Fallout 3 may have started the series revival, but its New Vegas that really recaptured its identity. It retained the engine and first-person perspective that made Fallout 3 so popular, but was developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the same team who worked on Fallout 2. Thanks to this, the game recaptured some of the spirit of older games in the series; particularly in terms of lore and writing. Crucially, it felt much less like 'Oblivion with Guns'. Its easy to criticise New Vegas on a technical level, because of its lack of evolution on Fallout 3 before it, but New Vegas Mojave Wasteland was a much more appealing place to explore. Where Fallout 3 felt grey and bleak (even for a post-apocalyptic game), New Vegas was far more vibrant - with interesting, shifting faction dynamics and locations that were more worthy of visiting. Most importantly, it stayed true to being a post-apocalyptic game, retaining the sense of hostility, desperation and danger of the wasteland. Similarity to Fallout 4: Being the kind-of direct predecessor to Fallout 4, New Vegas inevitably shares some genetics with it. But the fact that New Vegas had a different development team, and that it takes place in the distinctive Mojave desert, rather than the east coast like Fallout 3 and 4, gives it its own character. So if you want to catch some of that scorching desert sun before heading for the cooler climes of the Boston, head on over to New Vegas for a few weeks. How will you be passing the time until Fallout 4? Let us know in the comments!
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
