I sent this to some friends today, just ranting, but I thought it would be good to share in here with this community. I'm not trolling or anything, just sharing my thoughts:
"I have to admit, I'm both excited and worried about Fallout 3. Last night I dl'd Fallout 2 (from gog.com, sorry I don't think they have Mac versions). I could have tried digging it out of some box along with 1 but I don't even know if the old discs would run on the new systems. So for a whopping $5.99 I was able to start enjoying the classic RPG that is Fallout 2. I had beat the first one after many hours of gameplay (especially back then) but for some reason I only got about 1/2 way through the second, probably because another game came along to distract me.
Anyway, even though the graphics are a little dated (but still very appealing and immersive) this game has to be one of the best RPGs EVER. I rank it right up there with Pool or Radiance, Wasteland, The Bard's Tale, and more recently Neverwinter Nights and Icewind Dale Trilogy. (I don't count WoW in this category because its an MMO but an awesome game nonetheless). Just firing up the game immediately brought back that elated feeling. I was preparing myself for graphics that were laughable but I was pleasantly surprised they still hold up today. The 3/4 view, the turn-based movement based on skill, little weapons outlined on the ground, static but detailed environments, the endless options of equipment, gear, tinkering, and the use of the VATS system that really has an impact on a tactical battle, makes every encounter in this game fun and exciting. This game is one of the games that even turned me on to the turn based RPG genre, certainly a dying breed.
That's what kind of worries me about Fallout 3 though. And no I'm not some Interplay Fallout 1 & 2 Fanboi screaming bloody murder that Bethesda Softworks is going to butcher the game, because I don't think they will. I think they are giving it a facelift and bringing it to a new generation of gamers who's focus is more on the first person perspective's highly detailed graphics and action rather than tactics and role playing/story. I know the makers of Oblivion already know how to do a great RPG, but I'm afraid its not an RPG classic, be it Morrowind, Oblivion or later, Fallout 3, because much of the focus is on graphics instead of gameplay (imo). From what I've seen of Fallout 3 it is a beautiful and dreadful environment, but it seemed kind of lifeless in the demos (boring even) and the VATS system that goes into semi-turned based gameplay seems tacked on just to make those sweet (and gory) superkills. The original Fallouts weren't like that, the VATS system was a vital part of the strategy that didn't go into super zoom camera modes and if you took the lower % head shot you were likely to miss and get hurt if the enemy was close.
I shouldn't judge a game I haven't even played yet, but it feels like Fallout 3 had the VATS system just added on later to appease those that want elements of the classic. I don't think it can ever really be a tactical game. You won't be pausing to give movement commands or taking full advantage of the environment from what I could see. It looks like more of a run and gun FPS with breaks in the action to use the VATS system. I hope I'm wrong and I hope the lower expectations I've set for myself are surpassed (cause I'm still buying it!). But it may have been a major mistake to get Fallout 2 just 1.5 months before Fallout 3 comes out! This time I even plan on beating it! :-)
Later,
~J

Mind you, compared to The Enclave, the Brotherhood of Steel was a fairly 'just' organization, that treated the people below it more as unknowing townsfolk than cattle or slave labor.
Besides, the game is set in an entirely new location, with about 70 years after the Chosen One blew up Navarro and the Oil Rig. Of course the Enclave will change with the location, they have to.
As for how your choices affect gameplay, i'm getting a few mixed signals. there seems to be a good amount of choice, though all i've seen was the Megaton scenarios, and how those affect gameplay afterwords [Save the town, Mr. Burke puts a price on your head, which you learn about at the super duper mart. Or, nuke the town and lose all the quests, plus a lot of Bad Karma.]
The Super Mutants is a bit of a toss. I thought we eliminated all of those bastards along with the Master at the end of the first game. Maybe another Master has sprung up with some FEV for the D.C. Area.
VATS is looking to be a wildcard. On one hand, it brings back the action-point, target system area that was great with the first two games. However, the constant slowdown may be a problem, and vets of the Gears of War Generation may not even use it.
Hopefully Dogmeat isn't another Shadow from Dead to Rights. And the fact that only one NPC can accompany you means that [Good] you have to make logical choices based on your location, and [Bad] it probably means fixed NPC location. So, to get the safecracker, return to Town X. On the other end of the freakin' map. Right through a Few raider bases and a ghoul stampede. What FUN!
Sure, it's not a 'DIRECT' sequel to Fallout 1 and 2. But look what happened at the end of Fallout 2. The GECK was returned, Arroyo was saved, people were happy. No cliffhanger, no suspense. Picking up with a completely different character wearing a 100+ year old suit from Vault 13 would be a bit much.
Hell, bring on the DC area. I want to splatter some Super Mutant brains on the Washington Memorial with a lunchbox bomb. I want to save my game before entering Megaton, so I can get the evil quest on a seperate file. Then I can see a nuke whenever I feel down. I want to see how the BoS is dealing with two dire enemies outside the Citadel gates. Bring on the Enclave, give me some mentats, and let me stuff a live grenade down some poor shmucks pants.
The true sequel to Fallout or Not, it's still going to be fun. So stop worrying. Interplay will make MDK 3 and Descent 4, then probably buy back the fallout License. Then you'll get your isometric RPG fun.

When I see people complain about Fallout 3's "flaws" I wonder if we even played the same Fallout 1/2. I love Fallout but the combat is hardly nuanced or tactical; nearly every battle is "Target Groin", "Reload", "Target Groin" and the only real strategy is moving so you don't get shot in the back by your teammates, and you're better off dumping all your points in a single weapon skill. The inventory is terrible, a single long list you have to scroll through with no way to organize it. Teammates often shoot you in the back and (at least in one) the only way to give them weapons was to pickpocket them. Whenever you get in a big fight in a city it takes 5 minutes between turns for all the NPCs to shuffle away. But the :hardcore: Fallout fans have blocked this out and built the game up to a god-like status in their minds.
To me what I love about Fallout is the mythology, the atmosphere, the writing, the dark sense of humor, meaningful choices that effect the game, and the freedom to create nearly any type of character and be able to play through the game without penalty. Fallout 3 looks to have these in spades, and I can't wait.

Please. go back to your first person pile of similar games. haha just kidding
"Teammates often shoot you in the back and (at least in one) the only way to give them weapons was to pickpocket them"
1. DEFENSIVE MODE
2. TRADE WINDOW
"Whenever you get in a big fight in a city it takes 5 minutes between turns for all the NPCs to shuffle away"
FAST COMBAT MODE
"Fallout fans have blocked this out and built the game up to a god-like status in their minds."
exactly. it got to the point where you cant see its faults do to its greatness.