Checkpoint Breached: Fallout: New Vegas: My Words Taste Like Sand And Buffout

Ah fuck. Fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck, damn it to hell, son of a bitch, fuck. I like New Vegas better than Fallout 3.

*Sigh* I was really hoping I would play through New Vegas again, come to the same conclusion that I did the first time, write a relatively short post about why Fallout 3 is superior and move on. But that's just not the case, New Vegas is the better game and I guess I'll make a normal length post about why this is so. I'm no more happy about it than you are.

I mentioned in my post about Fallout 3's story and how I feel it started better, and I still feel that way. The "Courier" had exactly the same amount of back story and motivation that I remember, that is to say none at all. I can't fathom why you would want to hunt down the guy who shot you in the head. He thinks you're dead, he doesn't want anything from you anymore, just drop it and start your new life. If you see him again, alone in an alley, sure shoot him in the head about nine times, but don't stand up from the grave and go after the guy.

But I figured out why I didn't like it as much the first time around. Hardcore Mode. I first played through New Vegas fresh off of a playthrough of Fallout 3. And since I figured New Vegas is just like Fallout 3, I should probably toss on this, "Hardcore Mode" deal to make the game more interesting to play. That was a bad move, Hardcore mode is the fucking anti-fun.

Just what I was thinking

Hardcore mode is fun in it's own right. Savaging food, making lunches for yourself, everything having weight. But after a while it just because annoying. You have enough food for yourself, enough water, a bed to sleep in, but the Mojave is so big, fast travel will eat through your supplies in a hurry. So you have to make your destination count or it's just going to eat supplies. Not being able to carry as much means you'll have less money. Having less money means you won't be able to afford that awesome rifle you say at Gun Runners and I have a hunger a need for bigger guns.

It just kind of constricts the game unnecessarily. I like aimlessly wandering about, going to random compass points, carrying an entire armory of ammo on me at all times, the game is better without Hardcore mode on, I'm sorry to say.

I was always in a rush when Hardcore was on. I wanted quests one right after another so I could scavenge some food and dirty water to keep myself going. Now I just walk where ever I want to and to hell with the consequences. It gave me more time to talk to people, to explore places and to do random stuff that I wouldn't have bothered with on Hardcore.

Something I missed

And as a result I found the writing better, the world more alive and vibrant. Everything was more dynamic than in Fallout 3. I certainly liked the weapons better. They had a better progression, there was more of them and much more to do with them. I may have obsessively modded every weapon I came across save for the damned hunting rifle custom bolt that NO ONE SEEMS TO FUCKING HAVE, EVER!!!1!!1

But I digress, the game is just better. The quests are more fun, more interesting, more diverse. The Wasteland has more to see, seems less dreary and is much more alive. The enemies are more diverse and there's more ways to play the game. You can side with pretty much whoever you want to, to whatever ends and for whatever reasons. Your choices matter and the game isn't as geared towards a certain skill set like Fallout 3 was. Spoiler, if you maxed out Speech and Science in Fallout 3, there's pretty much no conversation or situation you can't win someone over in.

New Vegas had more variety in this area. I wasn't able to pass every conversation successfully with the same skill set. And so I failed some, which was a nice change of pace and changed the game for me.

That doesn't look good

But the things that really sealed the deal, that was the actual butter cream frosting on the Mojave cake was the DLC. And I only played one of them, that's how good the DLC is.

The Big Empty

Now I thought I had all the DLCs. During the last sale I tried to purchase the GOTY edition because it was cheaper than buying all the DLCs by themselves because of the Steam sale, and it said I already had it. So I figured I had it, crazy leap in logic, I know. But I'm considerably less pissed because Old World Blues is the best DLC I have ever played in any game, ever.

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a game before. The writing is beyond top notch, it's fantastic. I loved every single second of all of it and was very sad when the main quest had to end because that means I had seen everything there was to see.

Dr. Mobius is very eloquent

This is a model of how DLC needs to be. New Vegas is a great, amazing and very much complete experience on it's own. The DLC is like finding the flask of rum you hid in the freezer after you've run out of beer and the liquor stores are closed. Just when you think everything is over, you find the fun can continue.

This is a big problem with DLCs, looking at you EA, you can't make DLC necessary to the original game, it doesn't work that way. If I had to pay for the ability to complete the main quest in New Vegas I'd be furious, but luckily Obsidian and Bethesda turned down the Kool-Aid most major devs seem to be sharing these days.

But enough rambling, the final point is, if you liked Fallout 3, you'll love New Vegas, and if you loved New Vegas, get the DLC, it's awesome, especially Old World Blues, seriously go buy it now. Don't make me forcibly lobotomize you and replace your spine, I'll get Muggy to do it, I'll just tell him you're a coffee cup.