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. Pistolz4Pandaz
    Nov 19, 2013
    9
    Probably my favourite game of all time. There is so much to do in this game, and the DLC is very well done. Some of the DLC content is a little on the strange side, but is a nice change of thematic pace from the rest of the game. There are MANY locations, and lots of side quests that make the game very enjoyable. There are even small (I would say kinda hidden) quests that don't really addProbably my favourite game of all time. There is so much to do in this game, and the DLC is very well done. Some of the DLC content is a little on the strange side, but is a nice change of thematic pace from the rest of the game. There are MANY locations, and lots of side quests that make the game very enjoyable. There are even small (I would say kinda hidden) quests that don't really add much to the game, but are good for completionists. Overall, a must play that will keep fans of RPGs engaged for a while.… Expand
  2. TCTriangle
    Jan 17, 2014
    9
    What I have been waiting for in an Action RPG since Diablo 2: great difficulty and challenge, vast atmospheric world, tons of items, stats, and skills to customize, creative enemies, good story. A very addictive and memorable game overall.

    Only major flaw is the technical side of things: the game crashes more often than it should (about once every 2-3 hours), there are bugs and glitches    What I have been waiting for in an Action RPG since Diablo 2: great difficulty and challenge, vast atmospheric world, tons of items, stats, and skills to customize, creative enemies, good story. A very addictive and memorable game overall.

    Only major flaw is the technical side of things: the game crashes more often than it should (about once every 2-3 hours), there are bugs and glitches here and there, and it took over an hour to figure out how to get it working on Windows 8 in the first place. Overall though, well worth the money, time, and effort.    … Expand
  3. migusnex
    Nov 28, 2015
    9
    Massive post-apocalyptic world and a huge amount of locations to explore. I think this statement best expresses this great RPG that is Fallout 3. The game's story is set in Washington and the surrounding areas. If you like a post-apocalyptic atmosphere, a lot of exploring, shooting, lots of side quests and advanced character leveling, then you are going to love this game. The completion ofMassive post-apocalyptic world and a huge amount of locations to explore. I think this statement best expresses this great RPG that is Fallout 3. The game's story is set in Washington and the surrounding areas. If you like a post-apocalyptic atmosphere, a lot of exploring, shooting, lots of side quests and advanced character leveling, then you are going to love this game. The completion of all main and side quests, finding all the locations and exploring them takes more than 80h (GOTY Edition). This can be done in either first or third person perspective.

    Score: 9/10 - I would definitely recommend it!    … Expand
  4. ThePandaBlaster
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    Being a fan of the original Fallout games, I was skeptical at purchasing this. When I first started, I wasn't used to the FPS feature that was implemented. However, the game soon became astounding. Even though the landscape was kind of dull, the action and random encounters was appealing. Watching the world evolve with the choices you decided also made this game worth the 80+ hours I'veBeing a fan of the original Fallout games, I was skeptical at purchasing this. When I first started, I wasn't used to the FPS feature that was implemented. However, the game soon became astounding. Even though the landscape was kind of dull, the action and random encounters was appealing. Watching the world evolve with the choices you decided also made this game worth the 80+ hours I've spent on it.
    However, I crash on this game occasionally (more than any other game I've played) and the story line was kind of slow and boring.

    Overall, I give this game a 9/10 and was worth the $5 I spent on it.    … Expand
  5. BiteSizeReviews
    Jan 13, 2014
    9
    Fallout 3 is a spectacle of a game! Putting you into the boots of a vault dweller being shoved out by the disappearance of your father in search for him, it truly makes you feel that you are in an apocalyptic Washington DC. The story is great and the adventure and survival aspect is a great change for the series. There is endless replayabiltity in this game and great side quests to furtherFallout 3 is a spectacle of a game! Putting you into the boots of a vault dweller being shoved out by the disappearance of your father in search for him, it truly makes you feel that you are in an apocalyptic Washington DC. The story is great and the adventure and survival aspect is a great change for the series. There is endless replayabiltity in this game and great side quests to further make this game a work of art!… Expand
  6. OriginalMarf
    Apr 11, 2014
    9
    I preferred this compared to New Vegas mainly because I actually felt like playing Fallout 3 and I replayed it at least 15 times, but when I played New Vegas I wanted to replay it, but I felt like it was a hassle. At times I felt genuine fear of how many super mutants were around the corner and the story was amazing compared to New Vegas.
  7. Nova9000
    May 3, 2014
    9
    This game very cool! Intresting quests, characters, and of course Capital wasteland. This game have very intesting DLC. Bad that this game isnot optimized for Windows 7. This game freezes and slows down. But
    still it is cool.
  8. Tomle1202
    Jul 8, 2017
    9
    Despite some technical issues, the large and unforgiving post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 3 is filled with dangerous bandits, deadly mutants and mysteries to uncover.
  9. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    9
    Otro de los juegos que más pavor me producía que hicieran mal pero cuyo resultado fue mejor del esperado. Uno de los grandes mundos abiertos en los que vagabundear por DC destruido por bombas nucleares ya vale el precio. Sin duda una compra óptima.
  10. erezike
    Oct 8, 2015
    9
    Say one thing about Bethesda, say they are the best in their field
    Like all of Bethesda games, this game is far from perfect and leaves you wanting for much more. The combat is clunky, the facts and animations are mediocre, the main plot is uninspiring half way through, the world doesn't react to you and the automatic res-pawn doesn't quite work.
    Despite all these things, this is your    Say one thing about Bethesda, say they are the best in their field
    Like all of Bethesda games, this game is far from perfect and leaves you wanting for much more. The combat is clunky, the facts and animations are mediocre, the main plot is uninspiring half way through, the world doesn't react to you and the automatic res-pawn doesn't quite work.

    Despite all these things, this is your best hiking simulator in a post apocalyptic world, and listen to the best oldies music, while romping in your powerarmor and plasma rifle, putting down critters and mutants alike and engaging in another interesting and comical situation from one of the various quests is simply awesome.
    Bethesda games are always released broken, due to that you should download some mods from the nexus to fix the game to your liking, mostly the combat system and aiming.    … Expand
  11. dgh13
    Jul 20, 2014
    9
    This is NOT a traditional Fallout game. This is Bethesda's interpretation of a beloved game series. It succeeds in being a game, as I have found exactly one bug when trying to purposely break the game. It is more of an action RPG than a traditional RPG, but at the same time it offers a lot of options that make the game infinitely replayable for me. Not to mention that it is the largestThis is NOT a traditional Fallout game. This is Bethesda's interpretation of a beloved game series. It succeeds in being a game, as I have found exactly one bug when trying to purposely break the game. It is more of an action RPG than a traditional RPG, but at the same time it offers a lot of options that make the game infinitely replayable for me. Not to mention that it is the largest world Bethesda has ever designed. The game can run on older computers. My only major gripes with the game is that Speech is used very little, and that the game feels a little too easy. All in all, it is one of the most well designed games I've ever played.… Expand
  12. PhilB
    Jul 21, 2014
    9
    Initially I was disappointed, but the depth and (good but not great) refinement pulled it through. The subway system is a good example of this. It's a bit linear, but about mid-way through the game you'll probably find it a very rewarding experience. It wasn't until I started taking legs off with the Railway Rifle that I started really liking this game. Dialog options are the only realInitially I was disappointed, but the depth and (good but not great) refinement pulled it through. The subway system is a good example of this. It's a bit linear, but about mid-way through the game you'll probably find it a very rewarding experience. It wasn't until I started taking legs off with the Railway Rifle that I started really liking this game. Dialog options are the only real complaint I have. You can usually only choose between the saintly option or the evil option, nowhere in between.… Expand
  13. Inkgazer
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    What really sells Fallout 3 for me is it's atmosphere. It does a great job of pulling you into the mindset of post-apocalyptia. It has a lot of flaws, certainly. The plot isn't really that great, nor is the combat system, but in my opinion it really does make up for those flaws. When I play Fallout 3, I really do feel like I'm a waster clinging to the last vestiges of humanity in aWhat really sells Fallout 3 for me is it's atmosphere. It does a great job of pulling you into the mindset of post-apocalyptia. It has a lot of flaws, certainly. The plot isn't really that great, nor is the combat system, but in my opinion it really does make up for those flaws. When I play Fallout 3, I really do feel like I'm a waster clinging to the last vestiges of humanity in a struggling world. I think the lore helps to cultivate this feeling, but other than that I can't really say. What I can say is that if you don't mind playing a greenish- brownish shooter, pick it up, you may be pleasantly surprised.… Expand
  14. ShawnD
    Sep 26, 2017
    9
    This game was a lot of fun when it came out, and I have 154 hours logged, but it has not aged well. The game has a lot of major flaws. I think Fallout New Vegas is an absolute masterpiece, so I will use New Vegas to explain what is wrong with Fallout 3.

    Melee and unarmed attacks are completely useless. This is because Fallout 3 armor seems to reduce damage as a percentage rather than    This game was a lot of fun when it came out, and I have 154 hours logged, but it has not aged well. The game has a lot of major flaws. I think Fallout New Vegas is an absolute masterpiece, so I will use New Vegas to explain what is wrong with Fallout 3.

    Melee and unarmed attacks are completely useless. This is because Fallout 3 armor seems to reduce damage as a percentage rather than reducing damage by a set amount. Suppose your armor in Fallout 3 reduces damage by 30%. How many bullets do you eat before you land a single melee hit on an enemy? That adds up. You take massive damage while closing the gap.

    That damage reduction system works in both directions. In Fallout New Vegas, there are a lot of enemies you can't kill within the first hours of the game. Giant radscorpions in New Vegas have a very high damage threshold, so most guns don't do any damage. Attacking them requires a bit of strategy, and you need to think about which gun you are using. High damage with low fire rate is better than low damage at a high fire rate, and shotgun slugs are very effective while shotgun shot is useless. Fallout 3 is nothing like that. Every enemy in the game can be killed with any weapon in the game. It might take a lot of bullets, but you certainly can kill a Deathclaw in Fallout 3 using the SMG.

    Grenades are hilariously overpowered in Fallout 3. The VATS aiming thing stays in slow motion until the grenade explodes, and I think you are invincible during VATS. This means you can go nuts and grenade kill everything. The VATS aiming will land the grenade close enough, the enemy can't run away because it's slow motion, and they can't kill you during that time. Some would say this is a positive for Fallout 3 because it gives an easy "i win" button to any problem. Fallout New Vegas did away with all of that. Grenades in New Vegas will aim like the grenades in Fallout 3, but the slow motion ends when the grenade lands, and you can be killed during that time.

    I believe Fallout 3 also has a lack of gun options. The first rifle you get is the hunting rifle. It's pretty good, but it doesn't scale well. It has a low fire rate and low damage, so it becomes useless at higher levels. The next long range gun is the sniper rifle. The sniper rifle is a great gun, but it's rare and it breaks very quickly. The game basically forces you to use Chinese assault rifles at the higher levels. How did Fallout New Vegas differ? It has a .357 rifle, a .44 rifle a .45-70 rifle, a 5.56 rifle, a .50 rifle, and each gun has a variety of ammunition types (a .357 can fire .38 special). New Vegas did it right. You are never forced to use one or two guns. There are so many options.

    Is Fallout 3 a good game? Yes it is, but I can't play it anymore because I know that Fallout New Vegas is so much better in every possible way.    … Expand
  15. westoftherockys
    Jan 10, 2015
    9
    FO3 is a great game my favorite of all time...I read a lot of the "poor" reviews and its kinda a joke...most of these guys who hate the game are upset Bethesda owns the fallout franchise so in their mind Bethesda "ruined" it and didn't "stick to the lore" well its all nonsense...they're upset Bethesda owns fallout...the story was plenty good actually and it had a lot of randomness to it,FO3 is a great game my favorite of all time...I read a lot of the "poor" reviews and its kinda a joke...most of these guys who hate the game are upset Bethesda owns the fallout franchise so in their mind Bethesda "ruined" it and didn't "stick to the lore" well its all nonsense...they're upset Bethesda owns fallout...the story was plenty good actually and it had a lot of randomness to it, unlike new vegas.....fallout3 did have some flaws but its a very immerisive game when you first play it...I was immersed in the world for a year or so...hundreds of hours of playing easily… Expand
  16. tsakiym
    May 12, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  17. Chrisisoslod
    Aug 11, 2015
    9
    I am over 110 hours in and still finding things that i have not seen. This game is HUGE. Not only is it huge but it is a world worth exploring. This game is a Post Apocalyptic RPG and depicts the Future in Downtown Washington DC after WWIII. The charm of this game comes from the Retro 50's style the game has. The game does have a few problems.While it truly shines in Exploration,I am over 110 hours in and still finding things that i have not seen. This game is HUGE. Not only is it huge but it is a world worth exploring. This game is a Post Apocalyptic RPG and depicts the Future in Downtown Washington DC after WWIII. The charm of this game comes from the Retro 50's style the game has. The game does have a few problems.While it truly shines in Exploration, Memorable Sidequests and an unforgettable soundtrack you will sing along to in the entirety of your journey in the Wasteland. The game does not have a Sprint Button which makes it more difficult to traverse this huge Game World. It also suffers from Clunky Combat and Animations like plenty of Bethesda games have in the past. The community in this game is still pretty alive thanks to plenty of mods adding content and keeping the game up to date. This game is truly a MUST HAVE Action RPG for PC Gamers and Console Gamers alike. I must say this is my Favorite Game Of All Time despite some of its glaring problems.… Expand
  18. BritishWolf
    Sep 15, 2015
    9
    A brilliantly made, extremely fun game. Though technically inferior to New Vegas, both in terms of story and content, I still vastly prefer Fallout 3. The sheer amount of detail, things to do, and unique setting make this one of the most interesting open world games around.
  19. Mannhorse
    Sep 26, 2015
    9
    When you develop or publish a game, and you somehow manage to have Liam Neeson in it, then that means that you made an excellent game. The graphics may be a bit mediocre, but the gameplay and the atmosphere are top-notch, and the voice-acting, especially Liam Neeson as the father, is amazing.
  20. LegionIscariot
    Oct 7, 2015
    9
    I love this game.

    Growing up in a vault, all hell breaks loose and you take your first steps out into the world.

    The Lone Wanderer from vault 101 they call you.

    A big world to explore and alot of fun to be had.

    You are equipped with the Pipboy, one of the coolest gadgets in gaming, really helps this game be even more fun.

    Good or evil, you choose your path.
  21. Micalica
    Jul 25, 2016
    9
    Compared to the writing and zany variety of Fallout New Vegas, this game may seem dull and unpolished.

    However, Fallout 3 makes a genre-defining statement for its later games, with constructing a setting that is both incredibly immersive and unique. The music, the map, the dungeons, the culture of the world. It's a world I return to every once in a while, in order to once again develop    Compared to the writing and zany variety of Fallout New Vegas, this game may seem dull and unpolished.

    However, Fallout 3 makes a genre-defining statement for its later games, with constructing a setting that is both incredibly immersive and unique. The music, the map, the dungeons, the culture of the world. It's a world I return to every once in a while, in order to once again develop an appreciation for; in order to remind myself of what came long ago.

    Do not disservice yourself by avoiding this game. It is the progenitor, the seed of its most recent "sequels".    … Expand
  22. CazTheCreatorTL
    Dec 21, 2015
    9
    I got a copy of this game at a Gamestop for less than $20 on the Xbox 360 along with a few other miscellaneous titles. At first, it just sat on my shelf gathering dust, but eventually, after getting frustrated with the disgrace that was Halo Reach, I finally plunked it in not knowing what to expect. What I got was an experience like no other. It was my first time with a western RPG, I gotI got a copy of this game at a Gamestop for less than $20 on the Xbox 360 along with a few other miscellaneous titles. At first, it just sat on my shelf gathering dust, but eventually, after getting frustrated with the disgrace that was Halo Reach, I finally plunked it in not knowing what to expect. What I got was an experience like no other. It was my first time with a western RPG, I got lucky that it was a Fallout game. From The Interesting characters to the wondrous landscapes and not to mention the humor spread throughout this masterpiece, it was enough to make me buy it again on the PC. Even though it was the same story and the graphics were starting to show their age there was still more to explore and more adventures to be had. The added bonus of mod support gives this game even more replayability than it had on its on. Even after playing Fallout New Vegas, even after playing Fallout 4, This is still my favorite Fallout game and my favorite game of all time. Only reason I'm not giving it a ten is because of the immersion breaking bugs that Bethesda is famous for. This was somewhat acceptable back then but is 100% inexcusable for their modern titles like Skyrim and Fallout 4. For the love of god, test your games Bethesda.… Expand
  23. lamashu
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    Me lo recomendo un amigo y lo bien que hice en hacerle caso, recuerdo que me enconto ese ambiente gris y decaido del holocausto nuclear que era el yermo, salir y explorar en una mezcla de shooter con rol que me gusto mucho y de una historia muy epica.
  24. LlMEWlRE
    May 13, 2016
    9
    Fallout 3 was the first game from Bethesda I have ever played and after 800+ hours its still my favorite game.
    And after Fallout 4 was presented I started to play the game one more time and write this review.
  25. Panica3643D
    Jun 16, 2018
    9
    Сама база Fallout 3 скучновата, но дополнения вносят в игру разнообразие и игра становится намного интереснее. Хорошее добротное RPG с открытым и огромным миром, который можно часами исследовать. Боевая система кривая, но с изюминкой.Сама база Fallout 3 скучновата, но дополнения вносят в игру разнообразие и игра становится намного интереснее. Хорошее добротное RPG с открытым и огромным миром, который можно часами исследовать. Боевая система кривая, но с изюминкой.
  26. diegoggx12
    Mar 23, 2017
    9
    This game shows dedication and is unique, its environment which is very original immersed almost completely despite a loose combat this game deserves all merit and for much that is said that fallout new vegas is better (which is true) Do not let it be the best games ever
  27. BergN7
    Aug 18, 2022
    9
    One of the most memorable games of my childhood. Replayed it in 2022, still holding with atmosphere and world, Most elements aged poorly sadly. In any case, Iconic game.
  28. toxyk
    Dec 23, 2018
    9
    Un puto juegazo, que le da mil patadas, tanto al 4 como al fallout 76, mejor jugar a este que a los nuevos, Bethesda no se que haces con tu vida. Peca de bugs pero con los mods se arregla
  29. nathaniel86
    Aug 14, 2018
    9
    This game was an awesome surprise. I was not expecting it to be that good after all those years. One of my favourite RPGs for sure. I love the atmosphere of the wasteland. The characters and various monsters are great. Eery time I was exploring the vast, empty land, I was finding something super interesting and worth the time to visit and look a little bit closer. I like the HUD and theThis game was an awesome surprise. I was not expecting it to be that good after all those years. One of my favourite RPGs for sure. I love the atmosphere of the wasteland. The characters and various monsters are great. Eery time I was exploring the vast, empty land, I was finding something super interesting and worth the time to visit and look a little bit closer. I like the HUD and the menu system. Inventory is a pain, but that is to be expected. Story and dialogue can sometimes be underwhelming, but that's fine. Overall I am super satisfied :)… Expand
  30. Daggerrim
    Aug 13, 2018
    9
    Really Good One of The Best RPG's of All Time. It's An Open World Even Though In 2018 It's Graphics Are Some What Outdated It's World Is Big It's Story Is Pretty Good. I Like The Side Quests And Even Though The World Could Maybe Just Be A Little Bigger It's A Great Game.
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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.
    Read full review
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