“War, war never changes.”wasteland

Released 10 years ago for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, Fallout 3 came out to major praise. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios (also responsible for the acclaimed Elder Scrolls series), Fallout takes place in various states across a post-apocalyptic America. The series also embraces retro-futurism, using the aesthetics of the 50s, to present a whimsical, dark world.

As the series’ first jump into 3D graphics, Fallout 3 became a staple in open world gaming. From its interesting character-building elements to its world exploration and lore, traveling throughout the D.C. wasteland is nothing short of a blast (pun totally intended). And while we’ve had Fallout 4 and currently await the release of Fallout 76 next month, I wish to take you down radioactive memory lane, as to reminisce on why Fallout 3 is such an achievement in gaming.

All To See And Do In A Wasteland

For all its years being a top-down RPG, the jump to 3D is one of Fallout 3’s greatest strengths. Taking place in the year 2277, your journey begins in Vault 101. The beginning acts as a fun tutorial with you as an infant, and later a child, growing up in the vault, getting you used to the character building elements and perks you’ll gain throughout the game. The drama kicks off when you wake up one morning to find out your father has left the vault. In an attempt to find out why he left, you too leave Vault 101, coming face-to-face with the land ahead of you to adventure.

As an open world experience, there’s a balance to Fallout 3’s environment; pockets of inhabited buildings and towns are spread across the D.C. area; in-between these places are stretches of barren land, at times peaceful, and other times brimming with danger. All these elements make Fallout 3 feel like a natural world; you can feel the gloom as you travel down paths or as you make your way into a local marketplace. Minus some slight altering of names and appearances, Fallout 3’s D.C. renders real-world sites; for example, some unique locales include The Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, and The Washington Monument. Using a fictional version of a real-world place brings an eerie element to the game; this creepy feeling of knowing where you are and being part of such a horrifying “what-if” scenario.

Exploration throughout the wasteland becomes even more interesting when you consider all the radioactivity and violence along the way. Between raiders, super mutants, and other radioactive creatures, you never know what may be lurking around you (or straight up charging towards you). Combat in Fallout 3 is even more fascinating when using the V.A.T.S system.; this in-game mechanic allows you to stop time, pinpointing exactly where you want your attacks to land on an enemy. Not only does this bring an extra level of strategy to combat, but also rewards the player with lots of gory deaths.

But besides blowing the heads off enemies, interaction with the game’s NPCs is another highlight of Fallout 3. One of Fallout’s greatest strengths is its grim humor; from shit-talking ghouls, two-headed cows, snarky robots, to a killer A.I., the individuals you come across in Fallout 3 will always bring some wacky weirdness and fun to the adventure.

From whimsical to serious moments, the atmosphere of Fallout 3 offers so much to take in. It’s never overwhelming, but rather, much more of a meditative journey; this is a world blown away by violence, born from the ashes of bombs. The art of the land is beautiful to take in with its morbid beauty. And when there is action you genuinely feel like a lone survivor fighting against sporadic madness and violence.

That said, while the combat is loads of fun, one component that really makes Fallout 3 shine is how you decide to act morally; it’s how you decide to treat people that will impact your interactions, and show what you’re capable of.

What Kind Of Wanderer Are You?

There’s an entire conversation to be had regarding RPGs when it comes to east vs. west gameplay styles; focusing on the latter, Bethesda is one of the key companies offering unique role-playing adventures. When it comes to Fallout, and specifically that of the third entry, there’s a wide variety of moral choices one can make.

Fallout 3 provides numerous takes on how you can be a kind-hearted wander or a complete jackass. Early in the game, you come across the town of Megaton. It’s a small town with stores and folks trying to scrape by with what’s left for resources. In the middle of the town you see a gigantic bomb that’s supposedly inactive; it’s after a short time that you come across a man who tells you otherwise.

This man not only tells you the bomb is active, but he wants you to help set it off. His employer wants Megatown off the map, and if you help him, he’ll reward you with a fancy place to live. That said, if you choose to deny his request, you can always turn him into the town sheriff. This is just one of the many examples of moral choices the player will find themselves up against in Fallout 3. Based on your actions you’ll gain positive or negative karma; said karma will impact your skills, as well as some interactions with NPCs.

How a Normal Fallout Mission Turned Into a Nightmare

On a smaller scale, you have a wide variety of choices regarding how you want to talk to folks. These decisions can impact specific dialogue and actions throughout the game, making for a fun way to role play. Do you want to come off sympathetic to one’s needs? There’s a choice for that. Do you want to be a total dick and threaten someone? There’s a choice for that as well.

While a lot of video games offer a sense of choice, a lot of those games still force you down a direct path. While Fallout 3 has some of these issues, they in no way make up the majority of the gameplay. Many of the choices you make do have some impact on characters and setting; consequences range from small and humorous, to significant and dramatic. Your interactions may land you welcoming into a particular location, or they may end up in a gunfight.

Fallout 3 is a great example of how to combine genres; from survival to RPG and action, the game takes so many elements and mashes them together to be one cohesive thrill. From the moment you leave the vault you can go in any direction you want. The best open world adventures allow players to embrace freedom, while also being able to observe and deal with consequences; Fallout 3 provides all of this wherever the player wanders off. Even though there’s the main story, it’s possible to become lost in side quests and exploration.

Not counting the DLC that came out after the initial game’s release, Fallout 3 is a massive experience. The places available to you are vast and brimming with character. In those places, you will find people with a variety of beliefs, morals, and emotions. While Fallout 3 is a game with heavy science-fiction elements, it also offers the chance to feel a real sense of sympathy. There will be difficult choices to make; there will be cases where you may not want to make an immediate decision, but consider the outcome.

A Sci-Fi Experience To Remember

When I first got to play Fallout 3 ten years ago it changed my life; I consider it one of my favorite games of all time and continue to compare current open world games to it. In every step I took I was in awe; from the massive crumbling monuments to the numerous personalities and quests I came across, playing Fallout 3 was (and still is) one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played.

I’m not too sure what to expect from the Virginian Appalachia of Fallout 76; what I do know is that I’ve been in love with this series ever since Fallout 3. Having explored D.C. and the areas surrounding it, as well as New England in Fallout 4, this series has continuously given me and many gamers the fantastic opportunity of in-depth adventuring.

But there’s s something about Fallout 3 that is always calling me back. Perhaps it’s the humor or the number of thrilling tasks to complete; it could be the characters I’ve spoken to or the fact that I love creating my own character in its unique world. Whatever it is, Fallout 3 is a game that shares a special place in my heart (and within the hearts of many). It’s a game that we’ll always remember; we’ll remember it for its fun, its innovation, and for reminding us that war never changes.