Fallout3!!!11one prt. 1

As my very first review I will be addressing Fallout 3!

To start, Anyone who hasn't played the original 2 iterations of this post apocalyptic RPG will not be alienated, a brilliant start, as they were published an age ago, and to go back and play them on any modern display is a real headache.

But the game hasn't lost its roots, there's constant subtle refrences to the previous two games, and veterans of the series really won't feel abandoned. (And yes, there are still brahmin)

And to address those of us who were worried about the switch to a first person perspective taking anything away from the original feel, you can rest at ease, as personaly i feel it really adds to the game, bringing a new level of immersion to a game that really needs it.


But back to basics, It's a pswedo FPS, with an increadibly strong well oiled RPG system, using the S.P.E.C.I.A.L system established by the previous games (Strength, perception, endurance, ect. ect. ect.). The game has been published by Bethuda Studios, the creators of the wonder that is Oblivion, and it really shines through in Fallout.

It takes place in a post appocalyptic version of DC, after a nuclear holocaust in which people were hearded into giant underground vaults for their own safty. A winner formula already.

Considering the context, the first thing that hits you is the atmosphere, it manages to co-inside with exactly what you would expect a nuclear torn DC would feel like, right down to the ambient sounds of wind. Everything feels desprate, you'll encounter the corpses of children in old beds, all adding to the experience.

After a little running around, you'll no doubt encounter a giant irradiated mole rat or the likes, and this is were the simply spectacular combat system shows itself, The vats system, more precisly. The VATS system, basicaly uses AP, or action points, that recharge over time and are used to pause gameplay, and go into aiming mode were each body part of your foe is given a percentage chance to be hit, in lue to the targetting system utilised in fallout2. Deaths in this mode are spectacualy brutal, as limbs leave bodys or heads explode and gib in a frightfuly gory fassion. This brings back almost the turn based feel of the previous games, but, if you're more into the FPS feel of things, then do not fear! The games perk system allows you to specialise between one or the other, creating as wide a varity of ways to play the game as a generic class based system.

The game also utilises the original fallouts open ended gameplay, with how you approch character development effecting your interactions with NPC's and quests, utilising a karma system. Skills also play a huge part in the game experence, and dictate how you complete quests, with situations were you could pickpocket a man for a key to the room you need to get into, or do a little quest for him, or outright kill him for it.

As you can tell, Fallout is a pretty extensive game, so keep a lookout for the second part of this review, posted soon!