Let's Play: Fallout 3 (Part 1)

Fallout 3 is one of those games where I start playing at 1pm when I have a bit of free time and close the game next Wednesday. I know it has some pretty big flaws, like a terrible story, glitches and characters who are just clones of everyone else in the wasteland, but there's something about it which hooks me. I try not to focus on the story too often and revel in the exploration, spending hours walking from one side of the map to the other, just to see a place I've not been to yet.

It's for this reason I've chosen to start a Let's Play with this game, something I've toyed with in the past but never came to fruition.

There are quite a few mods I've installed with the game, but for the purposes of this playthrough, I've turned off all but Fellout, Burnification, and Amplified Cripple Effects. The first two to help give better screenshots, and the last because I like having to crawl away when both my legs are broken. As far as mods go, these few are pretty stable, but should they cause a problem and need removing I'll let you know.

I own all the DLC so if there's an enemy or weapon I mention which you've not seen, that may be why. As for which DLC I'm going to go through, if any, I've not decided yet. It all depends on how much material the game itself is providing me with.

With all that out of the way, Let's Play Fallout 3.

Fallout 3 starts you off in a unique way, in that you're literally pushed into the world via birth. As a child you're asked to name your character, as well as give yourself a gender and appearance. I think this is asking a little too much, but I strive on and birth Zak Stoneball into the world. He fashions a bright blue mohawk, and equally amusing facial hair.

If your hair isn't colourful and wacky, you're not doing the apocalypse right.

Before Zak can tell his dad any other personal details any father should already know, his mother starts to feel a bit unwell and you're rushed off into the back before you watch your mother die. No, you don't get XP for this.

This starts the tutorial where you go through the key events in your life in excruciating detail.

First on the agenda, learning to walk. At the age of one I walk to dear old daddy, who doesn't seem the least bit interested in Zak's ability to jump up and down, but I guess he's a man of priorities. Showing a very negligent attitude towards parenting he then forgets to lock Zak's playpen as he leaves the room. This gives you the chance to go and get up to all sorts of nefarious deeds like OH DAMMIT! The door's locked. I guess he's smarter than we think. Ah well, let's take the time to sort out our stats. With a name like Stoneball I want to be able to crush men with my fists, so that's Strength getting priority. Plus carrying extra weight is always a plus.

I really wanted to put all the points into Strength.

Nothing else important happens in this tutorial except for some slight character development, so I'll skip forward to the GOAT exam. Sadly this is more about questions to develop your stats and less about farmyard animals. The way to the exam room is littered with loot (doctor's tools) which tease me by dissapearing from my inventory after the next life event. You'd think I'd be able to keep it all in a drawer for when I leave the vault in three years time. Actually, at the rate this tutorial is going that three years may as well be realtime instead of in-game. Anyway, GOAT.

Zak wakes up three years later to find his dad has left the vault. Needing to escape (I don't know why, since you're not the one who broke out) I pick up the weapons on my table and take a pistol Zak's childhood friend, Amata, gives me. Promising to use it only as a last resort while simultaneously checking how much ammo I have, I get ready to kill some guards and escape this horribly lit place.

The first of many guards who inexplicably die while I'm in the vicinity.

Butch, the school bully, comes up to me asking me to save his mother. This is the same Butch who punched me because I wouldn't give him my birthday present nine years prior. After I stop laughing, I say I'll help. This is only because I want his jacket.

Sadly there was no option to tell him to eat a dick.

After 'accidently' missing 5 times his mum falls to the ground in what I presume to be thanks. I take her clothes as a reward.

The bat slipped.  Multiple times.  It was the Radroach's fault!

I go to tell Butch the good news, that I cleared the infestation, but he turns angry. Ungrateful. I steal his jacket as payment. From his corpse. After I beat him.

I don't like it. Well...this was worth it? Good thing I never liked the guy or I'd feel guilty.

Nothing much really happens until I get to the Overseer's office. Amata begs me not to kill him, but before she's ran away and he's finished calling for guards he hits the floor dead. I hope Amata will believe that I just mis-heard her. This gives me the password I use to open up an exit in the overseer's office. How did dad do this before? He managed to get out, and then put the key and note with the password back in the places he found them just in case his son wanted to come with? Well anyway I manage to kill a few more guards, get to the entrance of the vault, and step outside to breath in the first non-tutorial air of the game.

Ah, freedom.

So...what now?

Next time: Time to go to Megaton to sell all the stuff those dead guys dropped.