Fallout 3

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1332 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,068 out of 1332
  2. Mixed: 119 out of 1332
  3. Negative: 145 out of 1332
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  1. CursedKnight187
    Jul 18, 2012
    10
    Not much to say about this game, other than that the hours I have logged playing it show me how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are realistic and interactive, and the story is very personal and well written. The one real complaint I had was that after the final mission we could not roam the wasteland afterwards, however one of the DLC fixed that.
  2. Bigode
    Jul 10, 2012
    10
    Excellent game, brilliant storyline, beautiful map, but has many bugs that do not take the merit of an excellent jogo.A bethesda surpassed all expectations and raised the level of a game rpg bringing numerous NPC, various quests, a dangerous world with gangs the rider and mutants and creatures, a giant arsenal of weapons. All these elements make the game fallout 3 a score of 10
  3. jomipira
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    Bethesda does it again. If you are a RPG fan you cannot go wrong. Great story, great humor, a must buy. Free open world games are Bethesda back yard, and they really know how to make a game world come alive.
  4. Cmcolin
    Jun 10, 2012
    9
    This is a game that feels like a real step forward. An intense, fascinating, and fun game that takes you on a real journey. The main story quest is compelling, as is exploring the ruins of Washington D.C. And the surrounding towns. For all the well-documented glitches, Fallout 3 is as perfect a gaming experience as you will find.
  5. Plamotaku
    May 27, 2012
    8
    An engaging and rewarding roleplaying/first person shooter set in post apocalyptic Washington DC. There is excellent storytelling combined with deep and thoughtful choices that are made that impact the game. Bethesda makes gamers drool with the perks system, point allocation, and the all-mighty and all-satisfying VATS system, which allows you to enjoy torching a mutant, blowing the headAn engaging and rewarding roleplaying/first person shooter set in post apocalyptic Washington DC. There is excellent storytelling combined with deep and thoughtful choices that are made that impact the game. Bethesda makes gamers drool with the perks system, point allocation, and the all-mighty and all-satisfying VATS system, which allows you to enjoy torching a mutant, blowing the head off of someone, or nuking an entire town. Fallout 3 is worth playing and is a classic already.… Expand
  6. Machine2music
    May 8, 2012
    0
    I really did hate everything about this game. It just wasn't for me at all. Especially the control setup.. But pretty much everything was hot garbage in my opinion.
  7. Tokyochuchu
    Apr 11, 2012
    4
    For most people, Fallout 3 will be a wonderful experience. For me... I just couldn't get my head around shooting at something like an FPS but never being able to hit it because of level stats. If you're not supposed to use the FPS aiming system, why put it in the game? If physically aiming at a guy's head with a sniper rifle counts for nothing, why bother giving us a scope? I know it's anFor most people, Fallout 3 will be a wonderful experience. For me... I just couldn't get my head around shooting at something like an FPS but never being able to hit it because of level stats. If you're not supposed to use the FPS aiming system, why put it in the game? If physically aiming at a guy's head with a sniper rifle counts for nothing, why bother giving us a scope? I know it's an RPG and you're supposed to use the VATS system, but the hybrid aspects of the game just totally killed it for me.… Expand
  8. Dezuuu
    Apr 10, 2012
    9
    Despite the technical issues, this is still my favorite game of this generation. An interesting story, an amazing atmosphere, great music, great characters, great quests. This post-apocalyptic world will keep you hooked for hours. It has quite a few bugs, even after the many updates, and the visuals aren't anything special. You can certainly feel in every way this was made for the PC, butDespite the technical issues, this is still my favorite game of this generation. An interesting story, an amazing atmosphere, great music, great characters, great quests. This post-apocalyptic world will keep you hooked for hours. It has quite a few bugs, even after the many updates, and the visuals aren't anything special. You can certainly feel in every way this was made for the PC, but that shouldn't keep you from playing this.… Expand
  9. quotenneger
    Apr 7, 2012
    2
    I don't know where to startâ
  10. my2cents
    Apr 6, 2012
    8
    This post-apocalyptic Action-RPG is huge!! It has vast non-linear landscapes with dozens of cities and towns to explore, deeply layered missions and very compelling story lines, good voice acting and a terrific retro soundtrack that helps set the moody tone from the start. Seemingly endless character types(friends and foes) to meet/kill as you scavenge the immense and ravaged terrain. AllThis post-apocalyptic Action-RPG is huge!! It has vast non-linear landscapes with dozens of cities and towns to explore, deeply layered missions and very compelling story lines, good voice acting and a terrific retro soundtrack that helps set the moody tone from the start. Seemingly endless character types(friends and foes) to meet/kill as you scavenge the immense and ravaged terrain. All the while collecting a vast assortment of weapons(from your first BB-gun to your Mini-Nuke Warheads). Slay baddies and take their body armor/weapons/etc as well. Collect as many valuables as you can carry. They can be sold for Bottle-caps(the currency of the wasteland), which in turn can be used to purchase/repair your supplies/weapons/armor. Many misc found items can be assembled into unique and devastating specialty weapons. I have not even mentioned the very fun selective body part targeting system in addition to the traditional aim and shoot option. That system could be another paragraph.… Expand
  11. jc15
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    Okay, I have owned a PS3 since the start. The Fallout series is the best for replay value I have found yet. I have probably beat the game 10 times and I still find new stuff every time I go through it. Try not to just run through the main story line, go do the side quest. You will enjoy this game, it's even better the tenth time through. I am ready for fallout 4!!!
  12. Liquid_Blue7
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    If you are one of the few who CARE about bugs/glitches that occur please ignore this review. This game aside from the afore mentioned bugs/glitches is one of the most immersive, fun, exploratory, interesting games i have ever played. This game does the apocalypse justice.
  13. RT_ViraL
    Mar 13, 2012
    8
    Do not let the score fool you. It is far from being obsolete in the great category. The story and drive it relishes to you, through its dialogue, side quests and ultimately its main storyline is what sets it apart from any other 8/10 game. I recommend that you get this for the Xbox360 or PC as the glitches take away a part of the experience of the PS3 version (hence the 8) If future gamingDo not let the score fool you. It is far from being obsolete in the great category. The story and drive it relishes to you, through its dialogue, side quests and ultimately its main storyline is what sets it apart from any other 8/10 game. I recommend that you get this for the Xbox360 or PC as the glitches take away a part of the experience of the PS3 version (hence the 8) If future gaming exists with what this game has done to the gaming industry, we're in for a great ride with Fallout 4.… Expand
  14. 35310c0
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    Game is amazing but yes it has some bugs (did not bother me) and it crashes sometimes. I 've spent over 100 hours on it and I just love it. Crashes started after 70 hours of gameplay. I had one or two crashes every 5 hours... so not so bad...
  15. 7dogguy
    Mar 4, 2012
    8
    next to the elder scrolls series fallout is the best open world rpg on the market the storyline is actually interesting the gameplay is fun the vats system is also neat all the guns do different things so the guns are awesome in this game and the world is fun to explore the only problem is besides 2 main towns the game is very lonely i know its supposed to be a nuclear apocalypse but itnext to the elder scrolls series fallout is the best open world rpg on the market the storyline is actually interesting the gameplay is fun the vats system is also neat all the guns do different things so the guns are awesome in this game and the world is fun to explore the only problem is besides 2 main towns the game is very lonely i know its supposed to be a nuclear apocalypse but it gets boring being alone all the time and this game also crashes alot and the graphics are less then amazing but other then that this game is awesome… Expand
  16. nourshaker
    Feb 8, 2012
    8
    Its a good game, But it gets old quick. If you want a really good game cheack out Skyrim Best game outIts a good game, But it gets old quick. If you want a really good game cheack out Skyrim Best game out there!...........................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...................................................................................................................................................................................!...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................… Expand
  17. coldcalculated
    Dec 11, 2011
    9
    I was hesitant to pick up this game because I had not played the former fallout games. But when i finally took the plunge, I had no regrets. It obviously runs on the same engine as oblivion, but with major improvements. Loved this game, the moment i stepped out of the vault and into the capital wasteland. Kept me busy for around 100 plus hours. The only thing I wish it had was a buggy orI was hesitant to pick up this game because I had not played the former fallout games. But when i finally took the plunge, I had no regrets. It obviously runs on the same engine as oblivion, but with major improvements. Loved this game, the moment i stepped out of the vault and into the capital wasteland. Kept me busy for around 100 plus hours. The only thing I wish it had was a buggy or some kind of bike to get you around quicker. The usual glitches appear here, as they did in oblivion. Main storyline is ridiculously short, and lackluster, but the side quests are awesome and well thought up.… Expand
  18. boblikepie
    Nov 21, 2011
    0
    I heard that this game was an amazing open world free choice game and yes there is a big open world but free choice isn't really to say. You only ever have 2 ways of really doing things right and wrong that's not really ultimate choice. It's great that there is a big open world but that's one of this games biggest downfalls. You get a quest find out that's it's somewhere on the other sideI heard that this game was an amazing open world free choice game and yes there is a big open world but free choice isn't really to say. You only ever have 2 ways of really doing things right and wrong that's not really ultimate choice. It's great that there is a big open world but that's one of this games biggest downfalls. You get a quest find out that's it's somewhere on the other side of the map you haven't been and have to spend an hour getting there constantly saving every 10 minutes cause there's SO many bugs in this game. This is what let me down the most. How can a game be released with so many critical bugs. I know bugs in software happen and to fix them you usually break something else but come on. At the moment I'm trying to do The Pitt add on and the game is running at a slide show if at all. There are some many game breaking bugs that the game isn't enjoyable to play in the slightest. The only reason I'm still playing is cause I'm a completist and don't want to feel like I wasted 34 bucks. Also another terrible feature about the game is the shooting mechanics it never seems to actually go where you want to and trying to aim with the controller is nearly impossible (now you know why we have VATS the devs couldn't make a shooter engine). Even if you do opt for manual shooting the games frame rate drops to a standstill whenever a gun fight occurs. I do not understand how this is such a highly regarded game IT SUCKS DON'T BUY IT.… Expand
  19. ccrogers15
    Nov 17, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. for what was a very creative and fun game series, fallout NV and 3 set an all time low. Sure, fallout 3 and NV pulled the series to 3d and open, and i admit it was kind of fun, but that fun was ruined by the major bugs, freezes, glitches and crashes i experienced on my copy. it happened on my PC,ps3 and 360 copies so its not my system. This is a very crap game that does not deserve a sequel. If 4 gets made, it must not be developed by obsidian and not use that crap gamebryo engine. I cant even tell you how bad the DLC makes it. Its unplayable after 3 hours gameplay. its like it purposly freezes to tick you off!… Expand
  20. G_Mackzy
    Nov 9, 2011
    8
    Don't get me wrong this is a great game, and still really relevant considering its quality, at first it is hard to get into but stick with it and you will find it amazing. However don't get it on PS3, go PC. I'm usually pro console, but the modding community for Fallout 3 is extensive and the mods you can find online add so much more to the game.
  21. pure_gamer
    Sep 15, 2011
    8
    Fallout 3 is a unique experience of an alternative future, with near perfect gameplay and a brilliant level-up system. Fans of what was a PC exclusive turn-based rpg were suprised when the third outing of the series would be played in first-person and in real-time. The game isn't a direct sequel to the previous games of the series, but rather an expansion of the universe. The series wasFallout 3 is a unique experience of an alternative future, with near perfect gameplay and a brilliant level-up system. Fans of what was a PC exclusive turn-based rpg were suprised when the third outing of the series would be played in first-person and in real-time. The game isn't a direct sequel to the previous games of the series, but rather an expansion of the universe. The series was traditionaly set in post-apocalyptic America, mainly in what was the state of California. Fallout 3 takes place in what was Washington DC, now known as the Capital Wastland. As a local citizen of Vault 101, you wake up to find out your dad had left the vault andd thus start a long journey to find him and ask about his actions. The gameplay resolves around a Karma system, which affects how locals interact with you. Local towns will give you benefits such as jobs and opportunities to make money if you have good karma, while greedy landlords and slavers will do the same if you have bad karma. The level-up system uses the tradional XP system, but you can only distribute points to your skills at the moment you level up. You also get to choose a perk at every level, which can boost your skills or give you a special ability. The gameplay is acceptable, but not perfect. The firing machanics for ranged weaponry dosen't have an iron sight button, making aiming the weapon harder and less effective. There is the odd bug or two, but only on very rare occasions. The gameplay is challenging at first, but better weapons, armour, skills and perks make the game a bit easy in later occasions. Fallout 3 is an impressive relaunch of post-apocalyptic America with new ideas that work. With plenty to do and memorable moments to remember, it is worth getting if Oblivion feels a bit too traditional.… Expand
  22. kitsoon
    Aug 25, 2011
    9
    Awesome RPG open world game. Great, moving, immersive story, or you could just wander the Capital Wasteland! Totally up to you. Very interesting characters and enemies scattered across the Wasteland.
  23. MarkMont
    Jun 5, 2011
    6
    A bit repetitive but overall fairly fun. Biggest complaint is that the enemies don't get harder the longer you play. Also, after you get to level 4 or so there's no need to search anything (lockers, desks, etc.) other than the enemies you kill.
  24. Sceptic
    May 28, 2011
    10
    As with GTA,turning the series into 3D has worked phenomenally.An utter brilliant game and worthy of the many awards it received.Though not without the oddglitch or annoyance,Fallout 3 is one of the best games ever made and will steal a hundred hours of your time without trying.The DLC packs are mainly excellent with Broken Steel and Point Lookout being the better of them.Buy it and waitAs with GTA,turning the series into 3D has worked phenomenally.An utter brilliant game and worthy of the many awards it received.Though not without the oddglitch or annoyance,Fallout 3 is one of the best games ever made and will steal a hundred hours of your time without trying.The DLC packs are mainly excellent with Broken Steel and Point Lookout being the better of them.Buy it and wait impatiently for Fallout 4.… Expand
  25. mathew071294
    May 6, 2011
    10
    fallout 3 is one of the best rpg games and ps3 games ever made the story is just fantastic the tone of the game stuck in the 50s is excellent the best on ps3 the side quests are excellent to with good stories to them the main quest is even better the world is rich in detail and there is lots of things to do and see sure it has bugs but it doesnt ruin the game this is the best ps3 game ifallout 3 is one of the best rpg games and ps3 games ever made the story is just fantastic the tone of the game stuck in the 50s is excellent the best on ps3 the side quests are excellent to with good stories to them the main quest is even better the world is rich in detail and there is lots of things to do and see sure it has bugs but it doesnt ruin the game this is the best ps3 game i have ever played the graphics are dated now but it is still good the dlc operation anchorage/the pitt/broken still/point lookout/ and mothership zeta are all fine no wonder fallout 3 was game of the year it rocks plus its way better than fallout new vegas well done bethesda this was my first fallout game i played i loved everything about it… Expand
  26. TheNewSpielberg
    May 1, 2011
    6
    Generally decent with okay graphics. Quests and NPCs are dull and repetitive, making for some very boring moments. The weapons are good, but are very overpowered, even on the Very Hard difficulty setting. The enemies aren't very varied, so you will often encounter many of the same enemies. The voice acting is okay but is ruined by horrible lip syncing in nearly every character. The 360 andGenerally decent with okay graphics. Quests and NPCs are dull and repetitive, making for some very boring moments. The weapons are good, but are very overpowered, even on the Very Hard difficulty setting. The enemies aren't very varied, so you will often encounter many of the same enemies. The voice acting is okay but is ruined by horrible lip syncing in nearly every character. The 360 and PC versions run smoothly and look fine, but unfortunately the PS3 version pushes the console to its very limits and thus crashes often. The textures look washed out and the same goes for the graphics. Also very glitchy. All in all, a game that received more hype than it deserved.… Expand
  27. pixelsnprints
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    i salute you! i currently have 200+ hours into this game and have not used any strategy guides for it! you can choose to be good or bad, i went with good 0:) this is more than a game people this is you creating a life with real life altering decisions! most NPCs can be killed and then they are gone forever,.. you lose the quests from them and maybe even a good vender! i love this game soi salute you! i currently have 200+ hours into this game and have not used any strategy guides for it! you can choose to be good or bad, i went with good 0:) this is more than a game people this is you creating a life with real life altering decisions! most NPCs can be killed and then they are gone forever,.. you lose the quests from them and maybe even a good vender! i love this game so much i have the dlc for it and am even getting a pipboy 'thumbs up' tattoo on my shoulder!… Expand
  28. TheCoz
    Apr 21, 2011
    9
    I wish there was a 9.9 button I could press. I do not give out 10's lightly and though Fallout 3 gets pretty damned close to earning one from me there are a few things that keep it from being a perfect experience.

    I had become pretty jaded with games this decade. The shooters were gettting bland, Square wasn't making anything fun, and most of the series I'd loved on the PS2 hadn't    I wish there was a 9.9 button I could press. I do not give out 10's lightly and though Fallout 3 gets pretty damned close to earning one from me there are a few things that keep it from being a perfect experience.

    I had become pretty jaded with games this decade. The shooters were gettting bland, Square wasn't making anything fun, and most of the series I'd loved on the PS2 hadn't followed me to my new system. A friend of mine told me about Fallout 3 and initially I was put off by the sheer size of the thing. I figured it'd get boring and frustrating very quickly. I was very wrong.

    The story may be a tad flimsy, but the setting is great. I remember starting the game and that same friend telling me "See all those buidlings out there?", as I glanced around the destroyed cityscape after emerging from the vault. "You can go into everyone of them. If you can see it, you can get to it". This idea of size enthralled me and I soon became obsessed with just the simple idea of surviving the in the waste. Going into caves, abandoned supermarkets, old schools (most of which had their own stories told through journals and atmospherics) and scavenging for priceless items, upgrading and maintaining my weapons and trading to get better equipment. It was all simple but it was so rewarding.

    The game features an amazing sense of freedom. If something lives, you can shoot it. Which means you can truly walk the line between good and evil in a world with real repercussions. You can either work, scavenge and save up for that certain item you've had your eye on, or wait until late at night, kill the shopkeep and rob his store to sell off somewhere else. But the people you kill stay dead. So everyone who plays has a bit of a different experience.

    The blend of first person action and RPG elements works great thanks to a great combat system and inventory screen. This includes the V.A.T.S. targeting system, which allows you to use your attributes and skills to target certain areas for precision kills. Very useful. Or you can just run and gun and shoot from the hip if you are so inclined.

    The game does, hoever suffer from some terrible glitches. Loading screen loops, key items disappearing, NPC characters seemingly forgetting their lines and cues. It's a big game, and there are a great many things going on at all times that you are always altering so I guess sometimes it gets sort of confused. All of that said; this game is not for everyone. There are long stretches of just wasteland wandering and the main story will be over before you know it, if you pursue the story missions. But this is a unique game in a unique environment. It gets as close as I've yet seen to that immersion factor people are always looking out for.    … Expand
  29. aadms
    Apr 16, 2011
    7
    I bought the Game of the year addition with all of the five dlc created for it. It only cost me $20. Considering that this was game of the year back in 2007, it hasn't age very well. The graphics pretty dull for a Bethesda game that had put out Oblivion the year before this one. But like Oblivion, the npcs have no personality and you find yourself in a very lonely non-interactive worldI bought the Game of the year addition with all of the five dlc created for it. It only cost me $20. Considering that this was game of the year back in 2007, it hasn't age very well. The graphics pretty dull for a Bethesda game that had put out Oblivion the year before this one. But like Oblivion, the npcs have no personality and you find yourself in a very lonely non-interactive world doing people favors. Its not suppose to be a shooter game, although you can attempt to use your controller to take shots at enemies but you'll waste rounds and get killed very quickly. Instead you need to rely on something called V.A.T.S that is an automatic targeting system that allows you to create damage against your enemies. So in essence, it's Fallout 3's way of using the RPG standard of tactical combat effected by your level and skills, just like another game that came out that same year, Mass Effect. Unlike Mass Effect though, it doesn't have a story to make you want to keep coming back to play. The whole story is that your Dad has left the security of the vault without telling you why and you leave to go find him, or not. It's an open world, so if you wish to go and collect old ashtrays, books, and bottlecaps for trade and wander the Wasteland. I never knew the Post-Apocalyptic world could be soooooo boring.… Expand
  30. Giar
    Mar 28, 2011
    10
    Man did I miss the boat on this one. I picked up Fallout 3 in a bargain bin recently 3 years after the hype and euphoria. As an rpg noob ( the last one I played was FF7) I have to say getting into the mindset is the hardest part. You have to walk around and probe and search and chat to people, 'yeh so what?' I hear you say , but for me I wanted to shoot and run cod style. Getting used toMan did I miss the boat on this one. I picked up Fallout 3 in a bargain bin recently 3 years after the hype and euphoria. As an rpg noob ( the last one I played was FF7) I have to say getting into the mindset is the hardest part. You have to walk around and probe and search and chat to people, 'yeh so what?' I hear you say , but for me I wanted to shoot and run cod style. Getting used to the VATS and the menu system was also tricky at first. I also found this game inordinately difficult. Trying to get somewhere with a frail little guy and a pistol with lumbering Giants speeding towards you can be disheartening. But Once the instant travel option has been accessed you can go back and forth easily and quickly. The difficulty setting can also be managed if your getting mauled. Overall though , hours of play rewards a truly mesmeric monster of a game. It oozes atmosphere. The option to be good or evil is also intruiging. It's an awsome journey. Ok bad points. Auto save is a silly function and before removing got me in hot water straight away ( turn it off) . There are too many wandering encounters that can kill you on a whim or at least take away ALL your energy and suck you dry. I dont care how good VATS is you cant take down a giant with a pistol. There should be a way to reduce wandering encounters ( maybe the difficulty setting does?) . Stealing stuff or doing something bad by accident is so easy to do and suddenly you lose karma and the whole of a town wants to kill you. Now thats also very annoying. All of that aside its a truly epic game which Id recommend to even RPG virgins, just make sure you have lots of saves and go in with the right attitude guys.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PS3 Game of 2008
5
#5 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2008
4
#4 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. Digital Chumps
    Oct 27, 2010
    76
    Until you can play the game without unpredictable crashing and quirky issues surprising you it's going to be tough to find the maximum amount of fun I know this title can offer.
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  2. 1UP
    100
    This is the kind of hugely ambitious game that doesn't come around very often, and when it does, you'd be a fool not to play it and enjoy the hell out of it and look forward to the day (next-next-gen?) when the fidelity of open-world RPGs takes another big step closer to the uncanny valley's far side.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    94
    It's rare that a game can hit the mark in so many different and often conflicting areas. Fallout 3 offers freedom without sacrificing a focused story. It delivers fantastic combat without forgoing a deep role-playing system. The characters you meet are engaging and oftentimes hilarious without feeling out of place in this harsh world.
    Read full review
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