When playing this game, I was free to play it in any manner that I wished, and I made my own game from that. When games these days are so entrenched in giving the player "that much more freedom!" when most of the time it really just stems from choosing the red or blue text icon, it really becomes that much more vivid when a game – from 1997, no less – comes along and shows you a world that you are free to do whatever you wish with, as long as you have the creativity and the means to do it.
Not that I'm saying that Fallout is anywhere near the concept and breadth of, say, Spore. It's an old game to be sure; if the same game were to be made today, it would be able to incorporate a lot more of what made the original that much more compelling. The technology limits it, of course, but in the same breath I can say that Fallout still transcends the very technology that makes it, creating a strategic role playing game that really is in a class of its own. It certainly isn't the easiest game to understand, but after knowing its purpose and reasoning, it becomes a brilliant work of an age that left us a long, long time ago.
I will admit; my first feelings toward Fallout were, at best, muted. The game is slow, plodding, and wordy, filled with customizations that felt mostly without use or interest. Battles are thorough, and each turn takes a level of strategy and cleverness that a modern game wouldn't dare ask of the average gamer today. Every step has a consequence, an extra option to press through, it seemed, and it felt like a chore to play for too long for me to keep it installed on my computer.
And yet, the charm of a post-apocalyptic RPG was too great for me to turn it down for long; Ron Perlman's voice coming through my speakers talking about the nuclear war was simply too cool for me to ignore. Eventually, there was enlightenment, a day where the angels came down to my ear, and whispered softly into my brain, "This is what Fallout means," and I understood. It's not a game that can be played at surface value. The aesthetics are ugly, the interface is boring and the sound is muffled and dull. And yet, it takes time and patience to understand the true nuances of what makes this game bring back fans, year after year.
Fallout is a combination of many things, it seems. It isn't just the manufactured RPG's that erupt from Japanese development houses; it is a true, Dungeons and Dragons role playing game. It is a world where you create your own identity; whether it's your own or an identity that you created, it's about fitting into that and seeing what happens. It's less about killing the demon on level five and more about the way you phrase your words so that the shopkeeper knows exactly who you are. And, hey, if you need to blow off some steam, just kill the whole town.
But beyond the meta-game of creating your own persona, it's also about strategic combat. Fallout's battle system is comparable less to Diablo and more to a HeroClix miniatures battle or a Fire Emblem campaign. The main difference between Fallout and Fire Emblem is that the latter gives you many units that do very little, while Fallout gives you one guy whom you have extreme and total power over for the entire game. Hit the enemy on the shoulder with a knife, then hit the rat behind him with a rifle. Boom, pow, reload. Next turn. Plan it out, figure out what the enemy will do. React, adjust. There's more thought required here in five minutes than there is in an entire Final Fantasy game.
It's also an adventure. In no way does it rival newer games like Grand Theft Auto in sheer detail, but every step you take feels like a legitimate cause to play more and explore more. While the game may be made up of very similar textures and tiles, none of it feels similar. The game gives you a task, and you can fulfill it if you want to, but if your character doesn't care about the main story, then so be it. Ignore the cutscenes and time limit, though there is a reaction to any decision you make.
This is why Fallout is not for everyone. It takes a mindset to play successfully; this game is not looking for the mass market audience. It was always designed for the hardcore PC gamer, and it's still meant for the hardcore PC gamer. For the new users, play the demo; know what you're in for. If you like what you hear above, by all means, play Fallout. Love it, cherish it. There's nothing else like it, and there never will be.
But if you go into it asking for something that it's not, you will be disappointed. Its brute force approach to giving the gamers what they want is a little strong for a lot of people, and there are many who have not been enlightened to what Fallout really is. It's not just an RPG. It's a combination of many things, an it's a mindset. It's a conversation. It asks the player, "What would you like to do with me today?" and the player must offer an answer. Without one, the vault will remain forever closed.
(This review was previously posted by my alter-ego, Aberinkulas, on Gamespot.)