Review: FallOut 3

Played on: PS3 and XBox 360

FallOut 3 is the story of a person from Vault 101. The player can chose to be a male or female. They were born and raised in this vault (think the 1950's bomb shelters), and when they finally leave they enter into a world that has been devastated by nuclear war. The player goes about the world fighting off mutants, feral ghouls, mercenaries, raiders, and animals that have been mutated by the nuclear waste. The player completes missions given to them by the people they meet and try to figure out the story of his or her past while attempting to restore the land.

Visuals:

FallOut 3 has very realistic graphics and some of the gameplay can come across movie-like. The graphics are superior on the PS3. The game can be somewhat gory. If a shot is aimed just right, the enemy will be decapitated, but there is generally not a lot of blood and guts. While it is not exactly "pretty," FallOut 3 is visually quite interesting, particularly when the game brings you to areas that are modeled after modern day urban centers. The concept of a world after nuclear war is interesting to watch and keeps the viewer's attention.

Audio:

The sounds of shots being fired, super-mutants grunting, and enemies crying out is a small price to pay for Three Dog. While there are other radio stations available in the game, Three Dog beats them all. The fictional DJ's sarcastic news reports and the station's old-time songs create an amazing soundtrack for the game. If there was a Three Dog radio station in real life, I would be a faithful listener. The only downside is that during sneak attacks, the player will often need to turn off the radio, but do not fret, these moments are not usually long lasting.

Involvement:

Generally speaking, there are not a lot of opportunities for girlfriend involvement. During the Pitt downloadable content, she might be able to help locate ingots, and occasionally she might be helpful in finding enemies, but they are marked on the compass.

Overall:

FallOut 3 might not be the best game for a girlfriend who is new to the gamer lifestyle (I found it a bit disturbing when I first saw my husband beat a giant mole rat to death, but I soon got over that. Plus, he now has the animal friend perk), but with Three Dog playing, most gamer girlfriends would find this game to be interesting enough for an afternoon of watching on the couch. The girlfriend who wants to be involved, might be a little let down by the game, but with some encouragement from her player, will find ways to help out.

Personally, I love FallOut 3. I haven't played a single second of the game, and have no desire to, but I will gladly sit next to my boy as he kills off the Talon Company and will sing-along to Three Dog.

"I'm as corny as Kansas in August, I'm as normal as blueberry pie."