Decade old franchise gets swooped up, enamored and refreshed by a new Spanish janitor at the High School! Fallout 3.
Right: The atmosphere is totally post-nuclear, the Wastes are long and tedious and desolate as they should be. Good job Bethesda. All environments in fact make sense as to what is appropriate for the timespan, and despite complaints any my own feelings, they did try to make compelling characters. Much better than any other game I've played recently - just not better characters than Fallout 2. (Keep it in mind - Fallout 2 introduced me, and I'm very fond of it so those references are common.) The combat is gruesome and wonderful (VATS is brilliant and shall NEVER be exchanged so long as you hold onto Fallout - that is, no Fallout 4 or 5 or 6 will recieve different treatment.) but does become mundane. Cool, head flying off. AWESOME, BODY BLOWN APART! Yet where are the moral feelings attatched to my decisions?
Not because it's boring, but why? Because you don't have the awesome allies of the past. Sulik - enslaved tribal warrior with expertise in sledge hammer and SMG's. Vic, cowardly pistol and mechanical expert. Cassidy, balls to the wall shooter ally. Marcus, super mutant big guns carrying badass. K-9, close assualt battle dog robot. What's the common difference here? All are not represented in any way by Fallout 3. They seriously needed a more awesome cast for this game. The job isn't wasted - there are definitely good parts (Moira, the Alfea townsfolk, different citizens done well.) The problem is you don't have permanent allies who affect the story on their own. Their own plights mean nothing compared to yours.
Bad: Little resembles the original. There are many enemy types and organizations that fit, but most locales are cheap knockoffs of original spots. The many gas stations / garges / half towns in existence are based on old material but styled much more difficultly (normally these designs would be easy to navigate in 2-D but with the full dimensional range even a simple shop keeper visit becomes a tedious long walk. It extends the game time, but not for story or effect, just sheer tediousness. We miss lots of the moral elements of the past games, especially the idea that mutants become insane but the ones avoiding mutation are just as crazy. This game seems to support the idea that mutations are generally bad instead, and it cancels out what Fallout 2 taught us about how an individual's actions are what really count.
Overall - great game for new Fallout fans, but a three quarter's experience for the dedicated. We appreciate what was done right but expect more of the past to be brought up next time and much more likable characters. Do that with what VATS is, and I'll be your full supporter. Good job Bethesda.