Preview: Jonny emerges from the vault.
Fallout 3 is an epic science fiction action-RPG and sequel to two of the most highly-respected RPGs of all time, that comes at you, salivating and monstrous, like a cross between Mass Effect and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl, with a hefty influence from Bioshock in its production design (which in itself was originally influenced by the earlier Fallout titles). It sees you emerging from one of the vaults that have sheltered humanity since the planet became a nuclear wasteland, on a quest to find your father, who has mysteriously left the safety of the vault and ventured – somewhat inadvisably – outside, for reasons unknown.
Post-Apocalyptic Pedigree
With a promised mixture of exploration, combat against mutants and terrifying giant insects, character customisation and a strong plot, Fallout 3 already sounds like a winner, but when you take into a account that it’s being developed by Bethesda Softworks - the team behind Oblivion, no less – it suddenly becomes a truly explosive proposition.
Fallout 3 already sounds like a winner.
Fallout 3 begins with your birth in the vault, and control of yourself as a baby, and in a brilliantly original approach to character customisation you live through key moments of your development en route to shaping who you’re going to be.
Venturing into the massive gameworld (practically as big as Oblivion’s, so we’re told), you’ll need to learn to survive pretty quickly as the landscape is packed with monstrous adversaries – both human(ish) and otherwise. Combat is dealt with via an innovative turn-based-style system, which sees you inputting your desired actions before playing out your actions with a very cool cinematic animation. Combat is also varied, and like the rest of the game, pretty open-ended in the freedom you have to approach different scenarios.
One of the most intriguing things about Fallout 3 is the addition of a cool canine companion, Dogmeat, who can perform numerous tasks for you and remains totally loyal to you in the messed-up world outside.
shaping up to be one of the most promising games of 2008
A lot of effort has been put into Fallout 3’s branching dialogue options, and the relationships that ensue (or don’t) as a result of the things you say. Bethesda are confident that this will be a much more subtle and mature system than any we’ve encountered before, with certain decisions that seemed innocuous enough at the time coming back to haunt you later on in the game.
Take a Proper Gander
Add to all of these features the sumptuous graphical treatment given to the stunning-looking post-apocalyptic America (screenshots of which were apparently mistaken by an intelligence agency as “terrorist propaganda”) and you have a game which is causing us to drool at every turn.
Indeed, along with the likes of Mirror’s Edge, Gears of War 2 and Dead Space, Fallout 3 is shaping up to be one of the most promising games of 2008 and we simply cannot wait to get our hands on the finished article. Bring on the apocalypse.
Preview by: Jonny Austin
Review Published: 22.07.08