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Games of the Decade #14/Blog a Day #17

Hello survivors, how are you?

2010. We are going back to this year again. As before, a lot of great games released that year and I truly believe there was something for everyone. 2010 saw the release of some really good rpgs too. It wasn't till 2011 that I finally got a taste of what I've been missing thanks to having a PS3 and I just finished playing through a highly requested game people wanted me to try. I then saw that there was another game in that series that didn't release not to long ago and decided to check it out. I'll be going to the Mojave Wasteland with Fallout: New Vegas.

                             More classics coming right up for you. So stay tuned ♥

Whoops, better put on my newsman fedora, here: When I got a PS3 I got a lot of game recommendations and one game that always popped up in those recommendations was Fallout 3. I eventually got that game and I really enjoyed it. Then I saw that there was another Fallout game called New Vegas and it apparently released in 2010, less than a year ago at the time so I decided to get it. I only paid $10 for a new copy which was a really good price. Heck if it was anything like FO3 then I know I got my money's worth. Was New Vegas worth the $10 I paid?

In the game, you assume the role of the Courier (basically your created character), who was apparently left for dead after a delivery gone wrong. You then set course to the titular city of New Vegas to find your would-be killer to get some answers and recover the stolen package that you were delivering. Along the way you meet friend and foe alike as well as a number of factions, the NCR, Caesar's Legion, and the mysterious Mr. House, all fighting for the control of New Vegas and ultimately decide the fate of the Mojave Wasteland.

The Mojave Wasteland is really big and filled with many interesting locations like New Vegas itself. Others include smaller settlements, NCR camps, to abandoned locations and many more. One thing I will say is that there is no shortage of interesting sights to see and explore in the game. I often got sidetracked by a new location when in the middle of doing a sidequest or a main story mission. The game does a good job of doing that.

         Vaults make a return as well and are filled with secrets waiting for you to discover

If you've played Fallout 3, one thing you will notice is that the sky in the game isn't as dark in New Vegas. There's much more sunlight and that's one thing I like about the game. You will also see that the game has this overall different feel to it. Like in FO3, a lot of settlements were trying to survive, but in NV, survival is still a thing but settlements here are much more well organized, if that's a way to put it. It's really interesting to see how different the games are even though they are from the same series.

The gameplay at its core is largely the same but it has received a number of improvements and tweaks. You can now also have 2 travelling companions with you, one human and one non-human which is really useful during skirmishes with numerous enemies. The game also has a new Hardcore Mode which makes the game harder by adding elements like dehydration starvation which makes it much more realistic. If you've just finished Fallout 3 and are playing NV for the first time, don't go to Hardcore Mode unless you feel like you are up for the challenge.

There's also a reputation system too which impacts the story and overall world of the game depending on the actions you do. Some quests might be easier to complete and you can open more dialogue options too. For example, if you do quests for the NCR, they will start to like you but Caesar's Legion won't like that and they will attack you on sight eventually. The same thing happens vice-versa. If you start killing members of the Legion, they eventually send in assassins to assassinate you while you're exploring the Mojave Wasteland. The story of the game is really good and the ending of the game is decided on depending on the faction you side with.

                                  Areas like these make me feel like I'm on a roadtrip

"But Captain N, where can I play this game?" You can play it on PS3, 360, or PC. The game is relatively cheap now too and there's even a complete edition that comes with all the dlc expansions. I never got a chance to try them out but I know that they increased the level cap. If you can, avoid the PS3 version since it's the one with most bugs. The game is also backwards compatible on Xbox One so that's another option too.

Final Thoughts: I loved Fallout 3 and when I got New Vegas, there was no doubt in my mind that it would be another enjoyable game too. I will say this, I did the mistake of trying the game in Hardcore Mode for my first playthrough since I figured it wouldn't be too hard coming from FO3. Big mistake since I found out that in that mode everything was much more different. So I decided to start all over on normal mode.

One thing I really love about the game is the overall setting, I just loved exploring the Mojave Wasteland and just randomly stumbling upon new areas to explore. The story was really good and I loved how well written the characters were and how they reacted to events going on in the game. Plus, I absolutely loved hearing Mr. New Vegas on the radio playing music and providing commentary on events going on in the game. The music and Mr. New Vegas himself went hand in hand with the Mojave Wasteland. There's something truly magical hearing his voice and the music he plays at night while travelling. It just hits differently. They did a damn good job there.

 Boy, the Mojave Wasteland is just a fascinating place isn't it? You never know what'll happen next

I will say this, it is pretty buggy and filled with glitches, with the PS3 version being the most buggy. As the save file gets bigger, the fps in the game get worse. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the game. It is among one of my most favorite rpg games of all time and I am willing to say it is worthy of standing side by side next to be best rpgs out there, be it Western or Japanese. I wouldn't mind seeing a JRPG tackle a Fallout-like setting to see how they would do it. I played Fallout 4 and while a great game, it felt like a step back to me since it kinda didn't feel like an rpg anymore whereas Fallout: New Vegas is more of an rpg. A treat for a fan of the genre. There is a debate whether Fallout 3 or New Vegas is the better game. I feel like 3 did the setting better but New Vegas clearly wins with better gameplay and feeling more like an rpg.

I actually restarted New Vegas multiple times. You see I reached the level cap in the game fairly quick, I think I was way too overleveled and once you reach the cap, you don't level up anymore. I found it a bit boring not leveling up or getting experience once I reached the cap so I restarted often. It's really easy to reach that cap if you find enemies that give aout a lot of exp. But I eventually finished the game, a number of times for each ending and yes, I even went back to hardcore mode now armed with the knowledge of multiple finished playthroughs and eventually I got the platinum trophy for the game. Definitely worth the $10 I spent. Hope one day it get's ported or remade for the PS4 or Switch because I would definitely go through it again. I really love this game. Ain't that a kick in the head.

 

 That's all I have for you. This is Mr. New Vegas, wishing you ladylie luck tonight.