Fallout 3
This game has been out for a while and many reviews have been done for it, but I had to give my own rundown of the game.
______________________________________
To understand how Fallout 3 got where it is, you have to understand where it has been. To many gamers, in 2003 the unimaginable happened. Following a complete staff layoff, Black Isle Studios officially closed its doors due to "serious financial difficulties". To the fans of the studio, this move had a very harsh reality - "Project Van Buren" aka "Fallout 3" was cancelled. Which left many people wondering what was to happen with the beloved title.
According to Wikipedia, "the license to develop Fallout 3 was sold for a $1,175,000 minimum guaranteed advance against royalties to Bethesda Softworks." Bethesda Softworks picked up the title and rather then continue on Black Isles' work, decided to start an entirely new game from scratch. This came as a shocker to many fans of the series. Bethesda Softworks had the responsibility of creating a game that would stay loyal to fans of the series and at the same time, put their own mark on it. As quoted by Game Informer:
"Taking on a game like Fallout 3 is a risky venture for
Bethesda, as hardcore fans will deem any variation from the original games’
formulas a monumental disaster. Like all creations imitated by another hand,
Fallout 3 retains elements from the original games’ source material, and
continually reminds you of why you loved playing these games, but not without setting itself aside as a largely different experience.""It really is the perfect marriage of the two games; a
chemistry that seamlessly unites Fallout’s fiction and atmosphere with the
first-person gameplay and open world questing of Oblivion."
Fallout 3 shines beautifully as a make-your-own-adventure game. I have been playing this game for some time now and can't seem to ever willingly be able to turn it off. From the beginning of the game, you realize that it has a feel all of its own. The games' center of focus revolves around your father leaving an underground vault one night with not so much as a goodbye. You leave the vault in hot pursuit to discover a futuristic post-apocalyptic world crawling with mutated animals, deformed creatures/people and the many colorful inhabitants of this land known as "Wasteland".
The game follows a very basic questing system - obtain a quest, fulfill the quest requirements, receive a reward. But it's what happens around these quests where the game shines its brightest. There really is no set course you have to follow throughout the game or to get your quests done. Free choice is the word that resonates the loudest with Fallout 3. From being sneaky to take out a specific target, running in with guns blazing, or even trying to reason with the target. Even in your conversations with NPCs, you are given many choices from lieing, being caring and understanding, to even rude. The choices you make throughout the game directly affect your "Karma", quests available and even the storyline.
You are even given choices in the style to play the game. You can have an OTS view of your character or play like a traditional FPS. I found it much easier to play in the FPS perspective. As you progress through the game, you get to upgrade things like weapons and armor. Their is an implemented "wear and tear" feature so that anything that you use eventually starts to wear down and must be repaired in order for it to work to its fullest potential or work at all.
The game brings the introduction of "V.A.T.S.", a shooting style that freezes time and lets you target specific points on your target and shows you a percentage that you have of hitting that spot.
Staying alive isn't too difficult or too hard, as you progress it does start to get a bit tougher but leveling and implementing your points in stats and perks, correctly evens this out.
It does have a few drawbacks, but nothing huge. Voices and dialogue can sometimes make it too evident you are in a game then actually make you feel your living the experience. You can get so many quests at one time, its possible to feel overwhelmed and keep having to jump from place to place just to catch up. A few other issues arose but ultimately nothing in this game is bad enough to keep a person from enjoying it.
This game is a must try for anyone. I can't recommend it enough to anyone who enjoys video games. From the free roaming and free choice, to the interesting and often humorous dialogue, this game can't be summed up in words. It has to be played for a person to fully appreciate it. I am very happy with where Bethesda Softworks took this game and I will more intently be waiting to see what other games spawn from this endeavor.
Post a Comment