Games have to change. That is the nature of the business. Even if a game company has found a successful formula, things are added. Series that do not eventually grow old and die off. Bethesda had bought a successful franchise and exceptions were high for the first game . The result, Fallout 3, changed the formula from the previous games and influenced all future installments.
The player has known nothing except the world of Vault 101. Their world is turned upside down when their father suddenly abandons the vault for the wasteland outside. Pursued by the Enclave and assisted by The Brotherhood of Steel, the player must find out what the world has become since The Great War. They will discover that their father had been working on something and must decide if they will finish what he started.
Fallout 3 was different in almost all aspects. The game was now played from a first person perspective. Enemies were of the same variety, but the way you had to fight them was different. These changes were decried from a small group of fans. They argued that this game was Fallout in name only. the changes were seen as a way to get newer fans into the series. It worked as Fallout 3 became Bethesda’s best selling title.
Fallout 3 is consdered to be one of the best games of all time and for good reason. So many memorable characters and moments. From the radio signal and chatter of Three Dog to your best friend and companion DogMeat. To the battle with Enclave and the shock of finding out who is really in charge. The game was an experience, showing that change could lead to a better game.
Fallout 3 is loved by fans of the series. It is probably not the best game (we will save that for another time), but it’s impact is still felt today. There is something about wandering the Wasteland with your trusty companion that felt like the world went on forever. Fallout would follow the formula, but pwerhapes the time has come for another drastic shift in the game.