Fallout 3 - Xbox 360 Game of the Year Edition

I'm not going to go in depth about the gameplay, visuals, sound, etc., because a lot of people before me have written extensive and thoughtful assessments of those features, I'll just illustrate my experience with this game. When it comes to Bethesda, I've played (in order) Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim and finally this, so I didn't play it in the order it came to the market. There are some similarities between this and Skyrim. The cutscenes that were included in FO3 were added in Skyrim which was a good look, commendation to Bethesda for that. Also, one of the music numbers in FO3 was included in Skyrim, I don't know whether it was to save money or time, but I welcomed it because it bought me back to the Elder Scrolls series and the numerous beautiful sceneries of Skyrim. My expectations for this game were dismal and I didn't expect much because I get disappointed easily, but everything from the original V.A.T.S. shooting system to the clever and practical decisions in dialogue when conversing with NPCs in the game to the refreshing contemporary setting in which the plot takes place (as opposed to the medieval time period with Bethesda's Elder Scrolls franchise) made FO3 more interesting and enjoyable. I picked up this Game of the Year edition for $20 and it included the five expansion packs/downloadable contents. "The Pitt" and "Operation Anchorage" are fun to play, especially the latter. And Broken Steel is cool for two reasons: 1) it allows you to level up from level 20 to level 30 with some new exciting "perks" and 2) it'll permit you to continue playing the game even when you've completed it (which wasn't the case previously and received a lot of criticism for). The other two-Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta-were generally a little too mundane and tame for me. I have to point out though, in Point Lookout, the quests surrounding the Calvert Mansion and Desmond are some of the most thrilling quests, not only in the expansions packs, but in the totality of the game. If you're looking for a game that will give you hundreds of hours of pleasurable content, but don't want to spend a lot of money, this has to be it. I hesitated and waited for about four years until I broke the seal and popped this into my console. I put in around 200 hours-easily-and I'm still planning to put more in to collect the various Vault Boy Bobbleheads and also to discover the rest of the map. Tip: Save often, don't rely on auto saves. And when you do save, spread them out as opposed to overwriting them. That way, if you're dissatisfied with your choices or the path your character is taking in the storyline or whatever the case may be, you can chronologically go back and pick up where you've left off. Also, I haven't had a lot of problems with the game freezing up early on, but more recently, it has occurred. Some of this "freezing" up occurs in V.A.T.S. mode when you're in the middle of a cut scene. Also, it's very rare, but it's happened with me where my character was stuck between two objects rendering him immobile. So, again, save often.

As a long time gamer, when I stop and look around at the landscape of gaming, I am truly amazed. From the Atari 2600 to the XBOX 360s and PS3s it boggles the mind. I spent much of the 90s getting back into gaming after a layoff while I went to school and was busy with all the things you get tied up in, in those years. I gamed mostly on PC, and the Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics were replayed countless times in my house. When I heard the franchise was being revived on the current generation of platforms, I had mixed feelings. I was worried the game might become another series of yearly almost identical releases, that just melt into one another. I need not have worried. Having played the originals on PC, the post apocalypse RPG aspect is what I found most interesting, and that part translated without a hiccup to the current platforms. Some of the humor didnt make the jump. For example - you spend 50 or 100 hours in Fallout, looking for a water chip to keep your vault going - it is the whole point of the game. So in Fallout 2, while looting containers you come across a room with HUNDREDS of water chips loaded into almost every corner of the level. In a pull out your hair kind of way, that is FUNNY! There are no Dr Who phone booths or encounters with King Arthur in the wastes of Fallout 3. You will not come across a spaceship with a ray gun and velvet Elvis painting, nor will you have to recreate the Monty Python bridge keeper dialogue to save being cast into the void. On the plus side, you will also never find your Highwayman trunk randomly appearing with no sign of your car at all, or vice versa.... And when it comes to freezing up, I do not think Fallout 3 froze up in all my PC and XBOX playthroughs (15 or 20 of them) as many times as Fallout 2 did the first weekend I played it. SAVE EARLY SAVE OFTEN is a mantra for a very good reason. Although I did did "stuck" in a subway tube between a wall and train once or twice - the bugs were kept to a minimum in my experience. I am glad I stuck with it, because even as a fan, I have to admit, this game starts out SLOW while you are still in the vault, setting up the story to come. I dont know how a game and the music and radio in it can make me feel nostalgic for a time I never experienced, but this game pulls it off - all while shooting up ghouls, raiders, super mutants, and mis-guided para-militant survivor groups. And talk about a sandbox game, once you are out of the vault, you can do whatever you want. For something different you can even just wander the wastes, ignoring the story and killing every thing, and every one in sight. So, if you have a couple hundred hours of your life that you dont have any plans for, and you have never played this game - what are you waiting for?

I think most everyone knows about Fallout 3 by now- but for the few who don't... This is a game that defies explanation, it's truly just an experience that you have to take part in to understand. Gameplay appeal is going to always be subjective, so there is no need trying to convince someone they will like how this game works or not, they either will or will not. Some may complain about the technical shortcomings- yes, the character models are not that great, yes, the animation is not the most cutting edge motion capture you will ever see, yes, there are occasional bugs and glitches- but- these are nothing compared to the overwhelming positives Fallout 3 brings to the table. Personally, I find the gameplay very engaging; the combat never gets old, the amount of things to collect and discover keeps you coming back, and it offers enough overall depth to sustain investment over what can reach triple digit hours. I first played through this game in early 2009 when it was first released. I did so with no help or guides, and I enjoyed it immensely. Recently, I picked up the GOTY edition, which is a fantastic value, and read up a little to be sure I wasn't missing as much as I did the first time... and boy, does this offer an epic journey! I would say the average player will miss an absolute minimum of 50% of the game's content the first time through, and even then this is a huge game. The amount of depth to the world in Fallout 3 is staggering, and there are simply so many fantastic moments, places, and characters that it is hard not to place this as one of the most memorable games ever. The setting is brilliant, with a the-past-is-the-future 50's theme, the humor is great, constantly poking subtle fun at 50's idealism and the views of the future at that time. There are also some thoughtfully serious undercurrents; really the art design is very clever, as it juxtaposes upbeat, old time appeal against the stark horror of a nuclear holocaust; it is all very well executed. All I can say, is on every level, this is about as perfect as a game can be. This is a big, complicated game too, so the fact that this all came together so well is a huge accomplishment, and is definitely worth your time.

This is a Game of the Year Edition for a reason. The world after the apocalypse is lonely and hard. Love playing a game that makes me work for the goals. Desolate and haunting, it's a contrast to Fallout: New Vegas (which was notably created by different people and has a different "feel" altogether). The epitome of a Western RPG, you get to play the character the way you want. Like to leave the world better than it was than you came into it? You can do that. Rather play as the scum of the earth type? Go ahead. Or maybe you're more of the middle-of-the-road sort, doing what you can when you can while trying to save yourself. For Bethesda, the story is pretty darn good. Video game writing in general has improved massively over the past decade, so the achievements here are mind-blowing to me. Growing up playing stuff like Mortal Kombat and Super Mario before 3D graphics, I didn't think stuff like this would ever be anything but a pipe dream. No, the story-telling isn't Oscar material, but put it in context (video games are a fairly new medium, after all), and Fallout 3 is a pretty darn big deal. If you're a gamer of a certain age, you might remember how crazy JRPGs like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger were at the time they came out -- so it's cool to see WRPGs make a real effort of their own Didn't run into many glitches in my play throughs, but this game has been out for yonks, so most of them are patched at this point. It took me over a hundred hours to reach the finish both times, and I still haven't reached "full completion", so there is loads of content to explore. The graphics are what they are for the time the game was published (although character models do suffer a bit from "Bethesda face", it's not as horrifying as Oblivion was). I'd recommend finishing up the DLC before completing the main storyline. The world felt a little emptier after I finished the main quest (for reasons I won't spoil here), so it's best to get everything else done before the big story folds up.

2008 was the year of great games: Dead Space, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, GTA IV, Metal Gear Soild IV, Left 4 Dead (too many 2's & 4's!) and this game. If Fallout 3 was not great, my game of the year would be Dead Space or GoW 2...but their not. Fallout 3 is a RPG with shooter elements, 1st or 3rd (you can switch on the fly.) But lets talk about the game. First up: the story. Story: The main storyline of Fallout 3 is probly the best story ive seen since Dragon Age: Origins. You go from your first day of birth, to your first steps, your first Pip-Boy (best gadget EVER,) and you take the G.O.A.T. But one day, you (19 years old) found out your father had escaped the Vault. You set a quest to find him: from the simple town of Megaton (a town named after a live atomic bomb...yes, i said a LIVE BOMB)to Rivet City (a town built on an old ship.) But along the way, you face danger around every corner: raiders, feral ghouls, rad scorpions, super mutants, and >shivers< deathclaws. Now not to spoil anything but you do find him, but nothing more. Controls: The cotrols are good, nothing to talk about here. Grapics: On a HDTV and on 720p or 1080p, the grapics...are AMAZING. From the most simple crack in the wall, to the open world running with the trees and rocks and destoryed buildings, and the enemies. I could spend nearly 30 mins. to an hour just looking at the grapics alone. Sound: Another thing that won me over with this game. The way the guns sound, sound of footsteps when its quiet, and of course...GNR with Three Dog! But with everything great about this game, theres also the bad. THE BAD: This game has ALOT of gliches. Textures pop in and out, enemys models freak out (flying, droping in the groud, gliched in doorways, just to name a few.) And the dreaded Freezeing. A buddy of mine had this happen and he thought his 360 just RROD. It didn't, this game and all other games made by Bethesda had this happen. But a way around this...and it won't FIX IT but it won't happen AS often, is to install the game disc to your Hard Drive. It kinda goes around all the gliches and makes the gameing exp. better. Final Judgement: If i had to give it a rating, id give it 4 1/2 stars out 5. Great story and sound, amazing grapics, weird gliches, and all-in-all fun game to play. If you like this game, than you'll like: Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, and Mass Effect 1 and 2.

Fallout is one of the most prestigious series in the business with a huge cult following. It's no surprise as to why once you pick up the controller and get into Fallout 3. Unlike any of it's predecessors though, Fallout 3 uses 1st person mode which makes you wonder why they didn't do it sooner. Fallout 3 is one of the best RPG's available but not so much 1st person shooters. Shooting outside of the VATS system is quite frustrating. When using VATS though, the end result is quite satisfying. I love the choices in Fallout 3. You can go anywhere, do anything, sneak through the game or go in guns blazing. You can also shoot almost anyone. This formula can cause trouble as you have the potential to kill quest NPC's. They can even die by accident with you having nothing to do with it. This is one of the buggiest games I've ever played but it's worth suffering through the bugs. Now the details... Pros + More playtime than any other game out there aside from Elder Scrolls. Spent over 200 hours on this game. + This includes all the DLC. The DLC has just as much character as the main game and it continues the story. Absolutely love Point Lookout. + Tons of weapons, gadgets, enemies, and things to explore or explode. A true RPG dream. Cons - Not graphically on par with other games out there but it is huge. - Very buggy. Be sure to clear the game cache often. - Potential to destroy quest lines. - Will take a good portion of your life. Verdict This is an absolute must-play game. I also think it's a must-buy game but do so forewarned. This game will take over your life if you're not careful. There are over 100 hours to be had in this game and the DLC just adds to it. If not for the bugs it would receive my perfect score but as is. 9.5/10

Let's face it, the Fallout games are the BEST. That's why you're here, right? You're thinking about diving into some post apocalyptic RPG action that's truly well designed, beautiful to look at, has a TON of story and quest content and a great sense of humor. It's all true. Fallout is that game, and Fallout 3 is probably my favorite of the bunch. Such a rich, wonderful world to roam around in and SO MANY hours upon hours of possible gameplay. It's also highly replayable, which is a huge bonus. Another thing I love about this series is that it has a little something for everybody. If you like to sneak, thieve and loot, there's plenty to do. You're a crafter? Start collecting junk and go to town. You just want to run around and fight things? Get going. Wanna be a good guy? Play like one and pursue those story paths. Wanna be a despicable piece of crap? Have fun pretending to be a terrible person in the game. Get it our of your system -- your friends in the real world will thank you later. So many different weapon types, so many different options of play strategy. Fallout, alongside the Elderscrolls series, is really the closest thing you'll find to "the possibilities are almost endless". Can't say enough good stuff about this game. Some of the DLC add-on content is hit and miss, but that's always the case. It's still fun regardless and with the GotY edition you get it all. Strap on your Pip-Boy and get going already!

Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition Xbox 360 I'm writing this review several years (about 3-4 years) after the first release of Fallout 3, so I am probably not making any new ground with this review. I did enjoy Oblivion, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on Fallout 3 GOTY after playing it on the Xbox 360. The GOTY comes with several expansion packs. Operation Anchorage is worth playing because it gives you a special Winterized T-51b power armor and helmet that never needs to be repaired (and it is about the most powerful armor in the game), along with a Gauss Rifle that wears out but can't be repaired to 100% since there doesn't seem to be any other Gauss Rifles in the game. However, that is where Mothership Zeta comes into play. There is plenty of Alien Epoxy throughout the ship which can be used to repair the Gauss Rifle if you like that weapon. The Pitt and Point Lookout weren't that great and quite frankly I thought they were a waste of time. Some of the perks are worth earning from the expansion packs. Broken Steel is essentially a continuation of the original story, with a level cap of 30 and new perks. There are several features of this game that stand out. The stats are sectioned and can be confusing at first. The SPECIAL attributes are important. Intelligence and Strength are very important at first, followed by Perception and Endurance. Don't max out any of these to 10, but try to stay above 6-7. Skills are modified after each level increase, make sure you get the Swift Learner perks (3 ranks available) to get a max of 23 skill points each time you level up. Perks are available after each level increase and give you special bonuses. Bobbleheads are available to boost your SPECIAL stats and skills, so it is important to not max out your SPECIAL stats or skills early. Skill books are also available to increase your skills, so get the Comprehension perk early on. The game was extremely frustrating at first, until I got to about level 7. Then with some strategy, it was easier to survive and somewhat fun. At level 15, my character was able to kill enemies with ease. At level 20, my character is an absolute machine. I can lay waste to enemies with the greatest of ease, and my perks from the expansion packs almost makes him impervious to radiation poisoning and damage. The unique weapons are the items that you should try to find and use. They are special variants of common weapons with more damage, but can be repaired using the common weapons. The A3-21 Plasma Rifle, Xualon Assault Rifle, and Vengeance are just a few of these examples. This game is very very time consuming. There are a lot of mini quests to complete, and a lot of things to do. Most of the time is spent going from location to location, exploring, and role-playing game activities in general. Remember to save and save often, because I've had the game lock up on me about half a dozen times on Xbox 360. Overall: 5/5 stars, the best way to enjoy Fallout 3 is with the GOTY edition. Operation Anchorage, and Mothership Zeta have some very useful items.