I am a big fan of New Vegas (I still prefer the Elder Scrolls series tho). And I have been a fan of the Elder Scrolls since Morrowind. I have played FO3 a couple times but have never owned it. Do you think it would be worth getting. I thought new Vegas was a great game (though I know some people hate it) but I love it. How does FOE3 compare to New Vegas? I know its the same engine so is it the same thing in a different setting? And hows the story?
If I do get it I will be getting the PC version through Steam (if that makes a difference). Thanks for any advice.

If you like the Elder Scrolls games because of the hundreds of hours worth of exploring you can do, then you'll love Fallout 3. I personally really didn't like New Vegas, mostly because the exploration aspect was awful. New Vegas has better writing, better characters, better... just about everything, but what it fails at is a huge detriment (for me), and that's exploration. New Vegas would have been much better if it was in a linear world, and it wouldn't be that hard to do considering the story guides you in a very specific direction, using things like overpowered enemies in certain areas to stop you from going where you want to go. Fallout 3 doesn't have that. You can go to any corner of the map you want as soon as you get out of the Vault, and while it wont be easy, it will be doable, unlike in New Vegas.

Basically, if you thought the exploration in New Vegas was okay, you'll be blown away by the exploration in Fallout 3. The other key difference that's in Fallout 3's favor is the atmosphere, which is much more post-apocalyptic and is in my opinion much better. But you'll have to judge that for yourself.

If I were you, I'd get the GOTY edition, if you can. The Pitt and Point Lookout are really great (The Pitt has a great atmosphere and Point Lookout has great exploration), and Broken Steel raises the level cap and extends the story (though the increased level cap means you can basically max out your skills without even trying, which isn't a good thing imo). Operation Anchorage is pretty fun IMO though it's extremely linear, plus you get a bunch of great loot at the end, and Mothership Zeta is atrocious... but 4 out of 5 is still good.

I got FO3 on PC for Xmas, as the GOTY version is rediculasly cheap on amazon (￡12!!!). I've been playing Oblivion for the last 4 yrs and decided to try FO3. I am completely hooked!
I find it's similar enough to oblivion in many aspects (like exploring, large game world, hundreds of quests) for me to instantly be drawn in, but different enough for it to seem completely new and keep me interested.

Well IMO you'll love fallout 3 more. I can't explain it but you will. The exploration,music, atmosphere ect ect is just better.

Well worth buying. As mentioned, the open ended exploration is a big plus. So much to do and so many locations to check out. Sneaking around in a subway tunnel or in the city streets while stalking enemies barely heard or seen.... never gets old. I liked a lot about NV (the better companion control, weapon mods, and, jury rigging), but really liked that non-linear approach of F3.

Great game, I loved FO3 but got burnt out playing it before NV came out. I played it for a long time before getting bored though, especially since I got all of the DLC for it. Get the GOTY edition and you will definately be happy.

so you have played TES, then you might get hooked up with fo3

I wouldn't go for "you like it if you liked X" because Fallout 3 was, at least for me, a game that was good entirely as a subject of its own.
Fallout 3 has adequate writing, a sensible story, a fair amount of action and most of all truckloads of things to do. Even if you can complete the main quest in - say - 8 hours if you know what you're doing, there will be things to do, find and kill for at least 150. I for one have two characters with 150 hours played and even they haven't completed the whole game yet.


There is simply just so much to do in this game that with a bit of curiosity you can entertain yourself with this game for hundreds of hours.


Not to mention mods, whose quality has deteriorated in past months but there are many that will make Fallout 3 like a whole new game, enhancing all its aspects. 14000+ mods at the moment exist, I recall.