Fallout 3 First Impressions

[Killian Kalthorne]

Okie dokie folks, here is my initial opinions, if any of you cared, of Fallout 3 on the XBox 360 and keep in mind that I am still in new game ferret shock mode. Each individual section ranges from 1 to 20, with a final score gives a percentage. I am curious to other people's first impressions of the game.

 

Eye Candy: 14

The graphics of the game are good, but what game out nowadays doesn't sport good graphics so that aside lets talk about animation, environmental, and lighting effects. The animation of the game is a far improvement from Bethesda's previous work in Oblivion but it is not up to par compared to other action oriented CRPGs such as Mass Effect. The environment and lighting effects are decent and draws you in, but there is also a lacking in weather. Overall the eye candy is above average, but nothing spectacular.

 

Audiophile: 18

The music of the game fits very well within the setting. Inon Zur did a great job of it and keeps the ambient feel of the wasteland. Also the radio tunes from the two stations within the gam can play songs that are strangely appropriate. I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire by the Inkspots popped on while I was been mauled by fire ants (fire breathing ants!) nearly had me double over laughing, then I died. The voice talent is decent, and with a wider array of voice actors than what was in Oblivion there is far less repetition. The sound effects from various weapons are top-notched and overall I have no real complaints about the audio aspects of the game.

 

Gameplay: 18

This is not your grandfather's Fallout. The action is intense, and strangely enough the VATS system works quite well. I do miss the old text blurbs when one criticals, but the visual impact is much much strnger. There is no targeting the groin, however sad that is for hilarity sakes, but you can target an enemy's weapon, which is far more useful. Sure, it would be nice to get that minigun from the super mutant, but first you need to kill him and he most certainly will ry to use it on you. While it you can make it useless for yourself, you can make it useless for him, which gives you the overall advantage. The controls for the XBox 360 is a little awkward and not as intuitive as Oblivion or Mass Effect, and there is a bit of a learning curve to the game. The usual Fed Ex quests are there but a few branch off to more interesting story lines. I just want to add it has the most unique character creation and tutorial that I have seen in any game.

 

Setting: 17

The use of Fallout lore is good, and expands on a couple of things, though I haven't gotten to deep into the game as of yet. You can get a good history of the locations that you visit, but unlike the Elder Scrolls, you can get the majority of the backstory by actually talking to people instead of reading books. People do seem to react to the way you act which is good in my ever so humble opinion, and there are more than a few quirky people you come across, such as Beatrice in Vault 101. Her poetry is... disturbing. I say that it keeps to the setting and lore well enough, much better than I thought it would.

 

Fun Factor: 18

The game is very much fun to play, and it is a challenge to play. The mini-games actually meld well into the primary game play, such as lock picking and computer hacking, unlike Oblivion's. Best of all there is no annoying Dialogue Mini-Game. The annoyances from Oblivion seemed to be removed, and are replaced or even omitted. The challenge level of the game is very much there and as a warning, ammo is scarce so look everywhere, collect every weapon you can. I can honestly say that I am having a great deal of fun playing the game, but in its presentation it really gives you a re taste of how hard it would be to survive on the wasteland.

 

Not-So Final Score: 85%

Edited October 29, 2008 by Killian Kalthorne

[Slowtrain]

The annoyances from Oblivion seemed to be removed, and are replaced or even omitted.

 

 

That's good news.

 

What about level scaling? Is that horrible thing where the npcs and general bandits level with you, stats and gear both, still in play?

[Gfted1]

Good read.

[Killian Kalthorne]

The annoyances from Oblivion seemed to be removed, and are replaced or even omitted.

 

 

That's good news.

 

What about level scaling? Is that horrible thing where the npcs and general bandits level with you, stats and gear both, still in play?

 

I think there is minor level scaling, but nothing compared to Oblivion. Some areas I have came across I was definitely to low for and I got my butt munched on, while some areas I just mowed down.

[Slowtrain]

Also, how does exploring feel? WHen you wander about do you feel at risk? Like there are things out there could seriously damage you? Are you nervous about poking your nose into unexplored place?

 

Are all the loot items still leveled? Like in Oblivion where all you find is completely uninteresting junk in all the chests. Are you finding cool stuff as you explore or just the Fallout equivalent of Oblivion's constant supply rusted swords and armor and forks and wolf pelts?

 

Are stores actually useful? DO they actually sell things you can use and want to buy?

[Llyranor]

The great thing about FO3 is that it allows you to pause the game in order to aim by default. It's pretty innovative.

[Killian Kalthorne]

Its the wasteland. Everything is useful in some way, and there is always risk. I was walking down the busted up highway from just escaping the vault and got jumped by three raiders. One of them had a freaking flamethrower! I was able to take down one but then I decided to run away. As I turned to run, the buddy of the flamethrower guy pegged me with a critical hit t the back of the skull. I'm nervous just walking outside.

 

Loot items seem to be leveled not by the character but by the person using it. You can come across a super mutant while still rather low, if you go the wrong places to soon, and he will have an appropriate weapon for being a super mutant which will make you hamburger. Random loot seems to be more along the lines of what would logically be available to the location you are at and its inhabitants than based on your character.

 

I have come across a couple of merchants and they often sell ammo, and ammo is very very very very very very important. As are stimpacks. Some stores will weapon your weapons and armor, though you can do that by cannibalizing similar weapons. If you have 3 10mm's you can repair one by taking the parts of the other 2.

[Slowtrain]

Its the wasteland. Everything is useful in some way, and there is always risk. I was walking down the busted up highway from just escaping the vault and got jumped by three raiders. One of them had a freaking flamethrower! I was able to take down one but then I decided to run away. As I turned to run, the buddy of the flamethrower guy pegged me with a critical hit t the back of the skull. I'm nervous just walking outside.

 

Loot items seem to be leveled not by the character but by the person using it. You can come across a super mutant while still rather low, if you go the wrong places to soon, and he will have an appropriate weapon for being a super mutant which will make you hamburger. Random loot seems to be more along the lines of what would logically be available to the location you are at and its inhabitants than based on your character.

 

I have come across a couple of merchants and they often sell ammo, and ammo is very very very very very very important. As are stimpacks. Some stores will weapon your weapons and armor, though you can do that by cannibalizing similar weapons. If you have 3 10mm's you can repair one by taking the parts of the other 2.

 

 

That sounds really good.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer, kk. I appreciate it.

 

Here's a big question for you, and it may be too early in your game to have an answer, but I'll ask anyway:

 

Do you feel like your choice of stats and skills is creating a unique player character? Do you feel like your player character will not have some options that another pc will and vice versa? Does having a high skill, say in speech or lockpicking, make a real difference to the game?

[Aristes]

Nice read, Killian, like Gftd1 said. I wonder if ammo will continue to be scarce or if we'll get into the usual "I'm so rich in weapons, ammo, bottle caps, and hookers that I OWN this area" syndrome.

[Arkan]

Sounds good, so far.

 

With regard to graphics, how system intensive is it? Keeping in mind I could make Oblivion look purdy and still perform well.

 

That being said, I'm running:

 

XP SP2 (need to grab 3, I guess)

Dual Core 2.2 Ghz

2 G RAM

512 MB GeForce 8600M GT

[Killian Kalthorne]

I haven't gotten that far into the game as of yet, but I can say with certainty that having a high Speech is important, and high ability scores and high level in certain skills do open dialogue options with certain NPCs that I have experienced so far.

[Killian Kalthorne]

Sounds good, so far.

 

With regard to graphics, how system intensive is it? Keeping in mind I could make Oblivion look purdy and still perform well.

 

That being said, I'm running:

 

XP SP2 (need to grab 3, I guess)

Dual Core 2.2 Ghz

2 G RAM

512 MB GeForce 8600M GT

 

I am playing the XBox 360 version, but you meet the minimum requirements handily. I would say you could play the game on medium settings but I don't know for certain.

[jaguars4ever]

Do you feel like your choice of stats and skills is creating a unique player character? Do you feel like your player character will not have some options that another pc will and vice versa? Does having a high skill, say in speech or lockpicking, make a real difference to the game?

I'd have to say so, crashgirl.

 

Take my smarmy charmy Doc Holiday character. Unlike the demo videos where that sheriff d00d threatens to "f***in' end yah" as I'm "f***in' pyscho wastelander", he's was practically melting in the palm of my hands.

 

Almost every dialog I've seen so far has a special "speech check" dialog which is working really great for my guy. Also, depending of perks like Lady Killer/Blackwidow or Child at Heart, you'll get special dialogs with members of the opposite sex, or children, respectively.

 

Also, there are certain primary stat dialog options too (i.e. a high strength allows you to intimidate).

 

Good stuff so far.

[Arkan]

I haven't gotten that far into the game as of yet, but I can say with certainty that having a high Speech is important, and high ability scores and high level in certain skills do open dialogue options with certain NPCs that I have experienced so far.

 

 

How is dialog handled compared to Oblivion? No wheelie thing? Or is it based purely on skill/stats, as it should be? And does what you say actually matter, or do you just get more options?

[Leferd]

So I take it that if you don't want to make a non-gimped build, you should tag small guns and speech?

 

Incidentally, is it possible to plant explosives on someone and watch them blow up?

[Slowtrain]

Do you feel like your choice of stats and skills is creating a unique player character? Do you feel like your player character will not have some options that another pc will and vice versa? Does having a high skill, say in speech or lockpicking, make a real difference to the game?

I'd have to say so, crashgirl.

 

Take my smarmy charmy Doc Holiday character. Unlike the demo videos where that sheriff d00d threatens to "f***in' end yah" as I'm "f***in' pyscho wastelander", he's was practically melting in the palm of my hands.

 

Almost every dialog I've seen so far has a special "speech check" dialog which is working really great for my guy. Also, depending of perks like Lady Killer/Blackwidow or Child at Heart, you'll get special dialogs with members of the opposite sex, or children, respectively.

 

Also, there are certain primary stat dialog options too (i.e. a high strength allows you to intimidate).

 

Good stuff so far.

 

Wow. That sounds pretty good. So you don't feel like the game is going to railroad Doc into the same combat heavy role as it might some high strength/endurance character?

[Killian Kalthorne]

So I take it that if you don't want to make a non-gimped build, you should tag small guns and speech?

 

Incidentally, is it possible to plant explosives on someone and watch them blow up?

 

Not at all. You can run away, and having high score in other skills can play an important role. ANd yes, if you have a good sneak and a frag grenade, you can sneakily blow up people. There is an achievement for that called actually.

[Killian Kalthorne]

How is dialog handled compared to Oblivion? No wheelie thing? Or is it based purely on skill/stats, as it should be? And does what you say actually matter, or do you just get more options?

 

To be honest, its like Fallout.

[random n00b]

There is no targeting the groin

FALLOUT IN NAME ONLY!

 

Ahem, how's HtH combat, anyway?

[jaguars4ever]

So I take it that if you don't want to make a non-gimped build, you should tag small guns and speech?

 

Incidentally, is it possible to plant explosives on someone and watch them blow up?

1) That's what I did (my build is posted in the other thread). But I suppose you could go with high Charisma (for the natural speech increase modifier), and high Intelligence (and/or the Educated perk) and use those extra skill points into whatever you want (such as speech).

 

2) Definitely! The "plant" is the sexier sister of "pickpocket", you know!

 

Also, there's some First Bitchizen Lynette syndrome going on too! (i.e. if you permanently piss off someone...then bye-bye area).

Edited October 29, 2008 by jaguars4ever

[Killian Kalthorne]

There is no targeting the groin

FALLOUT IN NAME ONLY!

 

Ahem, how's HtH combat, anyway?

 

That is a weak spot since you cannot target specific limbs in VATS, though you can get some interesting cinematics. Such as my roommate was playing the game and was using a baseball bat. He went into VATS and used up all his action points to beat of this guy. Well, the last animation showed him swinging the bat striking the poor guy under the chin and he flew backwards into the wall which he slid down and slumped on the floor. Melee and HtH is decent enough, but the lack of targeting body parts makes it not as interesting as shooting people or using grenades.

[Arkan]

Sounds pretty good. This will be my first video game purchase since NWN2!

[jaguars4ever]

Do you feel like your choice of stats and skills is creating a unique player character? Do you feel like your player character will not have some options that another pc will and vice versa? Does having a high skill, say in speech or lockpicking, make a real difference to the game?

I'd have to say so, crashgirl.

 

Take my smarmy charmy Doc Holiday character. Unlike the demo videos where that sheriff d00d threatens to "f***in' end yah" as I'm "f***in' pyscho wastelander", he's was practically melting in the palm of my hands.

 

Almost every dialog I've seen so far has a special "speech check" dialog which is working really great for my guy. Also, depending of perks like Lady Killer/Blackwidow or Child at Heart, you'll get special dialogs with members of the opposite sex, or children, respectively.

 

Also, there are certain primary stat dialog options too (i.e. a high strength allows you to intimidate).

 

Good stuff so far.

 

Wow. That sounds pretty good. So you don't feel like the game is going to railroad Doc into the same combat heavy role as it might some high strength/endurance character?

Actually, Doc being the charming son of devil that he is was able to rescue the damsel in distress by TURNING certain gang members against each other (ala lord of the rings Wormtongue) rather then engage in hostilities.

 

I've only been fighting so far out of choice as Doc's an absolute demon with a pistol, and VATS (I'm truly ashamed to admit ), is one of the most addictive game mechanics since NwN2's metamagics.

[mkreku]

Ahem, how's HtH combat, anyway?

One review mentioned how he critically hit some rabid dog from above with a melee weapon, and the carcass bounced off the ground. That sounded pretty cool to me.

[Slowtrain]

It sounds like Bethesda really stepped up for this one.

 

I think I'm going to faint actually. But it's a good kind of faint.