12th
FALLOUT 3 (300 word limit)
Stepping out into the wasteland, the protagonist of “Fallout 3” is confused and hopeless. Having lived sheltered in “Vault 101”, a labyrinthine bomb shelter, they know nothing of life outside, in a Washington D.C. ravaged by nuclear holocaust. To the credit of developer Bethesda Softworks, who also made “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”, the player relates to their character’s sense of isolation. “Fallout 3” does little to inform the player of how to interact with the world, offering an ostensible dearth of quest objectives and moral direction.
The loneliness and hostility of Washington is abated, however, by heartfelt and tongue-in-cheek radio broadcasts reminiscent of those in the “Grand Theft Auto” series.
This game is true to its roots. “Fallout” games - originally developed by Black Isle Studios - are famous for their vagueness concerning overarching objectives, colourful mythology and dark humour. “Fallout 3” is no exception: its diverse cast includes a Howard Hughes-esque recluse whose room is filled with milk bottles and a curiously well-fed town living off “Strange Meat”.
Players combat their enemies (including irradiated ex-human ‘Ghouls’, mutants and giant cockroaches) using a combination of a slow-motion, statistics-based targeting system and traditional first-person shooting mechanics, but surviving the wasteland requires wiles and rhetoric as well as firepower: players can use “Speech” and “Barter” skills to open up new dialogue options and lower unreasonable prices. Over time, characters strengthen and acquire new abilities. One, “Bloody Mess”, causes enemies to die in the most violent way possible.
“Fallout 3” combines FPS and RPG elements to create a visually stunning, open (even intimidating) world with a great narrative. This is potentially the most emotionally involving game to date. Avoid it at your peril - it is on sale now for XBox 360, PC and PS3. (8)
