Looking Back at Fallout: New Vegas, One of the Best RPGs Ever Created

Fallout: New Vegas

11 years ago, gamers were diving into a new world that offered glimpses of the glittering Las Vegas Strip. This was strikingly blended with stories of a city ravaged by nuclear Armageddon.

They learned about the rival factions in play. The expanding New California Republic, a group looking to rebuild the old governmental system. The Legion, a dictatorship headed by a man calling himself Caesar who was in pursuit of the Roman model of the ruling. The Legion was created from the enslavement of 86 tribes and was hellbent on stopping the NCR in its tracks.

The same gamers learned about the ideological struggles taking place in the city. They discovered the selfishness of humans as they vied for resources as well as the protagonist’s place in the game.

Fallout New Vegas 1

2010 Update

Fallout: New Vegas launched in 2010, tweaking very little of the model that made Fallout 3 famous. Additionally, the game offered a unique casino mini-game that very much mimicked the online casino experience.

The game was quickly lauded as one of the greatest RPG games of all time, both by critics and gamers. Like other Fallout games, this addition was set in the aftermath of a nuclear war that has destroyed the US.

Despite the nuclear bombardment, Las Vegas emerges somewhat untouched. With the nearby Hoover Dam still providing access to power and clean water, it’s an attractive city for many survivors.

Right off the bat, the game shows itself to be an experience that’s challenging yet enticing. It was a stimulating game for both newbies and fans of the genre. Progression was rebalanced thus forcing players to specialize. A newly created Hardcore mode really brought depth to the experience of surviving in the desert.

Fallout New Vegas 2

Weapon mods and crafting were also overhauled with more options. The new rendition of the series also allowed players to use iron sights for more precise shooting.

The game’s biggest strengths though are its impeccable writing, enjoyable quest design, and the charisma of its factions and companions. The latter especially has often been cited as its standout feature. Without giving any spoilers, the companions’ purpose in the game varies. Some are in relationships with factions while some are references from previous games. Other companions are just delightful to have around. Many of them have great backstories worth exploring and are a part of the game’s best side missions.

Looking back at it now, anybody who has played it will remember a million wonderful inside jokes and moments. However, it’s clear what the developers want you to associate with the game 11 years later.

The feeling of walking into the New Vegas Strip for the first time. It’s a moment they want you to cherish so much that they split the area into three sections. This vastly reduces the chances of the game crashing, and it’s an experience that still withstands time.

Given that it’s in Las Vegas, gambling is, of course, an important way to earn caps –Fallout’s form of currency. Enter any one of the game’s casinos and you’ll find numerous shuffling decks and spinning roulette wheels. These are all monitored by NPCs running the place.

No matter if it’s the dodgy casino or the high society casino, it’s an immersive experience for a gambling player. This is all laid out in the backdrop of a delightful rendition of Las Vegas.

Fallout New Vegas 3

You can play rounds of blackjack and try out the slot machines. Another more exciting option would be to head out to the wasteland and play Caravan with a couple of drifters. The latter is a unique card game that is very similar to blackjack. Caravan is a bit more strategy-oriented though and allows you to build your own set of cards.

The most defining bit is how close it comes to mimicking online casinos and the thrill that comes from playing. Play smart and any Fallout player will have more money than they can ever find looting bodies and abandoned houses. Whether you are a player who frequents casinos or are looking to venture into the game, Fallout’s gambling mechanisms are a thrill to play with.

Today, the Grand Theft Auto series is well known for its casinos. In actuality, it is Fallout: New Vegas that really put gambling mini-games on the map. Sure, such games have been around for quite some time now. The earliest instance is 1987 with Final Fantasy but it would take a while for gambling to make an entry.

In the years since we have also seen mini-games become so popular that players are rewarded with stand-alone games. A good example would be Geometry Wars, which was initially a mini-game within Project Gotham Racing 2. But, when it comes to a good casino gambling game, you will be hard-pressed to find a more realistic mini-game than Fallout: Las Vegas.

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