I have to start this review by saying I have never really been a fan of RPGs (Role Playing Games); Fallout 3 is one of only a handful of RPGs I have ever played, and certainly the only one I have played in great depth. However, I do rank it as one of my all-time favourite games. It is truly awesome in its scale and variety, and offered one of the most captivating single-player experiences I have ever had. Consequently I have clocked up over 100 hours of play so far, and I am still encountering new and fresh situations.

Fallout 3 was my first forray into the Fallout series of games, but fortunately there is very little need for previous knowledge, as the story is a new and independent one. In the game, you don't play through a story; you inhabit a world. Beginning with your birth in "Vault 101", you discover that you are part of a small community kept sealed and protected from the outside world - an apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by nuclear radiation, and entirely unsafe to venture out into. Inevitably, as the plot progresses, this is exactly what you must do...

The first time I set out of the vault, I was terrified, and intimidated by the vast, sprawling wasteland in front of me. As I crept around, crouching, checking over my shoulder, I realised I was sitting hunched, right on the edge of my seat, gripping my controller tightly in both hands. Then I was attacked without warning by an enormous mutated rat - I nearly jumped right out of my seat! This is a perfect example of how the game creates a thrilling and realistic atmosphere of suspense and desperation, and it seems that you can never truly relax as you move from place to place, as anything could be waiting round the next corner. Believe me, in a 3 mile by 3 mile wasteland, there are all manner of intriguing places to visit, unusual characters to encounter, and downright horrible foes to survive!

The game can be played in a 1st or 3rd person perspective; I felt the 3rd person view was a bit clunky and unusual looking, and felt very comfortable using a 1st person set up instead. This made the combat sections of the game a lot more engrossing and easy to control. Combat is an area where I was pleasantly surprised by Fallout 3; there was no clumsy turn-based system to detract from the action. You can take on the enemy in traditional FPS style, guns blazing, or use the brilliant 'VATS' targeting system to pause the fight, and pinpoint particular body parts for more effective shots. Blowing a ghoul's head off is rather satisfying, but you'll have to wait to experience that!

For a relative RPG novice like myself, the leveling and 'Karma' system were very easy to understand, and fun to play with. Throughout the game, every choice you make has a moral consequence, and can cause future events to play out in completely different and unforeseen ways. You will be able to mould your characters to suit your style of play, and as you progress, you will unlock a vast array of useful and sometimes sinister special abilities, which can enhance or change your playing style.

The graphics are impressive, and suitably dull and drained to evoke the post-apocalytpic setting. It's surprising that they can be so detailed given the size of the world you inhabit.

Overall, I was awestruck by the scale of Fallout 3 - it immerses you fully in a desolated and often terrifying world. It offers so much freedom to develop your character and progress the story, that you can easily lose hours and days playing this brilliant game.