Fallout: New Vegas

By Ellie Gibson Published 24 June, 2010

Stars and strips.

What comes to mind when you hear the word Vegas? Elvis? Showgirls? Marg Helgenberger swabbing semen off the underside of roulette tables? Or post-apocalyptic landscapes, warring mercenaries, plasma rifles and robot policemen?

Welcome to the world of New Vegas, where the house always wins. In fact, the whole place is run by one Mr House, a mysterious overlord who maintains order with the help of those robot policemen, known as Securitrons. They patrol the strip, which is just as brightly lit and busily populated as it ever was. Vegas isn't about to let a bit of war get in the way of fun.

In other words, we're not in Washington DC any more. The setting for the follow-up to Fallout 3 is altogether glitzier, trashier and generally less grey. Vegas wasn't as badly hit by nukes, it turns out, so the sky is still blue and the casinos are still open for business, offering all manner of services to those looking for a good time.

I got to try some of these out during a playtest of Fallout: New Vegas at E3. The finished game will feature a variety of themed casinos, such as the swank Ultralux and the seedy Gomorrah. But I only had time to visit The Tops, which seemed to be a pretty traditional place complete with slot machines, roulette wheels and blackjack tables.

'Fallout: New Vegas' Screenshot 1

Toggle the 'hardcore' option on and you'll have to make sure your character gets enough sleep, food and water.

You can play all these games in New Vegas, along with a newly invented card game called Caravan, which is played throughout the world. You might want to check how many luck skill points you've earned first, however, as this will directly affect your chances of winning. If things do go your way, you might want to quit while you're ahead, as the casino manager is likely to turn up and turf out those who win too often.

This may be Vegas, but that doesn't mean anything goes. There are those Securitrons, for starters, along with human security guards who will insist on searching you for weapons when you enter casinos. (Good job, then, that there are shady characters outside offering easily concealed items like switchblade knives for sale.) Wandering past a bottle of whisky left unattended on a bar, I idly selected the option to steal it - only to find myself under fire from several directions and being forced to leg it.

Cut to the Mojave desert wasteland, another location on show during the E3 demo. It's about the same size as the DC wasteland and just as desolate, but in a brighter, bolder way. Straggly bits of scrub poke out from between vividly red rocks. The sun beats down relentlessly, bleaching the wood and fading the canvas of the tents and huts in the base camps.

They're inhabited by members of the various factions featured in Fallout: New Vegas. These include Caesar's Legion, a bunch of well-organised fighters who are into slavery and generally doing as the Romans did. Also being introduced today is the New California Republic, one of the largest factions in the game.

The interplay between factions is a key gameplay element in FNV. Aligning yourself with one group will engender the wrath of others. The more you attack a faction, the more aggressive its members will become towards you - to the point where certain quests will end up locked off, as they involve encountering characters who will simply shoot you on sight.

Alternatively you can play the factions off against each other, switching allegiances as and when it suits you. A brand new reputation system has been implemented to keep track of your actions. It's said to be much more complex than the old good and evil karma system, and your choices will have many more and greater effects than they did in the previous game. They will also, of course, determine which of the multiple endings you see.

Companions are back for New Vegas, but the factions come into play here too. In the Mojave desert section I was accompanied by a chap called Boon, who I could command using the companion wheel - telling him whether to use ranged or melee combat, making him carry stuff to free up my own inventory and so on. Each companion has their own back-story and you can talk to them about their past. Turns out Boon is an ex-New California Republican who still has sympathies with the cause, so you'd better not take out too many of his former associates if you want to keep him onside.

'Fallout: New Vegas' Screenshot 2

Special thanks to Nick Breckon. Shh.

There wasn't enough time to fully explore the interplay between factions during this short demo, so I settled for mucking about with some of the new weapons being introduced in New Vegas. These include long-range additions such as spears, which can be used in combination with the VATS system to perform some of the most satisfying headshots you'll ever pull off. Then there are incendiary grenades, which not only set enemies on fire but send them flying into the air.

New melee weapons include a Wolverine-style metal gauntlet and a nine-iron golf club. They now have secondary attacks - select the 'Fore' move while wielding the nine-iron, for example, and your stroke will pack even more of a punch. Meanwhile, the gauntlet can be used to deliver low-down and dirty hits as well as powerful uppercuts.

So then: enhanced weapons, more useful companions, a new factions system, cheerier visuals... In short, New Vegas looks set to be more of an evolution of the Fallout series than a revolution. Not that fans of the previous game will be complaining, of course, and not to discount these changes and new features. Judging by what we've seen so far, they've been conscientiously thought through, and sit comfortably within the framework which made Fallout 3 such a success. This may not be Fallout as you've never seen it before, but it's certainly Vegas as you've never seen it, and exploring this world looks like being an awful lot of fun.

Fallout: New Vegas is due out for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on 22nd October in Europe.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (51) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bigmickhart #1 2 years ago

    sounds good, not full price gaming good though. I think this could be well worth an ebay purchase.

  • Byblos1 #2 2 years ago

    I was a huge fan of Fallout 3 so more of the same can't be bad in my book.

    I just worry about Obsidian's track record of producing bug-filled games.

  • ZuluHero #3 2 years ago

    Sounds great, perfect birthday pressie to myself :)

    I was worried about Obsidian doing it, but sounds like they've retained what made FO3 great. And i like that you can "toggle" hardcore mode. I'm interested in it from a purely realistic post apocalypse survival type of thing, but i wouldn't want to make a hard choice at the start game, only to find out i couldn’t change it on the fly, should it be too difficult.

  • frostcircus #4 2 years ago

    Hello, Bison-bot

  • RazorObsession #5 2 years ago

    I'd like one of those hello buttercup robohorses to ride around this time, with some mecha horse armour please!

  • Jonny5Alive7 #6 2 years ago

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Obsidian do the first two Fallout games? I would have thought they were a very good choice to do this if thats the case. Can't wait for it, I just hope its as good as FO3, which I loved.

  • metalangel #7 2 years ago

    Members of Obsidian were in Black Isle who did make the original game, yes. And this is including some elements from their canned Fallout 3 (aka Van Buren). I am looking forward very much to hardcore mode, as I played Fallout 3 both in ironman and without fast travelling.

  • lucky_jim #8 2 years ago

    As much as I love Fallout 3, I'm going to have to wait for the reviews on this one. When Obsidian made KOTOR 2, they were basically using the same tools Bioware did when they made its predecessor, right? So the fact this is based on the same engine as Fallout 3 doesn't mean they won't have found new and interesting ways for the thing to be broken!

    Presuming it works though, this should be great.

  • kangarootoo #9 2 years ago

    "Then there are incendiary grenades, which not only set enemies on fire but send them flying into the air."

    Surely those two should be the other way around for effect. I'm pretty sure that if I was on fire, flying through the air would be the least of my worries :)

  • Genji #10 2 years ago

    Prediction: this will shit all over Fallout 3. :)

  • justice-ste #11 2 years ago

    2010 the year of the specially made card game!
    Still New Vegas is probably going to eat up the majority of 2010/11 like Fallout 3 did.

  • Markitron #12 2 years ago

    Its unfair to judge Obsidion on KOTOR 2, the first came out in july 2003 and they managed to produce the sequel in time for a december 2004 release (american dates), thats pretty impressive especially for an RPG. Bugs and chopped ending aside, Kotor 2 was a fantastically well-written game and I have very high expectations for this.

  • Luckyjim #13 2 years ago

    I loved Fallout 3 but for some reason I can't get excited about this.

    I've absolutely no idea why?!

  • Eraysor #14 2 years ago

    Looking forward to this, especially that hardcore mode.

  • Genji #15 2 years ago

    @LuckyJim

    It's because you're insane.

  • apoc_reg #16 2 years ago

    Same exact engine... not sure i can deal with the animation and lack of 'physicality' of another game after fallout 3 and oblivion
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/10 @ 10:57

  • marmaduke #17 2 years ago

    I reckon this is going to be much better than Fallout 3, even if the graphics are basically the same. The main story in Fallout 3 was pretty rubbish, what with Liam Neeson seemingly phoning his performance in from his bedroom and all that Alpha and Omega bullshit.

    If they can get some better voice talent, come up with some interesting side missions, and not spend too much time making references to the first three games, I think it'll be what Fallout 3 should have been.

  • infoxicated #18 2 years ago

    Probably buy this on day one.

    Most likely be downloading the patch to fix the major bugs on day 30, unless Bethesda have shown this one a bit more care.

  • Snidesworth #19 2 years ago

    Obsidian write excellent dialogue and plots but, unfortunately, aren't so good at making games. Using Fallout 3 and having much of the work done of them already will hopefully mean that we'll be in for a very special treat.

  • jonfon #20 2 years ago

    Dear whomever-is-publishing-this, don't make Obsidian rush please. They make 'oopsies' when they're rushed! So long as the bug-count and it's not rushed this should be excellent.

    I'm still waiting a month before getting it, no offense Obsidian but some of your V1.00s of games have had hideous bugs in them and obscene loading times.

  • edhe #21 2 years ago

    I found it hard to get excited for this too, but then i saw the trailer and it reminded me why - because i'd played F3 to death, doing everything except the alternate karmas.

    Maybe i'll be ready for it when it comes out...

    NB you don't want a buttercup horse to ride on, they're an ALIEN PLOY!

  • mikeck #22 2 years ago

    If the third person view does not have 'skatey' walk effects then I'm triple sold on this game. Fallout 3 is possible my favourite game of all time (bugs and all) but I would like to be able to play the game with the third person view and it not look crap :)

  • TheDudesRug #23 2 years ago

    I'll probably buy this eventually, but TES news and release dates would thrill me far far more :)

  • Xardan #24 2 years ago

    I will be very surprised if this turns out better than Fallout 3.

  • Genji #25 2 years ago

    I won't be surprised if it's better. F3 felt like it was made by people who were fans of Fallout, but didn't 100% understand just what made Fallout special.

    This has some of the original people on board, so I have much more confidence that they can craft a game that is less like a cover version of the first two, and more like a continuation.

    Hardcore mode is a bloody good start.

  • Rajin #26 2 years ago

    No i'm sure M.R House is a supermutant:)

  • Salaminizer #27 2 years ago

    poor Obsidian, they'll improve the gameplay every way they can, but, because they're still stuck with an engine that was already dated when F3 launched, they'll get a lot of criticism for it, even if they can't do much about it.

  • gammonbanter #28 2 years ago

    sold!

  • Pastici #29 2 years ago

    Can't wait for this, Hardcore mode doesn't sound hard at all, it just sounds Fallout :). I never liked the fact I could carry enough ammo to supply a small regiment in Fallout 3. Most I ever carried in one and two was about five or six missles. I hope they bring back the different ammo types too!

  • pankomentarz #30 2 years ago

    "The interplay between factions is a key gameplay element in FNV."

    Nice joke :)

  • SFG_Clan #31 2 years ago

    I don't like Obsidian; this looks awesome I just hope they don't ruin it with bugs

    Mr. House is.... a house
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/10 @ 13:35

  • killyourtv #32 2 years ago

    Fallout? more like FAILout amirite?

  • RadicalX #33 2 years ago

    Be okay as long as it's not bugged to feck like my Xbox version of F3 was. 50 hours in I continue the main quest only to have it lock up and all my saves corrupted. Utter bullshit.

    Otherwise looking forward to it! ;)

  • evilidler #34 2 years ago

    All you needed to say was "incendiary grenades"!

  • ph101 #35 2 years ago

    Looks good but this needs a new engine. As someone said it lacks physicality and animation is poor. if it had the physics and weight of say source or even gta 4 it would be so much improved. Also what really is dated is the cell based design. Characters disappearing to go through doors? reloads to go inside with no continuity? This is lazy design in 2010 and must be fixed soon... yes i realise it would need rebuilding from the ground up...

  • Grayvern #36 2 years ago

    Obsidian is all about subtle refinements that are actually mind blowing, that and bad jokes about sex and porn, and bugs which collaborate to bring the design down.

    The only thing that annoys me is that people need to realise that KOTOR was made in 1 year. And also that while mentioned in the same sentence as the former, NWN 2 was a far better game than NWN, and Mask of the betrayer was a good game cruelly overlooked.

    The only problem with Obsidian is that they don't have the financial resources to hire the coding talent they need.

    But if that ends up being the problem with new vegas then it wont simply be a problem with Obsidian, It would be short sighted of Bethesda not to provide Obsidian with considerable support.
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/10 @ 16:35

  • TRUTH #37 2 years ago

    I hope they sort out the 3rd perspective view - that was so shit in both Oblivion and Fallout, also the way they always stop and them stare at you when you have a converstaion; does start to grate, as every character is the same action. Though in Vegas, it still looks to familiar to FO3. For a full price game this does not interest me, seems way to similar in most parts. The graphics really need to be updated too. For a mid price game I might be interested.

  • Soton4084 #38 2 years ago

    Still undecided on this one. I'm worried that it will be too similar to Fallout 3, yet the new location and new features sound good. They really need to work on making it as bug free as possible though. I purchased the GOTY edition in order to play the DLC content and several of them I couldn't complete due to glitches and bugs. I was very disappointed.

  • makeamazing #39 2 years ago

    If its anywhere near FO3 quality i will be happy :)... it would be nice if they had updated the graphics, but as long as the story is strong and something interesting to do, i will love it. Just need to complete the rest of the DLC on FO3 first.

  • Murton #40 2 years ago

    @ makeamazing: if the quality is anywhere near Fallout 3 then this will be a bigger disaster than Fallout 3. Bethesda already took a pounding from the fans for cutting corners when it came to visuals, engine performance and bugfixing, for Obsidian to make a sequel and then not act on the failings of the first title would show incredibly poor judgement on their part.

    Here's hoping that Obsidian were able to make as many improvements to the game from a technical standpoint as they appear to have done in terms of gameplay.

  • trip919 #41 2 years ago

    Regardless of my reservations about Obsidian – There’s some serious talent working there. I’m definitely looking forward to this.

  • riceNpea #42 2 years ago

    my PS3 died and i lost my game save for Fallout 3. i tried to start it again but i just didn't have the heart. it's just too big.

    fnar fnar

  • Ged42 #43 2 years ago

    Now here's a VAT increase I like.

  • piercehead #44 2 years ago

    Like the way she managed to say "Interplay" twice :)

    Anyway, I've already pre-ordered. I'd get it if it was just F3 with a new story...but as it's F3 with new story, game systems and being written by ex-fallout guys, even if it's worse than it could be I'm sure it'll be better than it needs to be :D

  • RandomRash #45 2 years ago

    i've heard theres a machine gun gernade launcher then an upgrade to speed it up so its three times faster, i'm sold, fallout 3 was my first game for the xbox and what a game

  • MatMan562 #46 2 years ago

    I bought Fallout 3 knowing little about it. 86 game hours later and I was in love! WIll hopefully be able to get a limited edition of this game as it is looking fantastic but there are a lot of games coming out around then. Might be best to wait for a GOTY edition as I spent about £70 on Fallout 3 and you can now get all of that for £20-30

  • Branoic #47 2 years ago

    Looking forward to this, but you know what I hate?

    I hate shit like "hey, our game is based in casino-land, and what's a well known cliched saying about casino land? The house always wins! So, wouldn't we be really clever if we named our villain Mr House? That way, while he's twirling his moustache and cackling maniacly, he can say things like "The House always wins!". Yes, we're so clever!"

    *sigh*

  • Cronan #48 2 years ago

    Obsidian have a history of taking an old engine from a good game and producing a bug-filled mess of a sequel. Alpha Protocol is also a horrible game. The Fallout 3 engine is really feeling its age now, this is something I might play, but only if I pick it up from a bargain bin sometime in 2012.

  • littlewilly91 #49 2 years ago

    Is the camera and controls for shooting still crap on consoles?

    Interesting the "Harcore" toggle.

    Sounds like they've messed up, kind of like the flight sim for consoles Il 2 Sturmikov did. For them, trying to simplify the difficulty choice meant you could either fight easy enemies with arcadey handling or have cockpit view only with with harsh handling and wildly hard enemies. I'd prefer if they let me toggle each setting individually and then gave an overall difficulty rating. (And maybe, in the aim of simplicity, you wouldn't have to delve into those settings if you didn't want to because the first options would be a few preset difficulty ratings- behind the scenes representing various settings.) Or whatever.

  • karstux #50 2 years ago

    I hope there'll be some way to import the good ol' Capital Wasteland into the New Vegas' engine. Imagine you could travel between the two areas - what an enormous gameworld it would give you to play in! Somehow I think that'll be one of the first things the modding community will tackle.

  • z8Jay #51 2 years ago

    I never got any bugs in FO3 and had about 150hours of playtime