User Score
8.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1151 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. May 17, 2013
    10
    After Oblivion, I didn't think I could enjoy a game this much, but Fallout 3 completely blew me away. Quite possibly the best game I have ever played.
  2. May 14, 2013
    10
    It's been almost 5 years since Fallout 3 came out and yet it remains my favourite game of all time. If you weren't already convinced by the list of prestigious award the game has won, the fact that in 5 years no other game has come close to giving me such an enjoyable experience should tell you all you need to know.

    Listing all the game's qualities would take too long so I'm going to a
    pply a broader approach to this review by simply telling you that you MUST buy this game. As long as you aren't a simpleton who needs a game to have shiny visuals to keep you entertained, you will LOVE this game. And I don't mean how you love chips, I mean actual, true love. To paraphrase Chad Michael Michaels from Blades of Glory, I could not love a human baby more than I love this game...

    The world in which Fallout 3 is set is quite simply the coolest environment I've ever experienced in any game. It will draw you in and make you wish you could be part of a nuclear apocalypse (despite all the obvious draw-backs). The wild, mutated animals roaming the wasteland, the unique settlements and factions dotted around the map, the eccentric characters you meet, the amazingly rich side quests that have such a great story behind them that you will want to complete all of them; there is something around every corner that will make your jaw drop.

    I am convinced that all the negative reviews this game has received on this website are from people who are either fans of the original Fallout games (Fallout and Fallout 2) who automatically wrote Fallout 3 off because it is so radically different from its predecessors, or people who are too impatient to play an RPG. So if you don't fall into either of those two categories, GO AND BUY THIS GAME. And even if you do, GO AND BUY THIS GAME.

    Safe.
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  3. May 7, 2013
    9
    I was bored2my ass at the end of 2009, watched youtube videos of fallout 3, then decided I have to play this game, at that time my laptop was too crappy to run the game, I either should buy a new PC or a XBOX360 console (dont like PS3) and I went with XBOX360, and officially start my gaming hobby. So, this game is the reason why am i here, checking and rating video games.
    Rated 9 for GOTY
    version. Love the wasteland DC, so bloody violent, three dog is awesome. the beginning part of the game is the best among other games, directly took you into the character and the game sitting. Expand
  4. Apr 27, 2013
    10
    Fallout 3 is without a doubt my favourite game of this console generation. I have put easily over 100+ hours into this game and I've enjoyed every moment of it. Fallout 3 is a game that encourages you to go off the beaten path and is far from a linear experience. While there is a clear main story, there are multiple ways to get to the end. Although, the side quests are where Fallout 3 shines. There are tons of marked and unmarked side quests that keep you exploring the Capital Wasteland. To a degree, Fallout 3 can also be a fairly emotional experience as well. In spite of the game being obviously fictional, I particularly enjoyed exploring the abandoned buildings and subway tunnels and reading up on the game lore and learning what led to the events that created the Fallout world.

    The character creation is fairly detailed, you can choose between a male or female character in addition to several facial options. You can also customize your character as you progress to fit your play style. You can invest in points to increase your melee damage, increase your accuracy in VATS or raise your charisma if you prefer to talk yourself out of situations.

    Furthermore, with the addition of the Broken Steel add-on the "ending" of the game is removed and you can continue to play and explore the world. There are also four other DLCs that contribute to the length of the game while giving you access to new perks, items and weapons. I occasionally ran into the odd technical glitch that ranged from a texture pop-in to the game outright freezing. I would highly recommend anyone who plays Fallout 3 to save often to avoid the latter occurring during their game and losing their progress.

    Overall, Fallout 3 is truly a must have for any gamer who enjoys open world games and in spite of technical problems I experienced I have to give it a 10 out of 10 based on sheer amount of content that is packed into this game.
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  5. Apr 20, 2013
    9
    Easily one of my favorite games of all time! I could go into details why, but Fallout 3 is basically FUN and over 500 hours in-game kinda speaks for itself. A modern classic!
  6. Apr 18, 2013
    10
    One of my top 5 games of all-time, great and huge open melancolic-postnuclear work of art, the graphics are good for the time it was released, with some bioshock silimiliarities in some parts, great scifi wasteland legend, love the liam neeson voice acting, sounds like god of heaven in your game
  7. Apr 16, 2013
    10
    An all time classic video-game that must be played! Besides some glitches, there are no discerning issues. It's a near perfect game with an great plot, captivating game-play, and beautiful geography and music. 9.5/10
  8. Apr 11, 2013
    3
    The game is okay by itself, if it were a standalone or a spin-off it would be kind of good. Now that's the worst part, it tries to be a successor to a series it really just doesn't have the goods to be. A lot of the quests lack any sort of emotion or critical thinking that made the first game so good, your actions had true impact. But in this you don't even get a small puzzle or area that requires thinking, it's either walk across a massive game world, shoot something, or talk to someone. And the style of the story definately doesn't fit the Fallout franchise, anybody who says this game lives up to the originals is dead wrong. The ending is FAR too much of a "Happy ending" for this game to be anything close to what is a bleak existance even after your character becomes a walking tank helping everybody in the originals. Now the gameplay and mechanics not relating to the originals are pretty good, it would be more of a "Save your money, buy it if you don't have anything to play" kind of game not considering the story. The story itself is also fine, but also lacks true depth and is quite bland. I would say you should save your money, the game is OKAY but it is far from as good as people say it to be. Expand
  9. Apr 10, 2013
    8
    Although it is a rather fun game with the V.A.T.S. for the "shooter impaired" like me I found myself repeatedly thinking of Oblivion and the ilk. It may as well be titled "Apocalypse: The Elder Scrolls" for its huge similarity. Just like every other Bethesda game I've played you really need to keep at least 3 saves in case of some weird glitches (Combat save, level entry save, town save) but if you can get past that it is a truly enjoyable experience. The cinematic cam for when you make an incredible shot like sniping a Raider from half mile away just feels so satisfying… until all the other raiders come after you and you can't do anything since your stuck in the 'kill cam' mode. (That combat save is rather important) The game is solid enough to support your play style, I even made a second character just to try a more frontal approach instead of the stealth I usually do. (Thief and Dishonored style gaming will always be in my first approach) The levels are well designed enough, although cover is sort of scarce for a shooter. Although there is plenty of things to pick up, not much of it is really worth attention. Tin Cans abound but you can't do anything with them for example. One thing that I really didn't like at first was the weapon and apparel durability. It makes sense, but it wasn't something in a game I really wanted. Later I found that it made me use different and new weapons during different parts of the plot. Like how Raiders use plenty of assault rifles and hunting rifles to repair yours with but you might want to use energy weapons against The Enclave since that's what they use. Healing items are rather plentiful and you'll find you don't really need them all once you get a good handle on how the game plays but get them all anyway. Your going to need them in the DLCs just to stay alive most of the time. Which pretty much sums the game up, its all about thinking about trying to survive the wasteland between the part scavenging, hostile inhabitants, and radiation. Planning your next step is always a forethought throughout the game. Expand
  10. Mar 23, 2013
    10
    This is easily one of the best RPGs you'll ever play in your life. It plays well on Xbox and it even has amazing DLC. The GOTY edition is a must buy for any gamer
  11. Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Fallout 3 is a game that is all about the atmosphere. The atmosphere created by Bethesda Studios in Fallout is, in my opinion, one of the most well made atmospheres in a game. This atmosphere is created and sustained through the vintage 1950's Cold War culture and a futuristic post-apocalyptic wasteland that can keep the player entertained and exploring for hours on end. With a solid game play system, including the V.A.T.S. stop time combat, Fallout 3 sets out to guide the player on an incredible quest of epic proportions, and succeeds brilliantly at doing so. Expand
  12. Feb 15, 2013
    8
    There is no doubt that allot of love went into making this game. The story is brilliant and fits the universe perfectly. The first person (elder scrolls-esque) perspective fits in really well and is an improvement on the old turn based system of Fallouts 1 and 2. Stunning visuals and an impressive post apocalyptic rendition of D.C. So why don't I sound more excited by it? Because, generally speaking, it is a bit bland and can be a little boring at times. The dull colors really do add to the atmosphere and set the mood nicely, however, they also make everything look the same. Again I state this is a great game that just really needs a bit more color and life to it. Because as it stands, it feels like a black and white version of the Mona Lisa. Overall: A fantastic game that falls just under brilliance thanks to its overdone monochromatic and dirty tones. They're done well, and serve their intended purpose well, but perhaps a bit too well. Thanks Bethesda for keeping the series alive, and making such a great game. Expand
  13. Jan 31, 2013
    9
    Following the global atomic war of 2077 the US has been all but destroyed. Within one of many underground bunkers built to keep citizens safe however the residents still enjoy a life free from the Giant Insects, Raiders, Slavers and Mutants. The game opens with your birth within this vault and quickly moves through pivotal moments in your childhood introducing the controls and concepts of the game along the way.
    During this introduction you discover that no one has left the vault in nearly 100 years yet just as you reach adulthood you awake one morning to discover that your father has left the comfort and security of your home. In trying to discover why you soon find that you yourself must leave and that is when Fallout 3 really begins.

    As the vault door creeks open you get your first glimpse that the awe inspiring world that Bethesda have created. Abandoned towns, polluted rivers and mountain ranges stretch out before you and all are accessible at any point during the game. You soon realise that survival in this harsh new world will be tough.
    The main narrative of Fallout 3 is largely concerned with tracking down your father and learning his motivations for leaving the vault but as with all the best role playing games it is the side quests that really bring the game to life. These can be picked up from many of the characters that litter the wasteland and can often be completed in more than one way. Beware however that your actions will have consequences and can drastically change the game world you inhabit!

    Combat itself is also largely successful. Gun and Melee attacks are performed in first person and while your ability to aim straight is important it is really your characters stats that decide how successful you are. Should you come up against a particularly difficult enemy you can thankfully rely on the VATS system. This allows you to pause the game and target specific body parts for a dramatic kill but needs time to recharge so must be used tactically. In a game this size there are of course going to be some minor bugs and flaws the most jarring of which is the inability to continue after completing the main quest. I was disappointed to not be able to complete the remaining side quests. It is very easy to overlook any slight problems however in a game as ambitious and good as Fallout 3.
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  14. Jan 28, 2013
    10
    One of the best RPGs on Xbox 360. You can start off on the main quest line but I can easily get sidetracked through exploring unknown location throughout the map. Yet again with any Bethesda RPG the odd glitch and bug but once you get past that you can truly appreciate what s superb game Fallout 3 really is
  15. Jan 17, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the greatest game I ever played. I spent a lot of hours of fun trying to solve every quest. It's awesome how much fun you can have playing this game. The DLC's are cool, I like the freedom this game gives you to explore the whole Capital Wasteland. It's awesome. Expand
  16. Jan 16, 2013
    10
    Fallout 3
    Fallout 3 has to be one of the best games out to this date for the Xbox but, there are other games that are good, but this one has to be one of the best. The game was made by Bethesda Game Studios it is the third game out that is a Fallout game and this one has to be the best of the three. There is a new one out that is called Fallout new Vegas this is a good game but not as lon
    g as the older one Fallout 3. In the story, you play as a baby to start with and the world and had a war and in the war, an atomic bomb was used. A war so big that most people live in Vault underground you live in this vault with your dad and you see his life in the Vault for a bit of his life. Then your dad has gone missing he has left the Vault and is not around. You wake up and you are trying to find your dad, you get told by a friend that your dad has left the vault and you need to find him you try to leave the Vault the leader of the vault will not let you so you end up fighting your way out of the vault you leave all your friends and start trying to find your dad as you leave the vault you see the world as a waste land form the war. At this point, you can change the story and there are many things you can do you change the story from this point. As you walk around the wasteland, you meet people and you fight people who will try to kill you and there are monsters that will try to kill you as well but the idea of the game is to live and not die. And some point in the game depending on how you did the story you will find your dad who is trying to make you drink the water from a lake you help your dad do this but again you don Expand
  17. Dec 27, 2012
    9
    This game confused me at first, and didn't seem like much. I went thru the early stage then the world was opened up to me, and i just didn't "get it". After coming back and trying it again with guidance from a wiki, I knew where to go, and what to do, and got in to a grove. Choices matter, there's ton of stuff to explore, but you don't need to find everything or do every mission if you don't want to. The RPG elements such as growing skills and building/repairing weapons is great for tailoring your gameplay to fit your preference, and the stories and side-quests are actually fun and interesting! The shooting and fighting isn't as tight as say Borderlands, but it holds its own, and the auto-targeting system (again, optional) helps get you out of any annoying jams where you can't catch an enemy in your aim (we're not all Call of Duty, combat ready with the thumbsticks, after all). It's also actually handy to be able to switch between first and third person whenever you wish as well. Try the GOTY version. Collapse
  18. Dec 26, 2012
    10
    The first fallout I have played, and I instantly became a fan. I like the whole skills, perks, and SPECIAL system, and even just how the game felt as I was playing. How you could be good or evil was also something I enjoyed (and I was always evil). Great open world game.
  19. Dec 15, 2012
    7
    I'm not going to try to compare this game with the previous Fallout expansions, considering that converting from a isometric view to a full on First Person Shooter completely falters the arguments between each two. In an open-world setting, Fallout 3 is quite like Skyrim or Oblivion in a lot of ways, since Bethesda knows how to make an RPG setting, with interesting locations, dynamic settings (at some points), and curious characters. Apart from Skyrim and Oblivion's leveling system, you gain experience based on finding locations, completing quests, or just killing creatures. At leveling up you can spend your points freely on any skill set, and you can choose a perk based on your level and your skill set. This is a great quality that Skyrim borrows from, and in a good way at that. Although, you will have to face having to talk to NPC's by directly staring at you to death from Oblivion, but dialogue options are more enhanced from just making a sentence from one word. Onto the negatives. the biggest annoyance I've had with this game was that you can't aim down the sight of any gun other than the ones with a scope. All that happens is that you zoom in while awkwardly shooting creeps from the hip. A lot of the weapons you'll find regularly break down (except for the Hunting Rifle, which will be your best friend for a while) and are hard to repair, because you can only repair a weapon's quality equivalent to your skill set, so if you have 30 repair you can only repair a weapon up to 30% quality, which is annoying as hell and makes you want to get repair to 100 immediately. Most unique weapons you find have the same model as the normal gun, like a Terrible Shotgun to a Combat Shotgun. When night falls, it can be especially painful to traverse around the wasteland as the graphic feel for the game is also quite choppy too, making everything blend, and your Pip-Boy light won't do much else to improve upon that. The combat itself is quite static, with the guns feeling often glued onto you, and the movement impaired and the VATS becoming a little tired and repitive with your motions. On a Story level, though, the game is interesting, and how you begin the game is quite clever and thematic as well. It doesn't overburden you with everything at hand, and manages to introduce to you the lore of the game in a realistic settting. Also, exploring the wasteland does make you feel like you are exploring a wasteland, with so many ruined buildings of old, crawling through the many interlayers of metro stations. But, the metro station also causes a lot of issues with using markers or waypoints, as they will needlessly through theirselves all over the map to get to a location that would be much easier to get to directly on foot. Rad will become a constant issue to you if you are not wary, and many hostile creatures and mutants shall try anything they can to destroy you. This franchise had to take a big step from simple PC computersto more complex systems, with a new development team and all to make sure that everything about the lore from the original was kept sacred, and for the most part, it has. It has some choppy motions and awkward combat situations, but Fallout 3 will be interesting to partake in the story behind it all. Expand
  20. Nov 14, 2012
    10
    One of, if not the best game for the current generation. While having not played anything like this before this was a completely fresh idea to take the fallout series into the First Person RPG. The main story of the game is not great but it is just a drop in the ocean compared to the size and scale of the rest of the game. I could easily spent hours upon hours just exploring and coming across different things across the wasteland and have managed to have over 200 hours played across different save files. Every gamer should have played this game and at its current price you would be silly not to at least give this a try Expand
  21. Oct 29, 2012
    10
    Fallout 3 masterfully creates a parallel universe for players to explore and lose dozens of hours in. No other game of this console generation comes close to offering the amount of content, freedom of choice, and level of immersion that can be found here.
  22. Oct 27, 2012
    10
    Fans of Mad Max and science fiction should love this game. I had never played a RPG before and I loved it. I will warn people who have never played a RPG before that it is a long slog and you will spend a long time searching through boxes in the desolate wasteland, although you should love the action / first person rpg system.
  23. Oct 9, 2012
    10
    It's a fact that RPG's are one of the most influential genres of all times. RPG's have given us a new way to immerse our selves in a world of interesting characters and epic stories. Although I am in the minority I think that RPG's of previous generations were far superior than now a days. I am not a fan of these modern RPG's like Mass Effect and Skyrim (before you flip out I admit they have some fun in them too). It was a big surprise to play 'Fallout 3'. I couldn't believe that this game would turn out the best yes the BEST RPG of this generation. Like other Bethesda games the lore in this game is amazing. Actually that is the main plus for me. Was the gameplay fun yes, the story yes but it was the artwork, secrets, ester eggs and the environment that hooked me to the game. The reason I prefer Fallout 3 than the modern RPG is the difficulty. Although people don't admit it modern day 'masterpieces' like Mass Effect and Skyrim are way too easy and need basic skill to beat (not all modern RPG are like this ex. Dark Souls). But Fallout 3 has survival horror in the mix which makes it more challenging, rewarding and in my opinion makes an overall better game. Some flaws of the game are the minor bugs,and the somewhat dated visuals. When it comes to gameplay this is similar to an FPS making it more surprising that I like it (I hate FPS mainly tks to COD). There are many guns and you always have the awesome V.A.T.S in your command. This awesome feature slow down time and lets you aim to specific body parts..The Characters in this game are all thought out and all are a bunch of fun to talk to. Another plus in this game is the side quests. Unlike Skyrim were you have hundreds of side missions here you have less but they are more thought out and in my opinion miles better than the retarded pointless miscellaneous tasks like Kill a troll quests in Skyrim. The Biggest problem in this game is for people without the GOTY edition or specifically broken Steel DLC. This is because some bonehead thought that you cant end the game and continue playing. You need to load a previous save data. This is luckily fixes in broken steel. Side note this idea of not allowing you to continue is so stupid this problem is also found in New Vegas and Rage. If you are buying this game and you should make sure to pick up the GOTY edition which has awesome DLC like two of my favorite DLC on the 360; Point Lookout and The Pitt. Not much is left to say other than BUY THIS GAME. All gamers should buy this game especially the Survival Horror and RPG fans!!! Expand
  24. Sep 11, 2012
    9
    There's tons of first-person and third-person shooter games around these days, but Fallout 3 is 5th best shooter I've ever played after Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Metal Gear Solid, and Snake Eater. The only problem I have with this game is that they went a little crazy on it being non-linear. A mini-map would have been nice to include in the gameplay, for example.
  25. Sep 3, 2012
    9
    A fantastic post apocalyptic RPG with an extremely addictive personality. Fallout stands up to Oblivion and may even surpass it. It has some of the best open world exploration that gaming has to offer
  26. Aug 14, 2012
    9
    Every once in awhile you get a new game that completely sucks you in, and you become completely immersed in a world for hours on end. Other games eventually follow that are similar, and might even have better graphics, but these "landmark" games are the ones that rejuvenate your gaming enthusiasm and will always stick with you. This is one of those games, and I haven't even played the DLC. Four years after the initial release, I'm still thinking about picking up the GOTY edition and having another playthrough. Expand
  27. Aug 9, 2012
    1
    I played this game for a little while, completed tutorials and i thought "Hey, this might have potential" so I go to the first city, the quest tracking is terrible and leads you to places you shouldn't be, the combat is really flimsy, and the quests are kind of ridiculous, first real quest after tutorial: Blow up a nuclear bomb or disarm it after talking to someone who should help you, but ends up dying by some bad guy first. Terrible game, would not recommend it. Not to mention you actually need to gain skills up before you can perform such alternate ways of playing the game, inventory management is poor, and the mechanics / story is poor itself. Expand
  28. Aug 6, 2012
    10
    2008 game of the year and did it diserve it hell yes the game is slower than fallout new vegas thats why the newer fnv newcomers dont like it i played the first fallouts and this one was a welcome revival to the series
  29. Aug 1, 2012
    10
    Fallout 3 is possibly even better on the Xbox than on the PS3. It is the greatest gaming experience ever created, and blows all other game series out of the water.
  30. Jul 19, 2012
    10
    Excellent choice of character customisation in Fallout 3, not to mention the a bright green warhawk haircut! Many other awesome features are included; my favourite being the sense of awe that's experienced whenever the game is played. Also, with the Bloody Mess perk; gore has never been so good.
  31. Jul 11, 2012
    10
    I bought the GOTY edition,and must say that this is the only RPG I have gotten all of the DLC for and played through it all. I'm actually reconsidering buying the GOTY edition for my PS3 as well just to play it all over again. Absolutely great RPG by Bethesda.
  32. Jul 3, 2012
    10
    This is one of my all time favorite games, the story, gameplay, and sound all stand out in this title. There is so much stuff to do that you will spend well over 100 hours finishing side quests and exploring. The combat is unique to where a blend of turn based action with shooter mechanics fleshes out a new combat style. The environments are beautiful, including all the DLC which adds to the already massive and immersive fallout world. The VATS finishing kill cams never get old no matter how long you play. There is just so much good content in this single game that even without the DLC it will satisfy you for hour on end. The DLC is just icing on the cake. Even though its aged you should buy this game. Expand
  33. Jul 1, 2012
    9
    I expected more when I first played Fallout 3, it wasn't as harsh or bleak as I expected. However replaying it for the second time with all the DLC included it kinda of grew on me and is one of best games I have ever played.
  34. Jun 30, 2012
    10
    What is there not to love about Fallout 3, there is a real sense of achievement playing this game which rewards you when u level up and get perks which means you can make the player the way you want whether you want him to talk his way out of most things or do high damage in melee to explosion expert its up to you. The scenery in the game is amazing a pure work of art and the design of the wastelands monsters are original and well designed. the feel of the 1950s retro America just adds a nice touch to the feel of the game and for me made it more enjoyable to play.The big thing i love about this game is ur karma, do good deeds you get good karma and people treat you better and sometimes give you ammo where s if u go around killing people you get bad karma which will make people treat u differently and sometimes attack you. The story line is pretty good tho i wish it was longer and enjoy the way the game literally begins when you are being born. over all this is a fantastic game which u will love right to the end and if you haven't already bought it i would advise that u did Expand
  35. Jun 12, 2012
    10
    This game is THE best game I'VE ever played. I love this game so much, I've spent alone 100 hours on one save file, this excludes the four other save files I have for this game. This game was my first RPG game that I had ever played, and still my favorite. At first when I played the game, I escaped the Vault and didn't know where to go after it. So I quit playing the game and eventually ended up selling it. After a chat with my friend about the game, he changed my mind and I thought I would give it another try, and boy was I glad he changed my mind. I started off a new file just so I could remember everything that happened. The reason I quit the first time was because I didn't know where to go or what to do. (Note: This was my first RPG so give me a break) After I left the Vault on my new file, I found Megaton right away, and after that I was hooked. The story, the characters, the big opened wasteland, the weapons. I beat the main story in about 4 hours. I knew I had to get the GOTY edition because I wanted to enjoy this game more. I got it and man I didn't think it was possible to be blown away even more than I already was. I don't want to keep babbling on about how awesome this game is because than you probably won't want to read this, but this game is a MUST buy, because you will love it! Expand
  36. Jun 9, 2012
    5
    I really wanted to like this game. I had heard from a bunch of people that it was fantastic. However, after trying it I was not only unimpressed, I was dissapointed. The game was not very good. I thought the gunplay was alright. However, using melee weapons was pretty awful. Playing in third person was a waste of time as well. Not only that but the voice acting was okay at best and the story was boring. And then, after hours of playing I got sick of all the glitches and took my game back to gamestop. Oh well. Expand
  37. May 27, 2012
    6
    This game seems so overated. Yeah, I bet the game is deep, etc. But the combat is so clunky. It made the game unplayable for me. the graphics and setting isnt that great either...Its really bland and depressing.
  38. May 24, 2012
    10
    One of the best games ive ever played. Beautiful open massive enviroment with so many locations to discover that arnt even part of the main quest. Its a game for explorers who like to just delve into a huge world filled with all sorts to discover and collect. Great leveling system and the perks you can chose give each character an individual and unique feel. Cant express enough how massive the game world is and being totally open you can chose which direction to walk and press forward for hours before hitting the end of the map. But you dont have to walk too far to find a new location to explore or monsters and raiders to fight. 10/10 any rpg fans dream game. This is skyrim/oblivion with guns and a future feel to it Expand
  39. May 22, 2012
    10
    I've been gaming for years so I've played loads of great games but for me fallout 3 is top of my list. I'm on my third play thru and it's just fresh each time. Was so disappointed with new Vegas and hated how reviewers kept saying the graphics we're like fallout 3. They weren't, fallout 3 graphics were far better.
  40. May 20, 2012
    9
    Fallout 3 is a well made game witch was loved by so many people and still is today. I know the history of Fallout series and it has had up and downs with it. Bethesda has brought Fallout back from the dead and winning Game of The Year 2008. Fallout 3 has great combat, great story line and I don't know why people would give a 6 or any other low score. It's a must buy. Fallout 3 9.9/10
  41. May 15, 2012
    9
    I don't know how much time I've spent putting into this game, but it was worth it. The GOTY edition makes this such a great value. The DLC is, for the most part, fun and interesting. But now on to the actual game: it's great. The story was good (not great, just good) and the quests are some of the best I've played since Oblivion. There are usually multiple ways to go through each one, begging for you to make a new character to go a different way in each. The Wasteland is fun to explore the first few times; after you've gone around it with a few characters, you know where everything is which greatly diminishes the exploration. This is something I can really yell at the developers for. The RPG elements aren't as strong as I would've liked, but they are still there and apparent. Perks are a great addition as well. Now for the negative: the graphics aren't really any different from Oblivion, it can be buggy at times, and sometimes it can get repetitive.
    Still though, Fallout 3 is a great game that I wholly recommend to any RPG fans. The GOTY edition is the way to go here, though. Take out the DLC and I'd knock this down to an 8.5.
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  42. May 5, 2012
    9
    Fallout 3 is beautiful example of how less can be more. In a post-apocalypse environment, the feeling of isolation and desolation this game successfully portrays is essential to pull the player into that world. Some have complained the game is sparse, so would life be after such events. The graphics are good, but the heavily glitchy nature keeps them from being great. The music and soundtrack are one of the best out there, period. The balance of amusing vintage American and tense thematic background create a constantly changing mood that lasts right through the 40 or 50 hours you can log. The storyline is compelling and goes from the slow searching to a feverish paced finally, a very rewarding finish, even without the DLC expansion. This game is random exploration heaven and apart from some mechanics issues, a completely enveloping experience. Expand
  43. Apr 30, 2012
    10
    Whilst Skyrim feels like a cheap, by the numbers cash-in designed for nothing more than raking in people's dollar from pre-orders, Fallout 3 (GOTY ed) is a superbly crafted game, and the effort + skill put into this top notch package is evident throughout. The main reason the game works so well is because the game's environment, and subsequent discoveries you make throughout exploring it, really draw you in and submerse you with ease - the capital wasteland has so much character that you can't help but fall in love with it. Everything about the game fits and works well too, from the leveling system to the VATS combat system which, although it may take a little time to get used to, never gets old. The atmospheric terminator-esq music helps draw you in too, and a lot of the quests actually require you to keep pushing on throughout the wasteland instead of being simple fetch quests (although there are a few of those in there) - which again enhances that desire to explore further. The RPG aspect does still lack - again it's a case of there not being that much choice available (although there is still SOME choice available, more than Skyrim). But the game is no weaker for it, and a game which is all about exploration in a ruined wasteland manages to nail that right on the nose. It can be a bit buggy at times, and it can also be a tad repetitive, but overall it just works and it works superbly. Definitely one to put at the top of your shopping list. Expand
  44. Apr 8, 2012
    9
    i love this game. it has so much to offer. the free roaming is awesome. it may start off a bit difficult but eventually all of that will balance out. its a great game. i know i'm in the minority, but i enjoy the fallout series even more than the elder scrolls series. i don't know what it is but i think that this game just offers something that clicked more with me than skyrim or oblivion.
  45. Apr 6, 2012
    9
    The game is amazing. That is all that needs to be said. The graphics are not quite Frostbite 2 status, but every Bethesda game kinda doesn't have the best graphics. Reason being, a game that long with amazing graphics would either break the laser eye reader or be two discs long. But the game is very long. If you want to sit down to play it for a little while, at least make it to the Wasteland. You could play 30 hours straight no problem. The only reason I could see the game being rated badly is because whoever sated it hadn't gotten to where it is explained. However the game is at least a must-play-through for all. Expand
  46. Apr 1, 2012
    8
    A good rpg with the classic Bethesda touch. While for me not as engrossing as a TES, its engrossing nonetheless, giving you miles upon open miles of open world exploration in a dangerous post-nuclear fallout wasteland. Looting and exploration are phenomenal...story, customization and combat is good. Particularly V.A.T.S. turn-based combat. Enemies can be creepy, and while there are some things that Fallout 4 can address to make it even better, Fallout 3 is a great game. Can't wait to get my hands on FO: NV! Expand
  47. Mar 19, 2012
    10
    Masterpiece of modern gaming. Bethesda crafted a unique game which remains an excellent homage to the original Fallout series. Almost 4 years after its release and I can still pick it up and enjoy it again and again. It would not surprise me if I had 300+ hours of play time into it. It's just that good.
  48. Mar 8, 2012
    3
    20 missions FNV infinitely better than this crap. It makes no sense even of the two time pass cw case at all, even once it does not make sense to go through. A simple shooting game where the missions and story background is just smashing everything without the slightest sense.
  49. Mar 6, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I would give this a 10, but I thought the ending was really dumb. I'll rant first about that then heap on praise. For example why couldn't Fawkes do it again? Or the robot? Or the girl who hasn't done anything ever? And why does the game end if I don't die? Broken steel really saved it and made it a better (if less impactful), but also more sensible ending. The game itself is really fun, open, hilarious, engaging, and amazing. Walking around DC is really cool, seeing actual buildings and locations and how they have changed. The main plot is also engaging and the side missions are often hilarious and really fun. There are some issues such as framerate and freezing, but not enough to effect the score. Expand
  50. Feb 17, 2012
    0
    This game doesn't deserve even a 1. You may spend a ,long time walking from one side of the map to the other, only then to feel de ja vu, as you are sure you have just been here, and the reason for that is, you have. The whole map looks the same with little variation, Voice acting in this game is horrendous and is a bore, making it unbearable to go of trying to find side quests, which are boring in themselves, and the story is boring and also a lot of the people in this game say exactly the same thing making the experience even more dull and boring. fair enough I haven't completed the story and it may get better towards the end but, because of the games flaws I don't think i will ever be able to reach the end, One more thing, within the 10 hours that I have played this game it has crashed my xbox 4 times, giving me no choice than to turn off my xbox and turn it back on reverting to my last save which can be a long time ago. a waste of my time and my money. Expand
  51. Feb 14, 2012
    9
    What a ride, an amazing story with tons of "what am i going to do here.." moments, you can really play the game the way YOU want to but every descesion comes with a aftershock
  52. Feb 8, 2012
    10
    When I picked up this game in 2009 I didn't know anything about it, but now after having put hundreds of hours, multiple playthroughs, and having done everything in the this game and New Vegas it has opened me up to RPG genre. It is to date The 2nd best RPG ever made, after Skyrim. With countless opportunities, missions, things to do, and a compelling storyline. It earns its 10 from me with a bang. Expand
  53. Feb 1, 2012
    9
    the best game in fallout series so far. It will confine you with endless hours, and many interesting stuff that you can wander around and discover yourself. It is not so hard to understand why this game won the title GOTY 2008, although there are many other potential candidate. Just play and don't get yourself killed or absorb too much radiation in there :)
  54. Jan 5, 2012
    7
    Taking me nearly 50 hours to complete the GOTY edition, Fallout 3 is one massive game. The DLC's seemed sort of random and went all over the place, but certainly added value to the game. The game froze up on me a couple of times, and with the exception of the VATS targeting system, the gameplay isn't the best of it's class - the combat system is vast in options but nowhere close to as smooth as most modern shooters. The engine is very impressive however, and although no element of Fallout 3 appears to be perfected, it's what makes the game so ambitious and huge - allowing developer Bethesda to experiment with so many things that enables their games to stand out from the crowd. And the player being able to chose how to play the game is a fine example of such, allowing the player become further engaged in the story with a more unique and personal experience. However, looking through thousands of boxes and running errands gets tiresome after a while, and these are just two examples out of hundreds where the game has a tendency to become repetitive - especially considering its length. Furthermore, with the exception of its vastness, the story seemed to be lacking in comparison to the Mass Effect series - which also have far superior Character Models, Enemy AI, as well as a talking Main Character. All in all I enjoyed the game and appreciate the developers efforts, but Fallout 3 could use a little more polish, which is one of the primary reasons it doesn't appeal to the casual gamer. Expand
  55. Jan 4, 2012
    10
    Best fallout ever made so far.Fallout 3 has allot of great dlc,and the graphics and story are superb.if you love rpg's and fps's you'll feel right at home with fallout 3.
  56. Dec 21, 2011
    7
    This game is so overrated in my opinion. Yes, the world is very open, and yes, there is lots of things to do.

    However, the world is very bleak, everything is either grey, brown or yellow (except for the interface, which is green). You might say that it fits the lore, and I say that it does not. Look at Chernobyl for example, despite the nuclear incident, grass has overgrown the entire are
    a! Why is there no vegetation in the world, when plants can deal with radiation several times better than humans? The game has alot of content, but that is very unvaried content and the game is very ugly. They could have been alot more creative with the setting. Expand
  57. Dec 13, 2011
    10
    This game was an amazing game, even with all the bugs and glitches the game still delivers, in my opinion one the best Role Playing Games ever, there real'y isn't anything like it, the game is perfect.
  58. Nov 25, 2011
    10
    This is one of my favourite games of all time, the sheer amount to do and discover is ridiculous, and everything you do feels so rewarding. The DLC after release was also very good, yet again Bethesda delivered a cracking experience which I can say I have easily spent over 100 hours playing
  59. Nov 22, 2011
    10
    My favorite game on the Xbox 360. Huge game world to explore, lots of quests to do, flawless voice-acting and great setting. Even though it has its issues, like the third-person camera and the not perfect combat, it's still an awesome game, that will consume a lot of your time.
  60. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Now, to start off, this is my first review i've ever done. Honestly to, I don't really intend to do more reviews, but this game...it needs to be said how great it is. Also as another note, this game isn't for everyone. Though, I believe, if you give it a try and really go deep in its immersive story, incredibly characters, addicting gameplay, and amazing quests, anyone can enjoy this great game. This review won't contain any spoilers or even any real plot elements, just my thoughts on the game itself and how I came to get it. About a year ago, just when summer started, I remember that I was on youtube looking at random game footage from several different games, when I saw the E3 2008 cinematic trailer for this game. As I remember, I never went and looked up any game footage, but that trailer really did intrigue me. As so-called fate would have it, my sister asked me if I would take her to GameStop to pick up Scribblenauts for her DS, while there I noticed in a small bargain bin, there was Fallout 3, in there for only $15. I wasn't sure if I really did want it, since I only saw the trailer, but for the first time in my life I took a blind chance on a video game and bought it. I came home, put it in my Xbox and...wasn't impressed. I was lost in the beginning, didn't know how to leave "the vault" and was, honestly, annoyed. A few days later I would come back and finally finish it, which wasn't hard at all really, then the doors of the vault opened, and I was blown away. I remember just walking around for about 2 hours, not knowing what to do or where to go, all I did was just explore, and was so happy I could do this in a game. Eventually I stumbled onto a town called "Megaton" (which I obviously now realize I was supposed to go there anyway) and met the sheriff there, who I tried to me nice to, since now that I know what this game is set in I was afraid he'd kill me if I said the wrong thing! My first time seeing a ghoul, genuinely scared me, but with a character like Gob I felt so sorry for him, and thats one thing you'll notice that this game does to you, it gives you a real emotional connection with the characters in this game. Anyway though, that was my story of how I found Fallout 3 and my first time playing it. But thats not a review, is it? This game, took more then 300 hours of summer time from me, and honestly, i'd do it again if I was given the choice to go back in time. By the time I beat the game the first time through, I felt bad that I had only paid $15 for this game, it has something for truly anyone that likes to play video games. This is honestly one of my all time favorite games, for this reason in particular: When I had my 300 hour fill of fallout, I had beaten the game through twice, with broken steel added to both files, and I was done then. I didn't return to the game, until recently, I missed being able to explore the wasteland, finding new things and seeing new sites, even making a few companions to travel with (my favorite feature!). So I started playing as a villain and it was like I was re discovering everything from my playthroughs a year ago, and none of the fun has been diminished. Thats why this game should have a spot in the best games of all time, even after so much time has gone by, and playing through the game multiple times, you can still come back and find hours of enjoyment from this masterpiece. If you, well like video games, then at least try and rent this game, play from the true beginning, not from someone else's half way save file. I would also highly recommend getting broken steel, since you can then continue after you have finished the game, or the game of the year edition, since it supposedly has the DLC already installed. Nonetheless, this is a masterpiece, I fell in love with this game, and if you give it a chance, you can to. This truly deserves a 10/10, hopefully this helped someone out there decide on this game, if not, it was nice to tell my small story. Expand
  61. Nov 17, 2011
    9
    One of the best RPG's out there. A must buy for all fans of the genre. This game is perfect for fulfilling your sadistic and violent urges as you can shoot off limbs and make peoples heads explode. You can even nuke a town in one mission! The missions are varied and interesting. There are many ways to complete each mission whether you want to be good and help people or cause suffering. An example would be a man who has become stuck inside a tree, he wishes for you to end his life. You can shoot his heart (good) or set fire to him and make his death slow(evil). Your actions in the game will influence the massive world around you, some people will become hostile towards you for some deeds but commend you for others.The Game of the Year edition is fantastic as it adds new quests, one of which is tedious and annoying, and there is no escape once you start. so not a perfect game, but very close. The ability to customise what you look like and what you wear are also a nice aspect of the game. Expand
  62. Nov 17, 2011
    1
    for what was a very creative and fun game series, fallout NV and 3 set an all time low. Sure, fallout 3 and NV pulled the series to 3d and open, and i admit it was kind of fun, but that fun was ruined by the major bugs, freezes, glitches and crashes i experienced on my copy. it happened on my PC,ps3 and 360 copies so its not my system. This is a very crap game that does not deserve a sequel. If 4 gets made, it must not be developed by obsidian and not use that crap gamebryo engine. I cant even tell you how bad the DLC makes it. Its unplayable after 3 hours gameplay. its like it purposly freezes to tick you off! Expand
  63. Nov 13, 2011
    10
    What Fallout 3 is, is a fully fleshed out world. It has a tone unprecedented in the video game medium of this console generation. Science fiction mixed with an mid 20th century vibe gives a strange yet refreshing feel to the game. Here is why I think Fallout 3 deserves a 10:

    - Story
    You wake up one morning and to find your father has escaped from the underground vault you've been living i
    n, the one people say no-one ever enters or leaves. This introduces you to the world of Fallout well, and your primary mission throughout the majority of the game is to find him which this slowly changes as you get caught up in the struggle for civilization and power. While I find the story to be stellar, what really came shining through to be story wise and the sub-plots within side missions and the moral dilemmas within those. Finding an old lady's ancestor's violin could only be fun in Fallout 3 because of the way it fits in with and teaches you about the fiction. Playing Fallout 3 feels like your carving your own story into the wasteland, as opposed to a pre-determined one. I finished the story after around 60 hours (And have gone on since to about 100 hours before I moved onto other games).

    -Gameplay
    Fallout 3's gameplay, though quirky and not without glitches, is fun. Shooting mechanics are decent and get the job done. When playing Fallout 3, I slowly became dependent on the VATS system because of how much easier it is to hit targets using it. Weapon spread can feel way too high to FPS fans, especially to ones who've been playing Call of Duty at 60 frames per second which has laser like precision and speed. Weapons can take damage and need to be repaired, as with apparel, adding an interesting element to the game. Exploration is rewarding (literally, you get experience points!) and the vast number of places you'll find when wandering randomly is staggering. These places wont be empty, loot and even quests are to be found in the most barren looking of places. There is also a multitude of ways to deal with any given situation. By customizing your character, you can decide what kinds of ways to will deal with situations. Will you spend skill points on Science skills to access the computer and disable the turret in the next room? Or will you spend them on Weapon skills and go in the room guns blazing? This is a simple example to illustrate the freedom you have to deal with situations. You are confronted with moral choices throughout your stay in the wasteland, and at times you may feel the need to steal from friendlies to survive. Through customizing your character, not only does it give to choices but it also makes your character feel unique to the point you doubt anyone else in the world has a character exactly like yours, which is most likely the case. You are free to save pretty much at all times, and this may seem like an asset, but knowing the if you screw up and make a bad decision you can return to a save not to far back does make the experience a little less immersive. It does mean you can experiment with social bounds and immoral decisions in the game though, which is fun.

    -Graphics
    Understandably, being a game of this scale, this isn't the fastest running game nor the greatest looking one. The graphics aren't bad. At times, though far and few between, I would even go as far to say they're good. Being post apocalyptic, there's not much color on the palette and the game can feel a little dreary at times, however this adds to feel of Fallout and further establishes its tone. The skyboxes look incredible. Though it's something few pay attention to, I'm sure every one will look up at night and feel as though it's dark in the real world. Stiff animation does make the game feel sluggish however. But its unmatched graphical style is enough to pull it through on the graphics end of things.

    In conclusion, Fallout 3 is just a game that you have to play to comprehend how good it is. Every element of the game works in unison to produce something with an underlying tone and incredible immersion. People may be skeptical of buying a game 3 years of age, but be assured, this is a masterpiece and you don't want to miss it.
    Expand
  64. Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Without a doubt my favorite game of all time, the most intense, original, creative, enjoyable, lengthy, spontaneous gaming experience I have ever had. I must have spent over 300 hours on this game and look back on every second fondly.
  65. Nov 11, 2011
    10
    Greatest Game of All Time. As a fan of the series since it first began in 1997, I couldn't have been happier with the return of the Fallout series in 2008. I have logged over 250 hours on this game in the three years since I have purchased, and it simply never gets old. The story, although not as original as the previous 2 games, was quite enthralling. The gameplay is fantastic (especially VATS mode) and the graphics are stellar (for its time of course.) The game world is enormous, filled with dozens of quests and hundreds of locations to explore. Truly, it is easy to get sucked into Fallout 3 and log 100 hours in a single epic playthrough. 10/10 Expand
  66. Nov 11, 2011
    10
    Out of all the games I have played, Fallout 3 is among the best. In terms of gameplay VATS never gets old and the wide variety of possible play styles mean that there are multiple ways to do the same thing; thus resulting in an astoundingly high level of replay-ability. The dreary and destroyed Capitol Wasteland coupled with some excellent sound design conjurer up a mood that perfectly meshes with the story and game as a whole. In conclusion with its numerous quests, locations, and interactions Fallout 3 is an experience that you can sink hundreds of hours into and still be begging for more. Expand
  67. Nov 10, 2011
    9
    This is a really good game and is a must buy. I wish they patched some of the glitches in this game but you cant patch all the glitches in RPG's. I loved this and I would highly recommend buying this.
  68. Nov 10, 2011
    10
    This game is a amazing and noone should pass it up. It's a great evolvement from Oblivion, which was also fantastic. Good questing and other such stuffs.
  69. Nov 9, 2011
    5
    Being a huge Bethesda fan I expected a great deal more. VATS is more annoying than innovative, you can't hardly kill anything without it, slowing down the game. The story is uninteresting, the graphics are okay, but the facial mapping is not the best. And my biggest complaint is the absolutely boring environment, if you travel from one end of the map to the other, good luck telling the difference. It looks looks the same. Even so, the game was entertaining enough to receive a medium score. Expand
  70. Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Played "Fallout 3" in my friend's house. It's pretty fun and enjoyable especially with the slow mo dissections, but it gets pretty boring after a while. The muddy textures also makes the game pretty hard to watch (you'll have to squint your eyes). BUT. It's basically an open world where you just run around and kill stuff which is pretty fun and exciting for those young indiana Jones dudes out there. The selection of dialogue (like Mass Effect) is also pretty amazing and intriguing; every decision you make COUNTS. Overall a good game that you'd spend a good time on. Expand
  71. Nov 8, 2011
    10
    Despite a glitch for every hour of gameplay, you'll forgive it for the compelling multi-arching story, the expansive world to explore, and the interesting characters. Fallout 3 will keep you wandering the wasteland for days, gathering every little artifact, talking to every NPC, and shooting every mutated thing for the ever-valuable XP so you can again level up and chase the next perk.
  72. Oct 25, 2011
    10
    An absolute essential to any gamers repertoire. If you don't have Fallout 3, then you need to go and get it ASAP. You can get the GOTY edition now for 25$ brand new. That is a huge deal. For a game that offers hundreds of hours of entertainment, that is a steal.

    Go and buy Fallout 3 right now, you will not regret it.
  73. Oct 23, 2011
    10
    Fallout 3 is an amazing game, with so many choices to make, quests and extra DLC to play and a variety of weapons, companions and essentials to choose from. An easy 10/10.
  74. Oct 19, 2011
    10
    This is an awesome game with a good story and lots of action and it is one of my favorite games so bravo!! And the game is extra good because you finally can choose who you want to be.
  75. Oct 10, 2011
    10
    What ever your opinion on Fallout games before this, you need to rethink your ideas. If you thought oblivion was good (or bad) there is no denying this is an excellent game. If your not sure whether to but this game, let me put it to you this way WWW.AMAZON.COM, £15, thats it for a thirty hour game and five peices of DLC worth 800msp each. Although it can be frustrating at times and sometimes youll want to puch your console for megafailing at killing a deathclaw and i can tell you before you do something you may regret SAVE, i can tell you how much i've wanted to kill everyone in the game but to do that would be foolish,not if you had a save before though... either way this game is unquestionably good and for everyone ou there, all you have to do is install and no more bugs/glitches!!! FALOUT FTW!!! Expand
  76. Oct 4, 2011
    8
    Story: 7
    Characters: 6
    Graphics: 7
    Setting: 7
    Multiplayer: N/A
    Soundtrack: 7
    Audio: 9
    Gameplay: 9
    Re-Playability Value: 8
    Fun Factor: 9

    Score: 7.6/10 = B
  77. Sep 24, 2011
    10
    With Fallout 3 they took everything great about Oblivion and made it TEN TIMES BETTER. Not a surprise that this was awared so many GOTY rewards. Ignore the negative reviews of this MASTERPIECE, buy this game!
  78. Sep 16, 2011
    9
    have never been a huge fan of the rpg genre but fallout 3 changes the way I look at rpgs this is one of the most brilliant, deep, enthralling and in depth game I have ever played. First off this game's areas just really add to the Post Apocalypse feel of the game the broken roads and destroyed buildings in the city really show how much effect the war had on the Capital Wasteland all this gives the game a very realistic post of Apocalypse feel. The game also gives the player alot of freedom once the player progresses through first few main quests the player can do whatever he/she wants let that be roam around the capital wasteland killing people and monsters, going around discovering locations, finding sidequests, trying to find and buy weapons and or just continue on with the main quest. The game also gives the player a choice of what way the player wants to play there are 3 skills the player can choose in the start portion of the game which will allow him/her to choose his 3 top skills so the player can actually go ahead and base his combat skills on Melee Fighting, Shooting or the player can base his combat skills on the good old fashion way by his fists ofcourse by using fist gaunlets which the player can find at various locations throughtout the game. The game also has alot of perks giving the player more special abilities. On top of that there are other skills like Speech and Barter which can allow the player to avoid doing some tasks in particular quests or forcing the NPCs to pay them a larger sum for their services. There are also skills like Lockpick and Science that will allow the players lockpick locks and hack computers respectively both of these skills are necessary for some sidequests. Even though the game doesn't have that many sidequests they are also reasonably long and rewarding and all the sidequests vary in alot of different ways For example in one you will be going through the subway to kill some Fire Ants, in another one you will be going to various different places to gather research for a book someone is planning to write and in another quest you will be given a mercenary or assassin's contract to kill or assassinate people. However you can solve these quests in a number of different ways as well like for example you can force the book author to stop thinking about writing a book or you can give her false researh information, and in the mercenary contract quest you can lie to the person who hired you for killing about killing the people who were told to kill when you actually did not kill them, and turn your back on the person who gave you the contract in the first place and kill him instead. The game also has alot of enemy variety there are animals like wild dogs, bears and mole rats, monsters like the super mutants, Feral Ghouls and the Death Claws and thugs like the Raiders and there are tons of places which you can explore and some of those places have a hidden special weapon, item or armor which the player would love to get his hands on the enemy A.I leveling up scale has also been done well in this game. There is also alot of weapon variety in this game. The player can go around killing people in VATS in which the player chooses which parts of the body of the enemy to hit and each hit consumes AP points which refills after the player uses VATS that is definitely the best part about the game's combat however real time gun combat can be frustrating because of the aiming and shooting does not seem that well polished however the real time combat works fine when Melee or Unarmed weapons are being used. The game's story is good and serviceable but it could have been so much better the story started out so well and sucked me in the game than it just lost its momentum and in the end it just ended up being a war between the BoS and the Enclave over the Washington DC and the ending was really disappointing to me. The games soundtrack is a great kickback to the 1930s and 1940s I would have ever listened to those Gems if it wasn't for this game as far the Voice acting goes it is clear it was done by a small cast but they still did a good job just don't expect stellar voice acting you see in games like GTA, Dragon Age, Assassin's Creed or Mass Effect. The graphics of the game are not up to today's standards but that is still understandable considering how huge this game is. The game also has some bugs and glitches but I have not had that many crashes or any corrupt files there were bugs like slow down, texture and frame-rate pop ins from time to time and sometimes characters just disappeared or floated in thin air but that is particularly the fault of the old and dated Oblivion engine Bethesda used in this game. In the end despite its minor drawbacks Fallout 3 is great Sci-Fi post apocalypse game just waiting to reveal its dark secrets and sucking you in its world Fallout 3 is just amazing. 9.5/10. Expand
  79. Aug 20, 2011
    8
    Make no mistake, fallout is as good as good as everyone says. Lots of quests, side quests, enormous game, massive duration, amazing scenery, good voice acting, , great systems that blend together for awesome fighting system and exploration. It's all there, no doubt about it. Then -you ask- why the 8/10 rating, why not 9/10 or 10/10? Well... I can't get myself to give it more to game that is SO SO riddled with bugs as Fallout 3 is. Even after so many patch releases, it's still impossible to make a play trough, without finding yourself overwhelmed by them, one way or the other. If you consult game forums, in different sites, you'll find that if some bugs are generalized and most people will point them, it's also true that almost everyone who played it found exclusive bugs , almost like if there was a hidden bug generator in the game, for each playtrough. I have to say, the first time I played Fallout 3, I had to start over from the begining after 60 hours of gameplay (!) , after suddenly realising that I could not complete the main story quest, because of a bug who prevented the game from recognizing the completion of a simple task , even though I had done it already. I could not do it again, since I had already, and so, the only solution was to start over after 60 hours. That, my friends, can ruin the mood to finish a game. Expand
  80. Aug 19, 2011
    10
    This game is so massive and epic,even without the DLC's! But with'em your looking at a game of epic per-portions. Loved every second of this awesome game. One of the greatest open world games all time period.
  81. Aug 15, 2011
    10
    Simply put, one of the best RPG's made so far. It's content-packed, ever-exciting, post-apocalyptic world is always fun to explore, and it's members are always fun to shoot. The DLC makes the game even better.
  82. Aug 1, 2011
    10
    Unreal, this game is just spectacular!!!! Leaves you breathless and the story has no match. This is the one and only game that matches to Oblivion with the exception of Mass Effect games. This is unlike all, this is stunning. 11/10 greatest RPG for me I really enjoyed it!!!!!
  83. Jul 28, 2011
    9
    If you liked Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion; you will like Fallout 3 and its similarities to Oblivion!!! It is one of my favorite games of all time only beaten by the Mass Effect series and Knights of the Old Republic. Fallout 3 has realistic visuals, a dark open post-apocalyptic world, immersing story , and cool morality system!! The only problems is the bugs and glitches , but I recommend you to buy this awesome game!! Expand
  84. Jul 12, 2011
    10
    Ok. This game is AWSOME! Yes, the game has it flaws. Many of them too. Damn many. But that cant drag the game down. It is just too good. Yes, it is like it was made to be buggy. Yes, the thing that you cant chose how the ending shall be is also very bad. Ad that you cant support the bad guys in an winning way. But it cant drag it down. It is just too good. First time you play the game, you will play it without thinking about how long you have played. And neither will you the 4 next times. The game has still very many flaws, but it is not bug enough to destroy for it. It is the best game i have played. Not my favorite game, but the best still. That is with the Broken Steel pack. Without it is kinda a downturn at the end. But still, it deserves a Expand
  85. Jul 11, 2011
    10
    The begining of this game was sooo slow and I almost stopped playing, but I continued knowing it had to get better, and it did. The moment the game completely captured me was the moment the character walks out of the vault. the landscape was amazing, the map huge, the gameplay endless. I rented the game at first then I bought the GOTY edition and never before have I gotten my moneys worth from a game. 160 hours and I am still playing. Expand
  86. Jul 8, 2011
    3
    I was advised by a friend who adores this game to get it myself, I did so, however this game is simply a hyped up modern version of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which is a game I love however Fallout 3 is simply missing something more and it never really hooked me
  87. Jul 4, 2011
    9
    In my opinion, this is an amazing game with a great story. The game is a little glitchy at times, but not glitchy enough to effect the game play. If you are looking for a game with a great story, and a large game world, then you should pick up this game.
  88. Jun 30, 2011
    10
    Fallout 3 is far one of the best games i have ever played. I have spent over 100 hours playing and I don't wish at all that I could have any of it back. One thing that makes it such a good game is that the decisions you make reflect what happens the rest of the game. There is so much stuff to do in this game that 100 hours is miniscule to the amount of time it would take to do everything in the game. Perfect! Expand
  89. Jun 24, 2011
    7
    I honestly love this game. But I do have plenty of problems with it.
    Pros:
    Good Radio: GNR made me smile with the quality music from back in the day.
    Interesting Storyline: The game took me plenty of time to finish, and of course, the storyline was quality.
    Walking distance: You have to take a break from linear storylines, right? You gotta take a break and see the scenery once in awhil
    e.
    Riveting Storyline: The game kept me addicted throughout the entire game.
    DLC: The DLC increases the overall game length from a 20 hour main story, plus 5 hours of side quests, to about 50 hours main story, plus 30 hours of side quests.
    Now, thats all the pros I can think of at the moment, so lets get to the bad parts.

    It is RIDDLED with bugs: Half the time, I'm walking around the wasteland, getting caught in boxes of abraxo cleaner.
    Horrible AI: The AI in this game, is laughable. It's significantly worse than the AI in HL2 before the big patch.
    Weapons: All the weaponry that you get, misses 9 out of 10 shots, while the enemies weapons hit 9 out of 10 shots.
    Graphics: This game was made in 2009. Why do the graphics look like they were made in 2002?
    Talking: Why is it, that whenever your talking with someone, they have a straight face, and their arms are crossed, even when crying?
    This is everything I can think about right now, but in the end, the good outweighs the bad, but if Bethesda gave it an extra year, they might have had a masterpiece on their hands.
    Expand
  90. Jun 1, 2011
    9
    Really great game. Full of things to do and lots of ways to do it, the post-apocalyptic setting goes extremely well the location. Lots of awesome weaponry and armour makes this game a real joy to play, if only the game wasn't so easy...
  91. Jun 1, 2011
    10
    This game will draw you in and never let you go if you let it. It's post apocolyptic setting mixed with it's unique cast of characters, stellar soundtrack and interesting locations and missions and you have one of the best settings in video games. If you love post apocolyptic settings, 1950's American culture, salvaging and character customization, this is your game.
  92. May 28, 2011
    9
    this game is amazing
    the graphics are very considering the scale of the game and how big it is
    the the combat which is in an FPS style is very satisfying combined with the VATS (a cool way to stop the action and pick away at certain parts of the enemy like the head)
    the story is very engrossing and has some very memorable moments
    however the game can be very unforgiving , there can be some
    situations where you have a crap gun no bullets and like 10 health and have nowhere to go because there are enemies everywhere , so you die a lot in those circumstances but either way just play the game oh and get the GOTY edition because it has all the DLC and adds a lot to the game Expand
  93. May 6, 2011
    9
    Gem of a game, really spiced up the rpg arena. Storyline was incredible, one of the best ive seen. From start to finish i was completely engrossed in this game, it really is an oblivion open world game where you can freely explore and do almost whatever you want. Leveling up system and weapon and armour upgrade progression also done extremely well. The only downside for me was the vats system, if you didnt use this in almost every fight you either die or use up tons of ammunition which was scarce. Would have been better if you could have opted to use the vats system sparingly. Outwith the above flaw this game is well worth playing. Expand
  94. Apr 27, 2011
    9
    If you liked Oblivion you will fall in love with this masterpiece. Trying to follow your missing dad ,stuff gets more interesting and almost impossible to finish the game , simply because you just want to explore Washington completely. There are a lot of weapons but limited ammo , radiated water , hordes of creatures and mutants , rider making it hard and struggling to survive in this wicked dangerous world. Cool graphics , cool environment , desolated city etc. Great ambient sound effect. This is a totally pick for RPG fans Expand
  95. Apr 27, 2011
    10
    10/10 = Masterpiece = This game has frozen on me a total of 36 times, but you know what?? Despite all of it's issues it still manages to be one of the best games ever made!! Excellent atmosphere, amazing design.
  96. Apr 25, 2011
    8
    Fallout 3 is a truly amazing video game. It is quite easy to get 60+ hours out of it on a single playthrough, if you explore every location and attempt as many side quests as you can; the main story line can become sidetracked by the sheer scale of the rest of the game. As a standalone package (minus DLC), once completed, you cannot continue to explore the wasteland; fortunately the GOTY package includes the Broken Steel add-on, and with this there is a huge new story arc to complete and you can continue after the main story has reached it's conclusion. Every character you meet has something to say, many have quests to give and you can proceed to be a wasteland saviour, or a vault demon. The gameplay is FPS with some RPG elements such as perks and special abilities; my favourite of which is Bloody Mess, which speaks for itself really. Of the DLC, they are all fantastic and varied; Operation Anchorage takes you to the Arctic, The Pitt takes you to the fiery steelmills of Pittsburgh, and Point Lookout features a barren, abandoned fairground. I enjoyed all 5, and they make it well worth buying the Game of the Year Edition. Unlike my favourite games, however, I have not found much to go back and replay, as you need so much time to really feel like you're in the wastelands. There are also some technical issues I have heard of, but personally I can recall very few and by now many of the issues have been patched. Overall, an absolutely fantastic game, well-worth buying, 4/5. Expand
  97. Apr 24, 2011
    9
    A really fun game and I can't really think of too much I don't like about it. I played New Vegas before I played this one and I really enjoy this too. The story is really awesome and I think the game is pretty creative and original. A must buy if you like RPGs
  98. Apr 11, 2011
    9
    A truly great game. Fallout 3 pushed the limits of the sandboxer in the right direction, letting you choose your story. For 2008, this game has excellent graphics, though the Gamebryo engine shows it's age in some places, such as at long draw distance (although, with the size of this game, it's perfectly ignorable). One massive problem I had with the game was the repetitive graphics. There are loads of individual areas, but when you see the same gray corridor 50 times, you get lost, and it gets samey. And the biggest fault this game has, is mapping. You are told to go from point A to point B, in a straight line. There is a wall. You go around. More walls. Your supposed to be in a Metro station, going through tunnels that are not mapped on the world map at this point. I've seen people give up on the game over this frustrating flaw, but a quick google or some persistence will get you there. But, Fallout's individuality is unique, and if you can get past the initial difficult start, it offers a huge, immersive gameplay experience. Oh, and for the current price, it's worth grabbing the GOTY edition - you get a lot of new features and a fair bit of extra, and fresh, gameplay hours. (And on a cheeky note, New Vegas is basically this game. In New Vegas. And for my money, this adventure is by far the better of the two) Expand
  99. Mar 24, 2011
    10
    This game is NOT an FPS. When going into you need to realize that Fallout has a long and great history and that its history is Turn Based play. This is where VATS comes in. They have created a great mix of the old Turn Based style play with the speed of FPS. The game has great visuals, a large and diverse environment that will always be giving you something to do. There is no shortage of side quests to keep you busy and you will probably beat the game without exploring 75% of what the game has to offer. I recommend at least getting Brotherhood of Steel DLC as it really opens the game up (literally) and adds a lot of great features. (Best to get the GOTY version) Expand
  100. Mar 23, 2011
    10
    Huge immersive world that calls out to the player. It puts you in the post apocalyptic hell of Fallout in an unmatched game that is truly magnificent. You will never stop being surprised by the amount of things in this game that you will just happen to stumble upon.
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 84 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 84
  2. Negative: 0 out of 84
  1. Fallout 3 is an experience in itself, and while it may not offer as much replay value as Oblivion, it’s so much more then an “Oblivion with guns”.
  2. 90
    From the hollow wind blowing down through subway tunnels, to the radioactive dust clouds swirling throughout the wasteland, up to the buzzards circling the encampment where the bodies of 30 slave traders lie; Fallout 3 is as much a game as it is a training sim for the coming apocalypse.
  3. In fact, Fallout 3 is leaner and meaner than Bethesda's previous efforts, less expansive but more intense, while still offering immense replay value and quite a few thrills along the way.