Platform:	X360
Genre:	RPG
Players:	1
Website:	http://fallout.bethsoft.com/index.html
Release Date:	October 28, 2008
Rating:

Few games have had the anticipation since debuting its teaser trailer like Fallout 3. Fallout 3 is a continuation of the Fallout series (obviously) and is done by Bethesda, the kings of sandbox survivals. The question is, can Bethesda give the great gameplay of the Elder Scrolls series with mixing in guns, a unique story and a devastated Washington D.C.wasteland. Will Bethesda hit the nail on the head or will they trip and fall into a puddle of radiation?Let us find out, here is the review of Fallout3.

Story:

Fallout 3 takes place in the year 2277 in post-nuclear fallout Washington D.C.which is 30 years after Fallout 2 and is 200 years after the nuclear destruction that has destroyed the Capitol Wasteland. You are an inhabitant of Vault 101. You start out as a child and then a teen where you take your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Strength, Perception,Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck) and G.O.A.T. (Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test) tests to choose your abilities and strengths. You then get your Pip Boy at the age of 10 which will be your lifeline through the rest of the game. Your father gives you a BB gun and teaches you how to shoot and use VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System).You wake up, age 19, to the alarm and your friend Amata who happens to be the overseer’s daughter. You find out that your father has fled Vault 101 and the Overseer goes ballistic,sending the vault police after you. You then must fight your way out of Vault101 in order to find your father. After you finally escape Vault 101, the door is shut behind you. You venture out into the open wasteland, sun blaring and all. You are to head for the city of Megaton which is just north-east of where you are at. This is where your story begins as you enter the Capitol Wasteland.

Story: A+

Gameplay:

Here is where you make a game worthwhile! Bethesda made a great engine for Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion and it gets even better with Fallout 3. The main attractions to Fallout 3 are the guns and the VATS system. The VATS system allows you to choose a body part to target such as legs, arms, chest, head, and weapon. If they are holding a grenade you sure can destroy it along with them. The area is vast and has lots for you to explore. From the outskirts of the D.C. area to the downtown area that has such well known places like the Jefferson Memorial and the Pentagon. There are many things for you to kill or be killed by. There are the large super-mutants,giant ants and mole-rats, flame spewing bugs, raiders, machines and radioactive stuff everywhere. It has the same feel as the Elder Scrolls series but with revamped and new things like the guns and creatures. Leveling up is very very important due to increasing your perks and abilities. Science is very important throughout the game as well.

Gameplay: A+

Graphics:

This is where Bethesda brings the big guns. The graphics in this game are phenomenal and heavily realistic. They have a perk upgrade dedicated to making your enemies explode like crash dummy dolls. They built the world into a believable post-apocalypse Washington D.C.and a decimated world with the inhabitants just looking to live day to day.There are many small towns of people just trying to live and then there are the two major cities, Rivit City and Megaton. All places have a realism that is kind of haunting especially when you live in America and have been to the D.C. (which yours truly has). The engine is haunting and lively at the same time.

Graphics: A

Sound:

The sound is wonderful. It is kind of nice to walk the wasteland listening to three-dog at Galaxy New Radio or the Enclave radio. When using VATS you get a bullet time sound which is a cool muffled effect. The wilderness throughout the game is creepy yet fun at the same time along with the wind sounds and enemies too. The voice acting is great with the narrator Ron Pearlman (Hellboy) and the voice of your father, which is Liam Neeson. My personal favorite voice in the game is still Malcolm McDowell who has been in such greats as Caligula and A Clockwork Orange and Adult Swim shows Robot Chicken and Metalocalypse. You might also remember Craig Sechler who voiced all of the Dark Elves from the Oblivion game.

Sound: A+

Replay:

The replay value is as high as Oblivion’s. You have to do a minimum of 3 play throughs in order to get all the games achievements due to getting an evil, good and neutral ending.The game does warrant several gameplays as it is just addictive and fun. There play is worthwhile as long as you’re a Bethesda fan.

Replay: A+

Overall:

The game itself is amazing. This is a game that can get you into the Bethesda genre and play Oblivion as well. Fallout 3 gives you the reins to fix or further destroy the Capitol Wasteland. You can be a good guy, bad guy or just neutral. You can create your own weapons like the roadway rail gun which uses rail spikes as ammo, and which has large amounts of ammo throughout the map.The guns range from a .38 special to a combat shotty to the Fat Man (A mini-nuke launcher). You have full freedom and lots of missions to complete. Great game and my personal Game Of The Year.

Overall: A+

Notes: You can find your dog companion Dogmeat, at the city Junkyard which is just south of Minefield.

Notes: Find underworld ASAP! It is a ghoul city which has a girl in it that will pay you to find places on the map. Easy caps.

Achievements:

Vault 101Citizenship Award

• Points: 10
• Details: Got the Pip-Boy 3000

The G.O.A.T.Whisperer

• Points: 10
• Details: Took the G.O.A.T.

Escape!

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Escape!"

Followingin His Footsteps

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Following in His Footsteps"

Galaxy News Radio

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Galaxy News Radio"

ScientificPursuits

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Scientific Pursuits"

Tranquility Lane

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Tranquility Lane"

The Waters of Life

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Waters of Life"

Picking up theTrail

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Picking up the Trail"

Rescue from Paradise

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Rescue from Paradise"

Findingthe Garden of Eden

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Finding the Garden of Eden"

The American Dream

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The American Dream"

Take it Back!

• Points: 40
• Details: Completed "Take it Back!"

Big Troublein Big Town

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Big Trouble in Big Town"

The SuperhumanGambit

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Superhuman Gambit"

TheWasteland Survival Guide

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Wasteland Survival Guide"

Those!

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Those!"

The Nuka-ColaChallenge

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Nuka-Cola Challenge"

Head of State

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Head of State"

The Replicated Man

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Replicated Man"

Blood Ties

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Blood Ties"

Oasis

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Oasis"

The Power ofthe Atom

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "The Power of the Atom"

Tenpenny Tower

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Tenpenny Tower"

Strictly Business

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Strictly Business"

YouGotta Shoot 'Em in the Head

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head"

Stealing Independence

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Stealing Independence"

Trouble onthe Homefront

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Trouble on the Homefront"

Agatha's Song

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Agatha's Song"

Reilly's Rangers

• Points: 20
• Details: Completed "Reilly's Rangers"

Reaver

• Points: 10
• Details: Reached Level 8 with Bad Karma

Mercenary

• Points: 10
• Details: Reached Level 8 with Neutral Karma

Protector

• Points: 10
• Details: Reached Level 8 with Good Karma

Harbinger of War

• Points: 20
• Details: Reached Level 14 with Bad Karma

Pinnacle ofSurvival

• Points: 20
• Details: Reached Level 14 with Neutral Karma

Ambassador ofPeace

• Points: 20
• Details:Reached Level 14 with Good Karma

Scourge ofHumanity

• Points: 30
• Details: Reached Level 20 with Bad Karma

Paradigm ofHumanity

• Points: 30
• Details: Reached Level 20 with Neutral Karma

Last,Best Hope of Humanity

• Points: 30
• Details: Reached Level 20 with Good Karma

Weaponsmith

• Points: 30
• Details: Made one of every custom weapon

Doesn'tPlay Well with Others

• Points: 20
• Details: Killed 300 people

Slayer of Beasts

• Points: 20
• Details: Killed 300 creatures

Silver-TonguedDevil

• Points: 20
• Details: Won 50 Speech Challenges

Data Miner

• Points: 20
• Details: Hacked 50 terminals

Keys are forCowards

• Points: 20
• Details: Picked 50 locks

One-ManScouting Party

• Points: 20
• Details: Discovered 100 locations

Psychotic Prankster

• Points: 10
• Details: Placed a grenade or mine while pickpocketing

The BiggerThey Are...

• Points: 20
• Details: Kill all the Super Mutant Behemoths

Yes, I Playwith Dolls

• Points: 10
• Details: Collected 10 Vault-Tec Bobbleheads

Vault-Tec C.E.O.

• Points: 30
• Details: Collected 20 Vault-Tec Bobbleheads