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Set in an alternate timeline in which the US turn their
backs on oil in favour of fusion technology, in 2077 the US and
China waged a nuclear war. Survivors hid underground in
 enormous
city-sized chambers, known as the Vault, and have been living below
the surface for some time. Two hundred years later, and the world’s
surface is a safe place once again for humans. However, in that
time, things have changed considerably; evil robots and deadly
mutants now inhabit a desolate world full of ramshackle houses.
E3 2008 held a playable demo of a title that, much like
Fable II, is reportedly now complete, and the time between
now and launch will involve tweaking and tidying-up. The demo opens
with the player standing at the doors to the Vault. Opening the
doors reveals a blinding flash of light, followed by a view of an
incredibly detailed horizon. Prior to this, the title acts much like
it’s effective-sister release, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The player will play select moments from their characters childhood
in order to develop their unique attributes, before travelling out
into the world as if leaving the dungeon for the first time in
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. However, even now, FallOut 3
is exponentially better looking than The Elder Scrolls IV:
Oblivion.
The combat involved in FallOut 3 is an incredibly
tactical affair. Though you can play it like your typical Action
game affair, the game has
 remodelled
the Action Point System seen in previous titles. Pressing the Right
Shoulder Button will enable you to target a specific body part of
your opponent, with a percentage being offered as to your chance of
hitting the target. Capitalising on a weak spot or specific body
part will cripple your foe in different ways; taking out a leg may
halt it’s approach, whilst taking out an arm may stop it from
shooting. However, you too can be injured in this way by enemies.
Minor touches salute the competency of the game design
throughout. Being able to adapt weapons, choose similar shaped ammo
to replace that typically associated with specific weapons and duff
weapons jamming or overheating are nice additions, and the
characterisation is demonstrated with the ability to become and
in-game alcoholic or drug-addict, the former of which will improve
your Charisma statistic. FallOut 3 may still only be
available in brief previews, but even at this stage, it’s easy to
tell where it’s heading – straight to the top. |
