Posts tagged Fallout: New Vegas
New Vegas Travel Guide: The First 5 Hours
Oct 22nd
“Off to a Bloody Start”
Bob is a courier. Bob was shot in the head by a few New Vegas thugs just for doing his job. Bob, a simple man (but by no means dumb — he knows a thing or two about mechanics and survival techniques), was rescued by a cowboy robot and fixed up by a small town doctor in the Mojave Wasteland. This doctor even asked Bob what some inkblots looked like, just to make sure Bob’s brain hadn’t been fried during surgery. One of those inky stains looked a lot like a vagina, but Bob, the last modest soul in a cruel world, was too embarrassed to say so. One did remind him of a mushroom cloud, though.
And that’s how Fallout: New Vegas began for my avatar, Bob the Courier. While every character has to go through the psychological evaluations and distribute their S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points using a machine that resembles a 1920s arcade game, each character’s life will be unique after leaving Doc Mitchell’s house in Goodsprings. Significant decisions and paths open up in the first hour alone. Some might track down the men who shot them while others will begin looting — or “prospecting” — throughout the Mojave Wasteland. Bob didn’t do either. Instead, I decided that Bob needed to find some sunglasses. See, Bob’s a four-eyes, a trait I tacked on when creating his character. Without glasses Bob has a minus one point to his perception skill; with them his perception increases by one.
On his humble quest for eye-wear Bob became the patron savior of Goodsprings, declared war on the Powder Gang, saved a deputy and stormed into a prison compound controlled by inmates in revolt. Bob also broke his legs four times, nearly died from dehydration twice and ran away from the same raging pack of radscorpions on a dozen separate occasions.
Such is life in Fallout: New Vegas’ Hardcore mode.
The Backlog: Finally, a Reason to be Proud of the Ducks edition
Oct 22nd
For the first time in 117 years of University of Oregon football programs, the Ducks are AP-ranked #1 in the nation. What the hell?
I’m not a dedicated football man, but I’m able to put aside my indifference in times like these. Truly, I’m elated that my alma mater is getting the sports recognition it deserves, aside from the obsession with our track-and-field pedigree. Best of all, there’s a good chance that the Ducks’ excessively disgusting uniform changes over the past five years might be forgotten in light of their current top-dog status.
But all this sports talk has nothing to do with video games; unless, if things keep going well, quarterback Darron Thomas is put on the cover of NCAA 2012.
Doug can probably correct me on that presumption, or anything else I’ve written above. In fact, I welcome it. Like I mentioned: no hablo fútbol americano.
PSA: Visiting New Vegas
Oct 19th
Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and the follow up to 2008′s Fallout 3, releases today. If the new entry in the franchise is as long as the previous game, it won’t be a stretch to anticipate a good 80 or more hours of post-apocalyptic vivacity. Such a massive digital trip demands an alternative form of critique.
That’s why we’re trying something new with our reviews. Over the next month (or less, depending on however many nights I deprive myself of sleep) Silicon Sasquatch will run a series of weekly articles I’m penning on New Vegas to investigate and dissect its noteworthy aspects in set blocks of hours, a section-by-section travelogue if you will. To attempt to review New Vegas after rushing through its campaign would only serve to dilute the experience of the game itself. Traditional reviews may work that way, but we have the opportunity to pace ourselves for this website.
Expect my first entry in the “New Vegas Travel Guide” this Friday, October 22. The initial post will highlight New Vegas’ beginning five hours, and will focus on whatever I see or do that strikes me in a good — or bad — way. Some reviews are painting New Vegas as a near-carbon copy of Fallout 3 but with more noticeable technical issues (at least in the Xbox 360 version, which I will be buying today). Glitches or not, my underlying aim with these articles is to break the game into chronological segments and fairly determine whether or not Obsidian’s efforts overcome any similarities to Bethesda’s work to make a distinct, legitimate product by the time the credits roll.
I’d like to let our readers know that I’m taking open submissions for questions, concerns or hopes you may have regarding Fallout: New Vegas; things that I should keep in mind for subsequent articles. Simply leave your cogitations in the comments section.
The Backlog: Planes, Games, and Automobiles Edition
Oct 15th
A hectic week for all involved in the Sasquatch-sphere, as we’ve been all over the proverbial world map. Doug’s been to the south and back, Aaron’s been busy in the Bay Area, Nick is taking off for points unknown (I’m convinced he’s a government operative and I’d be killed if I knew), and Tyler, our man in Japan, has been finishing games faster than you can say “Hai, douzo!” However, there’s been some time to play games in there — everything from JRPGs to iPhone best-sellers, with a dash of Minecraft thrown in for good measure.
Without further ado…on with the Backlog.
The Backlog: It’s Like E3 Again Edition
Aug 21st
Why hello there, future purchase
What a week it’s been. The inaugural Gamescom in Cologne, Germany opened on Wednesday and guess what: Sony kindly unveiled the new PlayStation 3 Slim. Media outlets weren’t exactly surprised by the announcement, but I think we’re all glad the rumor mill has finally ceased its incessant turning about the damn console. Looks like I finally need to go get a PS3.
Oh, and a little event in Anaheim, California called BlizzCon flung its +10 Doors of Nerd Barricading open to the (literally) unwashed masses of Blizzard fanatics today, and so far we’ve already been made privy to the next World of Warcraft expansion, a new Diablo III class and StarCraft II being confirmed for release in 2010.
You know, as a gamer I like it when these big gaming-related events run back-to-back with one another. The ESA might as well wedge E3 2010 between next year’s Gamescom and BlizzCon to mentally and physically destroy every games journalist in existence. That could be Silicon Sasquatch‘s in! Read the rest of this entry »