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Showing reviews 36-37 of 37
 Fallout fails to be replaced. December 29, 2006
Kenneth Kay (Princeton, NJ, USA)
76 out of 77 found this review helpful
The Fallout games have still not been replaced after ten years of RPGs. The extreme, even libertine freedom that defines the series has not since been captured in a videogame. One can literally go anywhere, fight with anything, and kill anyone within the setting of the game.
The original Fallout and Fallout are turn-based, top-down perspective role-playing games. Though they feel dated in some reguards (graphics, minimal voice-overs, dated AI), they still exhibit gameplay superior to more recent role-playing videogames (libertine freedom, moral choices, engaging dialogue, and a "sandbox" feel).
Fallout's "sandbox" feel is one of its greatest strengths. While most games will force the player to adhere to a certain rigid path, or force him/her to stay in one area until he/she advances in level, Fallout disreguards these limiters. Players can venture into the most dangerous and hostile areas as soon as they begin the game. In Fallout 2, for example, one can beat the game in under an hour if their character was properly oriented (and if they were so inclined).
Fortunatly, the massive worlds and the many ways to play the games will keep players holding their ultimate victory and exploring more of the game. The first two Fallout games have not yet been replaced. The freedoms granted in the Fallout games are comparable to Morrowind or Oblivion, but The Elder Scrolls games lack the complex dialogues and social engineering of the Fallout games. The worlds and the style of play are comparable to the Baldur's gate series, but Fallout has so much greater a sense of freedom than any Dungeons and Dragons videogame ever released. Fallout and Fallout two have not yet been replaced, and I doubt they ever will be.
Fallout Tactics is a tactical strategy game, and it fails to retain the strengths of the other games in the series. As a strategy game, the in-depth dialogue interactions and moral choices simply do not exist. Likewise, the immense feeling of freedom that defines the earlier Fallout games is non-existent in FO:Tactics, as the game progresses on a linear mission-to-mission basis.
Unlike the previous Fallout games, in Tactics the player -directly- controls a squad of up to six soldiers. The combat is either fought in the traditional, turn based Gurps system of the previous games, or in a newer pseudo-real-time mode. In the new system, "action points" recharge over time instead of after ending one's turn. While an interesting twist, controlling one's entire squad is far easier, and in the author's opinion, more fun in traditional turn-based combat.
Veterans will be pleased to know that the main changes to the game's ruleset are simply re-orienting combat towards real-time. All skills from the previous games remain, as well as most traits and perks. Nostalgia aside, the game is boring for the audience of the original games. While the setting and "ruleset", if you will, stay the same, the focus shifts from a "sandbox" to a monotonous "shoot-shoot-shoot" game. Tactics is only for hardcore fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, and only after they are bored of Fallout 1 and 2. There are much better games in the tactical strategy genre (see Jagged Alliance or X-Com).
This release/printing/issue of the Fallout series is very well executed. While the box art is mediocre at best, the single DVD contains Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics; a set that previously would have appeared on 5, that's f-i-v-e compact disks. The extras are wonderful. While I was at first, dissapointed to see a lack of a manual, I then realized that the DVD contains the wonderfully designed and written manuals of all three games in PDF format. The manuals contain some great background story, and even recipies! (see Fallout 2's appendix 8 for "Carrion Kabobs") The extras on the disk are rather nice, but nothing amazing. The concept art is entertaining, but nothing too insightful.
I am extremely happy with my recent purchase of the Fallout Collection on DVD. I highly reccomend that any fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, role-playing videogames, "retro" gaming, and to any fan of the Fallout series should pick up this editition.
PS: This game is rated M! The current display of "T" is a mistake! Finally, this game is on a DVD, as the description states. Not a CD.
 BUYER BEWARE December 12, 2006
Ronald J. Harris (San Bruno, CA USA)
4 out of 107 found this review helpful
At the time I am writing this, the listing says this collection is on CD-ROM but the fact is that it is on DVD ROM (look closely at the picture). I don't know exactly why but my DVD Rewriter couldn't read the disk and I had to invest in a new DVD reader to install any of the games which more than doubled the bargain price of the collection.
This is now my second revision of this review, updated after completing Fallout 1. I can't revise my star ratings above but if I could I would give it 3 stars in each category. Basically the game wasn't linear enough for me and to avoid excessive replays and experimentation, I had to sift through advice from a number of online walkthroughs. A few miscellaneous comments: Combat is turn based and quite slow. Level of gore is high with some interesting death animations. Graphics are circa 1997 and relatively primitive: 640X480, maybe 256 colors, isometric view only, no zooming or camera control except basic panning. Dialog is okay, occassionally imaginative. Interface is adequate. Soundtrack is not especially notable. Story is okay but rarely transcends comic book level of sophistication. Quest log is basic and not particularly useful. Doubtless there is some replay value for people who like to experiment with different skills and perks to get different outcomes.
Showing reviews 36-37 of 37
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