Retail: Fallout 3 GOTY

[X5F]

Game: Fallout 3 Game of The Year edition
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Format: Digital Download - DL-DVD - Blu-Ray
Genre: RPG
Achievements: Yes
Ages: PEGI: 18
External Link: Official Site

"War, war never changes..."

For users who have no idea what Fallout 3 is, heres some general history. Fallout began life on the PC as an RPG set in a post apocalyptic future. As it goes, the line of present split off from our current history, the 50's style, music etc was all kept, but throwing the world into WWIII (bit Back To The Future 2 but there you go). Fallout 3 was being developed by Black Isle studios until disaster struck. Bethesda had tried to license the Fallout IP for some games but in the end, bought it and salvaged it from being taken down with Black Isle. So whats new then?

Bethesda are world known for their Elder Scrolls RPG series, open ended, can do what you want, are given huge amounts of land to explore, top rated character creation, AAA expansions, so you should get the same with Fallout no?

On the top of this game lies the usual Fallout scene, you leave your once home vault in search of something. But tragedy strikes, and your left all alone in the wasteland. Set in Washington D.C., or more accurately the ruins of Washington D.C. You are left to fend for yourself, the game gives you some training and help (as well as your usual pip-boy and background story) in your vault, but that's about it. The wasteland is where the real meat is. I wont bore you with the vault, mainly because it gives too much away on first go.

If you have ever played Fallout before you will notice some nice touches. That is, your pip-boy remains the centre of your equipment and everything else, and you have your AP. But this is sadly where the comfortable "I remember this!" ends.

On first play I couldn't help but notice how much this felt like Elder Scrolls tacked into a Fallout theme. Yes, Bethesda have used their core mechanics and everything else from Elder Scrolls to Fallout. I'm not complaining mind you, I just wish they had developed a new system for it.

The graphics for the entire game really go well, you see ruins, damaged buildings, bridges and the like, all in a post apocalyptic setting. The music that you tune into on your pip-boy really sets the scene and brings the player that much more into the world.

You can use the 3rd person view mode or the 1st person view. However I recommend 1st as you can see some really shoddy animation on your character in 3rd.

The dialogs resemble Elder Scrolls more than I would like to have known, Bethesda should have really done something about this. Maybe a system such as Mass Effects would have been more apt than the usual Elder Scrolls mechanics for dialog. But then I'm not part of Bethesda so I can't impose my will on the designers.

Fallout has a really good setting, so what else do we need? A really good story. Thankfully Bethesda have released a solid, story that goes with the whole theme of the game, but it can be a little lukewarm on the feeling of it all. Well, they can't all be Final Fantasy can they?

As for Fallout 3's main game, I'm going to leave it there and open for debate.

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Okay, we all know what we want to hear, "why should I buy the GOTY, I already own Fallout 3?" Well, I hung back, instincts took over, I know Bethesda well. They always release GOTY (Game of The Year) editions of their games with every expansion released. So, I got the GOTY edition. What do you get for your money?

You get 2 DL-DVD discs, in one case of course, one contains the retail Fallout 3, the other the expansions. So, here for your enjoyment, or hatred if you spent a small fortune on F3 and a couple of them:

Operation: Anchorage
The Pitt
Broken Steel
Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta

Yup, count 'em, all 5! Now, you are doing either 1 of 3 things, your crying into your hands wishing you didn't pay for the downloads, your foaming at the mouth to get a copy (where have you been?) or your chucking your old standard off-the-shelf copy of Fallout 3 and off for the GOTY edition. In anycase this is one highly rated game.

Yes yes I know, more negative than good but the scores speak for themselves. Have fun!

Graphics: 9.5/10
Sound: 10/10
Gameplay: 7.4/10
Online: N/A
Value for Money: 10/10

Overall: 8.9/10

[Inuyasha]

Fallout three is one of the absolute best games of ALL TIME but wut is mothership Zeta? never seen it in stores or heard of it but i own evry othe Exspansion oh and for those of you who will buy the GOTY just believe me dont go to point lookout until your in lvls 15-30 that place looks easy but its friggin phsyco!!!

[heronfisher]

I am gift Fallout 3 GOTY a 4-star judgement and I would recommend it as a 'buy' for gift us a good story told with nutriment but not full attractive plus of PS3's superior capabilities. I give Bethesda some credit for releasing the GOTY on schedule, simultaneously with the Xbox and the PC versions. I don't undergo about anyone else but I'm in a forgiving feeling today, after a few hours of swollen Fallout 3 play.