Let get this out in the open now: I’ve never played a Fallout game before Fallout 3. I know, I know but give me a break! Back in ’97 I was barely six years old. Twelve years later however, I have finally seen what all the fuss is about. Thanks to our compatriots at Good Old Games I have downloaded this classic for a price that, with the amount of content presented, is practically theft. I’ve barely scratched the surface of the main quest which sees you head out into the wasteland in search of a new water filter system (or something like that anyway) for vault 13. Instead I’ve been exploring the wastes, visiting towns, exacting my bloody mess perk on anyone who looks at me funny, helping out merchants and generally just learning about this lovingly created world.
There are a few flaws however. For starters, the turn based combat that wowed all comers in the nineties doesn’t really stand the test of time too well. It feels awkward and looks downright strange when you try to run away only to watch yourself strut off for a few meters then simply stop and wait to get shot again. But then perhaps I’ve just been spoiled by modern day V.A.T.S.. Also the isometric camera and obviously poor graphics means that some of the rich detail in the world is lost behind walls and other obstructions – a pity but nothing too serious. Another flaw, though that definition is in this case subjective, is the timer placed on your mission. You only have so much time to find a replacement water purifier thingy, and while I’m sure there is more to come after that quest, the timer places an unnecessary dampener on the fun I’ve been having and is a little off putting – not a good feature to have at the start of the game.
The rest is all good. The depth we have come to associate with Fallout 3 is readily present in its ancestor. You have remarkable freedom to explore the wastes, and random encounters which may not always be hostile add a little zest to the map trekking. Character creation is also just as deep as Fallout 3’s but a couple of the perks and traits are less useful than their progeny’s counterparts. Overall Fallout is one of the finest examples of gaming from a bygone age and, as I understand it, helped to bring role playing out of the dungeon. Whether you’re a veteran who wants a little gaming induced nostalgia or a newbie seeking to be educated in the gaming ways of yore, Fallout is a title well worth checking out – at $5.99 it’s practically a must.