Whether you prefer the epic landscapes of Tolkien-esque fantasy or steampunk'd up apocalyptica, either Oblivion or Fallout 3 will have made their mark - with both games being masterclasses in showing restraint before their big reveals. Oblivion's was less drawn-out than Fallout 3's, with you slowly seeing the surface of the world after a brief stint talking to Patrick Stewart's character. However, it was with F3 that a more confident Bethesda elected to play with narrative expectations, literally having you live the life of your character from birth, blinking your eyes with a button, looking up to your adoring father as a toddler - and then feeling the loss when he suddenly disappeared. The following build-up to get out the Vault you're 'imprisoned'/living in was far stronger than anything the team had done before, and when you finally emerge on the outside, looking across the deserted expanse as the dust kicked up in the distance and the game whispering in your ear "Proceed" well, that alone immediately wrote the game into the history books.
