Fallout 3 PS3 Review
The Post-Apocalyptic Series' Third Entry is a Gritty Experience
Fallout is the third entry in the acclaimed role-playing series that began in 1997. Eleven years later, it had spawned several spinoffs, had an aborted early version of Fallout 3, and changed developers. After ending up in the hands of Bethesda Softworks, it was redone from the ground up and the result was truly staggering: a game with a massive free-roaming environment populated with as many friendly faces as it is with dangerous monsters.
The Environment
The game focuses on the 23rd century ruins of Washington D.C. and it’s surrounding suburbs and wilderness many years after nuclear disaster. Fallout 3 follows the life of a young man (or woman) from Vault 101 that leaves after his/her 19th birthday to pursue his/her father into the dangerous world outside. Vaults are massive underground bunkers where fortunate members of humanity now live.
Discovery is the most exciting part of the game, and there are many opportunities due to the sheer size of the environment. The many groups that inhabit the environment are all unique:
- Super Mutants have overrun the ruins of D.C. As their name suggests, they are large mutated humans bent on killing off the remaining survivors.
- The Brotherhood of Steel, human survivors wearing protective armor that patrol the streets, are in direct opposition to the Super Mutants.
- Raiders are repulsive and brutal humans that murder and steal on a whim, roaming both D.C. and the surrounding countryside.
- Ghouls, zombie-like mutants that live in subways, haunt players that seek underground shortcuts.
- Damaged robots run amok in and around abandoned robotics facilities.
The Gameplay
Fallout 3 is both RPG and first/third person shooter, depending on preference. The RPG element kicks in when the R2 button is tapped. It triggers the VATs system, which pauses the action and lets the player target individual limbs or areas of an enemy. After spending action points on specific shots, the bullets fly in glorious slow motion gore. It is very useful and never gets old.
The player can level up during the game, but the limit is 20 for some reason. Leveling up allows you to pick a new “perk” which is just a specific skill and also adds points to various attributes. These attributes improve things such as gun skills, melee skills, lock picking ability, healing ability, and so on. Building a character suited to a certain style is one of the best parts of the game.
The open-endedness of Fallout 3 pushes its replay value to somewhere just above infinite. The player is constantly faced with decisions and there is always more than one way to deal with a problem. The endless possibilities results in either good or bad karma. Those who would ally themselves with a do-gooder will snub an evil player. Conversely, evil characters will ally themselves with players that make a living off of murder or enslavement.
A Post-Apocalyptic Heaven
The harsh world of Fallout 3 is quite realistic and is appropriately grim. It stands as one of the longest lasting games of recent memory. Its endless borders have surprisingly short load times and provide the great thrill of discovery. For all these reasons and more, fans of video games in general will find something to love in Fallout 3, a game that deserves all the praise it receives.
Fallout 3 Cover Art
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