Top 10: Ways Bethesda can better Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is a brilliant game, but there's so much we want Bethesda to sort out for Fallout 4.
We love Fallout 3, and believe it to be one of the strongest games of 2008 - no small claim, given the quality of so many recent releases. All the same, there were a few things that nagged us while we explored the Capital Wastelands... so without further ado, we present our wish list of 10 improvements we'd like to see in the next game in the series.
10. Bring back groin shots
Okay, you can call us puerile on this one - but we really miss the ability to shoot raiders in the nadbag. In the previous Fallouts, you could happily run around the wasteland smashing people in the balls with a sledgehammer, but the VATS system in Bethesda's game limits you to aiming at an enemy's head, torso, arms or legs. While we'll happily admits that this wish is significantly less important than the other entries on this list, the absence of groin shots is somewhat indicative of Bethesda's slightly uneven approach to lurid content: in Fallout 3 you're free to take recreational drugs or to blow someone's head off with a shotgun, but hiring a prostitute simply warps you to a bed, alongside a fully-clothed NPC. A Hot Coffee mini-game would hardly have been a good idea, but as it stands the option is so pointless that you wonder why it was included in the first place. At least give us some form of unique dialogue - or perhaps the gigolo perk from Fallout 2!
9. Offer us better perks
Every time you level up in Fallout 3, you'll choose a perk that grants you a new ability or some form of bonus. Unfortunately, a lot of the choices you'll get are a bit dull - offering little more than extra skill points, or a small attack bonus against certain enemy types. There are some better rewards to be had once your character reaches the highest levels, but there's no reason why the earlier perks couldn't be more interesting: perhaps you could unlock new melee attacks, or gain access to unique quests. The existing Paralysing Palm and Lawbringer/Contract Killer perks were a vague attempt at doing these things, but they felt decidedly lightweight. Oh, and while we're asking... can we get more perks that let you do things like skinning dead animals so you can sell their skins? We know you can just sell the meat of the beasties you kill, but it seems a bit weird that everyone in the wasteland is an expert butcher. Have you ever tried cutting up a dead dog? Believe us, it's disappointingly tricky...
User Comments
pedeyk
Leo32
Sure. I did do the main quests alot and only explored about 60% of the map. But still. I didn't plow through the quests. Finished in 29 hours.
I started a new game. And its still Ridiculously fun. But still I HAD to start again. All my work. All my guns... My... Precious.... GONE.
I like the wasteland. But I think everything was still highly un-evolved. Everything is all rusty and dirty and irradiated.. You'd think after a while people would be cleaning themselves and polishing up their settlements. why is my damn hunting rifle rusty as hell. Im sure theres some damn sandpaper round here somewhere.
FantasyMeister@ LastDuaL
I've also noticed that on easier levels things tend to run away from frag grenades (unless I'm using VATS, in which case they don't stand much of a chance).
Having said all that, I agree the AI isn't all that special, they don't appear to work as teams or perform flanking manoeuvres as such. Maybe we'll see improvements in Fallout IV/Oblivion V. As it stands I'm still delighted with Fallout 3, love it to bits and the enemy AI in open world type RPGs is a very minor issue for me. If this was COD:4 or Rainbow Six: Vegas then I'd be annoyed.
LastDuaL
CheekyLee@ LastDuaL
I can only assume you are playing on Easy or even Very Easy. On Normal difficulty I have seen Raiders use nearby cover, and even had Brutes refuse to come out of doorways because they know they are in a tactically advantageous position where they already are.
JT
LastDuaL
Seriously, I love this game, but the biggest thing that stands out is that the enemies are just as dumb as in Oblivion. They either stand and shoot or run straight at you. There's no decent combat behavior from the AI.
Add to that the fact that, unless you cripple an enemy, there are no bullet-recoil animations. Enemies just keep charging in while a hail of bullets peppers their skin. In FPS games, even if your shots aren't lethal, there are often pain animations from your target. It's an important player feedback element. Enemies should show some sign of being shot.
Bloodstorm
Absolutely disgusting games are allowed to end like that.
Jarvichi
Jarvichi
The scrap yard - where we find Dogmeat should have contained a far greater amount of salvage... especially when a commodity is scrap metal - I was looking for a motorcycle fuel tank - found a motor cycle -- but was unable to strip off the parts I wanted. I'm loving Fallout 3, lets hope the next version is a bit more polished.
mydeaddog
In the first Fallout there was this place called The Hub, which was essentially the biggest place in the wastelands. Most of the best shops were there, and there were lots of different groups to find and talk to. I think it kind of makes sense. I mean, I really liked Megaton and Rivet City, but it only felt like there were about 50 people living in those towns. Surely there would have to be somewhere a bit larger in the wasteland by now?
But yeah, more than one or two of those places would ruin the atmosphere...
Collinevan
As far as "urban development", I disagree. I think Bethesda had to be extremely careful on this one. Part of the wasteland being a wasteland is that it's relatively empty, creepy, and scavengy (not a word, I know). I was wondering how they were going to make the world feel that way but still let it have a good deal of action and fun. They pulled it off well. More cities and it just becomes a run down metropolis. I like that it didn't have more huge establishments. It feels like the world uses every resource to building what is totally necessary. Yeah, there's lots of guns and no cars... but that's because the place is corrupt and there's a need for them.
All in all, more cities, cars, and other bells and whistles would detract from the creative goal of fallout... to be a wasteland.