Fallout 3 is Overrated

One of the editors over at Safety’s Off seems to think that Fallout 3 is overrated, and cites several flaws to back up their reasoning.

When classifying Fallout 3, it’s hard to really shoehorn the game into a single genre. Is it an FPS? An RPG? Fallout 3 is frequently described as being a hybrid of both genres, but it isn’t a fantastic or even great game in either of them. As an FPS, Fallout 3 is clunky, ugly, and anything but action-packed or tactical. The VATS system is pretty cool, but unfortunately it becomes a (search and destroy) tool for players as they roam the wasteland, mindlessly tapping RB to get the jump on any upcoming enemies. As an RPG, the game fares a bit better, but the clunky inventory management and limited level system make the player feel like he/she is being denied the right to become a certified badass. As a matter of fact, for the first few hours, Fallout 3 keeps you on a very tight leash. Despite the Capital Wasteland’s expansive look and the game’s inherent desire for you to explore every nook and cranny that it has to offer, you can’t even dream of reaching a new area without being decimated by Super Mutants. It’s not that Fallout 3 is a hard game (although it’s not easy either) it just suffers from mixed signals. The game seemingly encourages you to get out in the wasteland and explore, but then decides to make you throw your controller in frustration as you waste every round you’ve just managed to scavenge into the obnoxious baddies scattered throughout the world.

While I certainly agree that the reviews given to Fallout 3 were way too favorable, I disagree that the game was unforgiving when exploring at a lower level. Even if you head directly to the Deathclaw Sanctuary shortly after starting the game, you shouldn’t have much of an issue as long as you move slow and utilize grenades and mines.