Envision this: the world is a desolate place, with little to do and little to look at, and each day is remarkably like the last, unless you decide to do something that boarders on psychotic. You sleep in soiled mattresses of strangers, in houses made of old airplane scraps. When you feel like actually getting up, you either can go get drunk, become a mercenary, or travel the unknown and even more dangerous wasteland. Sound like fun? It is! Welcome to the world of Fallout 3, a post-apocalyptic war-zone that even the strongest have a hard time surviving. It looks like Charles Darwin was correct in his theory of natural selection...

In order to rise to the occasion in this game, you need to be at the top of the food chain in at least a few categories, or better yet to even survive. The game is best summed up in that it is a virtual “Pick Your Own Adventure” book. You start off in sheltered and protected underground community but as you grow up so do your abilities and your curiosity to experience more of the outside world. Since your Dad was a scientist, you have no choice but to go out and try to at least find out what happened to him ( he apparently was out of line within your community and ran away) This is where the fun starts.

The world is your oyster in Fallout 3 because its one of the few games where you can pretty much do ANYTHING. Wanna take out an innocent traveler? Done...Feel like helping out someone who needs to get in touch with their family? Bingo...Wanna blow up a whole town for money? WHAT?! Whatever your take is, its all here, and its all brutally addictive. I ll be the first to admit that I was a bit skeptical when it came to using Oblivion 4's engine, for more of an action oriented type game, but boy did it work out for the better.

First and foremost: the weapons in this game RULE. And if you have played or are a fan of Oblivion 4, you know exactly what your getting in terms of the rag-doll physics system. Bodies bounce realistically and limbs are affected depending on where you hit them. Which leads me to the greatest thing about this game: V.A.T.S.

What does this stand for? Vault-tec Assisted Targeting System, and it is a monster of a system. It basically is bullet time but for an action/rpg. The cool part about this is that it gives you the choice of which limb to attack and the percentage of how your chance of hitting are. Obviously a combat shotgun to head makes a huge, albeit glorious mess. But other weapons are just as gruesome and include a mini-nuke, (which creates mini nuclear explosions and clears out gads of enemies) a sledgehammer (one can only imagine) and of course a slew of other pistols, lasers, and hand to hand combat weapons. All of which, wielded by the right person, are deadly.

The visuals in Fallout 3 are no slouch either and are pretty crisp within themselves. If you have seen Oblivion 4, then you know the high quality product you are getting once again. The textures are good, but some of the environments up close are a bit grainy and facial and body movements are not 100% fluid, but what the heck...the game more than makes up for it. Despite that, the visuals are still really, really good.

In terms of gameplay, this is where Fallout 3 shines. Everything is customizable including your character’s looks, weapons, personality, karma, demeanor...you name it. Its really incredible to see the AI respond to how your actions from previous events or encounters unfold. You WILL get into this game if you have the time, as it takes up quite a bit of it, and you’ll become completely enthralled by its unique gameplay and charm.

In the end, Bethesda studios really dropped the proverbial nuclear bomb (heh heh) on the competition as far as an overall game experience. If you are looking for a game with lasting replay value that you will squeeze every penny out of than look no further than Fallout 3.

- MoonKnightHulk