Retrospect: Fall Back In Love, With Fallout 3

Recoiling my time with Fallout 3 is reminiscent of watching a great movie that you forgot even existed. You quickly extract vivid images from your extensive memory, and once again become captivated by its forgotten genius, but unlike a classic movie, your subconscious also conjures up the enormous sense of despondency you endure, from the games extensive dilemmas. This is Fallout 3, an immersive world teething with dangers, not just from mutated insects, rodents and even humans, but also from the harsh and highly radioactive environment that is the Capital Wasteland, but equally sullied by its well documented problems. The question is, is Fallout 3 still playable? Well the answer is simply, Yes.

Ok, there are issues, the very same contentions we all remember, but there not as glaringly obvious as they appeared in hindsight, nor nearly as frequent. Glitches and other nuances have become unfortunately affluent in many of Bethesda’s titles, although it harbours many bugs, it doesn’t contain the same crippling defects associated with both New Vegas and Skyrim, which symbolizes that Fallout 3’s problems are rendered somewhat obsolete, in comparison to its successors.

Fallout 3 has never been a visually appealing RPG, opting for every shade of green and grey conceivable, but in a world as ravaged and somewhat desperate as the one conveyed here, it should come as no surprise that you’re not carelessly skipping through beautiful green fields, inhabited by rainbow coloured unicorns, (what a tender world that would be?). So in that respect, the graphics play a minute part in this games overall appeal, although its fair to suggest that it’s aged about as well as a Dorian Gray portrait. But where Fallout flourishes, is in its ability to keep you hooked in its own singular fashion.

As with many (if not all) Bethesda titles, the only way to travel is in first person, as switching to third person perspective will leave your character to skirt across the Capital Wasteland like an inebriated contestant, participating in Dancing on Ice. The detailed post apocalyptic, Washington is still as perilous as I remember, with dangerous Raiders as well as the aforementioned grandeurs creatures, which continually lurk throughout the city and the surrounding areas, being your main distractions. But taking advantage of the V.A.T.S is still as equally satisfying, as you watch in satisfied elation, as the dismembered heads of your enemies slowly ascend through the air, like a well struck Nadal forehand in slow motion. Fallout 3 is still a challenging proposition, which can leave you frustrated at points, but never feels unfairly balanced, not to mention the rather peculiar nod to heavy metal band, Fear Factory (if your unsure of what I mean, then check out the computer in the “Museum of Technology”). The plot is mediocre, neither absorbing nor reprehensible, just ok, and the sense of desperation that smothers almost every aspect of Fallout 3, can feel a little overwhelming, but once you’ve become accustomed to the dark overtones, you soon uncover why Fallout 3 can be an obsession.

Exploring ever inch of this depleted land, scavenging for supplies such as ammo and caps, or simply blasting copious amounts of Super Mutants into extravagant, rain-soaked glory, is what makes this game compelling. The freedom and the sense of control can not be understated, just the ability to arrogantly stride across the Waste’s like an Armageddon esq Clint Eastwood, is a novelty that feels continually satisfying (A Fist Fall of “Caps” perhaps?).

Overall, Fallout 3 is an absorbing but flawed experience, but in many ways is a more accomplished and fluid RPG than the subsequent titles that have followed, including Skyrim! The diverse range of Weapons and quests will suitably pacify, even the most demanding of completest, and is somewhat more enjoyable than my original play through. The enormous sense of isolation in this vast, but barren environment, can feel unnecessarily bleak at times, but that is one of Fallout 3’s, more subtlety attractive propositions, that your being totally absorbed into a reality that could credibly happen.

Have you played Fallout 3 recently? Let me know what you think of it.