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E3 08: Fallout 3 - A Hands On Report

by Dick Ward July 18th 2008 10:43 AM CDT0 Comments

The Fallout series is one that many 360 players may not be familiar with.  It's been primarily PC based, except for the atrocity that was Brotherhood of Steel, and for good reason.  The gameplay of the original games just doesn't translate to consoles.  Fallout 3 takes a different approach, and is one of the games that Microsoft has embraced as leading the way for the Xbox 360.  Our own Dick Ward got his hands on this one, get his take after the jump.

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On the last day of E3, I had a chance to meet with Bethseda and finally sit down with Fallout 3.  I took the controls of the 360, put on a pair of headphones and I was off.  In very unique fashion for the show, rather than a guided preview, I was given the option to go anywhere and do anything in this massive open world game. 

My session began with the first moment that the character emerges from the Vault (a sort of enormous bomb shelter) where he had lived all of his life.  Opening the vault door, I stepped into the world for the first time, and the screen went white as my eyes adjusted to the natural light.  Walking slowly at first, I explored the area outside and found a few helpful items, including a few bottles of Vodka.   I went ahead and downed a bottle or two which caused me to become addicted to alcohol.  Probably not the best way to start a quest into the world, but hey, we've all got our own styles.

Searching through the Pip-Boy 3000, an electronic device that acts as not only a source of information, but as the game's menu system as well, and found a radio station to listen to.  The effect of a barely audible depression era soundtrack presented by a DJ who was clearly insane was surprisingly off putting.  After a bit more exploration I headed into a town known as Megaton.  I talked with a few people and explored the town only to find a large atomic bomb standing unexploded in the town square.  Since at the moment we're asked not to talk about most of the game's story, I traded for some ammo and went searching for something to kill.

The game's combat can be approached in two different ways, both viable, but very different.  The first and most obvious option is by taking the standard First Person Shooter approach.  The game is completely functional as an FPS and some fans may prefer the faster pace.  Fans of the original games or those looking for a bit of strategy instead of a more 'spray and pray' approach will be glad to learn about the Vaul-tec Assisted Targeting System.

VATS for short, the system works to give the player a more RPG style of game.  The right bumper initiates the VATS system, which allows players to select a body part or weapon to target, and displays the percentage chance of scoring a hit.  Of course, the easiest target is the chest, but it's the least effective to shoot in most cases.   limb shots can be a bit more difficult to pull off but have the advantage of disabling, even crippling the opponent.  Of course, the head shot is the most effective, but usually the hardest to pull off.

A player's Action Points determine how many shots he can get off in one turn.  Taking a second to stand still replenishes Action Points, but can give the enemy the upper hand.  This limitation creates a lot of interesting strategic choices, like retreating behind a wall and waiting for the enemy to approach before opening fire.  It also stresses the importance of selecting good fights rather than just going in guns a blazing.

Trudging through the wasteland I came upon a house occupied by a lone person, who after a brief conversation decided to start a fight.  I took the standard FPS route on this one and managed to blow her head clean off.  I looted the place, got some new weapons, a drug called Psycho, and headed off to find more.  After just a minute of wandering, I came across an old abandoned elementary school, and things got really interesting.

Entering the school I saw corpses of what looked to be typical civilians nailed to the wall, and heard voices from down the hall - Raiders.  Raiders are the typical post apocalyptic crazies, focusing on survival above all else.  They're incredibly immoral, and only fight if they know they're going to win.  Oh, and they're  incredibly fun to kill.

Rounding a corner I found two Raiders together, and they didn't look happy to see me.  One, dressed in a sort of S&M meets Mad Max attire brandished a pool cue, while his partner pulled a gun.  Turning on the VATS targeting system I decided to have a little fun and see what I could do.  Knowing that the first Raider would rely solely on melee attacks, I took two shots at each leg and managed to disable one, leaving him on the floor to dispose of later.

I shot his friend in the arm and tried to pop the gun right out of his hand but missed terribly, my pistol skill just isn't what it needs to be for precise shots like that.  He started to gain the advantage, and got a few good shots off on me so I employed a tactical retreat and got the hell out of there.  Running around a corner gave me a few precious seconds to regain some Action Points and an extreme tactical advantage.  When the now lone gunman came around the corner, he caught a bullet right to the head.  Knowing that there was still one more to deal with I headed back to deal with our disabled pool shark.  A few quick shots took the arms and finally, mercifully, I plugged two in his skull.

A few minutes and a few great fights later, the demo was over and on the way out, the other journalists in attendance and I spoke about what we had done in the game, and not a single one of us had the same experience.  We all had stories to tell and they were all unique, and all very exciting.

It's going to be really interesting to see what else the game brings to the table.  I came out of that demo more excited than when I went in, I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about my time with Fallout 3, except to say that thirty minutes has never gone by so fast.