A masterful re-imagining of a classic franchise (Fallout 3 (PC))

Member Name: slugfilm

Product:	Fallout 3 (PC)
Date:	13/06/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The graphics are smoothly and quickly rendered

Disadvantages: The controls lack the finesse of a keyboard and mouse

Fallout 3 throws the player into a terrifying rendition of a bleak nuclear wasteland. Although the game (and indeed your character) begin life in a sanitised 1950s-esque fallout shelter, the innocent naivety is abruptly ruptured.

Bethesda (the designers) have essentially drawn some new graphics and tweaked the gameplay from their previous release "Oblivion". You can still choose to be good or bad, and you have plenty of autonomy over your character. The twist comes from the retro 1950s world design, complete with crooning country music and fonts reminiscent of US Cold War propaganda.

The beauty of Bethesda games is the free roaming, non-linear approach. You really can do what you want, and don't have to follow the main story. However, you will probably want to in Fallout 3 as the plot is brilliant.

The graphics are predictably stunning and the PS3 processes them smoothly and beautifully. Load times are swift too. The sound effects are erie and haunting, and thanks to the PS3 outputs are crisply rendered in Dolby digital.

My only criticism is that Sony's dual-shock controllers are not very efficient at navigating the myriad screens of statistics and data: a mouse is highly recommended!

Summary: Highly addictive and never-ending