Fallout 1 and 2, great RPG-s in their own right, ruled the PC-s of gamers worldwide when these were developed by Troika and released by Sierra Entertainment. Now, with the latest installment of the series from Bethesda Softworks, the Fallout universe has taken a huge leap forward.
Fallout 3 has retained the SPECIAL system that was at the center of character development in the previous two titles. This system forces you to focus on any one game play style while remaining considerably weak in other styles. For instance, if you are a muscle-bound mutant basher, you will almost certainly be lacking in sneaking or healing skills. However, each build is viable as long as finishing the game is concerned.
In Fallout 3, combat mechanics have taken a different stride. Taking advantage of the VATS system, you can aim certain body parts of an enemy in a turn-based mode to maximize damage on those parts. Some problems do exist though; I've seen limbs of an enemy blown apart when I aimed for the cranium. But these minor oddities don't mar the otherwise stylish combat mechanics.
Fallout 3 takes place in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. The ramshackle buildings, the piles of debris on the roads and the maze-like network of alleyways create tactical challenges to the holocaust-surviving hero. In the sniper-ridden war-fields of DC, the VATS system is a real lifesaver. The way you can blow off an enemy's head with a shotgun or perforate his legs with an assault rifle is a visual treat.
The story is very open ended, a trait that seems to be the essence of RPG games these days. The hero's father has wandered out of the Vault 101, a home for the refugees of the post apocalyptic world. It is up the hero to find him. But once he leaves the vault, the hero quickly finds himself trapped in a religious and political warfare between two groups, one of mutants and the other of humans. It is up to him now to rescue his father and stay alive as bloodthirsty mutants are after him, trying to finish him off.
Fallout 3 provides an immersive atmosphere, along with brilliant graphics, a well-made character development process and awesome game play. This title should be present in any fan of the series or the genre of action RPG.