Fallout 3

There’s something about the Fallout franchise that’s managed to spark an almost primal wanderlust within me time and again. From its vast expanse of desolate wasteland that lies patiently waiting to be scavenged, to a myriad of sporadic human settlements that beckon the adventurer within, Fallout has always boasted of a post-apocalyptic world that’s both dark and grungy, and brimming with hope and life at the same time. This play of contrasts in both – the plot of all the Fallout games, and their world/setting in its entirety – has been the most alluring device at the franchise’s proposal.

Basking in the glory of its accomplished lineage, Fallout 3 (FO3) hasn’t strayed too far from its roots in most areas. But the areas in which they’ve veered have undoubtedly played out in favor of the game. The most salient change in this iteration is that from the isometric view (which used to be customary to RPGs back in the day) to the more action-oriented first (and third) person view that accommodates the relatively pacier gameplay of FO3 much better. While purists may be displeased with this paradigm shift from the turn-based focus of the original games to the robust action-oriented ways of FO3, I could not be more delighted at the outcome of such a fundamental change in the combat system.

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You see, the combat in the first two Fallout games took a turn-based approach that was based completely on its Action Points (APs) system. Every time your character entered combat the game would freeze, giving you a chance to perform many actions such as shooting an enemy or moving in your character, each of which would use up your APs. Once you ended your turn or ran out of APs, the enemy AI would follow up with their moves and this would go on much like a game of chess, until one side bit the dust.

Then Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel was released, which offered a real-time approach to its gameplay, which I admit was hard to get used to, but was equally fantastic. As part of the continued evolution of the combat system, FO3 uses the best of both worlds to formulate a system that offers both a fast-paced combat system, as well as some of the strategic value that’s always been a part of the Fallout franchise.

How is this possible? For one, they’ve done away with the turn-based system altogether. In its place is a highly unique hybrid of real-time first person combat system, where you aim and shoot in real time just like any other FPS out there, and the new and upgraded VATS, or Vault-Tek Assisted Targeting System. Pressing the VATS key during combat brings you to a screen similar to the older Fallout games, where you can pick a body part you wish to attack on any of the enemies around you, and the game will show you how likely you are to hit the body part with your weapon.

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APs are back in place for this system, but instead of keeping the game turn-based in VATS, the game slows down to a crawl and as soon as you pick your moves and execute them (by pressing the E key after you’ve queued them up), it moves back in to real-time. During real-time combat, it takes a few seconds for your APs to refresh, during which you’re forced to play it like a traditional FPS game, where you both aim and evade shots in real time. While this is a very different approach from what most Fallout fans are used to, it gives the player a chance to strategize in a complete offbeat way – you have to plan your moves and stay on your toes at the same time, which is a lot of fun.

In spite of being this action-oriented, the entire combat system is stat point driven, just like any RPG. Instead of skill trees though, you have perks that are unlocked if you fill in different amounts of stat points in the game’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system. For those not familiar with the system, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stands for the different attributes you get to distribute points amongst: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Depending on these factors, your skill points in everything from “Sneak” and “Lockpicking”, to “Small guns” and “Energy Weapons” are decided. These skill points decide how adept you are in certain areas, and every time you level up you get about 15 points to distribute among the skills of your liking. Apart from this, you get to select two perks per level gain, which help boost certain areas of your gameplay.

As you can see, your character is highly customizable as far as gameplay is concerned. The same is true during creation too – the game starts off with your birth, which is when (besides distributing your primary stats) you decide how your character should look in the future. The first character you interact with in the game is your father, and the best part is that the game automatically moulds him to look like an older version of you, based on the image of your future self you’ve decided upon in the beginning.

Which reminds me, I completely forgot to introduce you to the game’s plot. The game starts out in Vault 101, a nuclear shelter that’s closed to the outside world even decades after the nuclear holocaust. Your mom passes away giving birth to you in the Vault, after which all you have left is your dad. When you come of age, you find out that your dad’s left the vault without informing you, and you follow him, tracing his footsteps into the wasteland. This is where the seemingly limitless adventure begins.

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Just like in the other Fallout games, your best companion is your ‘Pip-Boy’. This device straps onto you like a wrist watch, and works as your primary interface that keeps track of everything, from your stats to quest details to the contents of your inventory. You travel the wasteland on foot, but after discovering areas of interest on the map you gain the option to quick travel there instantly. The world of FO3 is populated with countless settlements, each with its own story, and many with some really interesting quests.

For the adventurers out there, there’s a lot of content in store where side quests are concerned. And this isn’t just pointless side quests that have impact on gameplay – everything you do in FO3 affects the world around you. The best part is most of the quests can be played out in multiple ways; most of the time you get the option to go the good or evil way with a quest, which decides how many karma points you accumulate. Each good deed earns you