By: Andrew Higgins
We play video games for a multitude of reasons. Maybe we want to experience life in the 1940’s hidden behind enemy lines or fighting off waves of mutants with very little ammo and seemingly no way out. Perhaps we want to experience the mundane, or serine experience of driving a semi truck across Europe (Yes I play Euro Truck Simulator 2). Possibly, we even play video games to escape. To escape from reality, for a moment in our hectic lives we just want to step away. We want to worry about someone else’s problems. Problems that are not out own. We want to experience a story where we are in complete control of what happens to the main protagonist.
This is why I first picked up Fallout 3. I had just gone through a break up. This was the break up…for real! I needed something to distract me. I needed something to take my mind off of something that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
I looked around my collection. Shooters, adventure games, puzzle games, racing games, and RPG’s. Nothing really stood out. Yeah, after a stressful day a good shooter can let out some of the tension. Even a good puzzle game might do the trick, but I needed something different. I needed something with a story, something I could get lost in. I had been sitting on my copy of Fallout 3 for a while. I had been too preoccupied with other things to check it out. So, I popped in the disk and started.
As I played I quickly fell in love with the world I was in. If you haven’t played Fallout 3 before stop reading this! Go play it now! Basically, Fallout 3 takes place in the year 2277. Atomic wars have rendered the planet unlivable and forced people underground into vaults. This is where you were born; this is where you will die.
Of course the story isn’t over that quickly, but as you play you learn things about your father, other characters in the world, and ultimately yourself. While playing you face a seemingly endless amount of options. Your choices in the game reflect on your character. Kill anyone and everyone you run into and you hurt your karma score. This effects how you interact with other characters in the game.
My first play through I played as a bad guy. I was wanted, hunted, and people didn’t like me. I even ran into a character who could accompany me but he straight up told me that because of my actions and behaviors he couldn’t in all good consciousness follow me. I ended the game with a voice over from my in game father telling me how disappointed in me he was and how he had raised me better.
These things came as a final sting to my game play experience. I played how I wanted consequences be damned. This was who I had become through the course of the game. It didn’t feel good. I knew that’s not the type of person I was and yes it is just a video game. Still, I couldn’t help but think, if I had been in a different place in my life would the outcome be any different? Would I play the game the same way or would I play differently making new choices and taking different paths?
That’s why 4 years later I have decided to pick up Fallout 3 once again. I loved the game, sure it had flaws but I loved those flaws. I loved the world and the immersion I felt. So, 4 years later what has changed? Well, for one I’m no longer in college thinking that the world is about to end because someone who I thought loved me chose to no longer feel the same way I felt about her. Secondly, I’m in a different place both physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s only been 4 years but in that time I’ve seen my dream of living in Japan come true. I’ve quit a part time, turned into full time job and become a teacher.
Will I fall in love with the world of Fallout 3 once again? Originally I put over 4 weeks into the game. Playing every chance I could. Becoming immersed in the game play to the point that after seeing a first aid kit in real life, I thought to myself, “I bet there is a stimpack in there.” Admittedly, I might have spent too much time in the game at that point. Realistically, I think I did. I think I let the created world take me in. It was much easier than having to deal with a broken heart. This is why I keep asking myself, will I still like this game? That question is also the same reason I haven’t touched the game since first beating it four years ago.
So, all that being said, I picked up the game last night. Played it for four hours. I’m taking a different path this time around. Trying to help people out every chance I get, trying to do some good in the Wasteland. Trying not to be the disappointment I was at the end of the first play through. Trying to redeem my in game character…maybe because my real life character might be in need of a little redemption.
About the Author:
Andrew Higgins grew up playing video games. Among Higgins’ favorite games are NBA Jam (Gen), NHL 94 (Gen), Age of Empires 2 (PC), and Fallout 3 (PS3) just to name a few. When he's not gaming or teaching he can be found wandering the streets of Japan.
We play video games for a multitude of reasons. Maybe we want to experience life in the 1940’s hidden behind enemy lines or fighting off waves of mutants with very little ammo and seemingly no way out. Perhaps we want to experience the mundane, or serine experience of driving a semi truck across Europe (Yes I play Euro Truck Simulator 2). Possibly, we even play video games to escape. To escape from reality, for a moment in our hectic lives we just want to step away. We want to worry about someone else’s problems. Problems that are not out own. We want to experience a story where we are in complete control of what happens to the main protagonist.
This is why I first picked up Fallout 3. I had just gone through a break up. This was the break up…for real! I needed something to distract me. I needed something to take my mind off of something that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
I looked around my collection. Shooters, adventure games, puzzle games, racing games, and RPG’s. Nothing really stood out. Yeah, after a stressful day a good shooter can let out some of the tension. Even a good puzzle game might do the trick, but I needed something different. I needed something with a story, something I could get lost in. I had been sitting on my copy of Fallout 3 for a while. I had been too preoccupied with other things to check it out. So, I popped in the disk and started.
As I played I quickly fell in love with the world I was in. If you haven’t played Fallout 3 before stop reading this! Go play it now! Basically, Fallout 3 takes place in the year 2277. Atomic wars have rendered the planet unlivable and forced people underground into vaults. This is where you were born; this is where you will die.
Of course the story isn’t over that quickly, but as you play you learn things about your father, other characters in the world, and ultimately yourself. While playing you face a seemingly endless amount of options. Your choices in the game reflect on your character. Kill anyone and everyone you run into and you hurt your karma score. This effects how you interact with other characters in the game.
My first play through I played as a bad guy. I was wanted, hunted, and people didn’t like me. I even ran into a character who could accompany me but he straight up told me that because of my actions and behaviors he couldn’t in all good consciousness follow me. I ended the game with a voice over from my in game father telling me how disappointed in me he was and how he had raised me better.
These things came as a final sting to my game play experience. I played how I wanted consequences be damned. This was who I had become through the course of the game. It didn’t feel good. I knew that’s not the type of person I was and yes it is just a video game. Still, I couldn’t help but think, if I had been in a different place in my life would the outcome be any different? Would I play the game the same way or would I play differently making new choices and taking different paths?
That’s why 4 years later I have decided to pick up Fallout 3 once again. I loved the game, sure it had flaws but I loved those flaws. I loved the world and the immersion I felt. So, 4 years later what has changed? Well, for one I’m no longer in college thinking that the world is about to end because someone who I thought loved me chose to no longer feel the same way I felt about her. Secondly, I’m in a different place both physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s only been 4 years but in that time I’ve seen my dream of living in Japan come true. I’ve quit a part time, turned into full time job and become a teacher.
Will I fall in love with the world of Fallout 3 once again? Originally I put over 4 weeks into the game. Playing every chance I could. Becoming immersed in the game play to the point that after seeing a first aid kit in real life, I thought to myself, “I bet there is a stimpack in there.” Admittedly, I might have spent too much time in the game at that point. Realistically, I think I did. I think I let the created world take me in. It was much easier than having to deal with a broken heart. This is why I keep asking myself, will I still like this game? That question is also the same reason I haven’t touched the game since first beating it four years ago.
So, all that being said, I picked up the game last night. Played it for four hours. I’m taking a different path this time around. Trying to help people out every chance I get, trying to do some good in the Wasteland. Trying not to be the disappointment I was at the end of the first play through. Trying to redeem my in game character…maybe because my real life character might be in need of a little redemption.
About the Author:
Andrew Higgins grew up playing video games. Among Higgins’ favorite games are NBA Jam (Gen), NHL 94 (Gen), Age of Empires 2 (PC), and Fallout 3 (PS3) just to name a few. When he's not gaming or teaching he can be found wandering the streets of Japan.