Review: Fallout: New Vegas

[BlueInkAlchemist]

I would love to get my hands on New Vegas. This review seals the deal... after I afford a copy of Civ V, I'll be looking into this one.

 

[Stabby Joe]

How long until this review goes up on the main page? I only knew about through a Google News update regarding New Vegas reviews and there are very few comments for such an anticipated game.

Excellent review, shame I can't get my copy until Thursday, but I do have a question.

I've heard a lot about the "Wild Wasteland" perk, but I'm a little confused as to what it actually does. So far, the only explanation I've got it that it makes things more zany, whatever the hell that means. Does it make everything more colourful? Throw in a few extra punchlines here and there? Activate bighead mode, or what?

More random encounters I think... I mean RANDOM.

Well that doesn't sound very zany.

Not really in the sense of "man says hi", more like "clown tries to mug you".

Does said clown happen to be wearing a hat made of beavers?

I don't know at all. In fact I don't know if there is a clown, that was just a random example I could picture after hearing some more details about the perk.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Ok the Indiana Jones and Crystal Skull reference has sold it to me. For anyone who doesn't know Indy survived an Atomic blast by hiding in a 1950's fridge. And everyone from fans to realism critics threw a hissy fit. Very nice subtle joke and they are always the best

 

[Sronpop]

Great review Russ, I know exactly where I am now in terms of buying this game which is exactly where I want to be after reading a review.

Ill be happily picking this up in the coming weeks(hopefully when a few of the more serious bugs are found and fixed) as soon as I get the money and finally finish Dragon Age(50 hours in, I gotta be near the end right?)

 

[Irridium]

"Skeleton of a man in a refrigerator with a hat."

Indiana Jones?!

OT: Good review. And I knew there would be bugs. I've been saying that for ages!

Ah well, it seems the story is better then Fallout 3's, which isn't quite surprising since Obsidian is good at making great stories(with crappy endings).

 

[Russ Pitts]

Excellent review, shame I can't get my copy until Thursday, but I do have a question.

I've heard a lot about the "Wild Wasteland" perk, but I'm a little confused as to what it actually does. So far, the only explanation I've got it that it makes things more zany, whatever the hell that means. Does it make everything more colourful? Throw in a few extra punchlines here and there? Activate bighead mode, or what?

You know as much as I do. Without having played the game twice (once with this perk, once without) I don't have a means to compare.

 

[Tiswas]

hmmmm. I'm kinda on the fence about this one now.

While I was all excited for the new humour and atmos in this one. The thing about the bugs has me doubtful about whether it's worth the price tag. All of those problems were what killed Fallout 3's enjoyment for me so much so towards the end. Especially considering it had been out a while and no patch.

Hopefully it'll be patched quickly, else I'll just pick it up for a tenner pre-owned in a years time.

 

[coldfrog]

I wanted to play fallout three but it seemed to take itself FAR too seriously and I never really got around to getting it. I had other games I wanted to play. Now it looks as if I might play this before I play it's predecessor!

 

[Rafe]

4 stars for Fallout!?

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

So I'm officially running downto the game store on my first break to nab this.... if the lines arn't too long...

 

[KEM10]

As expected, glitches. And not just visual and random encounter ones, but quest breaking ones.

So, as previously believed, I must buy this...after the first few patches and maybe a price cut. I can deal with Civ V for now.

 

[Doctor VonSexMachine]

I am decrypting it now. The review just made waiting harder!

 

[nipsen]

"It's disappointing to see such an otherwise brilliant and polished game suffer from years-old bugs, and unfortunately our review score for the game has to reflect that."

Because when Fallout 3 launched and had the same game-breaking bugs, you really couldn't be bothered with that kind of petty thing, I guess. Good job finding your principles in a bag somewhere, though. Well done. Stars in the margins. *thumbs*

 

[tehroc]

The only saving grace I might see is the Obsidian writing staff. I'd say that's the one aspect that Obsidian excels in (I'd also say they have better writers then Bioware), something that is lacking in most Bethesda games.

 

[CitySquirrel]

I preordered but can't get it until Thursday. Can't fucking wait.

 

[Russ Pitts]

"It's disappointing to see such an otherwise brilliant and polished game suffer from years-old bugs, and unfortunately our review score for the game has to reflect that."

Because when Fallout 3 launched and had the same game-breaking bugs, you really couldn't be bothered with that kind of petty thing, I guess. Good job finding your principles in a bag somewhere, though. Well done. Stars in the margins. *thumbs*

Your position seems to be that because the bugs existed in a previous title, they should be excused in New Vegas. My position is exactly the opposite.

 

[Midniqht]

Got my copy last night at midnight release and was up until 6am playing before I realized I had work & class to get to.... It's like interactive cocaine

PS. I also found the man in the fridge... and I, too, took his hat for myself. It's bitchin'

 

[Eumersian]

It's sad that it's still suffer from glitches that should have been fixed. I felt much the same way as Russ regarding FO3's glitches, in that because the game had so much to offer in general, a few glitches wouldn't bother me. But getting rid of glitches was one of the things I really looked forward to. Never mind the addition of the vibrant humor, delightful coloration, and so on. I want those bugs fixed.

Mind you, I haven't played the game, and I plan on buying it and enjoying it like I did with FO3. But Russ' review told me what to expect, and I reacted accordingly.

 

[thenamelessloser]

My favorite in the series was fallout 2 for its humor and overall writing. I actually found Fallout 3 fun, but the writing was lacking in some places such as the horrible ending. I'm definitely choosing wacky wasteland first time through! If Fallout New Vegas combines the gameplay of three with the writing quailty and humor of 2 then I think it may end up being my favorite.

It is an Obsidan game, I expect great writing and tons of bugs. I think It would have bothered me more in a sense if the new fallout game DIDN'T HAVE BUGS. Then something would be up. I mean all the Fallouts had bugs, just the nature of the nonlinearity of the series.

Also, people bitched about the bugs in Alpha Protocol which wasn't that bad really bug wise... I encountered almost as many bugs in "polished" games such as the Mass Effect series.

I could just be an Obsidian fanboy though...

 

[Russ Pitts]

Fair review, it seems there's more to it than I expected.

I expected a stand-alone DLC, but it seems it's bigger than that. Very well, you got me interested, I'll see when it'll be available in my country to buy it.