogue. You'll even hear some of the same phrases, such as "another satisfied customer" after a merchant transaction. With a few exceptions, there is not much 'vertical' in Fallout 3. As in Oblivion, you're playing mostly in a 2 story world. You can tell Bethesda made both games. But Fallout 3 is more FPS than RPG - and it's a surprisingly excellent shooter coming from a developer known for its signature Elder Scrolls series and bad Star Trek titles. Because of it's strong FPS characteristics and wide open game world, Fallout 3 bears a greater resemblance to STALKER than to Oblivion. Moreover, to the extent that Fallout 3 can be compared to Oblivion, it is a much more polished game: Simple, effective UI, simple controls, stunning graphics, stimulating level design, fun, addictive gameplay, and haunting atmosphere come together in Fallout 3 with great chemistry. It's not perfect though. F3 sports an enormous game world, although it suffers from underpopulation. Its environments are more varied than Oblivion's, although it could use a greater variety of enemies. Thematically it nails the Fallout Universe, and is graphically engaging, engrossing, and appealing, but if you do not know how to keep yourself busy in such an open world, you might find it boring. One of my favorite aspects of the game is that it's clearly Rated R. I'm sure it comes with parental controls, but all else equal, this title is dark and for adults. After all, the game takes place in the US capitol, after it has been devastated by atomic war. I've given this game a 9 because I don't give 10s. Bethesda has a GOTY candidate for certain in Fallout 3.… Expand
  96. JasonJ.
    Nov 3, 2008
    8
    I guess I've been at it for a day's worth of playing. I loved Oblivion; it was a great action RPG, probably the best ever. And I don't know what it is, but Fallout 3 just seems boring to me. People argue that the story and writing are better than Oblivion, but I disagree. Better is in the eye of the beholder; but If dumbed-down Biowarish placekeeper boilerplate with I guess I've been at it for a day's worth of playing. I loved Oblivion; it was a great action RPG, probably the best ever. And I don't know what it is, but Fallout 3 just seems boring to me. People argue that the story and writing are better than Oblivion, but I disagree. Better is in the eye of the beholder; but If dumbed-down Biowarish placekeeper boilerplate with profanity is 'better' to you, then I suppose we have different eyes. Perhaps the game's biggest issue: the dialogue and narrative structure seem to be sorely lacking (with the single exception of the introductory chapter). In Oblivion I never found myself stumbling into NPCs I shouldn't meet yet or into places I shouldn't be in or picking up pieces of quests and encounters that I had no clue about what was going on in them; this keeps happening in FO3, and it is a sure sign of sloppy design. Combat: the trumpeted innovation, VATS, is slick visually, but that's about it. Even the mouse one swordplay in Oblivion felt better. And, yes, the game is Oblivion With Guns, deeply so, beyond the obvious cosmetic similarities. For instance, I just encountered a secret faction of vampires! They were hiding in a cave-- I mean, subway station. FO3 even has its corollaries for Dark Brotherhood and Akaviri guards, but this time wearing power suits and wielding laser rifles. (What's missing, however, is the compelling interactive story attached to these factions. I don't think I've met a character outside of the vault that I have any connection to whatsoever or care about.) The single thing Fallout 3 does better is a technical one: it runs much more cleanly and the world geometry is much tighter and more refined (although the quality of the player, armor and weapon models are vastly inferior to those in the 2006 GOTY). Mass Effect is another inevitable comparison; and ME, with its huge flaws, is superior to FO3 in many ways. Even with the incredible repetitiveness and horrible map design of ME, the game still had drive-- it pushed you to keep going; FO3 really doesn't have that. For example: instead of playing it, here I am, typing this. My guess is that many if not most gamers are are going to love FO3 and say it is superior to Oblivion,which they hated. Let me tell you what I think of their opinion. They are wrong. FO3 is inferior in every register that matters. (And this is unfortunate, since Bethesda will take these players' acclaim and change TESV accordingly; it will suffer for it.) Don't get me wrong: Fallout 3 is a AAA title; but it deserves no more than a high 8 for what it is, in itself; and it deserves less when you take Oblivion and the Fallout franchises into account.… Expand
  97. AnonymousMC
    Nov 3, 2008
    8
    Well I would give it an 8 instead of a 10 mainly because it is so buggy right now. They really should have beta tested more. Other than that I absolutely love the game. Easy to lose yourself in the wasteland like world. Gorgeos graphics. Anyone who gives this game a 0 is just emphasizing the point that they never gave it a chance and are most likely never going to like any falloutWell I would give it an 8 instead of a 10 mainly because it is so buggy right now. They really should have beta tested more. Other than that I absolutely love the game. Easy to lose yourself in the wasteland like world. Gorgeos graphics. Anyone who gives this game a 0 is just emphasizing the point that they never gave it a chance and are most likely never going to like any fallout game besides fallout 1 (and maybe fallout 2 depending on the person).… Expand
  98. alex
    Nov 3, 2008
    5
    I don't really understand , why people rate it 10 , but i guess they just didnt play fallout 1 & 2 , tactics. Didn't understand world and team play. For me Fallout 3 is just some game with this name that was made for only one reason - money , due that players will see Fallout 3 on xbox and ps3. But still only world looks abit same as real Fallout , but engine and all models look I don't really understand , why people rate it 10 , but i guess they just didnt play fallout 1 & 2 , tactics. Didn't understand world and team play. For me Fallout 3 is just some game with this name that was made for only one reason - money , due that players will see Fallout 3 on xbox and ps3. But still only world looks abit same as real Fallout , but engine and all models look just same as oblivion's , they even hold weapons same.They should name it Elder scroll 5 : Lazers PEW PEW or something like that. So question is why Bethesda made game , where got no real experience and failed by copy paste of oblivion ? Game not so bad , you can choose who to kill or not , help someone or ignore his problem, but definitely it should have other name, my opinion Bethesda realy failed on this project, and stoped future of great classic fallout story.… Expand
  99. JohnD.
    Nov 3, 2008
    8
    A very enjoyable game so far. Have only found a few graphics errors so far. Frames become a bit choppy at times.
  100. AnonymousMC
    Nov 3, 2008
    1
    Oh dear oh dear. A risible runner shooter. RPG elements all but destroyed.

    Thje music sounds like a remix of Oblivions (esspecially the "plonk plonk plonk" slow morose piano intro followed by low key strings and wind. It might as well be a remix. The game feels and plays like a poor mans Oblivion..and all the text and menu's are in VERY low resolution -showing to be the poor    Oh dear oh dear. A risible runner shooter. RPG elements all but destroyed.

    Thje music sounds like a remix of Oblivions (esspecially the "plonk plonk plonk" slow morose piano intro followed by low key strings and wind. It might as well be a remix. The game feels and plays like a poor mans Oblivion..and all the text and menu's are in VERY low resolution -showing to be the poor console port that it is.

    Maybe it's not awful, but in comparison with 1&2 (and tactics) it's pretty close    … Expand
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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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