Hey! So there have been a lot of great answers so far! Too many for me to quote and reply to everybody so I just wanted to say thanks for explaining what you guys liked so much about the game.

It looks like it was mostly that people really loved the freedom the game offered and really got sucked in to it's atmosphere. It never really clicked for me but now I can at least see why people liked it.

Thanks guys/gals!

Started the game 3-4 times in the past 6 years. Recent attempt was the farther i made before i put it on hold yet again to maybe try another time. I think i'll just try New Vegas since that is considered better. If i dont like that one. I can just pass on the series altogether.

Everything was a boring fetch quest. Just my opinion though, lot of people love it and power to them.

1. Make up your mind. Either way, its a pety criticism that i never understand. Unless its something terribly translated from Japanese i never saw this bad writing problem. The writing that was chosen was part of the game. Its not a defect, its by design. If you don't like it for any special reason its something that is up to you. If i were to point out every game that said something ridiculous and wrote it off as bad, there would be no good games. Games are not literature. Though there are some that excel in it. Anyways... this is a non-issue. An atempt to make yourself seem superior to the game. Doesnt work.

2. VATS IS the whole point of the game. Its what makes it Fallout and not generic shooter 101.

3. Of course it was a composition of both. But that is just like saying that the fog in Silent Hill wasnt part of the design and was just technical limitation. It was both.

4. Wow... Fallout IS based on reality. Where do you think the music vibe, the black and white TV, the PC interfaces, the story of possible nuclear holocaust all came out of thin air? And you say you like History? Something is wrong there man.

5. You tell me. You are obviously hating on it. None of the point you raised are very good. If you had told me, awful loading times, pacing, lack of orientation systems... i could understand those, as you would have actually tried to play the game and enjoy it. You decided to hate it from the off-set. I have no idea what kind of expectations you had going in, but they were obviously not the right ones.

As for beeing terrible and awful at this... i managed to play it and enjoy it. You are the one at a loss. Apologies if all you wanted was a pat in the back, but i answer with honesty.

Agreed with OP. Horrible gameplay, horrible graphics and bland presentation. I don't know how people get excited for such games.

I don't know, sure there is some humour, but I just don't find FO3's humour to actually be...funny. NV did it a lot better, then again (mostly) those are people who made FO 1/2. But maybe times and targeted audience have just changed, I can't really imagine Bethesda going with "Our dedicated boys keep the peace in newly annexed Canada" in intro of FO1, and things like 'Child Killer' and 'Porn Star'.

As for atmosphere, I will have to strongly counter-dissagree with you - for me FO 1/2's atmosphere is very much tied into how different and unique places and settlements in those games are and how good characters and dialog was - and with all those I find FO3 really lacking. Add to that generic Hollywoodish music by Inon Zur instead of masterpiece that Mark Morgan's soundtrack is, something that really helped define FO 1/2, and you have a game that, at least for me, fell flat when it comes to 'Fallout' feel.

I see it as a missed opportunity, but I still find it quite decent game - maybe FO4 will be better in that regard, but given they're doing it again without Obsidian, I'm cautious about it.

How?  You really don't know?  I'll tell you, then.  It's because different people like different things.  This is seemingly a difficult concept for some people to grasp but it's true.  I mean, I see people talk about liking Uncharted even though auto-platforming bores the fuck out of me but I don't go out and trash it.

You make your own game, if you don't like the game it's because you lack IMAGINATION therefore you are old and boring unlike us kids

1. Make up my mind about what? I said something, and you quoted me incorrectly. As far as the writing being on purpose...duh. It always on pupose. Let me give you an example.

Fahrenheit 451 and 50 Shades of Grey were both written they way the were on purpose, are they both well written? No.

2. You see it as a defining feature, I see it as making up for the lack of a competent combat system. Bot are equally valid, just different opinions.

3. Whether it was because of a design choice, a technical limitation, or both, you still end up with the same result. A rather large, empty lifeless (as in lacking vigor, not litteraly devoid of life) world. Some people liked it, I didn't, which is why it was one of my main issues with the game.

4. Fallout as a series is inspired by fears many people had during the Cold War era, but it's not based on any actual events or characters or anything like that. I also never said I took issue with it's setting or it's concept, I don't know where you're getting this from. Even if I didn't like the concept that Fallout is based on I don't see how that would hold any bearing on me liking history, as mid-20th century America isn't the only part of history.

5. I haven't actually tried to play and enjoy the game? You should read the OP again. But please, keep telling me about my motives or about how I was playing the game "wrong". Share your infinite wisdom with us mere mortals.

And I stand by what I said. Many people were able to come into this thread and give more insightful answers to my questions than you were without the defensive and hostile tone.

Sarcasm?

the difference is that you can beat an uncharted in 12 hours and felt satisfied with it.