Fallout 3
Posted 02/10/09 at 09:15:58 PM by Will Smith
Comments
Print
Email
No one makes a big open-world role-playing game like Bethesda. That’s what the Elder Scrolls games are famous for, and that’s what the company has brought to the post-nuclear-holocaust milieu of Fallout 3. The game takes you to the world outside Vault 101, the charred remains of the Washington D.C. metro area 200 years after the nukes flew. Truly, Bethesda has built an amazing world.
And this world is the star of the game. Fallout 3 is massive—closer to a single-player MMO than a traditional, linear single-player RPG. As you explore the Wasteland, which surrounds D.C., you’ll meet hundreds of people, many of whom have their own stories to tell, and find hundreds of locations to explore. These range from fully fledged towns to survivalist outposts to ammo caches to camps for the various factions that populate the land. As in Oblivion, you control your progress through the game. Should you choose to skip the main quest, you can explore the world and look for adventure, completing quests and reaping the rewards along the way.
The combat system is equally astounding. Fallout 3 lets you switch between the VATS and a real-time system that’s closer to what you’d find in a first-person shooter. In the real-time mode, you point your weapon at the target and fire. Hits are registered on different areas of the enemies’ bodies, doing different amounts of damage based on such factors as accuracy, movement speed, and environmental awareness. VATS mode lets you target and queue your shots at specific areas of the enemies’ bodies—legs, head, arms, torso, etc.—as well as increase the chance of a crit, which will do extra damage. The catch is that you can queue only a limited number of shots in VATS mode at once. Each VATS shot costs AP, which regenerates slowly over time. Successful players will end up using a combination of VATS and real-time combat. Both of which are very satisfying.
The world is astounding, there are dozens of side quests, and the combat is fun. Unfortunately, Fallout 3 is far from perfect. This may sound a bit whiny, but the main quest just doesn’t feel special. Part of the problem is that the side quests are universally of a very high quality. Still, we expect the main quest to deliver the most drama, excitement, and wonder in the game, and it doesn’t.
Our other complaints are more technical. The first is that the game has a very low level cap. While the level 20 cap ensures that our characters never became godlike, we reached the cap after only a few hours of play, which removed much of our opportunity for character advancement. The big problem, however, is stability. Fallout 3 crashes more than any other AAA title we’ve played in the last year. Were the game stable, it would undoubtedly receive a Kick Ass award. As it is, we can’t give it more than an 8.
Fallout 3
A Boy & his Dog
Amazing world full of excitement and adventure. Runs great on almost any machine. Looks incredible!
The Postman
The game crashes, lots. Low level cap. Main quest kind of dull.
Mine doesn't crash at all
Submitted by Bender on Tue, 05/05/2009 - 3:58pm
Mine doesn't crash at all (hasn't crashed a single time since I've loaded it in - and I am running 1.0.0.12., and i'm currently level 18). My problem is that occasionally my mouse curser lags a little when I navigate across my pipboy. Also, it wil randomly jump from first-person perspective to third-person perspective . . . weird.
Lastly, and this may be common b/w PC, X-Box and PS3, but I've found several "holes" in the world out in the Wastelands. One time a mob I killed fell into one, and I couldn't loot his body.
Hmmph . . . other than that, it's a spectacular game. I agree with the '8' verdict!
Submitted by enclave1488 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 8:33pm
Been having issues with game crashing when I try to save in different areas, like Megaton. Now I am running several mods, but never had a issue like that with any of them until i reached Level 16. Funny thing is, it also started crashing when that new patch came out 1.5 or w/e. It doesn't always crash. I went thru all my mods and none are the issue. Because I reloaded a saved game that was 5 mins prior to the saved game I played in which I traveled to Megaton and then tried to save and game crashed. Reloaded the game before that, and I did the same thing and no crash in Megaton. It seems almost as if something is corrupting my game so that it won't let me save. I don't know what the problem is, I just know that none of my mods ever were a problem until that patch two or so days ago.
Submitted by rocketman_2004 on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 10:40pm
i would reccomend playing this one on console. it doesnt crash...
Submitted by AndyYankee17 on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 7:01pm
I'm pissed, my save file's currupted (right after I met 3 dog), and I don't have any backups, nice job bethesda
A button?
Submitted by Stry8993 on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 7:54pm
Looked all over for my Right Bumper... guess Microsoft Reclusa Keyboards aren't as fully featured as the keyboards at MP's office... *sarcasm*.
Though they could've used a 360 Controller, but come on, Maximum PC... Minimum BS... they never said NO BS... and this isn't a podcast.
Submitted by AndyYankee17 on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 7:02pm
no...
you can use a 360 controller with the pc
Submitted by hogkill on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 11:26am
no, they reviewed at least a month ago. i remember reading this somewhere so it must have been one of the magazines, they probably just put the review on the site now.
It's deserve Kick Ass
Submitted by wk on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 10:21am
Most disappointing review of fallout 3
First of all i played the entire game on my laptop (inspiron e1505) about 96 playing hours without a single crash (YES, it never crashed).
second, the game design and world is truely brilliant, it is true that main guest story is little disappointing but that is not a major issue, side quests are plentiful and great, u can play as long as u like.
Will, this game deserve a better review, a better score and a definite KICK ASS AWARD.
MPC is my home page
Submitted by farlo on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 10:12am
after installing the newest patch i didnt get many crashes, the game is good, but it gets old after a while because it seems so repetitive.
i miss the old fallout.
Submitted by fspikec on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 7:10am
This game came out months ago, you're now just reviewing it?
As for the bugs, I really didn't notice any more or less than any other game right of the box. I'm currently going through the game for a 3rd time (neutral karma this time) and haven't felt the need to be paranoid about saving.
Submitted by jensenh1999 on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 5:04am
This game is very messed up and crashes like clock work. I have reloaded windows, purchased a new video card, sound card and Maxed out my ram, and it still crashes. Tech support from Bethesda was at best no help. I have tried all the patches, tricks, and tweaks I have been able to find. It appears to only be the software with Fallout 3.
I can play other "demanding" games (Bioshock, Call of Duty (All), with no issues. Only this game crashes.
That being said, the game play rocks, the graphics are great, and by saving a lot, I am slowly getting through the game. Come on Bethesda; create the patches that fix this beast.
Sevjer13
It doesn't crash "a lot" as
Submitted by Jeffredo on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 7:52am
It doesn't crash "a lot" as the author says. I've played two characters upwards of 150 hours since November and I can count on one hand the locks ups I've had. Keep a clean, up to date PC, patch the game and you shouldn't have the kind of trouble mentioned in the article. Heard the same thing about Oblivion ad nauseum and I had very little trouble in 1000 hours of play with it. I think people are their own worst enemies where game stability is concerned.
Consider yourself fortunate
Submitted by Justin.Kerr on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 9:30pm
Fallout 3 crashes more then a junkie on Jet.
I can count on one hand how many times it crashes on my system per hour, and it is the only game I seem to consistantly have problems with.
Guess your system has good Karma, check back in if you upgrade or change your configuration!
I know they're using an
Submitted by Brewskie on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 11:39pm
I know they're using an updated Gamebryo engine that Oblivion used, but what are the differences....really? V.A.T.S.? I meaan common. Where's the colors? Where's the variety in textures? The ambience of Fallout3 reminds me more of Doom3 than anything else. I realize the game should be gloomy, but is it really meant to be drab as well?
Bethsoft left Oblivion in an unfinished state; they were so excited to get the Fallout franchise they left Oblivion high and dry. As it is you have to use mods to get the game (oblivion) patched up.
Are they going to repeat this with Fallout3?
The Ultimate Chiller
¨˜”°º•BREW•º°”˜¨My System:
Windows Vista Premium SP1 32bit
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9500 @ 3.78ghz
XFX 780i 3-way SLI nVidia Mainboard
2 gig OCZ Fatal1ty 1333mhz
BFG GTX 280oc
Not only glitches, but
Submitted by horzo on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:54pm
Not only glitches, but serious bugs.
Max PC is the first review I've seen that's under 90% and isn't babbling on about "game of the year." Fallout 3 is good, yes, but it's just too f-d up technically to be great.
As ever, thanks for being honest guys.
Crashes
Submitted by maniacm0nk3y on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 8:33pm
Not to put Bethesda down, but have they always had crash glitches and others in all their games? Maybe it's because the worlds are so large and stuff that something is bound to happen no matter what.
Definitly have to agree with
Submitted by dropslash on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:28pm
Definitly have to agree with the glitch factors. You can so easily get pulled into the world, really start to hit your stride, and then some idiotic glitch just yanks you straight out of that immersion. By the time i had finished Fallout 3 i had over 1400 saves. I was bitten so many times by glitches just undoing my progress that i just started habitually saving every time i made an important decision, drastically altered my inventory, fired a risky shot, etc. That constant worrying and removal from the game stride really hurt the experience for me.
Submitted by AndyYankee17 on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:14pm
I just started playing this game, it's incredible, the combat system is, just unique, I'd call it the ultimate FPS/RPG hybrid
Must Read Articles
Feature
Review
Feature
Feature
Feature
Most Popular Articles
This Month's Issue
FEATURE How to Get FREE Programs, Services, Software & MoreFEATURE Digital Photo Printer RoundupHOW TOBuild a 3D CameraFEATUREDIY Arcade PCWHITE PAPERHow TRIM Works
Technology News
Computer Cooling Fans
Computer Cases
PC Game Controllers
PC Games
Computer Hardware
Headphones
MP3 Players
Stream Video
Computer Mouse
Monitors
Motherboards
NAS Storage
Networking
Laptop Computers
DVD Burner
Digital Cameras
Portable Storage
Computer Accessories
Smartphone
Antivirus Software
Sound Cards
Speakers
Computer Systems
Thumb Drives
Video Cameras
Video Card Reviews
Water Cooling
Gadgets
- Keyboards
© 2009 Future US, Inc. All Rights Reserved.