First off, I want to say thanks to GOG for bringing us some of the BEST GAMES EVER. About 7 years ago I lent my cousin my copy of Fallout and I haven't seen it since and the itch to play through it again was so strong, I almost payed 60 bucks for a copy off ebay. I am thrilled to be able to play Fallout again, but I want to get some of your opinions on Bethesda's upcoming Fallout 3.
I don't doubt Bethesda can make a solid game, but I do doubt their ability to recreate the atmosphere and feel of the first two classics. I'm worried the game will be Oblivion (which I found to be far inferior to Morrowind) set in the Fallout universe. I hope I'm wrong, what do you other Fallout Fans think?

I'll go ahead and say the reason I have any interest in the Fallout series, primarily 3, is because of Bethesda and the Elder Scrolls games. If anything, I blame them for introducing me to what looks like a fascinating and fun game series.
Now, I think it's kind of insulting for people to continually accuse Bethesda of not being able to make anything outside of the Elder Scrolls series; obviously, their body of work disproves this. I love Morrowind and I love Oblivion, but just because Fallout 3 uses the Oblivion engine does not mean it will be Oblivion "with guns" as people insist on saying.
I don't intend to come off as hostile, but it seems that this trend of comparing Oblivion to the (as of this post) unreleased Fallout 3 is really getting old. Yes, it is open-ended. Yes, there is a large amount of space to explore. Yes, it features the previously-mentioned Oblivion engine. And yes, it's Bethesda. But I say, so what?
I think that the best thing to do will be for people to simply play it and judge for themselves. But from what I've seen in the trailers and gameplay demos released thus far, this game shall be a unique experience unto itself.

non-elder scrolls games made by Bethesda Softworks in the last ten years:
1997 PBA Bowling Sports Windows
1997 XCar: Experimental Racing Racing Simulation DOS
1998 Burnout: Championship Drag Racing Racing DOS
1998 Symbiocom Adventure Windows
1998 Zero Critical adventure Windows
1999 NIRA Intense Import Drag Racing Racing Windows
1999 Skip Barber Racing Racing Windows
2000 PBA Bowling 2 Sports Windows
2000 PBA Bowling 2001 Sports Windows, Dreamcast (unreleased but gold-version leaked)
2000 IHRA Drag Racing Racing Windows, PlayStation
2001 IHRA Motorsports Racing Windows
2001 IHRA Drag Racing 2 Racing PlayStation 2
2001 Echelon Action, Simulation Windows
2004 IHRA Drag Professional Racing 2005 Racing Xbox, PlayStation 2
2004 AMF Bowling 2004 Sports Xbox, PlayStation 2
2006 IHRA Drag Racing: Sportsman Edition Racing Windows, Xbox, PlayStation
2008 Fallout 3
i'm not exactly holding out hope

I am pretty concerned as well regarding Fallout 3. Overall, it looks like a decent game on it's own, but I am worried it won't be similar enough to the old Fallout series to make it truly enjoyable to the people who played the original games first.
My primary concern is how much attention did they give to graphics versus game play and story. While I haven't followed it extremely closely, a lot of what I see in videos appears to show off graphics more than anything, with some combat tossed in on the side. The classic Fallout games were masterpieces when it came to customization of your character and how they interact with NPCs and follow the storyline. Will this be similar? For some reason a gut feeling tells me it won't, and that graphics became a larger overall concern.
My friend was also slightly annoyed when he read that true freedom did not exist within the game, such as being able to kill vital NPCs and basically, do what you please. They are simply invincible people you encounter in your journey. They are removing a portion of the choices you could normally make.
My own personal beef is the fact that they gave in more to the "cool" factor of highly detailed FPS (and third) games that are flooding the market. Don't get me wrong, FPS is one of my favorite genre of games to play. However, many people have said it's 2008 now, and isometric is dead. I wholeheartedly disagree. Isometric is a wonderful angle to play RPGs at. Blizzard did not give in to the above, keeping to the same view as all their original games for Diablo III. I don't understand why other companies are so scared to continue along this path.
Fallout 3 just looks to mainstream for me. Instead of designing it for the fans and RPG lovers in general, they are trying to please everyone by mixing FPS and RPG together, while removing the ability to make certain personal/moral choices about how you interact with NPCs. I am personally not very interested in the game, although I may check it out after a good price drop as it nears the bargain bin. I will keep an open mind upon release though and see what others have to say, but as of now, I would rather play the classics than something designed for the mainstream audience that can't really appreciate what Fallout is really about.

@Uwe
I think you're in a pretty common situation. Betheseda has made some recent commercially successful games, most notably Oblivion, so it makes sense for you to have that opinion. Believe me, I would love nothing more than for Fallout 3 to be a suitable successor to the Fallout series, but I (and many other Fallout fans) would rather be cautiously optimistic than disappointed upon release. I will definitely be buying Fallout 3, likely the day it comes it and I will give it an honest chance but for me, a good game will not suffice. Fallout 3 needs to be a great game in the style of Fallout 1 and 2 for me to be happy, this is a difficult task for any developer and one I'm not sure Bethesda can accomplish
@ nicktonic
Lol, couldn't have put it better myself
@ Kurina
I completely agree. As a fan of hip-hop I'll put it this way. Fallout 1 and 2 are kind of like my favourite underground rappers but Fallout 3 kinda feels like when an underground rapper changes his/her style to gain radio play and a more commercial appeal. I suppose it could still be good music, but it likely won't be the same

I've been a Fallout fan for years, so there is no doubt I'll be buying 3.
I'm still not quite sure what to think about Bethesda making this. Yes it's going in quite a different direction to Fallout 1 and 2, but I don't think that's really a bad thng. They are really taking ownership of the IP and making their own game from it.
Look at what happened to Heroes Of Might and Magic IV. I enjoyed it, but they just tried to keep it too similar to 3 (Just in 3d) and I think that ended up costing them. They tried to fit the game they thought they could make into the restrictions of what the fan base wanted.
Of course, it may still be a really bad game, and if it is lets just hope they don't make another one.

Its a shame that the world will be more limited than it was in 1 and 2. What really upsets me is the thought that the dialogue may be more linear than it was in the originals. It was amazing when you had a 1 for int and were talking to another relatively stupid NPC. I would love to see or hear that in 3... not really expecting to.
I assume it will be more like Oblivion in that regard. The people like you and tell you everything or don't like you and tell you almost everything.
I think I will miss some of the description comments too... Ones like, "It appears someone has been living in this outhouse for quite some time."
Anyway, I'll be purchasing it like the rest of you and hoping its worth even half the hype its getting.

If you have any doubts about Fallout 3, just go check out the demo videos on Youtube. The game looks like it will kick serious ass. When it comes to PC games, I'm usually on the dull edge, but I will be buying it right away when it comes out.

Fallout 3 looks amazing, I'm much happier with a comany attempting to forward a francise then simply making the same game over (Starcraft 2, Diablo III)
This gives a amazing series a huge lift and stops if from dieing. Without Fallout 3 lots of people here wouldn't be buying 1 and 2 (the top sellers on this site).

In my view, if they wanted to do a rpg/fps hybrid I believe they should've gone with the Deus Ex style of gameplay, fps with rpg elements, instead of vice versa of what is now. Of what I have seen, the gameplay look very stale and does not feel as solid as it would've been if it went for a more of a Deus ex or even System shock 2 kind of gameplay, not the bioshock way though.
I hope for the Bethesda can prove me wrong about my worries and that they can do a Fallout game and not just do a Fallout mod for Oblivion..

So we are bringing this same arguement to a enw site? hmm.

Overall I don't think people are generally doubting Fallout 3 as a product alone, but more about how it will compare to the older games. Some things have already been cut out and changed from the original games. While I know it is a bit naive to expect games to always stay the same, I truly fear to much emphasis was placed on graphics and changing the overall game design, and less on what made Fallout what it actually is. The game has had a good cult following over the years due to this. I have a feeling Fallout 3 will be like most other games that eventually fade away, while the original Fallouts remain timeless classics.
We shall see upon release, but currently I am not liking what I see. The game looks good, but it doesn't seem to capture what makes the originals so special.

No arguement needed, The same IP can bee good in different games and different styles of gameplay. Just as Mario can made the move to 3D, so can fallout.... just don't mention Sonic :(

I don't agree. I think they have captured it very well; but i also think (Despite my love for the first fallout games) that Fallout has taken this mythical 'BEST GAMES EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG" idea in the minds of some gamers. That it is something that can't be touched or changed at all or else that will be committing a mortal blaspheme.
I actually look forward to the different view in the new Fallout game. I'll agree with Dogstar man, the game looks like it'll kick serious butt.
Yet, I'm sure I'll go on enjoying the first 3 Fallout games ;) seeing as That is the main reason I am here after all...
That and the hopeful idea that GOG will get the rest of the Black Isle RPG catalog...

About Fallout 3 from BethSoft, it shouldn't even be called Fallout 3. Fallout 3 was already being worked on by Black Isle (aka Van Buren).
About BethSoft, I loved Morrowind and Oblivion. And I'm sure, I'll probably like BethSoft's Fallout 3 as well.
But, eh -- BethSoft's FO3 should've been titled Fallout: DC, Fallout: East Coast, Fallout: Bethesda -- hell, or something else. Ugh, just not Fallout 3 -- b/c I was really looking forward to seeing the Black Isle FO3 and b/c BethSoft's FO3 is not a click-and-point RPG game anymore.
I was very disappointed when Black Isle FO3 was cancelled. I really was hoping to see that game come to fruition.
How far along was BIS's Fallout 3 (Van Buren) when it got cancelled? Anyone know? Almost done? Near done? 1/2 way there? Still in early stages?