War, war never changes.

It isn’t often that I talk about video games.  For the past five or so years my gaming has been confined to an infrequent, yet strict regiment of Super Smash Bros., an admittedly casual game.  But before this drought of virtual fantasy, I once was a gamer of sorts.  NBA Live, Final Fantasy, Mario 64, Dark Forces, WCW Revenge, being privileged enough to go through the evolution of computers in my youth, computer and video games took up a fair amount of time. As I’ve grown older, a lot of these games have become a distant memory of fun, but ultimately useless experiences that I thought hadn’t really played much of a role in my life today. Because I didn’t want to waste time turning my brains to mush while accomplishing nothing, I quit video games.  But my decision may have been misinformed.

There are contradicting studies about the effects of video games on the human brain.  Some suggest that complex decision-making and hidden patterns in more detailed video games create challenges which lead to learning.  The suggestion of mental exercise certainly is an added appeal beyond the fun factor of gaming.  In fact, video games are even being used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans with positive results.  While these positives seem very legit, there are other studies which suggest that video games reduce beta waves (more complex cognitive activity), that people can become more aggressive or more easily nerved. This coupled with the possibility of the mythical gaming addiction are clear negatives to a gaming lifestyle. Why play video games when I can read a book or go play some ultimate?

The conclusion I’ve come to is that while video games may be addicting, may numb your brain in certain ways, may make you more aggressive, may make you forget to sleep or go to the bathroom, the positives of a  moderate gaming lifestyle outweigh the negatives. Playing a video game (should it be an engaging, well-made game) can be like reading a book, or playing a game of chess.  Gaming isn’t an alternative to physical activities or social interactions (and I don’t think the Nintendo Wii or World of Warcraft are physical or social enough to fill that gap respectively) both which are necessary to maintaining a well rounding lifestyle.  But there’s a place for video games in there as well.

So, Elliot, was it just this bullshit realization that led you to return to video games? Of course not. It’s a game called Fallout 3. In my gaming career, one series captured my imagination to the extent that if it’s brought up, I can’t help but blurt out my fondness of it. [BEGIN UNNECESSARY FANBOY PRAISE OF FALLOUT. You should probably cease reading.]

I remember seeing my friend Ben Garmisa walk a small armored character through a maze-like series of rooms on his laptop during a free period. Seeing anything happen on a laptop in the 90s was pretty cool, but there was something unique about this game. Something about the visual tone, sounds and atmosphere. Something gritty, something dark, yet compelling and familiar.

“What are you playing?” I asked.

“It’s called Fallout.” Ben replied.

I remember going to Comp USA to pick up this intriguing game.  The box was brownish, made to look somewhat distraught and beat-up.  On its cover, the iron face-mask of a steampunk powerplant.  I shivered with excitement and put on my jacket as I paid $30 to the cashier. $30 for a video game, ah, those were the days.

From the moment…err… twenty-five moments of installation to character creation I was enthralled with the world of Fallout. Set in a futuristic 1950s post-nuclear fantasy of 2162, Fallout is a 3rd person, turn-based combat, role-playing-game, the story is one known by many. You are the Vault-Dweller and your mission is to find a water-chip for your Vault (underground nuclear-safety bunker) so your people may continue to live out their lives in safety from radiation and the horrors of a post-nuclear world.  Amidst giant radioactive scorpions, rebuilt junk-towns, hideous mutants and monstrosities known as deathclaws, you journey through the waste discovering gems of a reemerging world. With a darkly humorous, and richly science fiction tone, Fallout was the most amazing thing I had ever played. And I say that with complete scientific accuracy. If you haven’t played this game yet, I ask that you brave the old timer graphics for an engrossing story, filled with detailed choices.

Needless to say I played Fallout 2 and was absorbed into the still-developing story of a post-nuclear world.  With this title as well as the first, I wasn’t just on a quest for the GECK or the water-chip, I was looking to discover a whole new world (cue Aladdan song.) The Fallout series opening a navigable creative outlet which allow you to make real fake decisions and watch their impacts. This is video gaming at its best. A deep world of vivid characters that draws you into the story and allows you to explore and discover. Hell, that’s what makes a good book or movie, the only difference being with great games like Fallout and Fallout 2 your choices appear to make an impact on the world you’re a part of…just like real life.

For those true fans who must know, yes, I did play Fallout: Tactics. Yes, I enjoyed it, but no where near to the degree that I did the original two. No, I did not play Fallout: BOS. It looked stupid and I refuse to pay for it.

Here’s an informative video all about the Fallout series from GameTrailers.com:

Okay. You see what I mean now? Whatever…the story continues. In comes Fallout 3. Since playing the second installment, I and the myriads of fans over at No Mutants Allowed (a Fallout fansite and one of the only “fansites” I regular) have been waiting for a third. We came close with Arcanum, created by the original designers of Fallout and the last game I played before going into retirement. Briefly, Arcanum kicked ass and is the only game I’d consider on par with Fallout. Nevertheless, for years we waited, watching Interplay, the company behind the first two, fall into bankruptcy. While there was suggestion of a sequel being put in development, many didn’t think Interplay had a chance to stand. It wasn’t until Interplay sold the Fallout single player rights to Bethesda, a company responsible for a bunch of games that I consider shitty, and not worth coming out of retirement for, did Fallout 3 become a reality.

As information about the Bethesda version of Fallout trickled through the intertubes, I was initially very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very fucking skeptical.  Bethesda started by changing nearly everything that made the first to games what they were. Say goodbye to the isometric 3rd-person view, say goodbye turn-based combat, say goodbye to the ability to kill children, say hello to the VATS system and a first-person shooter main-interface. Fallout 3 was quickly becoming the same game as everything else since Halo, another fucking Halo. Bethesda, however, pressed that they were not dismantling the game so dramatically, calling their changes, “improvements”. Sounds a lot like the Bush administration, no?

I held onto my skepticism for some time, but as more information, and soon videos spilled online, my skepticism turned to intrigue.  It became apparent that while the perspective had changed, Bethesda was trying to enhance Fallout 3. It occurred to me that perhaps it would be interesting to see Fallout from a first-person perspective (though I have notoriously hated first-person games.) Perhaps it’s the fact that we’re talking Fallout here that has sold me on the idea of Bethesda’s version, but while seeing the same Fallout game in the same fashion might be amazing, seeing it done well in a whole new perspective would revitalize the series for not only fans but for a whole new audience. Sure, that may sound like Bethesda propraghanda, but as a life-long Fallout fan, eat out a molerat’s asshole if you don’t agree, I’m buying the game when it comes out on October 28th and I’m playing it.

Anyway, if you’re attempting to take anything away from this terrible excuse for a structured article, you should know that the Fallout series rocked. There hasn’t been an awesome game since the series and I’m coming out of retirement because this new one might be the cheese. [End dialogue]

UPDATE 1:04pm: Just bought Fallout 3. Cost $54 at Best Buy. Decided not to go with the Special Edition. Paying $30 for a bobble-head didn’t seem right. I’ll probably update on gameplay later in the week or next.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 27th, 2008 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Spit-Seeds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.