Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas is a well-made extension of the Fallout franchise that all fans should give a try. Though it is not a true sequel to 2008's Fallout 3, it certainly has enough material included in it to warrant purchase.

For the uninitiated, the Fallout series takes places in an America that has been devastated by nuclear war with China. The player is cast in the role of a survivor who must, ultimately, survive. Surprising, right? Though there is a grand plot communicated by means of questing, the player is free to do whatever he or she wishes in the course of his or her game play. What if the player, for example, does not like the way a quest-giver is yakking about the weather outside? Smacking the quest-giver against the head with a golf club solves that issue quite roundly.

The setting of Fallout: New Vegas is, not very surprisingly, set in the Las Vegas area. This region is presented to the player as one that was not completely destroyed by the nuclear war, so there is still verdant life and electricity available. The map is massive and ranges from landmarks such as Las Vegas itself to the Hoover Dam. This wildly varying setting presents an important difference from Fallout 3, where every location was nothing more than a different shade of brown.

New Vegas manages another important distinction from Fallout 3 in that it introduces a system that tracks the player's reputation with various groups scattered across the wasteland. All of the factions present in the game are seeking control of the rebuilding process, and it is up to the player who to support. Though the player is free to choose who to support, siding with one faction or another brings consequences with it.

If the player sides with the "bad" faction, for example, then the "good" faction will shoot the player on sight. Being shot at is never particularly desirable, so the reputation system forces the player to think carefully about his or her actions, adding a welcome level of depth to the game. It is this insertion of the player into the story to make decisions that control the outcome of the game that define Fallout: New Vegas as a success, even if it has been done before.

Also new to the series is the inclusion of a sighting system for weapons. It is now possible to aim down the sights of a weapon, much like players do in popular shooter franchises such as Call of Duty. Though the game is far from being only a shooter, this added level of control is welcome when the time comes to throw bullets around.

Unfortunately, though, the reputation system was the biggest innovation to come to this entry into the franchise. For those who enjoyed Fallout 3 and wanted more, then New Vegas is a must buy. For those looking for an entertaining action-adventure title that has incredibly long replayabilility, give New Vegas a try. For those who disliked Fallout 3, don't even think about it.

That said, Fallout: New Vegas rates a 4 out of 5 from the perspective of one who enjoys this type of game.