Suggested Listening: Bob Crosby's "Dear Hearts and Gentle People [http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=t314wo05ElI]"
Fallout 3 is the type of game that strikes the soul ablaze, and drops a bucket of ice water down the pants in the same motion. An action/RPG similar, but still remarkably different from, the previous Fallout games and the Elder Scrolls series. No matter how you try to spin it, Fallout 3 is the illegitimate child of Bethesda's flagship series, and Fallout series.
[img_inline caption="Jaw dropping visuals will blow your mind." width="448" height="224" align="left"]http://ve3dmedia.ign.com/ve3d/image/article/804/804768/brand-new-fallout-3-screenshots-20070713092116462.jpg[/img_inline]
Not deterred, though, Fallout 3 is a decent blend of real-time combat and turn-based gun-play, merging the quirks of both series into one beautifully monstrous chimera. The VATS, the most unique feature of this title, is executed with enough cleanliness that it's so worth launching throughout the gameplay experience just to see something explode in a creatively gooey mess. As such, Fallout 3 accomplishes what it's set out to do, and does so in a fun way.
The atmosphere and story-telling elements were not shirked, and the game feels like a silly delightful romp in post-apocalyptic U.S. of A, something that translated well from the previous titles. The dialog is charming at time, witty at others, and never feels too painfully forced. Although, the transition was not perfect, some there are occasions where the dialog could've had the je n'est sais quoi, but didn't.
[img_inline caption="Welcome to City 17... er... Washington D.C.
Don't worry, it's safter here..." width="215" height="220" align="right"]http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2374/hl2falloutep4.png[/img_inline]
The world itself looks and feels alive, and just oozes with... well... radiation. The music is era specific, the people very iconic, and the media that's spread around the game further builds a powerful immersion, making it an end-to-end experience. The radio signals and relative distance solidifies what is already there, making the whole experience suck you in and keep you there.
The largest point of contention is the consistency. Most specifically, the lack thereof. All it takes is a bit of luck, and you can honestly single-handedly throw down with a group of raiders, killing them all with a short burst of shots each. Then, the next group, exactly the same as the last, could empty your entire ammo rations, health recovery rations, and still very-nearly kill you after the fact. Only to turn around and hand you another tray of raiders on a silver-platter. The inconsistent playground is both too nice and unforgiving, and refuses to give you warning when it feels like switching.
On top of that, the game is a lot like it's predecessors in the sense that you never have enough. No matter how careful your hoarding and planning, you'll never have enough of what you need to get by without some tough scrapes. Ammo, health, repair parts, or money.
Despite that, Fallout 3 took a shot in the dark, and while not scoring a head-exploding critical hit, it certainly crippled a few limbs. It's not a game that should be bypassed, for new or veteran fans. It's a delightful game that may surprise you in a lot of pleasant ways. Go give it a shot.
