Fallout 3

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5318 Ratings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Would I recommend Fallout 3? No. The game is buggy, broken and uninspired. Despite me enjoying some of it, I would recommend Fallout: New Vegas or the first two fallout games    … Expand
  9. ZekeO
    May 30, 2009
    8
    I gave this an 8 because its a good game over all but the graphics on high are to hard for any computer to handle and the waste land is to populated and things are to far away the map in this game is way to big but its very fun i would rent this first before you buy because you ether love it or hate over all its a good RPG.
  10. Seb
    Nov 16, 2008
    8
    A good game likely to keep you entertained for many hours. If you really didn't enjoy Oblivion, I wouldn't recommend playing this game. The game shares many similarities. Pros: - Large, persistent world to explore. - Plenty of little quirks and side quests to keep you entertained and personalise your gaming experience. - Atmosphere is great. - Good music. - VATS combat system is A good game likely to keep you entertained for many hours. If you really didn't enjoy Oblivion, I wouldn't recommend playing this game. The game shares many similarities. Pros: - Large, persistent world to explore. - Plenty of little quirks and side quests to keep you entertained and personalise your gaming experience. - Atmosphere is great. - Good music. - VATS combat system is fun. - Terrain graphics are quite good. - Plenty of character customisation options. Cons: - Can't help but think of Oblivion when playing the game (It's just way to similar). - Voice acting is often cheesy. - AI sucks. - Characters models and animations are not up to todays standards. - Quests generally consist of 'do things the good way or the bad way'.… Expand
  11. EnglishDan
    Jul 11, 2009
    8
    I would give this a 10, as it is probably the best game I have ever played. The only problem is the crashes, this game crashes so much, I'm not really getting anywhere with it, because it just goes to the last save, though I have noticed disabling SLI cuts them down a bit, and there are patches (if you can get them). So, if you can be bothered trying to fix this game up and making I would give this a 10, as it is probably the best game I have ever played. The only problem is the crashes, this game crashes so much, I'm not really getting anywhere with it, because it just goes to the last save, though I have noticed disabling SLI cuts them down a bit, and there are patches (if you can get them). So, if you can be bothered trying to fix this game up and making optimum conditions for it so it doesn't crash so much, or if you think you can handle it crashing every 5 mins (and sometimes it can be as much as every 10 secs, seriously), then this is a brilliant game.… Expand
  12. KaarleWasama
    Mar 5, 2010
    9
    This game is truly quite miraculous and here's why: It combines in a wonderful way features of FPS and RPG. It even involves some SIMS-type game play including the decorating of your own house, wherever that might be (see for yourself). The playing area is large and flexible, you'll find that restrictions are very few in number. The weapon/item arsenal is very large and This game is truly quite miraculous and here's why: It combines in a wonderful way features of FPS and RPG. It even involves some SIMS-type game play including the decorating of your own house, wherever that might be (see for yourself). The playing area is large and flexible, you'll find that restrictions are very few in number. The weapon/item arsenal is very large and what's more, you can make your own weapons or other stuff. The fact that the game is situated to happen in Washington DC area (and outside) adds to the excitement. This together with the Cold War-type of background story cooks up an amazing game atmosphere. I could go on for pages, enough spoiling though: the goodies are all there for you to find. Bad sides? That's a tough call. If I was forced to dig out one, that would be the fact that the main story is so short. Compared to how large the area is and how much there is to explore and try out, the main storyline seems inadequate. This combined with the fact that once you finish the final objective the game ends is disappointing. Nonetheless the game is wonderful and if you're not in a rush and like scouting around, you'll find tons of stuff to do and even if you only did the main story line there will be hours after hours of gaming to do. I have no regrets of making this purchase even if it cost me $30 :)… Expand
  13. Trineon
    Nov 1, 2008
    8
    As a fan of the previous Fallout games, I was naturally disheartened by the demise of Black Isle Studios and the apparent death of the series. Feelings for seeing Bethesda pick up the license later on were mixed. Joyed to see that a long awaited third sequel was on the way, worried that it's artistic and mechanical direction would stray too far from the style and feel that made the As a fan of the previous Fallout games, I was naturally disheartened by the demise of Black Isle Studios and the apparent death of the series. Feelings for seeing Bethesda pick up the license later on were mixed. Joyed to see that a long awaited third sequel was on the way, worried that it's artistic and mechanical direction would stray too far from the style and feel that made the first two games so gorgeous and in my opinion, the best Western CRPG's I've had the pleasure to experience. The teaser trailer released a year ago was a good indicator of the new developers grasp of the atmosphere (in addition, the fact that they chose the original Inkspots piece intended for FO1 was a welcome tip-of-the-hat to the fans). But the indication that the same engine used for Oblivion was planned for this game resurfaced early fears. I have very much enjoyed Morrowind from Bethesda, despite a general dislike of the arche-typical fantasy-sword-and-sorcery genre of RPG's. Oblivion on the other hand, while possessing an engine that provided a vast, rich and colorful world setting and a character creation system that allowed intensely detailed tweaking when it came to physical looks, still overall disappointed me with a combat system that felt too clunky, voice acting that lacked enthusiasm, level-scaled enemies, and an NPC AI that acted far too awkwardly for me to suspend disbelief. Overall it only felt like a step-up from Morrowind and graphics and physics, with most other aspects feeling like a downgrade. Having played Fallout 3 for several days now, I would posit that the early fears were not entirely misplaced, but thankfully a little bit exaggerated as one would expect from an oversensitive fan base that was hyped up and let down one too many times over the past few years ;) The landscape, colors and settings definetely reflect the feel of the previous games; Desolate, hopeless with death and decay everywhere, no signs of life or motion other than the occasional dust winds. The soundtrack is very fitting to this atmosphere, with pieces that are either soft and slow that induce a sense of solitude, or louder scores that emphasize the vastness of the wasteland, and thus just how hopeless the prognosis of this new world is. As it was with Oblivion, detail is not spared from observation. Whether the player is traversing the wasteland or walking about in the few makeshift towns of surviving communities, they will notice the gritty look of decaying or rotting structures, the various amount of junk material sprawled around and about, perforated or covered with dirt and rust where applicable. The visual and aural setting, certainly does not disappoint. The behaviour of the NPC AI however, is still on the awkward side as it was in Oblivion, though perhaps not as painful to watch. For example, NPC's converse with each other as it was in Oblivion. And while it still looks stiff and artificial, their conversations seem to be more coherent, much unlike the almost completely random lines spouted by their Oblivion counterparts. The voice acting, while not convincing enough to be heralded as an industry example, has definetely improved enough to be considered satisfactory. Different characters sound more apart, and emotion in their tones is easier to pick up. Some textures and models in the game feel a little dated, possibly implying that the game engine has not improved since Oblivion. The first gun you procure in the game (the classic 10mm) looked and felt disturbingly clunky in my hands, although this is partly due to the fact that the pre-rendered drawings and illustrations on the previous games had given the same gun a nicer, smoother look. Fortunately such issues are not numerous, and can be ignored in time, for the most part. Combat has left me with mixed impressions. The game certainly does not play like a typical shooter for obvious reasons; The condition of the weapon as well as your skill in utilizing it directly affects your performance. Still, after previous FPS-RPG's such as System Shock 2 or Deus Ex, the glaring hopelessness of trying to shoot or snipe an enemy from afar, or even middle-range is slightly irritating, more so when said enemy doesn't seem to be having much trouble perforating you with burst fire from the same distance. Still, this is somewhat an early observation. I'm currently Level 5 with a Small Weapons skill of 55 to 60, and all my weapons are at about 55% condition at best. So the challenge, while irritating, is perhaps understandable. The transition from turn-based combat to real-time is disorienting for Fallout veterans like I, who are used to taking their time to plan their moves and spend AP's as efficiently as possible. The paused combat option of VATS compensates for this, but only up to a point. It allows time to think about your next series of moves, and of course, allows for called shots directly influenced by the usual RPG mechanics of the game. The slow-motion cinematic play out of your commands is definetely satisfying to watch, more so when you score a critical hit. However, perhaps due to the shifting camera angles during this cinematic phase, the player is disoriented for a split-second when it ends and combat continues onward. Even if only for a split second, its still typically enough for a speedy AI enemy to fire off a few more shots at you as you regain your senses and move on. For the most part, my combat style has consisted of taking some calculated shots with VATS, then taking cover while my AP's regenerate for the next attempt. The pace feels too slow for an FPS, and perhaps a bit fast for an RPG. Nevertheless, the cinematic phase entertains me enough to overall enjoy combat. Plot wise, I have not made much progress with the main quest, seeking out side quests where I can to extend gameplay. However it looks interesting so far, and I will eventually move onwards. The missions offered from various NPC's so far have not felt boring or tedious. Some are tied to the main quest, others are enjoyable distractions. The amount of solution choices and the feel of the quests are in line with the Fallout spirit. I am once again the diplomat I used to be in the West Coast of post-apocalypse USA, looking for peaceful solutions, but sometimes just going with the flow of my rifle barrel :p Overall, I am enjoying Fallout 3 with great gusto. Yes, I would have very much loved to see the Van Buren project of Black Isle succeed. Having tried out its released alpha form a year or so ago, I have little doubt that the original Fallout 3 that was supposed to happen several years earlier would have been fantastic, probably much better than what we have in our hands today. But sadly that project is buried in history now. I don't subscribe to the belief that "Any X is better than no X." In my opinion, the Fallout 3 delivered by Bethesda is not a cheapened form of Fallout, nor a fundamentally different form of Fallout. It is a Fallout that fully delivers the retro-futuristic, dark-humored setting its fans have come adore. The changes in gameplay, while understandably troubling for some veterans, are not major enough to dismiss this game as a failed Fallout by any means. Still, I would urge Bethesda to either drop this Oblivion engine, or fix those stiff movements for the next installment ;) .....there will be a fourth installment, right?… Expand
  14. Will
    Nov 8, 2008
    8
    Fallout 3 is a wonderful game - certainly more than "Oblivion with guns". It's problem is that it can't make it past the big "now what?" moment. You finally reached level 20, beat the main quest, and when you ask yourself what to do next, there's not much. Once the world is explored, that's that. It could have been such a better game if Bethesda had implemented Fallout 3 is a wonderful game - certainly more than "Oblivion with guns". It's problem is that it can't make it past the big "now what?" moment. You finally reached level 20, beat the main quest, and when you ask yourself what to do next, there's not much. Once the world is explored, that's that. It could have been such a better game if Bethesda had implemented factions and small-time quests, like they did with Morrowind. In games like TES3, when you finished something, there was always something more to do - always. In Fallout 3, there is an end, and it seems to quick to come. Don't get me wrong, though. Fallout 3 is an immensely enjoyable game with a lot to offer to anybody who likes FPS or RPG games.… Expand
  15. PaulM
    Jan 20, 2009
    7
    Fallout 3 is a wonderful but ultimately flawed game. To give some context on my views, I have not played any of the previous Fallout games, however I am a big RPG fan and have completed many great games in the genre, including Oblivion. For the first 15 hours or so Fallout 3 is a 10/10 game, great story good visuals and sound and a really immersive RPG experience. However, I maxed out at Fallout 3 is a wonderful but ultimately flawed game. To give some context on my views, I have not played any of the previous Fallout games, however I am a big RPG fan and have completed many great games in the genre, including Oblivion. For the first 15 hours or so Fallout 3 is a 10/10 game, great story good visuals and sound and a really immersive RPG experience. However, I maxed out at level 20 depressingly early, with huge amounts of cash and ammunition and there was nothing I couldn't kill with my Chinese Assault Rifle, in short the last third of the main plot was an unchallenging procession. I can't believe that Bethesda went to all this effort of making a superficially great game and got the play balance so wrong. MAJOR SPOILER - I also have major issues with the plot at the end. You are given a choice of sacrificing yourself or a character that you met all of five minutes ago for whom you have limited emotional investment. Surely it should have been choice between your own life and your father's for which your whole quest has been about.… Expand
  16. HenryT.
    Jan 5, 2009
    7
    Quite good game. The combat system is simply amazing. I think this game has one issue, bugs. Alot of players have had alot of issues with this game including me. I got the game working in about 20 minutes after installation. The game has been developed very well and for Fallout fans its like a dream come true.
  17. AndersM
    Jan 13, 2010
    9
    Allright. Fallout 3 is a great game. You can use hours and hours running around in the wastelands and killing all sord of weird monsters and doing some Quest. But you will get tirred of this game when you have completed it. GREAT story line. I'll say this is a must buy. expect 40 hours of fun and dont buy any expansions (they suck too expensive and almost nothing new) I'll say Allright. Fallout 3 is a great game. You can use hours and hours running around in the wastelands and killing all sord of weird monsters and doing some Quest. But you will get tirred of this game when you have completed it. GREAT story line. I'll say this is a must buy. expect 40 hours of fun and dont buy any expansions (they suck too expensive and almost nothing new) I'll say this You will LOVE!! this brilliant game… Expand
  18. SimonF
    Nov 21, 2008
    7
    Evan T..How old are you? ... 7 or 8 perhaps? Listing this game and Halo 3 and Gears 2 as the best games in history, smacks of an immature infant. You obviously don't play Proper games do you?...and we don't need you to tell us what to rate a game thanks! Try adding' IMHO' after your comments, as we can make up our own minds! The game itself is not bad, but there are Evan T..How old are you? ... 7 or 8 perhaps? Listing this game and Halo 3 and Gears 2 as the best games in history, smacks of an immature infant. You obviously don't play Proper games do you?...and we don't need you to tell us what to rate a game thanks! Try adding' IMHO' after your comments, as we can make up our own minds! The game itself is not bad, but there are better games out there .… Expand
  19. PaulL.
    Nov 2, 2008
    7
    I have mixed feelings about this game. I loved both oblivion and fallout 2, but I have to agree with some of the other comments that this is more oblivion than fallout. Its a pretty good game, but it lost that strategic element that was so critical in the fallout 2 game. This is essentially a game that is impossible to loose. You could assign skills randomly and still have a playable I have mixed feelings about this game. I loved both oblivion and fallout 2, but I have to agree with some of the other comments that this is more oblivion than fallout. Its a pretty good game, but it lost that strategic element that was so critical in the fallout 2 game. This is essentially a game that is impossible to loose. You could assign skills randomly and still have a playable character. Unlike oblivion, there is no weather effects, in the PC version there is no button to holster your weapon(assuming because they ran out of buttons on the xbox controller), there is no sound when you reload, there is some serious issues with continuity, and there are some really lame bugs in the game. Not bugs that crash the game, just bugs that make you say "that's dumb". I've played it for about 20hrs now, and its becoming a little repetitive, there is no creature or situation that I can get knocked down below 1/2 health. This is a game that is better than most games on the market currently, but it really is not much of an RPG, it belongs with in the basket with Bioshock and half-life 2. So if you like those FPS, you'll love this, it will be a challenge and a change. This may become an more intensive RPG game in the future, IF the release the editor so modders can get a hold of it and make some improvements/corrections. I'd like to congratulate Bethesda for making the transition from 2D to 3D, that had to happen. But it would have been nice if more effort had been made to retrain the strategic elements that made the previous fallouts famous, and not simply modded Oblivion.… Expand
  20. RobertT.
    Nov 2, 2008
    8
    A worthy addition to the Fallout franchise. One point subtracted for not having any multiplayer capability whatsoever. A second point subtracted for including "Xbox Live" support in a PC game without any other multiplayer support whatsoever. If I wanted to have anything to do with Live achievements and other BS, I would have bought a Xbox.
  21. BradB.
    Nov 2, 2008
    7
    While the graphics/environment are amazing as a gamer who loved Fallout/Fallout 2 I was semi disappointed in Fallout 3. As many previous raters have said this is a great game for oblivion followers. "Oblivion, with guns" is a perfect description of the game. Storyline was too flimsy, leaving me sometimes confused, "what next"? The new VATS addition was great while the pipboy took obvious While the graphics/environment are amazing as a gamer who loved Fallout/Fallout 2 I was semi disappointed in Fallout 3. As many previous raters have said this is a great game for oblivion followers. "Oblivion, with guns" is a perfect description of the game. Storyline was too flimsy, leaving me sometimes confused, "what next"? The new VATS addition was great while the pipboy took obvious hits. Skills were very limited compared to fallout 3. The new condition/repair could have been left out of the game as it didn't add any substance. Overall, great game for oblivion lovers, not for fallout followers. Can we get a release date for D3 please?!?… Expand
  22. MattC
    Nov 2, 2008
    8
    Very fun game to play - visuals, atmosphere, action, and story are decent. Runs very well. Definitely not 'Oblivion with guns' - they've learned a little since Oblivion. There's some brilliant moments - they've nailed the feeling of exiting the vault perfectly, and some action sequences are amazingly good fun, such as the behemoths. I haven't really come Very fun game to play - visuals, atmosphere, action, and story are decent. Runs very well. Definitely not 'Oblivion with guns' - they've learned a little since Oblivion. There's some brilliant moments - they've nailed the feeling of exiting the vault perfectly, and some action sequences are amazingly good fun, such as the behemoths. I haven't really come across any "go halfway across the land and collect 5 [item]" to complete a quest. There is some running around to do, but these have interesting story lines. The scale of the game feels right, and I'm happy to see there isn't duplication in dungeons. It isn't perfect through, there's quite a few minor problems, most of which you've probably already read about. None of these issues really effect the fun to had though. The 8-rating reflects these weaknesses and a couple of poor design decisions - e.g. the first town being 2min stroll from the vault. Don't pay attention to the 10/10 reviews - the reviewers must have been intoxicated. I'm not sure what's wrong with some Fallout veterans and Bethesda haters - the game really isn't bad at all. The weaknesses in voice acting etc. aren't really noticable unless you're looking for them. I'm hoping that a series of mods will improve the game - if so you can safely jack up my score to a 9 or 10.… Expand
  23. DereckK.
    Nov 27, 2008
    7
    Too many bugs, sometimes boring, but also immersive and intense. A very good rpg with an interesting storyline and scenario. It could be better but it is good enough to have some fun.
  24. RichC
    Nov 29, 2008
    7
    plot is great and the game takes some getting used to (bieng different from oblivion) but the reason why this game got a 7 was because of the fact once you finish the main plot you either A.) load back to your last spot which doesnt help cuz it auto saves you at the part the game ends or B.) start over. the games definatly worth a buy but if your reading this and didnt get the game yet. plot is great and the game takes some getting used to (bieng different from oblivion) but the reason why this game got a 7 was because of the fact once you finish the main plot you either A.) load back to your last spot which doesnt help cuz it auto saves you at the part the game ends or B.) start over. the games definatly worth a buy but if your reading this and didnt get the game yet. get and do everything else but the quest first.… Expand
  25. JohannVII
    Nov 4, 2008
    8
    First off: as has been previously stated, this game is not Fallout. Nor is it Fallout 2, but I think this goes without saying. Both were (and still are) excellent games, and if you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do. I know some of you out there were looking for a second re-hash of the original Fallout, and you will be disappointed (but hey, given the open nature of the First off: as has been previously stated, this game is not Fallout. Nor is it Fallout 2, but I think this goes without saying. Both were (and still are) excellent games, and if you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do. I know some of you out there were looking for a second re-hash of the original Fallout, and you will be disappointed (but hey, given the open nature of the original games, you can always go play them again). Sadly, Black Isle (and Troika too) is dead and gone forever, and Van Buren died with it. Fallout 3 IS a beautiful realization of a portion of the Fallout universe in the Gamebryo engine (and incidentally is superior to Oblivion in every possible way, though it still suffers from a few of the same pitfalls, and I wish for once my headshot-kill would result in something other than the head flying from the body, though F1/2 used the same sprite animations for each model's death). The modified SPECIAL system used lacks a certain RPG depth, but it still stands above every first-person "RPG" I've played since Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. The dialogue options are almost universally of the form Good, Bad, Neutral, but well-written within that framework, and they often have real consequences beyond a simple Karma shift. The plot is much more developed than those of previous Bethesda games, and a number of the characters have enough dimension to motivate emotional involvement. Finally, I think VATS may be my favorite feature. Though combat becomes repetitive over time, the cinematic presentation (while occasionally utilizing bizzare camera angles) goes a long way to keep it satisfying. I may never get sick of seeing a slow-motion tracking of the railway spike I fired flying to a Feral Ghoul's head and pinning it to the wall. The game is still a bit buggy (random crashes in Vista x64), so I recommend saving often. Overall, it turned out much better than I had hoped: so much so that, though I had originally planned to simply steal the game once it had been cracked, I wound up buying a copy at 6pm on the 28th after watching my friend play for a while. Fallout 3 isn't perfect, but it's easily worth $50 if you have the cash. Now if only someone would come out with a Child-Killer mod.… Expand
  26. MarcA.
    Nov 5, 2008
    7
    The people who played Fallout don't recognize their beloved game, and people who only played Oblivion also think it's very close to it. So, why did they call it Fallout 3? Oblivion: fallout would have been an honest tittle. The ultimate question will anyone remember Fallout 3's extraordinary characters in ten years from now, like we can remember Set the ghoul? will it still The people who played Fallout don't recognize their beloved game, and people who only played Oblivion also think it's very close to it. So, why did they call it Fallout 3? Oblivion: fallout would have been an honest tittle. The ultimate question will anyone remember Fallout 3's extraordinary characters in ten years from now, like we can remember Set the ghoul? will it still be one of the best game ever in ten years from now, a game which like Fallout can be played again, and again, and again? No.… Expand
  27. KevinZ.
    Dec 6, 2008
    7
    This game is decent, but doesn't live up to the first two. Other reviews cover the pros pretty well, I will focus on cons. Combat is fun enough, but not very challenging. I wish there were more actual cities- Unlike the original Fallouts which had plenty of interesting places, this world feels somewhat empty. It is, however, fun to explore. The biggest problem is definitely the main This game is decent, but doesn't live up to the first two. Other reviews cover the pros pretty well, I will focus on cons. Combat is fun enough, but not very challenging. I wish there were more actual cities- Unlike the original Fallouts which had plenty of interesting places, this world feels somewhat empty. It is, however, fun to explore. The biggest problem is definitely the main storyline. I was honestly amazed anyone even took this one beyond the brainstorming phase. Incredibly uninteresting. An immersive world is not enough, I want a story that makes me feel some sort of emotion and/or sparks my imagination. And don't tell me I have to make my own stories, that argument only goes so far. Oh, also plot holes do not constitute interesting developments.… Expand
  28. PeterR.
    Oct 29, 2008
    7
    It's a good game overall. Nice story, nice graphics, decent gameplay, but on the whole it is not nearly as fun as I would expect from a game with such high production values. As with Oblivion, Bethesda's last major RPG, the game is too watered-down to be truly engaging, and it is difficult to look past the ineptly designed controls and user interface, which, contrary to It's a good game overall. Nice story, nice graphics, decent gameplay, but on the whole it is not nearly as fun as I would expect from a game with such high production values. As with Oblivion, Bethesda's last major RPG, the game is too watered-down to be truly engaging, and it is difficult to look past the ineptly designed controls and user interface, which, contrary to Bethesda's statements, do not appear to be designed with the PC in mind. All things considered, it's a step up from Oblivion, and it's generally true to the Fallout franchise, though it's hard to judge that when you consider that Fallout 3 is being made with a different style of play by a different developer in a different century. I recommend this game, but only inasmuch as it is on par with the quality and enjoyment of most games these days. Compared to previous games, both by Bethesda and Black Isle, Fallout 3 has lost its charm.… Expand
  29. BobS
    Dec 26, 2009
    9
    Fallout 3 is amazing game. The game does a great job blending FPS and RPG elements with a very in-depth story. Also the detail level in the game is astounding, making the entire capital wasteland world seem real. Fallout gives you almost complete freedom with how you want to play the game and progress through the story, which makes the replay value very high. My only gripes with this game Fallout 3 is amazing game. The game does a great job blending FPS and RPG elements with a very in-depth story. Also the detail level in the game is astounding, making the entire capital wasteland world seem real. Fallout gives you almost complete freedom with how you want to play the game and progress through the story, which makes the replay value very high. My only gripes with this game that holds it back from being a 10 is that it needs a mini map to make navigation easier and the computer version tends to crash alot.… Expand
  30. AdamG
    Jul 12, 2009
    8
    Fallout 3 is a great game but incredibly glitched and most of the time you'll find your self wedged between a tree and a hill. Forcing me to reload an older save. Another feature is what you have done in the affects the rest of the game and multiple choices of finishing quests.
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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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