When people talk about FO3 and it's virtues, they tend to highlight stuff like "great exploration" and "great re-playability". All true, but there is something else that I like that is rarely mentioned.

The setting being Washington DC, there is appropriately loads of stuff about GOVERNMENT and DEMOCRACY and the HISTORY of the UNITED STATES.

- President Eden and his fireside chats, talking about the importance of democratic process, and all the patriotic music and inspirational quotes
- All the historic buildings and monuments to explore
- Quests involving historic documents and robotic versions of historic characters
- The whole slavery theme
- Other random stuff like the Republic of Dave

I'm not actually from the US but nevertheless I think this was very well done. I think it was a good choice of setting. Is Bethesda based there and was that why it was chosen? Whatever the reason, they really made the most of it.

Yep, Bethesda's offices are in Rockville which is right outside of DC.

Playing it sometimes would definitely make me feel more patriotic.

There's a definite theme of responsibility to the game.

The Enclave being the embodiment of the government that DESTROYED THE WORLD is underlying them.

Simultaneously, the Brotherhood of Steel and James seem to embody a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

Which is ironic because Elder Lyons and his Paladins are also explicitly feudal knights.

I like to feel like a terrorist and run around shooting Enclave Eyebots.

Also. I kill Whats-his-face (name slips my mind) in Megaton. [censored] nutjob has a bon0r for the enclave

You even get to explore the Bethesda offices. I do agree with the excellence of the theme. The quiz in the National Archives especially made me happy. However, I really wish I could correct Abraham Washington.