Prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has almost as many thoughts about games as he does about writing, and the Fallout series is no exception. While every major Fallout game has received a generally positive reception, each also has its fair share of detractors. Even the beloved Fallout: New Vegas was frequently criticized for its buggy, unfinished state, to say nothing of the brutal feedback that more divisive titles like Fallout 76 earned at launch.

If any Fallout game was ever especially positioned to be contentious, it was Fallout 3, which bore the burden of overhauling the fundamental gameplay principles of the series. As Bethesda’s first crack at the franchise, Fallout 3 abandoned the isometric style of previous games and embraced the first-person perspective that Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series is known for. In the hands of a new team, Fallout 3 failed to replicate some of the best elements of its predecessors, but that doesn’t mean it’s without merit.

Brandon Sanderson Was Disappointed In Fallout 3

A Step Down From Fallout 1 & 2

To his credit, Brandon Sanderson isn’t an inflexible fan, and he was actually excited by Fallout‘s switch to a first-person format. That doesn’t mean, however, that he was ultimately enthused by Fallout 3. In a video discussing his favorite games, available on the official Brandon Sanderson YouTube channel, Sanderson lays out his issues with the game, setting them up as a juxtaposition against how much he enjoyed Fallout: New Vegas.

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Sanderson doesn’t eviscerate the experience, calling it “good” before delivering his major criticism — Fallout 3 lacked the “charm” of previous entries. It’s a fair perspective, and long-term Fallout fans will generally agree that Bethesda’s series debut had some shortcomings in narrative and tone. The world-building can feel shaky and sometimes simplistic compared to what the first two titles accomplished, and some quests and NPCs are more hit-or-miss.

Fallout 3 Is One Of The Best Games In The Series

The Transitional Game Still Got A Lot Right

As far as numbered Fallout titles go, I absolutely agree with Sanderson’s criticism that Fallout 3 falls short of the originals, but it’s still one of the stronger games in the franchise as a whole. It’s a more compelling RPG than Fallout 4 in many regards, and it easily retains more of the franchise’s strengths than spin-offs like Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, an action RPG that’s not to be confused with Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. Fallout 3 launched in a much better state than Fallout 76, and despite Fallout Shelter‘s popularity, I’ve never had fun with the mobile game.

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While fans have become increasingly supportive of Fallout: New Vegas and comparatively dismissive of Fallout 3 over time, Fallout 3 is still one of the most well-received games overall. A Metacritic score of 93 represents a peak for the franchise, and it’s managed to retain a “Very Positive” consensus in Steam reviews despite frequently being tricky to run on modern PCs. Broad opinions aren’t everything, and they certainly don’t invalidate the gripes that franchise veterans have with the title, but they do highlight how it’s able to stand on its own.

I have a bit of a personal bias in favor of Fallout 3, as stepping out of the vault at the start introduced me to my first truly open-world experience. To this day, however, that moment remains a reminder of what the game does well. Fallout 3 is a great sandbox for exploration, and it’s full of fascinating encounters, interesting locations, and fun, off-beat situations. It might not reach the discrete peaks of the very best Fallout games, but I’d be hard-pressed to boot it up and not end up having a memorable time.

More recently, Oblivion Remastered has been another reminder of how much I appreciate the work that Bethesda was doing in the 2000s. It’s also wildly uneven, but it likewise features a world that’s just fun to explore, especially contrasted against the glut of modern open-world games. While sitting down for a laser-focused main story run in Fallout 3 or even Oblivion won’t result in a fantastic experience, spending more time getting lost definitely can.

At Least Sanderson & I Can Agree On New Vegas

Fallout 3’s Successor Is The Best Of The Best

Of course, Sanderson’s dismissal of Fallout 3 is in the service of praising New Vegas, and in that regard, I couldn’t agree with him more. Although Fallout: New Vegas suffered from a rushed development cycle and launched in a decidedly unfinished state, it took Fallout 3‘s foundation and added so much of what was missing. The game tends to appeal to both fans of the first two Fallout titles and those who prefer the Bethesda years, bridging a divide that hasn’t been reconciled elsewhere.

Sanderson has a laundry list of New Vegas‘s strengths, starting with the return of the “charm” and strong writing and quests. He also praises the branching gameplay, solid gunplay, and immersive atmosphere. It ultimately takes the throne as his favorite Fallout title, delivering “everything” that he likes in games in a single package. His appreciation for mechanical elements alongside narrative strengths makes sense, as his books often focus on detailed magic systems that open up cool opportunities for fight scenes.

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Despite its rushed development, the creation of New Vegas was the perfect confluence of factors. Bethesda had laid a solid foundation for first-person Fallout games with Fallout 3, and Obsidian Entertainment, which descended directly from Fallout 2 developer Black Isle Studios, brought its narrative expertise to New Vegas. The resulting experience is one that fans have been begging for ever since, but even though Obsidian and Bethesda are both under the same Microsoft umbrella these days, a great New Vegas follow-up feels like a long shot.

Like Sanderson, I’d give the prize to New Vegas over Fallout 3, and it’s kind of criminal that it rated so much lower at the time of its release. I’m just more willing to spend time praising Fallout 3‘s strengths, no matter how much New Vegas ultimately runs laps around it. After the various missteps of Fallout 4, which significantly reduced the complexity of several key RPG elements, it’s become increasingly apparent that Fallout 3 gets more right than it does wrong.

Sources: Brandon Sanderson/YouTube, Metacritic, Steam

Fallout 3

Systems

Released

October 28, 2008

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

Engine

Gamebryo