Fallout 3 (Xbox 360, 2008)

I personally have never liked games that have post apocalyptic game worlds, everything looks trashed, dingy and has a depressing atmosphere. I enjoy worlds that are visually pleasing and this was the opposite, but I heard so many great things about Fallout 3 that it convinced me enough to buy it. My initial reaction was that it was an average game not worthy of the hype. My character was equipped with a pistol in the beginning of the game. Gunplay shots were highly innacurate and doled out very little damage when the shots hit their targets.

When I found better weapons, in the game world, they barely had any ammunition to make them useful. Ammunition along with everything else is very scarce and hard to come by at first. I was also suffering from radiation poisening and got my leg injured after fighting off a giant rat. I had barely enough money to have my injured leg healed by a doctor and even less to buy ammunition or purchase better weapons.

After a very rough start I was ready to give up on Fallout 3, but decided to keep exploring its huge open world. After Several hours of gameplay I've met some very fascinating characters, visited creepy underground tunnels, looted abandoned cafes and shops. Whenever I wanted a new weapon I just picked up the ones which dead enemies dropped. I destroyed many evil characters some worse than others and encountered many deadly creatures.

I became a scavenger, mercenary for hire, and a gun-slinging hero all rolled up into one! Characters rewarded me for my good deeds or gave me information which proved useful for specific quests. Everytime my character gained enough experience points to "level up", I upgraded my combat ability or bartering skills; making it easier to earn money. I also picked from many of the fun PERKS which enhances combat playability and dialog interactions. I had a sword/chainsaw hybrid that tore things apart. I was able to go to a workbench and create unique weapons from junk found in the wasteland. I could solve problems by killing or being diplomatic. I choose how I want to play, I choose where to go and what to do- This is my world! This is the world of Fallout 3!

A lot of people describe this game as Oblivion with guns, and they are partially right, because the gameplay and menu systems feel similar. Everything else about it is different yet enjoyable. If you like role-playing games or open world type games, you should not hesitate to buy Fallout 3.

Pros:
+open world
+excellent PERKS
+excellent controls
+excellent creature designs
+excellent map design
+excellent voice acting
+excellent story
+excellent music
+excellent side quests
+excellent sound effects
+be good or evil
+lots of scavanging
+lots of guns
+melee weapons
+blood and gore
+ragdoll physics
+save game anywhere, anytime

Cons:
-game randomly crashes
-combat looks a bit stiff
-technically outdated