Top-4 gripes in an otherwise perfect RPG.
Each weapon is gritty and fun to use (especially the Plasma Rifle), the monsters are detailed, and the battles are extremely dramatic. I expected to have access to weirder weapons earlier in the game, but only a few items are totally useless. Trying to conserve ammo, repair, and switch weapons, was another element that I greatly enjoyed. It definitely adds a rough edge to the experience.
Like most reviewers, I could write at great length with praise for Fallout 3, so for the record, here are my criticisms....
Gripes and Spoilers:
[ #4 Dogmeat ]
I had been to the scrapyard but never bumped into Dogmeat until I broke down and googled it. Not a big deal as it turned out, because Dogmeat's presence is not very user friendly. He is difficult to avoid targeting in combat. And, he has a nasty habit of jumping head first into your line of fire. Is he a good fighter? Yes. Does he sometimes start fights through walls? Uh huh. Range commands would have made him less painful to bring along.
[ #3 Side Story Availability ]
I wish the main quest would have introduced me to more side story content. I beat the game, the main story is not super long, and now I must go back to an older save to play all the content. I know the expansions address this.
[ #2 Local Map ]
Most of the game this is a non-issue. But for some reason whenever you encounter ruble blockades on your Pip-boy, it's displayed on the map funny. Many times, split-layers of large buildings are displayed as one local map. I only got mixed up a couple of times, but both times the local map wasn't helping much.
[ #1 Gripe: Super Mutant-tastic ]
I almost stopped playing Fallout 3 because I was tired of Super Mutant missions. Playing in a nuclear wasteland is dreary enough as it is, legions of Super Mutants pushes the already slow paced game into the boring zone. I would have been happy to see a few more giant Super Mutants or special ones, but they all were remarkably similar.
Bottom line: More immersive than any MMORPG currently available, and a must own for RPG fans.