A game anticipated with equal parts excitement and trepidation, Fallout 3 was massive departure from the isometric Fallout 1 and 2. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, Fallout 3 instead took a leaf out of The Elder Scrolls' book, featuring a giant, 3D open world. Fallout 3 is set 36 years after the events of Fallout 2, and takes place in the Capital Wasteland - the apocalyptic ruins of Washington, D.C. Continuing much of the dark comedy and satire that the series is known for, Fallout 3 contained a vast number of memorable locations, characters and enemies. The V.A.T.S. was a fun compromise between first-person action and turn-based combat, and many of the weapons have since become cultural icons. Despite the main story not being quite up to the par of others in the series, Fallout 3's world was a joy to explore, and many of the side quests were just as brilliant as anything else in the franchise.
