Is Fallout: New Vegas the Greatest Game Ever Made?
"Not that we can‘t still argue over it from time to time, but Fallout: New Vegas is widely regarded as the best Fallout game in the 25-year history of the series, not to mention one of the best RPGs of all time."
This quote sums it up – New Vegas has undeniably earned its reputation as the pinnacle of the legendary Fallout franchise. It also stands on its own as one of the greatest roleplaying games ever made.
New Vegas Dominates Fan Polls
When polled on their favorite Fallout game, fans overwhelmingly show their love for New Vegas. In a recent survey of over 3,000 series veterans by gaming website TheGamer, New Vegas took the top spot in many categories:
| Category | Winner | % Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Story | New Vegas | 64% |
| Best RPG Elements | New Vegas | 55% |
| Most Enjoyable | New Vegas | 47% |
| Most in Need of a Remake/Remaster | New Vegas | 17% |
With near half of fans calling it the "most enjoyable" and nearly two-thirds praising its story, it‘s clear that New Vegas resonates deeply with players – even a decade after its release.
In my view as an avid Fallout fan, these polls definitively showcase New Vegas‘ greatness. The fans have spoken!
Roleplaying Bliss
A huge part of New Vegas‘ magic lies in its excellent RPG elements. With the freedom to shape your character however you want, an open-ended main quest, and skill checks that massively change quest solutions, New Vegas is a true roleplaying dream.
My highest praise goes to the depth of the skill system. With each point invested into key skills like Speech, Barter, and Science unlocking new dialogue options, characters, and story outcomes, replayability gets a major boost. I‘m currently on my fifth playthrough focusing on an Explosives expert with low Intelligence – the opportunities are endless!
Layered on top is the reputation system tracking your relationships with competing factions, adding even more roleplaying incentive. New Vegas cements itself as the quintessential RPG.
Best Setting and Story in the Series
One cannot praise New Vegas without applauding its setting and story. By returning to the West Coast post-apocalypse where the series began, it taps directly into the lore established in the original Fallout games. The result is a world brimming with history yet evolving into something new.
The main conflict between the New California Republic, Caesar‘s Legion, House‘s New Vegas, and the potential for an Independent New Vegas makes for phenomenal replay value. Each faction offers distinct story outcomes, rewards, and endings to uncover. Even after countless hours I‘m still discovering new quests and characters that react to my choices.
Overall, New Vegas spins an intricate web of stories with meaningful decisions at every turn. The setting and characters have rightly earned their spots in Fallout fame.
Building on What Worked
Though Fallout 3 deserves immense credit for reviving the dormant series with its capital wasteland setting dripping with atmosphere, New Vegas improves on its foundation in key ways.
Most importantly, the writing and quest design in New Vegas outshines Fallout 3. With lead designer Chris Avellone at the helm, the black humor, moral dilemmas, and branching decisions reach new heights. The stories told through the companion characters and side quests stay with you long after the credits roll.
Under the hood, the gunplay and combat balance fixes issues that plagued Fallout 3 – weapons now feel punchy and viable builds are abundant. Bugs and crashes see major reductions too. These tweaks seem small on their own but together massively bolster immersion and enjoyment as you explore the Mojave.
Compare this refinement to the missteps taken in Fallout 4 like the dialogue wheel limiting roleplay or the base-building drawing attention away from questing. New Vegas polished the formula to a T.
The Definitive Fallout Experience
For my money, no other Fallout game can compete with everything New Vegas brings to the table – extremely reactive roleplaying, a beautifully complex story woven into the return to the West Coast, more content than one can reasonably finish in hundreds of hours, and meaningful improvements upon past titles.
Over a decade later, New Vegas‘ greatness cannot be overstated. It set a new bar for the series that has yet to be matched and will likely stand the test of time as the definitive Fallout experience for decades more.
