This is not a Rockstar game, this is a beautifully crafted RPG set in an incredibly detailed city whose streets are bustling with people walking, having conversations with each other that add to the immersion and lore, and driving vehicles. I'm not going to pretend and say I finished the game yet - I didn't. I'm over 30 hours in and I've barely scratched the surface of the content in this quest. I've been busy with the amazing amount of side content. But I needed to give first impressions so far against the slew of reviews that seem to have the perspective of someone living in an alternate reality where this game isn't anything short of an amazing, immersive RPG. The game doesn't have this, the game doesn't have that. "I can't sit down and eat or drink at a bar." What the heck? I bought this game because I wanted to be in an immersive world with great storytelling, characters, and choices. I've been getting that. "Traffic doesn't have AI." If no one told me this, I wouldn't have even noticed. I didn't buy the game for a GTA experience, yet ironically, I love driving in this game and maneuvering around vehicles. I refuse to fast travel. (Keep in mind - I play using a controller). "NPCs aren't alive." Okay... Did you play any of the Witcher games, especially the third one? Because the AI is the same and its NPCs felt just alive in that game as this game. The city is absolutely bustling with NPCs. Some have conversations with each other - personal and otherwise, others interact with objects in the environment, some have their faces in their phones, etc. I'm sorry that people seem to be caught up on being excessively over picky about this game more than any game I've ever seen in history. I'm at awe every time I walk the streets of Night City, or have a conversation with a character in the game (voice acting is amazing, by the way). I've been fortunate to not encounter noticeable bugs or performance issues (GTX 1080). I play at 1080p Ultra 45-60 FPS.
Sound: 9/10. If the intro doesn't give you goosebumps, I don't know what will. The soundtrack is very memorable although there are only a couple as far as I remember. It really adds to the post-apocalyptic atmosphere and immersion. Graphics: 9.5/10. The rating is based on it's time and for what it is, a classic, computer RPG. Even now it beats many modern games that are top down/isometric. It has blood and gore too, and it's the best I've seen in any cRPG. Everything looks like it should be there. The artists did a great job back then. Game-play: 10/10. Best combat in a classic computer RPG, by far. Extremely satisfying to defeat enemies, especially when their limbs pop out in a gory fashion. It seems tactical and offers difficulty as well, but not gruelling and frustrating. Though I couldn't beat the last boss because it was too hard, even on normal. The world map offers a good enough interface to explore and get to places. The random encounters are okay too while travelling. Story: 8.5/10. The story is good, but it's the fact that it's Fallout and takes place in the Fallout universe, a post-apocalyptic world, that makes it great. I think that's the meat of the game. The story is logical though, and fits in nicely. You get a background check on Mutants, which is also nice. Overall: 9/10. The classic Fallout is a must buy if you played the modern ones. You'll notice the comparions in strengths and weaknesses from the modern games, but this game was exceptional for its time.
