Fallout 3 is Bethesda's take on the classic RPG, this time recreating the game into a new, even more successful franchise. The game is completely self-contained, meaning Fallout 1 and 2 does not need to be played to understand the story. New and old Fallout players will immediately take a likeness to the game. I will be reviewing the Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, which includes all five DLC packs, which can be brought separately for those who already own Fallout 3.

First off the Story
The story takes place in the late 2200's, over 200 years after the Great Nuclear war that destroyed the earth. It's also over 150 years since the original Fallout, and only 40 after Fallout 2. You are born to James (Voiced by Liam Neeson) and Catherine, somewhere in Washington D.C. Unfortunately Catherine, your mother, dies during childbirth and your father brings you up in the safety of Vault 101. After a few very brief segments of The Lone Wanderer (You) growing up, during your First steps, 10th birthday and your Exams (Skills etc) you are left roughly 17 years after your birth, when your Father (James) escapes the Vault. During the panic, an infestation of Roaches kills several vault dwellers, and the Vault Overseer wants you dead. After choosing how to escape,either stealthily or with force you can chose to change your skills to better suit your character.
After emerging from the Vault you can decide your path. Along the way you meet:

The Brotherhood of Steel, who are trying to fight back against the endless amount of Super Mutants.
The shady Talon Mercenaries who try to claim the bounty on your head.
The Enclave, the remnants of the pre-war government and US Army.
And many more minor factions out in the vast Wasteland.

The irradiated Capital Wasteland is littered with dangerous creatures and abominations like the ferocious Death-claw's, to the frightening Zombie-like Ghoul's.
The main story takes hours to complete, with thousands of side quests that take even longer. The endings decide how the Capital Wasteland turns out, and what happens to the inhabitants. Hundreds of secret locations, weapons and clothing will have any Sandbox adventurer looking for hours.

Graphics and Bugs
Having only played it recently, i think the graphics are great. They are just as good as some newer games, and i think better than 2010's "Call of Duty Black Ops", which i thought were one of that games biggest weaknesses. I have had the occasional game crash but i think that is because of my playtime and console overheating. Usually when i am in an environment with lots of objects in plain sight, the frame-rate can drop. But only for a short while. It doesn't have as many glitches as Fallout: New Vegas, but they can still be a bit frustrating.

Conclusion
This game is great. I was first hating it when i played it a few years ago, but since then i have played the games sequel 'New Vegas', and once getting a hang of VATS, I can say this it is a great game. Well deserving of the Game Of the Year and other various Awards it won. Actor Matthew Perry liked this game so much he got a role in the Sequel as one of the main characters. I cannot say enough how good his game is. If you like other titles like Bioshock, Metro 2033, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, or Deus Ex then this is a must buy for you.
Check out the other page for the DLC reviews.