Sadly, not all parts of the character system are as well thought out. For some reason, despite allowing characters to select three (or four) times as many perks as in Fallout 2, Fallout 3 actually has fewer perks to choose from, which is just odd. For any sort of perk or bonus system, it’s always better to give players too many options rather than too few, and Fallout 3 has too few. Melee characters in particular get the short end of the stick here, since no perks were created for their playing style at all (what happened to the slayer perk?).​

You see, if you start exploring the wastes you get a nice post apocalyptic, survivalist vibe. But Megaton…well, megaton is like a poorly done post apocalyptic theme park. It’s got a neat layout, too neat, like a carefully constructed amusement ride. The whole thing is too…fake. People are fairly content, the place is self contained, the problems of survival in the wastes too far removed. Instead you get given quests about detonating the nuclear bomb in the middle from men trying way too hard to be ominous. Or women who want you to step on landmines as “an experiment". All with incredibly clumsy dialogue to boot.

It just pours cold water on the atmosphere, really. I was, at that point, about to put F3 aside and go back to Dead Space. But a few others who were playing it convinced me to hang in there, and, surprisingly, they were right. It got better. Much better.​

That said - what you seem is up to you, and this is the really cool part. Your actions define your character. For those who played Fable, this isn't anything new, but with Fallout 3's vast range of branching stories, mini-missions and sheer open-ended 'do whatever the heck you want'-ness, the gameplay is shockingly malleable.​