I went into Fallout 3 with high hopes, despite not liking Bethesda's previous games (some of you may remember me as the guy who started the "Meet the Devs" threads on the FO3 board). Ultimately, I was very dissapointed in every aspect of the game, especially the writing, and couldn't even bring myself to play more than a few hours. I was cautiously optomistic about NV, since I like Obsidian's work, and am a huge BIS fan but I knew the game would still be on the engine that I did not like.

24 hours in, all I can say is WOW! This game nails the feel of Fallout, and for the first time since 2, I feel like I am actually playing a Fallout game, even without the turn based combat and iso perspective, which I always thought of as defining factors of the series. The writing is outstanding, the world is dark, the factions fit in with canon, and most importantly, the game is FUN. I can't get the game out of my head, and am playing it every chance I get, in a way that I haven't done since the classic rpgs like Fallout 1/2, Arcanum, and BG1/2. I still wish that there were more traits, that skills went to 200, and that some of the perks from 3 (like the gender traits) weren't there, but these are very minor complaints about an outstanding game that is also an outstanding fallout game (I never thought I would play a game with the feel of Fallout after Arcanum).

Are any other fans of older rpgs (especially fallout) as blown away as I am by this game?

Welcome aboard mate.

It's better than Fallout 3...
But "real" fallout game?
...
I guess it's the best out of a bad situation.
The game is great and all... But it's nothing like the originals. (Which are the true fallout)

It beats having a ripped off story at least.

Its as close as we'll ever get since Bethesda bought the license for Fallout...

Yeah... I just hope Fallout 4 isn't Oblivion With Guns but actually more in line with the originals (Like if... -_-).
Maybe they could allow another studio create a turn-based fallout game. :drool:

TB... :hubbahubba:

I would'nt mind that, But it would still be nice if they voiced all the characters if they did that.

TOP DOWN... NINJAAAAAAAAAA :toughninja:

I disagree that it is nothing like the originals. The writing and overall tone feel very much like FO1 as some points and FO2 at others. The gameplay is different (and imo worse) than the originals, but the game has that same dark, gritty feel that made the originals so great. There are also interesting social structures that have developed in the post apocolyptic world (unlike FO3, which had people living around a bomb of all things) and lots of great subplots in locations which you get pulled into for reasons that make sense. I love how people explain that you are useful to help out because you are a stranger that can fly under the radar, instead of the approach in most rpgs where people entrust you with important tasks with no reason to think you will actually help them.

While its similar to the originals, The story of the originals is better.

Plus the setting in this game is a bit weird, But outside of New Vegas, Booyah.

You apparently haven't been to a certain hidden bunker yet

Spoiler alert.

Too late.

Vegas is dark and gritty? :huh:

Yeah, robot dogs, porm studios, chess-playing scorpions, fisto the sixbot, ghosts, random Dr Who references and nightkin in drag all make me think "dark and gritty".

NV is undoubtedly very reminiscent of FO2 though, I don't think there's any question about that. Doesn't really remind me of the first game though. Too much wackiness.

"Ey'! You tha' new fluffa boy?"

But yeah, Fallout 2 was just a comedy central video game most of the time. :glare:

If it was like Fallout 1, We'd see more scary [censored] that scared the bejesus out of us or something.
Or at least more cults with [censored] badass scary dudes leading them.

I have not seen most of those things. But the quest line in Novac with Boone and arriving in Nipton for the first time were much more fallout 1 then 2. Like I said, so far it seems like parts of it evoke 1 and parts evoke 2.

I agree, NV does feel more like the old Fallouts. After posting in the "Features you don't use" thread though I came to realize there are a lot of improvements that could be made to make this a really great game instead of being a really good game (IMO).

Most people don't use the drop boxes. If it delivered stuff to the Lucky 38 or one of the safe houses more people might use them. The crafting system seems to be another feature that people don't use. If it could be revamped to add better crafted items and some simpler recipes with decent items I think more people would be inclined to use it.

But as you say the writing is top notch and the factions fit wonderfully. As far as factions my favorite change from Fallout 3 is that not all the raiders are mindless xp mobs. The powder gangers, khans, even the fiends have some interactions with the PC.

Hopefully when they make Fallout 4 we'll see the improvements NV made kept or even improved upon. Even the writing. Come on Bethesda try really really really hard to write good factions and a good story with choice and consequence in your next Fallout.

I have no intention of playing FO4. After Oblivion and FO3, I will probably never play a Bethesda game again. The only Bethesda game I ever enjoyed was Morrowind, although to be fair, I never played Arena, so maybe that is good.

How about Bethesda does'nt make another Fallout game?

They wrote a story for one, It was [censored].
Well actually, It was more like "OH THIS LOOKS INTRESTING... man kills mutant creation thing, oh and dis guy kills a mutated hulk, and defeats a evil group of people by blowin dem up. OKAY STORY COMPLETE!"

And you don't have to, but they are still going to make it and I (personally) am going to play it. If its garbage I'll be mad but I'll give it a try.

"I'm looking for my father. Middle-aged guy. Maybe you've seen him?"

This is why I can't even give it a shot. I turned the game off when I read this line, and never turned it on again.

You must abandon most games you play then, huh?

The number of games with actually decent dialogue is miniscule. If you're playing games for the quality of the writing, then I would humbly suggest you're looking in the wrong medium.

I have never given up on a game before or since based on nothing but writing, but I never saw something that bad, not even in eastern european games with rushed translations like king's bounty. This is supposed to be Fallout, the series with the best writing outside of torment, and that is one of the first lines? I just didn't want to subject myself to any more of that.

"MY DADDY! I dont know where he is!"

"Its okay sweetheart, I'll take you too the front desk.."

I agree with the TC. New Vegas is a large improvement over Fallout 3 and I'm kind of hoping Betheseda doesn't make another Fallout game either. I remember they turned down former workers from interplay who had worked on the originals when working on the third game.

And sadly I have no expectations for ES V to be like Morrowind

Fair enough, I don't think it's "Jill, the master of unlocking" bad or "all your base are belong to us" bad or "a winner is you" bad but I agree it's pretty awkward. Good thing I don't play games for the writing, I suppose.

Well, I don't play the games for the writing. But I do want to get into my character in an RPG, and I can't if it I have to pick lines like that.