The world goes nuclear, and you've managed to survive by holing up in an underground bunker. Your dad went out to search for help, but he hasn't been back in days. Do you sit and eat the rest of the canned ham or venture out to find your last living relative? Well, the first choice wouldn't make for much of a game, so you end up leaving the bunker and entering the post-apocalyptic Washington DC in Fallout 3.
"You can do whatever you want -- that's what our games do well," says executive producer Todd Howard, while explaining how his company's latest (and highly anticipated) game will play out.
Emerge from the our underground safehouse (aka Vault 101) and find a lonely post-apocalyptic environment dotted with giant piles of rubble, ravaged buildings and other things reminiscent of what was once a thriving metropolis. Then, the game begins and you can start by doing, as Howard says, "whatever you want."
In our case that meant taking a sharp left down a steep hill, finding no one in sight, save for a floating robotic camera that served as the eyes and ears of the former US government run by President John Henry Eden (voiced by Malcolm McDowell in the game). We decided to avoid the all-seeing eye, not knowing what or who is watching from the other side. We snuck by and took a break, hitting the 'B' button to open our Pip Boy, an all purpose device that lets you tune into enclave radio to hear recordings from the former president, galaxy news radio and music from the 1940s. We also surveyed our stats and inventory, which contains weapons and performance enhancing drips (morphine for health, psycho for a stronger attack and jet for speed.) Each drip will have both its perks and disadvantages, so inject with caution.
Fallout 3 Screens
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
Bethesda
We close the Pip Boy and cruise again until we run into a bunch of hostile Enclave soldiers in another area. You can pull out a gun and shoot enemies or you can make it a little more strategic by using V.A.T.S. a targeting system that attempts to translate the turn-based experience from the first two Fallout games into something more accessible. To activate V.A.T.S., hit the right shoulder button to stop time and target an enemies' different limbs. Once targeted, each body part will show a certain percentage -- the higher it is the more effective the shot will be. Choose which part(s) you want to hit for one turn or several turns and let the action p lay itself out more like a traditional role-playing game. Obviously your experience will determine your performance -- the more you have the more likely you are to defeat enemies. We also found it helpful to use the "Fat Man," a catapult that hurdles partially nuclear bombs at enemies with awesome results -- just make sure it doesn't bounce back and hit you instead.
Howard says scavaging for items will also be a big motivator in the game and you'll have to dig through rubble to pick up medical supplies and other goods. At times that will involve breaking and entering into different buildings
We then venture forward until we find an isolated shack with someone living inside. We go in and find an attractive blonde inside. After talking to her for a bit, we decided to play dirty and loot her house. Like anyone would react to a home invasion, the woman comes at us with a gun, so we take her out and check her house for any other loot. We didn't find much, unfortunately, and also noticed that our karma level had dropped a notch or two, which, later in the game will affect how non-player characters react to our presence.
Our time with the game ended shortly after, and for someone who plays shooters regularly, it took a little readjusting to the turn-based shootouts, which in the end, turned out to be one of the more interesting elements of the demo. We also loved the roam anywhere, do anything futuristic apocalyptic environment with a big, foreboding plot bubbling just underneath the surface. If this isn't the 'it' game of 2008, we'll be very surprised, indeed. Reported from E3 2008.
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