PDA

View Full Version : Review Fallout New vegas - Pause, Aim, Bloody chunks.



Shixx
11-21-2010, 01:34 AM
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/393/falloutnewvegasvideodia.jpg
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows
Release Dates: October 19th 2010 (NA)
October 21 2010 (AUS)
October 22 2010 (EU)

Story-

Fast forward to the year 2281, 4 years after the events of Fallout 3. Fallout New Vegas takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada and Mojave Desert which as aptly named the Mojave Wasteland.

Players take the role of the character known as "The Courier". The Courier is sent on a mission to deliver this item known as the Platinum Chip to New Vegas, however you're ambushed by this man in a suit, who shoots you in the head and dumps you in a shallow grave.

The game then begins with the player awakening in a room, where this man named Doc Mitchell has dug you up, and is fixing you up. After this initial part you are tasked with finding the man who had shot you, and getting your revenge.


http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6317/falloutnewvegasdocmitch.jpg

I found the game's plot to be interesting, and I kept trying to figure out who the asshole was who tried blowing my brains out. However, in my opinion the plot wasn't completely fantastic, but it was none the less good. I did enjoy the plot from Fallout 3 more, but this plot still delivered.

The take on the name of the playable character is interesting we have Courier in New Vegas, and in Fallout 3 you were known as the Lone Wanderer.

Not only does the game have an interesting plot, but some of the characters are memorable and always give me a laugh or two, depending on who they are.

The setting is fantastic, I thought it was very cool that the game was based in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas. All in all if you're looking for a good story, this game will hopefully deliver that to you, as it had done for me.

Gameplay-

Fallout New Vegas mixes two elements. The elements of an RPG, and that of a first person shooter. The game has two camera views, third person and first person.

Third Person allows the player to see a full body view of their character, where as First Person just shows the players arm and weapon, thus fleshing out the FPS part of the game.

If you've played Fallout 3 you'll remember that there were no iron sights on any of the weapons, to me that was kind of disappointing. However, in New Vegas they've brought in iron sights.

It's nothing to write home about, but it definitely made me happy when I could aim down the sights of my weapon, and pick off targets quite easier than in Fallout 3.

Another thing for the combat is a system known as VATS. If you've played Fallout 3 you'll remember this system. VATS is a system that allows the player to press a button, and the game stops and players can select limbs on an enemy to target and shoot. For example, players can go into VATS and direct all of their shots to an enemies head, or mix it up and fire some shots at the head, and whatever else.

This is a great way to plan out attacks, and take out enemies easily, but it also has a chance of missing, and the shots aren't as powerful in some cases.


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6060/falloutnewvegast.jpg

However, if you use VATS while hidden and shoot enemies, you'll deliver more critical blows, and thus giving the system one of its best uses.

Getting bored of that standard 9mm handgun? How about you equip some weapon mods onto it. That's right, New Vegas has the ability to customize your weapons. Cool am I right?

In New Vegas players have the ability to customize their guns with different mods to make them more lethal, or helpful in some situations. For example, slapping a silencer on your 9mm to make a "Silenced 9mm". Other weapon mods include increased firepower, increased magazine size, etc, etc.

Crafting plays a role in weaponry, with the player being able to craft ammunition, such as hand-loaded rounds.

A plant-harvesting system similar to The Elder Scrolls series allows the player to use such plants in bullets, chems, for healing, stats, and for other handy uses. This can be really handy for those times you're running low on Stimpacks and need to make a few.

Factions are now introduced into the game. Such examples are the NCR, Caesers Legion. Depending on what the players does in the world, these factions will either end up hating the player, or liking the player.

Along with Factions is a Reputation system. Depending on the choices the player makes, it will determine what people in the game think of the player, thus if the player looks around the map they'll see what towns and areas think of the player.

This would include Liked, Neutral, and Vilified. Not only does the reputation system determine who hates, and likes you, but also determines some of the dialogue choices you can receive.

Karma also comes back, and depending on the choices the player makes it determines if they are Good, Evil or Neutral. For example, Good characters can choose certain dialogue options, where as evil characters can also choose different dialogue options.

A neat thing added to New Vegas is the introduction of the Hardcore Mode. This mode is for the hardcore players, and adds some interesting elements to keep the gameplay fresh, and entertaining.

In Hardcore Mode the player must consume food, drink water, and sleep to stay healthy and most importantly..alive. Stimpacks have also be re-programmed for Hardcore Mode to heal health overtime, not instantly. This mode is definitely something fun, and I recommend it to everyone playing the game, or thinking about playing the game.


http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8839/181908newvegashardcoreh.jpg

In New Vegas, the player can visit casinos to participate in mini-games, including blackjack, slots, and roulette. So this helps with the setting, and makes the player believe they are in Las Vegas. Perks and Traits also make a return to Fallout New Vegas. For example the "Bloody Mess" perk gives the player more damage, but blows the enemies into pieces when hit with a critical.

If the game is getting too difficult, or too easy the player can go into the Options and change the difficulty, and change their gameplay experience. This can be quite handy if you've hit a part of the game that's proving too difficult, or you just need to up the ante.

I recommend that players don't rush through the main story, you won't get the best gameplay experience from this game. Do the side-quests you can find scattered around the Wasteland and explore! Exploring in this game can give some rewards such as finding new locations, quests and even weapons.

Exploring is definitely a huge part of these games, and I recommend everyone do it while playing. For example, when I was exploring I was attacked by a swarm of giant flies I had never seen before. It was interesting, exciting and made me want to explore more.

Graphics, Sounds, And More-

What can I say? The game definitely looks like what I'd see if I was in a nuclear after-math of Las Vegas. You'll run across run-down buildings, and destruction everywhere. The New Vegas Strip has that Las Vegas feel to it, and everything just seems so amazing.

The casinos feel like casinos, and you actually feel like you're in a desert at some parts. Graphic wise the game delivers, and it looks beautiful. The people also seem much more realistic, and polished than the characters in Fallout 3.

I can't say much about the sounds other than they are also done very well. It's what I would expect from a setting like this. The wind blowing through the wasteland, the guns, and everything else sound so realistic. What else could you want?


Verdict-
8.5/10

Final thoughts-
- New Vegas is one of the best games I've played this year
- I can see myself playing through it multiple times
- If you loved Fallout 3, or are just a fan of RPG's in general I definitely recommend this game
- Console versions can be a bit glitchy and crash a lot I recommend PC

Dess
11-21-2010, 01:40 AM
Amazing as always dahling. I need to at *least* rent this game soon.

jango
11-21-2010, 01:42 AM
My thoughts exactly shixxeh .. nice review mate .. I think we even scored it similarly hehe.

+rep when I can mate :)

Jokersvirus
11-22-2010, 11:51 AM
The game is well put together, and its always fun to explore like shixx said.

HOWEVER, there is one thing YOU MUST DO... when you start the game, get 1k caps ASAP, go to freeside find a child named Sam, or Max, i 4got each one, buy his little toy gun, hear me out, and head to helios 1. That gun is used to control a very powerful weapon. I have yet done it but from what i can tell it pisses people off.

just an FYI for lawls.

Proof of the weapons existents and destructive power: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLlp89cGKu4

RecreationalGamer
11-22-2010, 11:58 AM
ya know, the VAST thing for me was a terrible part of the game. Main reason is because when you use it, you shoot somebody, but you don't instantly go back to regular motion. It takes a while to snap back to reality, but MEANWHILE, the enemies are firing their guns at a normal speed, or at least that's what it seems.

So basically if you play the game on anything harder than Normal, then maybe the VAST is useless.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but...the VAST sucks.

Jokersvirus
11-22-2010, 12:03 PM
VATS does suck, big-time, but you can disable it in the options menu I do believe, might be wrong but ya.

I remember during the president's visit my sniper Boone killed the assassin and it was in that bullet time for over 5 minutes... I was trying to get into vats to headshot him with my gauss rifle. lol

jango
11-22-2010, 07:53 PM
I don't even use VATS unless I'm up against deathclaws, and even then 'maybe'. It's OK in some respects, but I prefer a bit more of a free-flow in FPS games. As a side point I simply had to switch off that slow-mo thing that happens when you kill a target - it was annoying me a bit, especially when grouping with Boone. Boone is so OP that he can snipe targets miles away so all of a sudden as you think you're running through quiet desert this loud noise and gruesome slow-mo appears almost at random .. bit strange.

Still, none of that is a game-breaker.

Raoul
12-17-2010, 04:32 AM
The Death Claws kills me with one hit and when I am up a boulder then I have the advantage, but then in the end I use most of a ammunition on one simple death claw and then I am out of ammunition for the rest of the death claws and they want my blood.;(