Fallout 3

[August Akuma]

I played it from begining to end, and the overall experince was not "wow best game ever!" It was good, I have said that before, but it was good in the wow factor. Stuff blew up, monsters head got ripped off, and all other things I found enjoyable were related to the combat. The conversations were not all that interesting, or for the matter well written. The quests were all go to point A, kill whats inside, and return. The storyline I did not like, and honestly thats the big deal for me. I did not care what happened to any character, or any NPC, or any faction. They all sounded the same, and except for different clothes every town had the noble guy doing what he thinks is right, the fellow agaisnt the towns interests, the girl down on her luck, the outcast, and the really smart guy who needs your help. I killed megaton to see an explosion, not cause I wanted more things, or felt slighted.

Yes this is the first one on a new console, designed not for the computer but a video game, yet at the same time I just did not like it. I know I am comparing this to the originals, and some feel that is bad of me. Move on! Well tell people who like Starwars to move on and accept the prequels. Also if I may I am not just using FO1 and FO2 as a guide here, many RPG's have managed this level of interaction, and violence while ensuring that the storyline and characters are the most important and not the wow facotr of the world. Arcanum, Bloodlines, Dues Ex, and others all somehow managed to be cutting edge for their time and still have storylines that added to the game play.

The thing is, is that you're right. The game was put on consoles and most console gamers prefer fast-paced games that Fallout offered. To me, the most important part of the game is the enviroment I'm in (but not graphics). For instance, the fact you could just kill of a NPC was something to think about.

But there were things, I guess, that were missing. The world felt alive, but dead at the same time. The game forces you down the route of combat, and in the end, I couldn't join up with BoS or something, so the open-world bit isn't really open world.

 

[Leo Caesius]

A vault means no one gets out or in, and you then learn you were born outside the vualt and these rather elitest fellows just let you waltz in?

The vaults in FO1 and 2 were not exactly impermeable, either.

 

[Fenwick]

The vaults in FO1 and 2 were not exactly impermeable, either.

True, but the difference was the vault opened to let things out. In FO3 I always got the feeling the vault with its closed off society, and all knowning Overseer opened its doors for two people... just cause it made the storyline somehow work.

FO1 the vault opened to let one person out, and even he was not let back in. In FO2 the vaults opened by choice, force, or in the case of Vault 13 they where kidnapped. More importantly the issue with the vault opening itself up was never outside of the storyline. For FO1 the vault had to open, for FO2 you did not have to find vault 13 to win, but if you did it opened cause those inside were changing their ways.

 

[Leo Caesius]

FO1 the vault opened to let one person out, and even he was not let back in.

The Vault Dweller had to return to Vault 13 multiple times during the game to check in with the Overseer. Sure, at the end he kicked the Vault Dweller out, but it was still possible to come and go.

Necropolis actually came into being because the vault wouldn't close; and the inhabitants of Vault City left their vault as soon as it was "safe".

 

[OAM47]

I'm not arguing its the best game ever, I'm just saying it doesn't deserve the reputation it gets from old fans. Now that your post on the last page has taken care of that, I'm satisfied.

 

[Fenwick]

The Vault Dweller had to return to Vault 13 multiple times during the game to check in with the Overseer. Sure, at the end he kicked the Vault Dweller out, but it was still possible to come and go.

Necropolis actually came into being because the vault wouldn't close; and the inhabitants of Vault City left their vault as soon as it was "safe".

Well that is if you continue playing as the designers did not intend. As for coming and going yes thats true, but its not really the same as letting two strangers into the vault. This is letting the guy bringing the waterchip, or ensuring humans survive coming in. Once more it fit in line with the story.

As for Necropolis and Vault City in those cases each vault worked as planned. Vault Eight was the vault which was to function properly in all respects. When radiation levels lowed the door opened and the GECK was used. In Necropolis the door was never to close in the first place.

 

[Leo Caesius]

As for Necropolis and Vault City in those cases each vault worked as planned. Vault Eight was the vault which was to function properly in all respects. When radiation levels lowed the door opened and the GECK was used. In Necropolis the door was never to close in the first place.

Hence my earlier comment about the vaults in FO1 and 2 not being impermeable.

As a big-time Wasteland aficionado who was attracted to FO precisely because of its Wasteland-like qualities, I didn't complain when Interplay abandoned the Wasteland/Escape from Hell engine and introduced the concept of vaults (which, as far as I can tell, it lifted from Paranoia: The Role-Playing Game of a Darkly Humorous Future). I don't see why FO aficionados should be more stodgy and old-fashioned than I am.

As far as game play goes, I have to say that I have enjoyed playing this game much more than any other Bethesda game (including the Elder Scrolls series and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth; in fact, one of my least favorite parts of FO3 was the corny trip through the Dunwich Building ). It's not the best game in the world, but I honestly feel that Bethesda has improved upon its plot development. I don't find it nearly as repetitive or cliched as some of the rest of you seem to feel it is. I certainly don't think it behaves like a FPS. As Faeelin mentioned, it does feel much smaller in scale than the original two (ironically the game world is much larger, even though its "range" is limited to the DC metropolitan area). It's certainly not the best game I've ever played, although it's a good contender for the best game I've played in a while (especially considering that my tastes tend towards retro gaming).

 

[Fenwick]

Hence my earlier comment about the vaults in FO1 and 2 not being impermeable.

As a big-time Wasteland aficionado who was attracted to FO precisely because of its Wasteland-like qualities, I didn't complain when Interplay abandoned the Wasteland/Escape from Hell engine and introduced the concept of vaults (which, as far as I can tell, it lifted from Paranoia: The Role-Playing Game of a Darkly Humorous Future). I don't see why FO aficionados should be more stodgy and old-fashioned than I am.

As far as game play goes, I have to say that I have enjoyed playing this game much more than any other Bethesda game (including the Elder Scrolls series and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth; in fact, one of my least favorite parts of FO3 was the corny trip through the Dunwich Building ). It's not the best game in the world, but I honestly feel that Bethesda has improved upon its plot development. I don't find it nearly as repetitive or cliched as some of the rest of you seem to feel it is. I certainly don't think it behaves like a FPS. As Faeelin mentioned, it does feel much smaller in scale than the original two (ironically the game world is much larger, even though its "range" is limited to the DC metropolitan area). It's certainly not the best game I've ever played, although it's a good contender for the best game I've played in a while (especially considering that my tastes tend towards retro gaming).

WI Fallout 1 and 2 instead called themselves Wasteland 2 and 3? WI a new company took a game, and used the world but changed everything. It would be the same I think as comparing FO1 and 2 to FO3. The issue with most people who do not like FO3 is cause the storyline, and RPG qualities are not all that great. It is a good game, everyone says that, but its a good game cause of its flashy wow factor.

I do not see it as a shooter even cause 9 times out of 10 you go into VATS and let it do the work for you. It started out nice, the vault, that first glimpse at the weasteland, going into Megaton. Yet as you went on it was kinda repeititve. I hold the game up to the older titles because it is Fallout. While you held the first game sup to wasteland, you did so with the udnerstanding that the game was not wasteland. I've played Wasteland that game is great, and great for reasons different then I enjoyed FO1 and 2.

So I fear Beth will have this group of people who hold up the titles to the previous ones not just cause things changed in terms of gameplay, but the feel, and tone was changed as well. You have to admire the game in terms of graphics, and some aspects of game play, but in reality chucking a nuke is cool cause of the explosion, a massive two story mutant is cool cause of the look, most of the things that made me go "wow cool" was due to graphics (first time a nuke goes off, first headshot, first time you see the Super Mutant, designing your character and seeing you look like your dad.)

 

[Leo Caesius]

So I fear Beth will have this group of people who hold up the titles to the previous ones not just cause things changed in terms of gameplay, but the feel, and tone was changed as well.

Well, as they say, de gustibus non est disputandum.

 

[Fenwick]

Well, as they say, de gustibus non est disputandum.

De gustibus aut bene, aut nihil Shamrayev.