All of this which you said... I understand. I am a huge fan...
I was just looking for some insight as to why this game is fun, or what they may have done. Things that people like. You know, conversation and stuff since this is a forum and all. I heard it compared as being the Fallout equivalent of Skyrim vs. Oblivion.
All good though. I'm sure it is great, was just wondering why. I'll find out soon enough.
Okay let me try to answer your question.
I have been a FO fan since the first one. Heck, I even enjoyed the text based wasteland game though I couldn't figure it out for a long time. FO1 was good, FO2 was a slightly more polished 1. I didnt play brothehood of steel or tactics, but rejoined for 3. 3 was good, but as you said sparse. It is akin to Oblivion though Oblivion had a lot more going on. It did seem to set the environment of it being a wasteland, as how can you be in a post apocalyptic world where you are always running into people? It is also pretty cool how equipment (at least at first) is sparse and hard to find.
With the move to 4 they added in a huge crafting system, as well ad built in a expanded version of the Hearthfire DLC for Skyrim. I put in some hours playing yesterday/this morning and really enjoyed everything. It is nice having a use for every little bit of garbage that you can pick up. The battle mechanics are improved as well. They also revamped the power armor system where instead of just being only the most powerful armor in the game, they are all that plus run on expendable power supplies. Another change was to the perk system which in my opinion does improve character building. All in all, aside from the fanboyish shiny excitement that another episode of this game came out, it does have the strength of being more than a revamping of the same storyline (though that is there as well. man leaves vault all on his lonesome with a quest, meets hideous monsters, raiders, and his trusty dog sidekick, violence ensues, lots of go there kill that or pick this up quests, and a 50s music soundtrack).
On the downside, I will admit that Bethesda does need to work on their game engine. As the same Bethesda bugs and quirks persist as in every other game of theirs. Granted the character skinning does not look as great as it can and should, but this game has been in the works for 5 years now. I hate the fact that since I am a pack rat I am always overburdened.
Coolest thing though is that I hear that Mods will work with XBox, and there is talk that the PS version will possibly get them as well.
Oh yeah and best of all is all the humor. The jokes, the references to other games, monty python, etc.
