An excellent edition to the Fallout franchise though I can't say for certain why it gets the praise it does. Perhaps it's because Fallout: NV lures you into a cycle of kill, loot, purge? Perhaps. This game is often lauded for its quests and honest as much "fun" as I'm having with the game, I can't say it outshines Fallout 3. Really, each game has the same problems, as far as I'm concerned. New Vegas is definitely satisfying though. It is VERY easy to get into a Skinner box where you kill, loot, discover. That said, I don't find there's much sincere depth to the game. While I am currently 50+ hours into the game (after 1 DLC and about half the main quest finished) I can't help but feel there is a repetitive nature to Fallout: New Vegas. It is enjoyable, but that enjoyment has more to do with a drug addiction than actually liking what I'm doing. That said, I bought this game for a reason. There are a lot of quests to finish and there's a lot of things in the Mojave to kill. However, as open ended as this game is often advertised as being, it really funnels you down a certain point. That isn't to say there isn't good content in here but for all the talk of this game being an open-world masterpiece, it certainly is not perfect. That is to say nothing of the not entirely uncommon crashes. Even in the patched state it exists in, Fallout: NV is a buggy mess. That is to be expected with Bethesda games, but it is something to be aware of when purchasing. This problem can be turned from a hindrance into an irritant by simply saving one's game at regular intervals. So would I recommend Fallout: New Vegas? While I have been playing it for as long as I have, I can't say I would. It is definitely a PC game through and through. As such, it suffers from some severe problems. But there is plenty to like about it. Just go in with an open mind and a finger hovering above the save key.
If I had the opportunity to play this when the crowdfunding went live, I would have donated immediately. Never really having played the original, I can't attest to how close it sticks to its source material. I can say this, however: I am definitely looking forward to the final version now. While the original is somewhat notorious for its "maximalist" control scheme, I can personally attest that this is definitely streamlined in comparison. Some may complain that this rebinding has dumbed the game down, I feel it definitely makes it infinitely more playable. Without having the opportunity to experience the final product, you definitely have plenty of mutants and inventory management to contend with. That said, combat feels a little unbalanced right now. While the lead pipe feels solid and weighty, it is definitely too easy to get hit. Personally I felt as though I was out of attack range on many occasions only to end up taking damage. Enemy AI seems fairly rudimentary as well with many enemies in the demo simply bumping up against you in the night. That said, these are minor complaints out of an experience that definitely has me looking forward to the end product. What we currently have feels remarkably expansive for what it is and dense with atmosphere. It is not a flawless experience, but it is definitely a promising one.
