We break down what the Fallout 3 remaster needs to succeed

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Nearly two decades after its 2008 release, time has not been kind to every part of the Fallout 3 experience. With rumors and hopeful expectations of a Fallout 3 remaster continuing to swirl, questions abound as to how Fallout 3 might be faithfully adapted for the modern gaming landscape without losing its identity as one of the best Fallout games.

Few games from the late 2000s hold the same legacy as Bethesda’s. Released in 2008, the bleak yet witty sci-fi heavyweight redefined what a modern first-person open-world RPG could be. Any attempt at a Fallout 3 remaster would be a significant undertaking from both a technical and cultural perspective. Fortunately, we’ve mapped out a road to success for those who might make the journey.

A matter of respect

The biggest expectation we’d place on a Fallout 3 remaster centers around visuals. While the muddy textures, dank lighting, and limited animations were impressive when the game was first released, they can feel archaic by today’s standards.

However, this doesn’t mean that the aesthetic landscape of the Wasteland needs to change. The washed-out tones of the ruins and damaged landmarks still need to have the same grittiness, just with better lighting, higher frame rates, and more detailed characters and NPCs. 

You don’t want the world to look clean, but it must look crisp, perhaps taking inspiration from the Fallout TV show. 

A Fallout 3 remake must resist the tantalizing urge that dogs modern game design: the desire to place style over substance. The Wasteland isn’t memorable because of its flashy visuals. The world of Fallout 3 sticks in our minds because, among the drab browns and grim grays, there’s a sense of diversity. 

The quirks of the Fallout universe, from bomb-worshipping priest to slogan-chanting killer robots, are all the more vibrant because of the drab backdrop of the Wasteland, not despite it. Any Fallout 3 remake would need to take this principle to heart. 

Levelling up

While Fallout 4 changed many aspects from Fallout 3, not all for the better, the sequel gave players the ability to sprint and aim down the sights of their guns (otherwise known as ‘iron sights’). 

When released, the shooting and mobility mechanics were passable but clunky compared to games released today. Shootouts in Fallout 3 often felt less like action setpieces and more like sedate games of laser tag due to lacklustre weapon handling and the lack of an iron sights feature. 

Purists may be concerned, however, that this would sideline a beloved Fallout 3 feature: the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or VATS for short. VATS allows you to effectively pause the flow of combat and target specific limbs or appendages in battle.

Back in the day, this system was vital for scoring headshots or hobbling dangerous melee-focused enemies. However, there is a possibility that the introduction of ironsights might make VATS redundant, given that players will now have another, more direct way to make tricky shots. 

That said, players made generous use of VATS in Fallout 4, despite the addition of iron sights. This proves that the two mechanics can co-exist peacefully. However, we still think that any Fallout 3 remaster must make efforts to keep VATS and Iron Sights meaningfully distinctive. 

The more the merrier

To be a definitive remaster, all Fallout 3 DLC needs to be updated and included by default. Fallout is known for its intricate storylines and factions that weave together almost seamlessly, and removing an ending from the list because the DLC is missing would anger a lot of fans.

Some players will want to start afresh and play in ways they haven’t before, while others will want to revisit the same outcomes with a fresh outlook. Justice can’t really be served to either type of playthrough if the Fallout 3 remaster offers an incomplete experience. 

Any DLC that comes with the remaster would have to meet the remaster’s standards and fully integrate with the base game. If Bethesda wants to offer players, new and old, the best experience of Fallout 3 beyond the normal campaign, then the DLC needs to be included. 

We want to see Liberty Prime given a full, modern makeover. We want to see the return of the goofy aliens from the Mothership Zeta DLC. The entire breadth of Fallout 3, from the awe-inspiring to the wacky, must be captured. 

Overall, this is the approach we’d like to see applied across the whole remaster. Fallout 3 was an inspiring, clunky, genre-defining odyssey that set the tone for open-world titles going into the 2010s. Any Fallout 3 remaster must be true to this legacy. 

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