Fallout 3 - down the dusty road
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:34 am
So, I'm going to do my best not to have any real story spoilers in here, but I've been playing for somewhere around 20 hours, partly through the main quest, but mostly just exploring, since that was really the only part I absolutely loved about Oblivion, just finding the *few* unique random places/things.
Let's just say, for those who are with me so far, I've gotten past trying to restart Project Purity, and the (supposedly) shocking plot twist that happens the first time you come into contact with the Enclave. (It's not a spoiler, it's obvious from the first time you hear them on the radio, okay?)
I really wanted to open up the door to take that Colonel's trenchcoat. It looked way awesome, admit it. But, I guess there was soooo much radiation it was lethal, the fact that I had an advanced biosuit and already had my DNA mutated to regrow limbs when I had advanced radiation poisoning notwithstanding. I guess they just didn't want to loot the trenchcoat perhaps?
The main story is pretty damn predictable so far, and I'm guessing that it won't shock or awe me at any point in the future. Who knows...maybe I'm wrong...I hope?
I do like the fact you can't go wherever you want - by that I mean early on i met up with minigun wielding supermutants and a robot, and if it wasn't for me luring some mercenaries into the fight, I wouldn't have gotten out of there alive. That was a neat effect.
The metro subway system is a pain in the ass. It is definitely the MOST bland part I've felt about the game so far. Oh look - another ghoul. Oh look - another group of raiders. Oh look - blah blah blah.
Once again, and this is probably the curse of almost every RPG out there, you have your basic fetch quests. I'm supposed to take a letter to a family that is only about 10 minutes NW of the sender, when I get there, of course I can't just give it to them, and I also can't find the little boy. (I still can't find that little shit - what the fuck is wrong with me?)
A certain lawman was shot in the back before I could respond with my uber-makes-the-game-a-lot-easier VATS targeting system, bionics courteously implanted by Vault-Tec...oh wait, nevermind. It's just a bone to the turn-based rabid fans.
The game having to tell me exactly how many skill points I've needed to hacka computer, unlock a door, or disarm a nuclear weapon is pretty retarded. Forget percentage chances, and something just being out of your damn league - you need 75 skill points to unlock this door, console boy....jesus.....
The speech skill actually works okay. I like THAT percentage chance. You may only have a 22 percent chance, but it's actually a chance. You don't need 50 skill points to convince this character. I can appreciate that.
Up to this point, I've used the 10mm pistol (silenced, when that came available) for about 70 percent of the game. It was only when super mutants began to get more prevalent as an enemy that I had to switch to the combat shotgun and laser rifle. The laser pistol is pretty useless IMHO, but maybe it's just because I didn't have 75 skill points for laser weapons or whatever....
I am constantly overburdened, and I'm sure it's because I'm a pack rat. I missed the opportunity to get my free apartment in Megaton, because I really didn't want to fuck with an atomic weapon - and especially not at level 1 or 2 or 6 or whatever. The fact that you CAN disarm it early on is silly. I don't care if you dad was a scientist and doctor, he wasn't a rocket scientist (ba-dum-crash!)
Radiation never seems to be an issue. I've heard Todd mention on a couple of occasions - (paraphrased) - "We want every decision to be important...should I drink this water that will give me radiation points just so I can heal some HP, or will the radiation be the end of me?" --- Let me point this out - unless you get REALLY fucking radiated - you only lose a couple points of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. - and because there's no Gifted trait to choose this time, I've spent probably 7 or 8 of my 12 levels picking 1 more point to my stats.
If you get to the point where radiation might kill you - you've done something very wrong, and should immediately lower the difficulty slider...oops...I mean the game difficulty because it's not working for you.
You can run from most enemies, and I like that. I've only died a couple times - once because I decided that gigantic mutant was far enough away where I could launch a mininuke at him....and the other time was because I was trying to shoot two mutated animals (bears? wolverines?) with my 10mm pistol...but hey, they were headshots!
Most of my criticism aside, the game isn't bad. My friend (who yes, does happen to like FPS') *really* likes the game, and he didn't think he would, mostly due to my introducing him to Fallout 2.
The world artists at Bethesda once again did a good job. The land looks pretty for being nuclearly devastated, the placement of buildings and roads, etc seems to be pretty believable.
The exploring is top notch, bar none. I loved random little encounters, although I think the enemies are too damn numerous for a radiated wasteland, but hey, whatever, right? Also, I didn't find Dogmeat until after I had power armor, which meant he lasted all of two fights before dying, and I just didn't care enough to reload my game.
Oh, another bit of criticism, sorry - dialogue. Jesus, dialogue. Some of the options and/or responses just dont' make any sense.
In a little burg there are two ... let's call them superheroes, okay....who are diametrically opposed (hope that is the right usage) in their world views. Of course, it's not just enough to have the option to go into their respective lairs and put a bullet in their head. If you're good enough, with just a minute or two of polite conversation, you can convince them to abandon the worldview that their ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE has been set on, give up their feud, and return to god knows where to take up a life of dirt farming. WTF?
There are so many cute little outfits...erm....I mean....the artists did a good job of rendering many types of very manly and dangerous looking armors and utility suits that playing dress up...ah....uh....I mean....no matter which type you choose, you look very rugged and ready for anything out in the harsh wastes. Although why all the armor seems to weigh 15, 25, or 45 pounds, I'll never know. Also, where the heck is the awesome one-armed leather jacket that we all know and love???
Anyway, I've been on for a bit, and I have some more to say, but I'm hungry and going to go watch RocknRolla - partly based on Poops review.
Let's just say, for those who are with me so far, I've gotten past trying to restart Project Purity, and the (supposedly) shocking plot twist that happens the first time you come into contact with the Enclave. (It's not a spoiler, it's obvious from the first time you hear them on the radio, okay?)
I really wanted to open up the door to take that Colonel's trenchcoat. It looked way awesome, admit it. But, I guess there was soooo much radiation it was lethal, the fact that I had an advanced biosuit and already had my DNA mutated to regrow limbs when I had advanced radiation poisoning notwithstanding. I guess they just didn't want to loot the trenchcoat perhaps?
The main story is pretty damn predictable so far, and I'm guessing that it won't shock or awe me at any point in the future. Who knows...maybe I'm wrong...I hope?
I do like the fact you can't go wherever you want - by that I mean early on i met up with minigun wielding supermutants and a robot, and if it wasn't for me luring some mercenaries into the fight, I wouldn't have gotten out of there alive. That was a neat effect.
The metro subway system is a pain in the ass. It is definitely the MOST bland part I've felt about the game so far. Oh look - another ghoul. Oh look - another group of raiders. Oh look - blah blah blah.
Once again, and this is probably the curse of almost every RPG out there, you have your basic fetch quests. I'm supposed to take a letter to a family that is only about 10 minutes NW of the sender, when I get there, of course I can't just give it to them, and I also can't find the little boy. (I still can't find that little shit - what the fuck is wrong with me?)
A certain lawman was shot in the back before I could respond with my uber-makes-the-game-a-lot-easier VATS targeting system, bionics courteously implanted by Vault-Tec...oh wait, nevermind. It's just a bone to the turn-based rabid fans.
The game having to tell me exactly how many skill points I've needed to hacka computer, unlock a door, or disarm a nuclear weapon is pretty retarded. Forget percentage chances, and something just being out of your damn league - you need 75 skill points to unlock this door, console boy....jesus.....
The speech skill actually works okay. I like THAT percentage chance. You may only have a 22 percent chance, but it's actually a chance. You don't need 50 skill points to convince this character. I can appreciate that.
Up to this point, I've used the 10mm pistol (silenced, when that came available) for about 70 percent of the game. It was only when super mutants began to get more prevalent as an enemy that I had to switch to the combat shotgun and laser rifle. The laser pistol is pretty useless IMHO, but maybe it's just because I didn't have 75 skill points for laser weapons or whatever....
I am constantly overburdened, and I'm sure it's because I'm a pack rat. I missed the opportunity to get my free apartment in Megaton, because I really didn't want to fuck with an atomic weapon - and especially not at level 1 or 2 or 6 or whatever. The fact that you CAN disarm it early on is silly. I don't care if you dad was a scientist and doctor, he wasn't a rocket scientist (ba-dum-crash!)
Radiation never seems to be an issue. I've heard Todd mention on a couple of occasions - (paraphrased) - "We want every decision to be important...should I drink this water that will give me radiation points just so I can heal some HP, or will the radiation be the end of me?" --- Let me point this out - unless you get REALLY fucking radiated - you only lose a couple points of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. - and because there's no Gifted trait to choose this time, I've spent probably 7 or 8 of my 12 levels picking 1 more point to my stats.
If you get to the point where radiation might kill you - you've done something very wrong, and should immediately lower the difficulty slider...oops...I mean the game difficulty because it's not working for you.
You can run from most enemies, and I like that. I've only died a couple times - once because I decided that gigantic mutant was far enough away where I could launch a mininuke at him....and the other time was because I was trying to shoot two mutated animals (bears? wolverines?) with my 10mm pistol...but hey, they were headshots!
Most of my criticism aside, the game isn't bad. My friend (who yes, does happen to like FPS') *really* likes the game, and he didn't think he would, mostly due to my introducing him to Fallout 2.
The world artists at Bethesda once again did a good job. The land looks pretty for being nuclearly devastated, the placement of buildings and roads, etc seems to be pretty believable.
The exploring is top notch, bar none. I loved random little encounters, although I think the enemies are too damn numerous for a radiated wasteland, but hey, whatever, right? Also, I didn't find Dogmeat until after I had power armor, which meant he lasted all of two fights before dying, and I just didn't care enough to reload my game.
Oh, another bit of criticism, sorry - dialogue. Jesus, dialogue. Some of the options and/or responses just dont' make any sense.
In a little burg there are two ... let's call them superheroes, okay....who are diametrically opposed (hope that is the right usage) in their world views. Of course, it's not just enough to have the option to go into their respective lairs and put a bullet in their head. If you're good enough, with just a minute or two of polite conversation, you can convince them to abandon the worldview that their ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE has been set on, give up their feud, and return to god knows where to take up a life of dirt farming. WTF?
There are so many cute little outfits...erm....I mean....the artists did a good job of rendering many types of very manly and dangerous looking armors and utility suits that playing dress up...ah....uh....I mean....no matter which type you choose, you look very rugged and ready for anything out in the harsh wastes. Although why all the armor seems to weigh 15, 25, or 45 pounds, I'll never know. Also, where the heck is the awesome one-armed leather jacket that we all know and love???
Anyway, I've been on for a bit, and I have some more to say, but I'm hungry and going to go watch RocknRolla - partly based on Poops review.