Monday Modern Review: Fallout New Vegas

Welcome back to Monday Modern Review! The Gamer Chick here.

The Story

As the name of the game states, this Fallout takes place in New Vegas (or Las Vegas that is being rebuilt) about a hundred years after a nuclear war between the US and China. The main story is that your character, for this blog you, are trying to figure out who shot you in the head and left you in a shallow grave. You are in charge of carrying a package to New Vegas.

From the beginning of the game you have a lot of control over the game. You get to customize your character, which I will include later under Character. You can choose to join a faction (which will be explained under Factions), what to say to different characters, etc. Later in this post I will include the different states, skills, and some of the other ways to customize your character. In addition, you can have up to 2 companions with you. One of them has to be human and one either robot or animal.

One of the cool features is Hardcore Mode. Hardcore Mode makes the game more realistic, as in you have to rest, feed, and water your character. I wouldn't generally recommend it until you have played the game through before. Hardcore Mode also makes everything count towards your weight limit (including things such as ammo).

Fallout New Vegas has three possible endings, which I am not going to give away. You will have to play it to find out.

Tech, Sound, and Art

Fallout New Vegas adds a whole new level to video games. In the game, you use technology that people would try to utilize in the new world or technology that people are trying to get working again.

As far as sound goes, one of the things I really like with this game is the fact that the sounds can sound farther away or closer. It goes along with the landscape.

In case you couldn't tell from the previews of the game (if you haven't seen one, there is a trailer at the bottom), they made New Vegas feel as if you were back in the 50's, and in a western, at the same time. Each of the casinos has its own individual theme, which makes exploring them even more interesting.

The Strip and the Surrounding Area

Fallout New Vegas consists of New Vegas and the territory around it, including underground sewers. The world stretches from the strip to Hoover Dam. While exploring the area, you collect herbs, seeds, and fruits to create things such as healing powder or stimpaks. You also get Caps, which is the New Vegas form of currency. There are also new animal foes, not limited to Cazadores, Giant Praying Mantises, and Nightstalkers.

The Hoover Dam gives the citizens around it clean water and power, which isn't available in all areas. Naturally because of this, the different factions are in a fight over it. This is a small side story of the main storyline.

The Strip is controlled by Mr. House. In the Strip, you can gamble, check out the casinos, and watch drunk people stumbling around. Mr. House has Securitron robots patrol the strip. If you start shooting or show a weapon, they will take you out.

Character

In Fallout New Vegas, you can customize your character. You choose the gender, race, face, hair, and age. You can also have the game randomly generate a face. You also have some control over basic stats, which you build on during the game, eventually choosing a perk. I will go into more detail on that a little further on.

The environment in Fallout New Vegas reacts to what you do as the player. Therefore, you have control as to where the game goes. By choosing what you say to various characters, it allows you to choose which factions to join (if you even want to join any of them).

Factions

There are various factions you can join. Or you can be like Zack and try to go through the game with annoying every faction out there. The main three are:

• The New California Republic (NCR)
• NCR is a government-type faction that has become too big for its own good
• NCR can't protect its citizens, enforce its laws, or protect its territory
• Caesars Legion
• Caesars Legion is a huge army
• Said army is made of slaves
• It is basically trying to conquer everything in its path
• Mr House
• Doesn't want either faction taking control of the Strip

There are also many small factions that you can shift alliances with. Some of them are:

• Great Khans
• Boomers
• Followers of the Apocalypse
• Kings
• Crimson Caravan
• Jackals

S.P.E.C.I.A.L., Skills, and Perks

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. is your basic stats and skills. It stands for: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. You use points towards these at the beginning of the game.

Skills determine how your character interacts. You can choose from skills such as guns, bartering, and lock picking.

Perks you get every other level. They help you build your character. It ranges from enabling Easter Eggs, lets you level up immediately, eat human flesh to regain health, and you can increase your VATS accuracy. VATS stand for Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System. It allows you accuracy when shooting, such as which part of the opponent you shoot.


Final Verdict
Buy it! Although Fallout New Vegas can be glitchy and freezes randomly (hopefully there will be a patch for it soon), it is a great game. With how much you can change the outcome of the game and the way the game plays out, it makes a great game.