Prolific fantasy authorBrandon Sandersonhas almost as many thoughts about games as he does about writing, and theFalloutseries is no exception. While every majorFalloutgame has received a generally positive reception, each also has its fair share of detractors. Even the belovedFallout: New Vegaswas frequently criticized for its buggy, unfinished state, to say nothing of the brutal feedback that more divisive titles likeFallout 76earned at launch.
If anyFalloutgame was ever especially positioned to be contentious, it wasFallout 3, which bore the burden of overhauling the fundamental gameplay principles of the series. As Bethesda’s first crack at the franchise,Fallout 3abandoned the isometric style of previous gamesand embraced the first-person perspective thatBethesda’sElder Scrollsseriesis known for. In the hands of a new team,Fallout 3failed to replicate some of the best elements of its predecessors, but that doesn’t mean it’s without merit.
Brandon Sanderson Was Disappointed In Fallout 3
A Step Down From Fallout 1 & 2
To his credit, Brandon Sanderson isn’t an inflexible fan, and he was actually excited byFallout’s switch to a first-person format. That doesn’t mean, however, that he was ultimately enthused byFallout 3.In a video discussing his favorite games, available on the official Brandon SandersonYouTubechannel,Sanderson lays out his issues with the game, setting them up as a juxtaposition against how much he enjoyedFallout: New Vegas.
Sanderson doesn’t eviscerate the experience, calling it “good” before delivering his major criticism —Fallout 3lacked the “charm” of previous entries. It’s a fair perspective, and long-termFalloutfans will generally agree that Bethesda’s series debut had some shortcomings in narrative and tone. The world-building can feel shaky and sometimes simplistic compared to what the first two titles accomplished, and some quests and NPCs are more hit-or-miss.
Fallout 3 Is One Of The Best Games In The Series
The Transitional Game Still Got A Lot Right
As far as numberedFallouttitles go, I absolutely agree with Sanderson’s criticism thatFallout 3falls shortof the originals, but it’s still one of the stronger games in the franchise as a whole.It’s a more compelling RPG thanFallout 4in many regards, and it easily retains more of the franchise’s strengths than spin-offs likeFallout: Brotherhood of Steel, an action RPG that’s not to be confused withFallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. Fallout 3launched in a much better state thanFallout 76, and despiteFallout Shelter’s popularity, I’ve never had fun with the mobile game.
While fans have become increasingly supportive ofFallout: New Vegasand comparatively dismissive ofFallout 3over time,Fallout 3is still one of the most well-received gamesoverall. AMetacriticscore of 93 represents a peak for the franchise, and it’s managed to retain a “Very Positive” consensus inSteamreviews despite frequently being tricky to run on modern PCs. Broad opinions aren’t everything, and they certainly don’t invalidate the gripes that franchise veterans have with the title, but they do highlight how it’s able to stand on its own.
Even for those uninterested in overhaul mods, bothFallout 3andNew Vegashave a number of stability issues and bugs that can be fixed with some basic mods on PC.
I have a bit of a personal bias in favor ofFallout 3, as stepping out of the vault at the start introduced me to my first truly open-world experience. To this day, however, that moment remains a reminder of what the game does well.Fallout 3is a great sandbox for exploration, and it’s full of fascinating encounters, interesting locations, and fun, off-beat situations. It might not reach the discrete peaks of the very bestFalloutgames, but I’d be hard-pressed to boot it up and not end up having a memorable time.
More recently,Oblivion Remasteredhas been another reminder of how much I appreciate the work that Bethesda was doing in the 2000s. It’s also wildly uneven, but it likewise features a world that’s just fun to explore, especially contrasted against the glut of modern open-world games. Whilesitting down for a laser-focused main story run inFallout 3or evenOblivionwon’t result in a fantastic experience, spending more time getting lost definitely can.
At Least Sanderson & I Can Agree On New Vegas
Fallout 3’s Successor Is The Best Of The Best
Of course, Sanderson’s dismissal ofFallout 3is in the service ofpraisingNew Vegas, and in that regard, I couldn’t agree with him more. AlthoughFallout: New Vegassuffered from a rushed development cycle and launched in a decidedly unfinished state,it tookFallout 3’s foundation and added so much of what was missing. The game tends to appeal to both fans of the first twoFallouttitles and those who prefer the Bethesda years, bridging a divide that hasn’t been reconciled elsewhere.
Sanderson has a laundry list ofNew Vegas’s strengths, starting with the return of the “charm” and strong writing and quests. He also praises the branching gameplay, solid gunplay, and immersive atmosphere. It ultimately takes the throne as his favoriteFallouttitle, delivering “everything” that he likes in games in a single package. His appreciation for mechanical elements alongside narrative strengths makes sense, as his books often focus on detailed magic systems that open up cool opportunities for fight scenes.
Despite its rushed development,the creation ofNew Vegaswas the perfect confluence of factors. Bethesda had laid a solid foundation for first-personFalloutgames withFallout 3, and Obsidian Entertainment, which descended directly fromFallout 2developer Black Isle Studios, brought its narrative expertise toNew Vegas.The resulting experience is one that fans have been begging for ever since, but even though Obsidian and Bethesda are both under the same Microsoft umbrella these days, agreatNew Vegasfollow-upfeels like a long shot.
Like Sanderson,I’d give the prize toNew VegasoverFallout 3, and it’s kind of criminal that it rated so much lower at the time of its release. I’m just more willing to spend time praisingFallout 3’s strengths, no matter how muchNew Vegasultimately runs laps around it. After the various missteps ofFallout 4, which significantly reduced the complexity of several key RPG elements, it’s become increasingly apparent thatFallout 3gets more right than it does wrong.
