What's New
-Ability to create and recycle ammo
-Hollow point and armor penetrating rounds added
-Dozens of new weapons from razor blades up to plasma casters
-Ability to join and influence many factions
-Companions to aid with combat
-Level cap is 30
What's Good
-Variety of weapons keeps combat fresh
-Story is so much deeper and more complex than Fallout 3
-Many new locations and factions
-Game is generally longer
-Companions prevent being as overwhelmed by groups
What's Bad
-Easy to wander off into very dangerous areas (Deathclaw and Cazadors) and be killed
-Loading times are absurd, over five minutes in cases
-Game needs patches as it has frozen up or glitched at least several times
-Seems as though craft-able weapons have been all but removed
Story / Interaction 9 of 10
There were a lot of complaints about the story in Fallout 3, especially the ending. And I sympathize. It was almost an afterthought. Set in New Vegas in 2281 this game has many, many factions who all seem to have a problem with each other and each has a deep story. There are the two big players: the New California Republic and Caesar's Legion. They are vying for control of the Hoover Dam for obvious reasons. Then some of the smaller factions like the Omertas, White Glove Society, Great Khans, Powder Gangers, The Kings, The Boomers and so on play their part in the grand scheme of things. And with each you can gain a level of respect or infamy. This essentially determines their reaction to you and if your infamy is high enough with a certain group, they may just open fire on you. You are of great importance to the ruler of the strip - the enigmatic Mr. House, who claims to have been alive when the first bombs fell in the first apocalypse of 2077. I have to say there are many facets to this game and it is one of the more impressive stories I've seen in a game.
Interaction is somewhat more complex now as you have a running tally of your reputation with certain groups. For example, if you help out a group and don't ask for caps to do the quests you'll likely gain fame quicker. If you blackmail them into paying more, you may just receive the title of neutral or accepted as opposed to idolized. I've had conversations with so many people which changed the outcome of a quest. My favorite thing is that you can use your skill points to affect how much money you'll receive or even your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points to observe and change dialogue options.
Gameplay and Combat 7 of 10
For the most part, the gameplay is identical to Fallout 3. You still go on quests, help people out (or don't). You have choices in the dialogue to decide how you're going to influence them. There are probably between 100-200 total quests. Many start off with one part and then branch off into other optional parts depending on how good or evil you want to be. Some of which will take you a few hours alone to complete. The gameplay value is just unbelievable for how much the game costs. I'm currently 42 hours in and I'm likely only halfway done.
Combat as well is very similar to Fallout 3. However, you now have the ability to take human companions with you (one at a time) and a robodog named Rex. They can be very helpful. Essentially you'll come across them in your travels and you can try and convince them to come with you. Then you have the ability to command them on how far back to stay, how to attack, what types of weapons to use and their life story - quite literally. They'll attack anything that you are fighting and you get the full XP even if they kill the enemy by themselves.
However, one of my biggest gripes with the combat is that you will almost undoubtedly walk into areas where you aren't supposed to be. By that I mean you're too weak to fight the enemies there and you'll be killed forthwith. Here's an example: I walked up into the mountains to go exploring and these giant mosquitoes called Cazadores assaulted me, poisoned me and I was dead in three hits. Similar things happened with Deathclaws and Radscorpions later on in the game. The worst part is this can happen anywhere on the map. Apparently there are certain areas you're just not supposed to be until later on in the game. Watch out!
Casinos 6 of 10 (not factored into game rating)
There are several casinos in New Vegas, but there are only three "big" casinos on The Strip. The Lucky 38 is closed off to everyone except for Mr. House and you and you can't play anything because it's closed off to everyone. The other three casinos are open to the public, but I spent more time talking to people than gambling in them. There's really only Blackjack, Roulette and slots to play as far as I know. I really didn't bother with the casino games because I made a lot more money a lot quicker by just exploring or stealing stuff. It's just like in real life - the house ALWAYS wins. And if you win too much I've heard you'll get banned from them anyways.
Graphics 7 of 10
There's not much to say about the visuals in Fallout New Vegas. The landscape is on par with Fallout 3 in terms of quality and detail. People seem to look somewhat better and more lifelike, but the graphics are nothing special. The obvious reason is that the game has bugs as it is, you don't want it freezing up because of the graphics as well.
Character Development: 7 of 10
Most of the leveling in New Vegas is identical to Fallout 3. There are generally the same perks as well. There are a few new ones and some other ones that have two sides to them now. One such is the mysterious stranger and the female version which is called miss fortune. The level cap from the expansion pack however was carried over to New Vegas with 30. And you will absolutely need to be above level 20 to go exploring in certain areas. This is explained better in the gameplay section.
Weapons and Crafting: 8 of 10
This is without a doubt the largest cache of weapons I've seen in a game. There has to be over 100 different types of weapons and I believe half of them are new. Some of the most noteworthy: the anti-material rifle which is a .50 caliber sniper rifle, the marksman carbine which is a semi-automatic replica of an M4A1 marine firearm, a grenade minigun, C4 plastic explosive and a bunch of new energy weapons. I can't go into much detail about the energy weapons as I focused more on bullet based firearms for my character. And of course the favorites are back - mini nuke, missile launcher, gatling laser etc. One really nice stat displayed for each weapon now is called DPS which is the amount of damage inflicted per second. Added in New Vegas is the ability to upgrade your weapons with things like scopes, long barrels (accuracy), larger clips, quicker firing and better weapon condition. Also, there is a threshold on the weapon which if you keep the weapon's condition above, it will always do max damage and never jam.
New Vegas has the old workbenches still but now has things called reloading tables where you can create ammo for your weapons if you have the proper materials. There are now hollow point bullets for damaging unarmored enemies and armor penetrating bullets for the more Kevlar or scale enhanced enemies. These have been indispensable in taking out the giant radscorpions or ghoul reavers. Normal bullets can be woefully ineffective against these enemies as I've been killed easily in the past. So the game is far more balanced in terms of combat. If you're smart you can survive without having to bankrupt your ammo supply. One thing I noticed is that your character's level will pretty much determine what types of weapons you can buy/find. In other words, you're not going to find a missile launcher at the local trading shop at level 4. In fact, I still haven't been able to find a mini-nuke launcher or the diagram for very many creatable weapons (I'm level 27).
Conclusion
In all, this is a good game. It suffers from most of the common problems that a Bethesda game does and a couple of new ones. Loading times and freezing top of the list. There is a lot more patience involved than you'll need in a common FPS. It is considerably more difficult than Fallout 3 in my opinion, but more balanced. And of course you can change the difficulty at any instant in the game. The game is more addicting at the beginning than it is pure fun. But once you've hit a groove, Fallout: New Vegas will grow on you. It isn't revolutionary like the first time you saw the V.A.T.S. combat, but if you are fan of action RPGs and have lots of free time it's worth buying. For those new to the genre, you should rent it and see if it's up your ally.
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From the manufacturer
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas
It’s the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head and left for dead…and that’s before things really get ugly. It’s a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis. It’s a place where the right kind of person with the right kind of weaponry can really make a name for themselves, and make more than an enemy or two along the way.
As you battle your way across the heat-blasted Mojave Wasteland, the colossal Hoover Dam, and the neon drenched Vegas Strip, you’ll be introduced to a colorful cast of characters, power-hungry factions, special weapons, mutated creatures and much more. Choose sides in the upcoming war or declare “winner takes all” and crown yourself the King of New Vegas in this follow-up to the 2008 video game of the year, Fallout 3.
Key Features
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Feel the Heat in New Vegas!Not even nuclear fallout could slow the hustle of Sin City. Explore the vast expanses of the desert wastelands – from small desert towns to the New Vegas strip and see the Great Southwest as could only be imagined in Fallout. |
Feuding FactionsColorful Characters and a host of hostiles! A war is brewing between rival factions that will change the lives of everyone in New Vegas. The choices you make will bring you into contact with friends and foes, and determine the final explosive outcome of this epic power struggle. |
New SystemsEnjoy new additions such as a Companion Wheel that streamlines communication with companions, a reputation system that tracks your actions, and the aptlytitled hardcore mode. Plus, special melee moves and real-time combat mechanics give you new ways to fight. |
An Arsenal of Shiny New Guns!With double the amount of weapons found in Fallout 3, you’ll have more than enough exciting, new ways to deal with the threats of the wasteland. In addition, a new weapons configuration system that lets you tinker with your toys and see the modifications in real time. |
Let it Ride!
In a huge, open world with unlimited options you can see the sights, choose sides or go it alone. Peacemaker or Hard Case, House Rules or the wild card - it’s all in how you play the game.
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Please try again later.Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2010
Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2010
Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Diego Flores
New Vegas
Reviewed in Mexico on July 1, 2023Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Kyle
New vegas is still better than fallout 4
Reviewed in Canada on November 24, 2019Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
G.B.
Long game I was told but challenging and fun.
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2016Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
joeage
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2016Platform For Display: Xbox 360Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
