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Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel xbx Game Reviews
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
Critic Score
Metascore: 66 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
5.1 out of 10
based on 33 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 19 votes
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In this gritty and darkly humorous 3rd person action adventure, players join the courageous Brotherhood of Steel, whose mission is to maintain peace in the grim post-apocalyptic world of Fallout. Battling raiders, mutants and a host of radioactive nightmares, players attempt to save the scattered remnants of the human race. Life is hard, mutation is rampant and the closet thing to law and order is the fusion-powered pistol that you carry on your hip. [Vivendi Universal]

PUBLISHER: Vivendi Universal
DEVELOPER: Interplay
GENRE(S): Third-Person Action, Adventure
PLAYERS: 2
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: January 13, 2004

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88
Gamezilla!
It's exactly what I find fun in games and the fact it's a Fallout title automatically makes it a winner in my book. But to the rest of the world, load times, freeze up, tough viewable angle and way mature themes might make you want to rent this one before buying.
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83
Play Magazine
You'll be capping scumbags left and right in a fireworks display of flesh and blood, going after the town prostitute's heisted jewelry or collecting giant scorpion tails for some much-needed extra cash, and things of this nature. [Feb 2004, p.42]
82
Official Xbox Magazine
As with all action-RPGs, Fallout's best played with a friend. It's not the deepest dungeon crawler, but it is among the most fun. [Feb 2004, p.76]
80
Maxim Online
The deadly combination of shopping for new murder gear and completing missions of mass destruction make this game more addictive than caramel-coated OxyContin.
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80
Game Over Online
Brotherhood of Steel can be described like this: "Dark Alliance" minus encumbrance minus magic minus feats plus guns plus grenades. It's "Dark Alliance" for dummies.
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80
Game Informer
The game doesn't have any glaring failures, which is always good. And it made me laugh, which isn't necessarily bad. [Feb 2004, p.107]
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79
BonusStage
This is one of those games where you really want to see a sequel come out with a lot more depth and perhaps a different gameplay viewpoint.
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76
Game Chronicles
A bit of a cookie-cutter game that was simply taking an established engine and an established genre and putting a post-apocalyptic facelift on it.
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75
XGP Gaming
The game is a spin-off from the original Fallout games for the PC. Fans of the original will appreciate and recognize the campy retro-50's sci-fi feel of the in-game jokes, music and cut scenes.
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75
GameSpy
A competent and occasionally compelling hack-and-slash, but fans of the PC games will continue to dream of the true RPG they'll never get, and fans of Dark Alliance would presumably rather play "Dark Alliance II."
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75
Worth Playing
Though it did seem repetitive in several parts, I found it to be a fun way to pass the time. On the other hand however, I really don’t think this game stayed true to the Fallout series, and I was definitely expecting more.
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75
IGN
A fun, if flawed, hack'n'slash game that provides a good 10 hours or so of shooting, explosives, and plenty of mutants to dig into.
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74
Gamer's Hell
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel isn’t a bad game, but it’s far from memorable. It’ll keep you entertained for a good 10-12 hours, but beyond unlocking harder difficulties there’s not much replay value.
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73
GamingTrend
Only get this title if you’ve finished everything there is to do in the previous titles, and even then only at a discounted rate.
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73
GameSpot
The action is repetitive and straightforward, but the game features a lot of cool weapons and tons of stuff to hack or shoot at, plus it's got some of the charm that helped make Fallout a genuine classic.
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72
Team Xbox
Those encountering BoS without ever playing "Baldur's Gate" will definitely find some sweet RPG style gameplay and some nifty real-time action to boot.
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70
Gamenikki
This is simply too flawed a title to recommend for purchase, especially in light of the competition, but it’s a fantastic guilty pleasure.
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70
Yahoo! Games
This is essentially a stylish "Day After" dumb-and-gunner, with even less brainpower required than "Dark Alliance," and it's safe to say that if you enjoyed that game, this will have some appeal for you.
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68
Gamers' Temple
A lot of the fun got nuked out of Dark Alliance when it was moved to Fallout’s post-apocalyptic future.
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68
Next Level Gaming
The problem is that you get thrown into the game with very little to work with. That would be fine if using the weapons weren't so freaking hard to do. Collision detection was not a big thought in this game, or at least it seemed to be an afterthought.
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66
netjak
It does, apart from the lack of options and jumping puzzles, have solid gameplay, decent graphics, and excellent sound, but the lack of originality and poor story keeps it from being really worth anything more than a casual rental.
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66
AtomicGamer
Interplay's Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is an action/RPG title that seems like it's less than the sum of its parts. Not only is the action disjointed, but it's just a bit too much of a chore to bash your way through it.
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65
GamingWorld X
A competent game. It won’t win any awards, but it’s a fun time- assuming you’re playing through with a friend.
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60
GMR Magazine
A decent example of the genre and has some creative design, but it won't blow any minds or win many awards.
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58
TotalGames.net
A decent action RPG that manages to be as good as Baldur's Gate, though not better than it, and so falls short of really offering anything new.
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55
Deeko
The new style of gameplay, which is best described as Baldur’s Gate: Post-Apocalypse, could have been interesting, but simply falls flat on it’s ass in terms of overall quality and should be apprehended for identity theft.
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53
Just RPG
In short, diehard Fallout fans will be disappointed by Brotherhood of Steel, and even fans of hack-and-slash titles have much better options available to them. It’s a bargain bin-title by now, though, so it’s at least worth a thought.
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50
XboxAddict
My advice to the developers would be to broaden their horizons and come up with something a little more original, or if you’re going to repaint an old car, disguise it better. It just doesn’t seem a lot of effort went into this one.
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50
Xbox Nation Magazine
What makes an otherwise solid action RPG mediocre is the obscenely slow and tedious beginning. [Mar 2004, p.101]
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48
VideoGamesLife
Fans of the original Fallout games are clearly not going to enjoy this bastardisation of their favourite game, and those who enjoyed the "Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance" titles will find Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel to be inferior to that franchise.
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42
Electronic Gaming Monthly
What a thermonuclear disappointment. To someone like me, who loved all three Fallout role-playing games on PC, this is a power fist to the face - an insult. [March 2004, p.114]
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40
1UP
Most importantly, though (especially for fans of the PC Fallout), you've got an RPG without any sort of enticing story.
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30
Edge Magazine
There's practically no aspect that doesn't appear half-hearted. Black Isle's drawn-out death has undoubtedly poisoned Brotherhood, but it's hard to tell if there was ever a good game here to begin with. [May 2004, p.109]

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 5.1 (out of 10) based on 19 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Yojimbos Ever_kill gave it a 9:
I like the game but it has its down points 1. its too short...8hrs is not long enuf 2. not enuf weapons 3. death claws are to easy to kill in this on.

Andyman gave it a 10:
Anyone who compares this to the Fallout games on the PC is making a huge mistake. Fallout: BoS is nothing like them, nor is it trying to be. This is Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance in a post-apocalyptic world, and I think it rocks. It is a raw, unapologetic, violent romp thru a grungy wasteland, and incredibly fun, especially 2-player! What's not to love about beating the crap out of anything and everything that gets in your way?

[Anonymous] gave it a 0:
Bleh! This game is the stupidest, I ever heart of! I think it doesn't cost that 5 hours of downloading ilegal ISO! It is just taking space on my XBOX HD! I like love (and I prey for Fallout 3 everyday (stupid consloidistic Interplay, you ruined my dreams! - by fallout fan)) Fallout, but this is most stupid game, i ever play (and i played games from Cryo!) and what's even worse - it is destroying VERY GOOD name of Fallout. I hate it!

Kom gave it a 0:
What a disappointment! That game is a desicable act! An insult to the name Fallout. The graphics are neat, but the gameplay's HORRIBLE... Better head for the originals. They rock.

Dennis E. N. gave it a 0:
This game is a disgrace and an insult to the name 'Fallout'.

Jerry G. gave it a 0:
Constant swearing and sexual innuendo does not make up for horrible gameplay.

Bob gave it a 0:
IT IS SO DAMN HORRIBLE.

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