Fallout: New Vegas
Preview
Viva Las Vegas!
by Max Keogh
previewed on PS3
Viva Las Vegas!
It has been thirteen years since the Fallout franchise first saw light. Fallout 1 and 2 are still being praised as classic role-playing games, and quite rightfully so. They are games that completely blow your mind away, mainly for their compelling story and engrossing exploration-based game play. To this day, the Fallout games remain my favourite role-playing games.
However, Fallout as a series has seen a lot of change since it was released in the next generation platforms. Fallout 3, whilst it still kept the concepts established in the first two titles such as the exploration aspect and the morality system, did introduce a lot of new into the series. Fans of the Fallout series became split on the result; some fans (like me) embraced the new additions, while some felt it was not really a traditional Fallout game at all. Either way, Fallout 3 has still managed to achieve similar classic status as its predecessors. Well, whether they are liked or not, the upcoming Fallout: New Vegas seems like it is going to share a lot of the same gameplay mechanics as the third game, and, yet again, a lot of concern and pessimism has been expressed by the fans about one thing: the new developer helming this instalment. Well, you know what Elvis once said: Viva Las Vegas!
A new game, a new developer
Now, instead of Bethesda Studios, Obsidian Entertainment is developing Fallout: New Vegas. This is the studio most notable for Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic II- Sith Lords and the more recent Alpha Protocol. According to Obsidian, New Vegas will be a completely new game with a new story and new features and additions to the Fallout 3 gameplay. Fallout: New Vegas will be set three years after Fallout 3, but the game will not contain any links or any characters from the past instalments.
Las Vegas, Nevada and the Mojave Desert are all post-apocalyptic wastelands. However, unlike other cities in Fallout, Las Vegas wasn’t completely destroyed by the nuclear attack. The buildings still remain intact, and some scarce life is still there. The different factions of this remaining population are at all-out war with one another.
In the game, the player will take the role of a courier, a courier who was trying to deliver a mysterious package to an unknown group, but was later found unconscious after a failed assassination attempt by a mysterious killer. After being treated by a caretaker, the courier now needs to find out who exactly tried to kill him and why.
This seems familiar...
Like with all of the past Fallout games, New Vegas will also have an in-depth character customisation feature. This feature allows the player to create the defining personality, personal attributes, skills and strengths of their character.
Also in tradition with the past Fallout games, Fallout: New Vegas requires the player to explore the world. Whilst exploring, the player will encounter lots of different NPC characters that will give the player various missions and pieces of information that will help you progress in the story.
A reputation system - a feature that was in the classics but that somehow was not in Fallout 3 – makes a return in New Vegas. Judged by how many missions you complete and how many experience points you earn, your reputation will increase. Also depending on how you react to certain NPC characters and the impact you have on the area around you may change how various characters treat you.
If you’ve followed the series since day one, then all of the above is something that you would naturally expect from a new Fallout game. In addition, some gameplay mechanics from Fallout 3 will also be making a return.
