I think Fallout 3 could very well be one of the most absorbing games I’ve ever played. I’m almost done with the game, with only the last of the main quest left, and only 2 achievements remaining.

I love everything about it. Sure, the game has its bugs, but I can see and I can feel the love and the dedication that was put into it. It’s just one incredible game.

One of the things that I appreciate the most about it is the insane amount of freedom you have while playing your character. And the insane amount of control you have over your character. ‘Cos unlike most games where your character is either silent or have a fixed set of expressions/responses, in Fallout 3 you have some choice in your character’s personality, and most importantly, morality. So, while in a conversation with someone, you could be the diplomat and answer tactfully, or you could be snide and respond sarcastically, or lie, or even shoot the person in the head and be done with it. It’s all up to you, depending on what your goals are in the game. There are an infinite number of ways to go about completing things in Fallout 3, and all of your actions have consequences – gameplay will change according to the choices you make in it. Choice and consequence is something that’s lacking in a lot of games, so this is one of Fallout 3′s crowning achievements.

And I love how real everything feels. Fallout 3 is an open-world game, where the game doesn’t control you – you control the game. And while there is a main storyline that is already very engaging in itself, Fallout 3 is set in a post-apocalyptic world rich in backstory, with a population that’s entwined in political and social conflicts. And the best thing is, the game doesn’t spoon-feed with all this information. Only through exploration of the Wastleland will you find little clues scattered around of what actually happened and what is currently happening in the world. Dead Vault citizens leave behind haunting recordings about their Vault’s sinister operations. Old billboards and posters that range from advertisements to propaganda are dotted around the Wasteland. Documents in computer terminals offer glimpses of life before the nuclear holocaust.

And the details! Oh god the details. I love the 1950s influence, I love the Art Deco architecture. The world’s a wasteland, yes, but enough of it remains for you to imagine how it all used to be. And the fact that it’s set in America makes it feel all the more real ‘cos you navigate through real streets and scavenge through real buildings. When I was in The Mall of Washington D.C and saw the buildings that I am familiar with (the museums, the Capitol Building) all in ruins – I couldn’t help but feel extreme sadness for the loss that this fake world had gone through.

Because it felt so real… and because I’m already so emotionally invested in it.

The NPCs have alot to do with this, especially those in the main quest. These are the characters that make Fallout 3 the living, breathing world that it is. They gesture and make facial expressions like real people, and you don’t feel like you’re talking to generic characters over and over again because each NPC has his own personality, and each has his unique responses to your actions.

And I love my game father. He is probably one of the best game characters I’ve met because I genuinely, sincerely loved that man. He was voiced by Liam Neeson, so yes, it felt like I was talking to a real person. And he’s just so loving. He says things like “What is it, sweetheart?”, and when you do something good he will say that he’s proud of you. How can you not get emotionally attached to a character like him?

As for the main quest itself, I think it is extraordinary. It’s so engaging, and it sucks you right in. No need to suspend your disbelief when you start the game, you’ll fall right into the rabbit hole! And it’s so different from the usual RPG fare. The quests are so varied and creative that they give you a whole new experience each time. Plus, as you get further into the story and learn more about what’s going on, you’ll actually start to feel the direness of the situation… You’ll feel the weight of what you need to do on your shoulders, and the sheer hopelessness of it all.

I feel like I don’t have the words to describe how wonderful this game is. I’m writing so much, and yet I don’t feel like I’ve given it justice. It’s just.. incredible. It was such an amazing experience because I felt like I had an emotional stake in the game, and because I was so attached to its characters (since they respond to my actions and I feel like I actually do impact their lives), I felt the importance of doing what was right in the main quest. All for their sake, fake people or not. All for my father’s sake.

I love this game, and it deserves every bit of praise it got. Oblivion was nothing compared to this. It is by far the best thing I’ve played, and it is an experience I will not soon forget. What an extraordinary game. Just very, very, very well made.

Bethesda, I salute you. (And you too, Todd Howard).