There's a reason it's under the genre: "rpg," "turn-based," and "sci-fi," so people know what they're buying. Don't give it a one star just because you didn't know it wasn't a shooter.

I like my RPG's 2D, turn based and isometric.
I would not recommend Fallout 3 to anyone who likes CRPG's.

I would recommend Fallout 1 and 2 to everyone who loves RPGs.
I would recommend Fallout 3 to everyone who loves RPG/FPS hybrids.
I personally love both - so much, that I have finished Fallout 1 and 2 exactly 12 times over the years.And for Fallout 3, I played it for 40 hours and loved it, but stopped without finishing it, because now I am waiting for all the DLCs and mods to make it even better, then I will play it again from the beginning.

I would recommend Fallout 3 to people who like paying for Oblivion twice.

You mean FO3 is an Oblivion mod???? I DID NOT KNOW THAT!?!?!? Curse ye, Bethesda!!
/sarcasm XD

Oblivion + Guns = Fallout 3 :P

Oblivion = Fallout 3 with Swords! XD.

I liked both Oblivion and Fallout 3.
I'm trying to like Fallout 1 and 2, but I guess I just don't have the patience for those type of games. I was brought up on FPS, so that's what I'm used to.
Eh, to each his own, right?

Time hasn't treated it well. Of course Fallout 3 is better, but if you'd have experienced it at the time it was fantastic.
Just as GTA 1 isn't as good as GTA Vice City.

actually, no.
Fallout 1 and 2, and even tactics i dare to say, are way better.
not only they've got a rather deep storyline for a game, their gameplay although completely different is just more enjoyable (thet's my opinion), and the animations, sure they are outdated now but you still can see the effort they put in them, are pretty good, voiceacting is also almost divine.
Fallout 3 on the other hand has a faster and more action oriented gameplay, but actually there are many games that do better, while the graphics are nice they will be soon outdated too (and the wooden animations were already obsolete in 2004) , i don't even have to mention the plothole which the beth devs call story.

you suck

the OP is seriously not very educated.
this a complete lack of education on his part, and no fault of the games.
How can one get into all the fallout3 hype without knowing ANYTHING about the previous 2? Was the 3 purely for decoration?

now that you mention it...

It's under the RPG category...
Oh and Fallout 3 is Obliivion with guns...