But I can't review that game, because it not the one I experienced. So this review, and the letter grade that follows, are based on my experience, over the course of forty hours, with a game so broken I literally cannot finish it. A game where a quarter of my time has been spent dealing with crashes, including one final fatal freeze. The game has slammed shut with a recurring black screen that may as well read "You shall not pass".
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Creatively, New Vegas gets almost everything right. Mechanically and technically, it’s a tragedy. So, it’s a simultaneously rewarding and frustrating game, the gulf between what it is and what it could be a sizeable stretch indeed. Few games have built up a world like New Vegas, and even fewer have squandered such opportunities like this.
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Fallout: New Vegas is the game that many wanted Fallout 3 to be. It's harder, more ruthless, better written and more morally ambiguous. It's a game we’ve been wanting to play for more than a decade, a real modern re-imagining of the Fallout series, complete with that deliciously black humour. But it's also more of the same, aesthetically and technically identical to Fallout 3, wonky facial animation and all. The ever-so-slightly ageing technology only marginally detracts from what is otherwise an expansive, fulfilling and ambitious game, unmatched in scope and maturity. If Obsidian were to make another Fallout game, we certainly wouldn't say no.
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I think the best way to describe Fallout: New Vegas is to say it's Fallout 3 with a bit of Alpha Protocol, which makes sense. But even with that extra little bit, New Vegas is most definitely a Fallout game. More specifically, it's a Fallout 3 game. So regardless of what I or anyone else says, you should already know if you'd enjoy it. If you don't, then you haven't played Fallout 3, in which case, shame on you. I enjoyed Fallout 3 and I certainly enjoyed New Vegas.
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All in all, Fallout: New Vegas is a triumph for Obsidian. Once again, they’ve taken on a beloved franchise and managed to do it justice in the sequel. From a purely technical standpoint, New Vegas does have some issues, but a game isn’t all about the technical side of things. It’s about the experience of playing the game, and on that front, New Vegas delivers in spades. It’s easily one of my favorite games of the year to date, despite all of the technical glitches. If you liked Fallout 3, you owe it to yourself to play this one all the way through. It’s a most worthy successor.
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Despite minor disappointments however, this is a very engaging title. Those who missed some of the more trademark Fallout elements in Fallout 3 should be somewhat satiated in this game, as Obsidian really bring that flair to the franchise once again. The glitches, whilst highly annoying, will hopefully be patched soon after launch, but again we can't help but feel that as time goes on there's less and less of an excuse for shipping games in such a state. Perhaps they're paying the QA testers in Caps? This could have been a great game, so it's a shame certain things are holding it back - still, it's addictive, interesting, highly enjoyable, and so credit where credit's due. A great addition to a great franchise, and a must have for fans and new comers alike.
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<span class="articleText">If only it was a stable product and didn't ship with so many bugs, I would've given New Vegas a higher score. As it is, this review reflects the game shortly after launch. Future patches will no doubt fix a number of issues, but these problems shouldn't keep you from trying the game out...eventually. If you do start playing now, you know what to expect, but despite all of the bugs and tech issues, I still loved my experience in New Vegas. I even look forward to booting up the game and playing through from the beginning again someday. </span>
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Fallout: New Vegas, looks and plays exactly the same as Fallout 3. But the additions that Obsidian have made push the survival angle even further to provide a much more immersive and authentic experience, and just like its predecessor New Vegas proves to be a role-playing masterpiece.
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