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Fallout 3 was certainly a video game that almost everyone wanted to play, and there is plenty of merit to that sentiment. With Interplay being the backbone for the first two Fallout games, many wondered if Bethesda could rekindle that same charm and wit. Although it does help to be an avid fan of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in order to enjoy Fallout 3, gamers do not have to enjoy Oblivion in order to have fun playing Fallout 3.

The storyline transpires during the year 2277 and in a post apocalyptic Washington, D.C. In layman's terms, this is exactly what Washington, D.C. would look like if Senator John McCain was elected president. Yes, that is correct. It is true. Washington, D.C. would looks like a barren wasteland if Senator John McCain was elected president of the United States of America, but it is best to not digress any further.

The protagonist is a user generated character, and he or she (depending on the user) is a member of Vault 101. Vault 101 is an underground shelter where both you and another person by the name of James are residing. James is your father, and it is later divulged that James has departed from Vault 101. The superintendent of Vault 101 becomes paranoid, and you become the scapegoat for James’ departure. As a result, you have to flee from Vault 101 and search for your father James. Fallout 3 has a strong narrative with branching paths, and this kind immersive storyline from a role playing game has just not been apparent since BioWare’s Mass Effect.

The gameplay ensues with a character customization screen which entails appearance, gender, and various attributes. From then on, Fallout 3 can be played via a third person or first person perspective. Thanks to the Pip Boy 3000, you will almost never get lost. The Pip Boy 3000 is your guiding light with maps and a myriad of objectives, and it will help you traverse the unpredictable landscape of Fallout 3.

Even though both Oblivion and Fallout 3 are comparable, there are conspicuous differences. The combat in Fallout 3 is primarily done through real time or VATS. Real time is exactly like what it sounds like, and VATS allows you to slow down time to target your adversaries. You can target any limb on your foe (ala Vagrant Story). One caveat to this is that you are not invulnerable while you use VATS, nevertheless VATS typically ends with a cinematic cut scene with plenty of gory bloodshed.

The weapons range from something as straightforward as a handgun to a miniature nuclear launcher known as the fat man. In Fallout 3, it goes above and beyond what anyone would expect. The side missions and puzzles are lengthy and far more expansive than a prototypical going from point A to point B, and the main storyline campaign explores numerous environments such as catacombs and streets.

Trivial things like utilizing a lock pick are done masterfully. The goal is to line up a mechanism and gingerly twist the lock. If you accomplish this task correctly, then the lock will be unlocked. You also have to be vigilant about how much pressure is applied to the lock.

Another puzzle involves computer hacking. Players will be presented with one of two options when they encounter these puzzles. One option is to use tools that can make the computer hacking process more doable. The other option is to hack the computer terminal without any assistance from other utensils. Whenever you hack a computer, the objective is a word mini game. When you select a word, the screen will inform you about how many of the letters in the word are in the correct position. There are a limited number of opportunities to guess the appropriate answer, so you should choose wisely. Sometimes, the Pip Boy 3000 is used to mollify a puzzle. Even though some of the puzzles are redundant, they are unique enough to keep things engrossing.

You interact with people via a dialogue selection screen, and there are a plethora of choices to pick. A word of caution is that each choice you make will have a consequence: positive, negative, or neutral. With the countless lists of stats and skills, the two most significant ones are the strength statistic and the repair skill.

The inventory scheme is reliant on your customizable character. For example, the amount of equipment you can have in your inventory depends on the strength statistic. An insufficient strength statistic will result in and an inadequate amount of gear and vice versa. The repair skill is an invaluable skill because you can use it to unite a bevy of items together to create more space in your inventory. This is analogous to mixing herbs in a game like Resident Evil.

Along with the stats and skills, there are the levels and perks. There are a grand total of twenty levels, and you earn perks by advancing to the next level. The perks are eerily reminiscent to the perk schematic available in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Moreover, a perk may influence your health or ability to pilfer objects from computer controlled characters.