Why Fallout New Vegas' Sci-Fi Writing Is Some of the Best in Gaming
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
- Of Fallout’s narrative high notes, the peak is arguably Fallout: New Vegas, the much-loved installment set in post-apocalyptic Vegas and crafted by Obsidian Entertainment, members of which have shepherded the Fallout aesthetic all the way from the Wasteland games to the Outer Worlds. And although Obsidian were fated never to helm another mainline Fallout game, they did get to revisit the universe four times before being ripped away by cruel reality. It’s those four twists on the formula, those four adventures into the unknown, that we’re here to celebrate today. At the height of their storytelling powers, Obsidian gave us some of the best sci-fi in games with the four Fallout: New Vegas add-ons: Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road. Each veered sharply away from the standard Fallout formula in its own different direction, while simultaneously painting in the secret overstory of the New Vegas universe and the player character, the Courier.
Everyone’s excited about the release of the new Fallout TV show. Well, that might be an overstatement, but most gamers we know are at least allowing themselves a spark of hope, and basically everyone agrees that Walton Goggins can do no wrong. Fallout, the long-running post-apocalyptic fifties-throwback multi-hyphenate franchise seems perfectly suited for a TV adaptation, focusing as it does on a collection of short, interconnected stories centered in a single location, usually culminating in some kind of climactic event at the end of a game (or season of television??). Of course, you’d need more throughline, more emotional core to sustain a season than a voiceless vault dweller wandering the wastes and continuously stumbling into every huge, region-shaping historical event like a post-apocalyptic Forrest Gump.
By smartly relegating the deep lore and character stuff to the add-ons, the New Vegas writers were able to do just that - create a more intimate, linear story beat to cap off the experience as a whole, and incidentally write some genuinely amazing sci-fi. Whether tackling supermutant genocide, the enslavement of sentient robots, or all-out war between vying factions and their competing philosophies of survival, Fallout always centers a true moral quandary, to make the game’s focus on player choice and morality a dynamic one with plenty of grey area to play in. That Obsidian proved to be equally daring when experimenting with the Fallout formula is what makes the add-ons truly special.
Fallout New Vegas Gameplay provided by Encrypted Duck
/ @encryptedduck
#Fallout #FalloutNewVegas #IGN #Gaming - Hry
The story of Randall Clark, aka the survivalist is one of the most compelling narratives in all of fallout and we dont even see the guy in game.
Well... not alive. xD
The best story and an outstanding firearm in the game
Randall Dean Clark had a beautiful story
The fact they didn't even mention Randall Dean Clark is sus. It's the most powerful side story in the game IMO.
Facts!
For me Fallout New Vegas is still the best game in the series. Obsidian really nailed combining the atmosphere and tongue in cheek writing that Fallout 2 had, with the more modern gameplay and fun exploration that Fallout 3 had.
The exploration was horrible compared to Fallout 3 though.
The gameplay is the same as Fallout 3 really just a different skin over it and thats perfectly fine. IMO Fallout 3 had better exploration since it was so dense compared to the mojave but overall FNV is the better game
Obsidian meat rider spotted 😂
@@Sirmarklee23Bethesda meat rider spotted 😂
@@Jacobius1015quality > quantity. Every location in NV brings something interesting and unique to it while only a few of the locations in fo3 manage to do that.
Still crazy how new vegas had so many Hollywood celebrities voice acting in it
Didnt Fallout 3 had some as well? Not that unique.
@@ricardotorres5524I’m inside your walls
@@ricardotorres5524Liam Neeson as your father
@@pogmaster4559Ron Pearlman did the intro narration
not just in scifi, it's one of the best in gaming.
it’s mediocre. the brain dead masses are easily entertained
@@paulwoodford1984 agreed, fallout 3 and 4 are more interesting and nuanced than 'bad slavers want to slave people but its cool cause its a western';
@@okaynext4148Headass 🤣🤣🤣 fallout 4 is in no way shape or form a batter story, crazy the best fallout game is new Vegas not even made by Bethesda
@@okaynext4148fallout 3 more nuanced? Tf are you smoking? Lmao
You aint played many games then
Only losers walk out of the Sierra Madre without every gold bar.
Winners slither, very slowly, out. And use the Long Haul perk to fast travel.
YES!! You are so right!
Talk about a dilemma when first encountered
18 months. They made the base game in 18 months. And people will still be talking about it long after the show is done.
New games: “Best we can do is 5 years, and you’re going to need a patch on day 1, also every week for the next year. Please pre order so we can use you as Beta testers in early access”
Every person who ever played this game replaying it right now literally
Guiltyyyyy ❤🎉
Im playing it right now :D its in steam in top 100 mist played games at time and its so old its insane
Fr thooo, I'm doing my first playthru of Tale of Two Wastelands,, with like 400 mods installed 😭
deadass been on hold but boutta go back in
It's because they don't treat the audience like morons. Each side has it's own goals and justifications. Each valid in their own way with validations, flaws, and end goals. There is little nuance in Bethesda Fallouts.
Not that he did the writing, but Josh Sawyer is an absolute legend for the design of New Vegas.
Yall tried to cancel Chris Avellone and will never see this kind of writing again
Look at Dying Light 2, writing is terrible since they decided to throw out his script last minute.
Serves them right.
New vegas is one of my favorites games
A fallout new vegas remaster would be amazing
Remake*
Learn the difference.
@Smorgasvord are you okay?
There is a Fallout NV remake mod on Fallout 4 engine in the making
@@maxim196 Hoping it doesn't get abandoned like the three or four projects before this one.
That narrator has a voice like taking a bath in Barbara Streisand albums
Wow even IGN is giving New Vegas the recognition it deserves! Why did Microsoft buy the rights to these games if they aren't gonna let Obsidian give it 1 more college try? It doesn't even have to be a New Vegas sequel just ANY Fallout that isn't shelter or 76 PLEASE.
Todd Howard doesn’t want obsidian to upstage him. Especially with TES 6 looming.
Todd knows they did it better than him he won’t let them.. obsidian made the best fallout game ever in the shortest amount of time for any fallout games production. W game and W company
@@slickadooie They've also fired all of the talent in their studio since then. Look at the Outer Worlds and tell me it's the same company that made Fallout New Vegas.
Obsidian has said they'd love to work on another fallout title, specifically they wanted to do a Fallout game set in New Orleans iirc ... Not even a sequel to New Vegas, and who knows maybe they will get the chance. You need to also remember though that Obsidian is working on two massive RPG's right now, they're developing Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 simultaneously right now. They also stated they wanna make a pillars of eternity 3 at some point, so Obsidian is a very busy studio.
The obsidian team that made nv are long gone my guy they dont work there anymore
Fantastic writing in this video itself, one of the best analysis of NV DLCs on CZcams, kudos to you!
13:00 i'm curious, would you have pointed out the scientist skin colour if they were mostly black too?
No they wouldn't
3 and New Vegas maybe the greatest 1-2 punch in gaming history
Nah gears of war 1-2 Halo 2 - 3 Dead Rising 1-2 also slaps
And Felicia Day as Veronica was some of the best voice acting ever!
New Vegas is the best Fallout! Great story, characters, weapons, apparel and DLC! Joshua Graham is one of the greatest NPCs of all time as well! If you haven’t played FNV, definitely give it a try!
Why did they have to throw in the minor Jedi survivor spoil in there with no warning 😭
This...
YOU KNOW WHO JUST WON THE LOTTERY?
SMELL THAT AIR! COULDN'T YOU JUST DRINK LIKE IT BOOZE?!
@@marcellorossilermen2997 Bye.
@@plaguepandemic5651 *pull out a gun
You kidding? Never felt better!
THIS GUY
Fallout NV felt like Fallout 1 and Fallout 2's edgy writing. Fallout 3 and Fallout 4's writing was so... PG and the characters were so homogenized.
Starfield, their most recent game, is the most sanitized game I've ever seen
@randallwalsh3919 just like this review. Sanitized. Sterile. Safe.
@@ArthurD how?
Go back and play 3, it doesn't compare to 4, it had great writing. Much better and immersive opening that NV too
Fallout 4 is more fun to me than NV though
Fallout Show came out now they're meat riding the series like it's brand new
One of my favorite games! Love the desolate gritty apocalypse look and it's so nostalgic!
Just returned to this game after 10 years!! ❤
We will return again in 10 more 💪
Me too. Just finished it about a week ago.
We need to bring Chris Avellone, Josh Sawyer, and John Gonzalez back to Fallout.
Those guys should have been hired to work on the show, imagine the story that we would have gotten.
@@MrManfhis missed opportunity
the last thing we need is more condescending commentary from Josh Soyer.
and dont forget Tim Cain, the creator of Fallout, and Mark Morgan, the composer
The DLC are what truly make New Vegas the greatest Fallout game of all-time.
JOSHUA GRAHAM is THE best Fallout npc ever. Enough said 🤷♂️
just great storytelling in general not even specifically in the sci-fi aspects
Dead Money is the best NV dlc imo. They're all great in their own way though
Your own review upon release says this: "The story unfortunately, is predictable".
You had me until 13:04
feels so random
It's a great work of writing overall in any regard. Up there with its influences like Dune and Neuromancer.
never stopped playing this game
About time New Vegas got some love.
Alright even though I’m replaying new Vegas again, you’ve convinced me to replay new Vegas again.
best fallout game ever, justice for obsidian!
This game is in my top 10 video games ever and it has a lot of stiff competition. I've played this game probably 7+ times all the way through and still love it sooo much. It's one of the best things modern gaming has given us. Simply a masterpiece ❤
The fact that this game got an 84 on metacritic is criminal
Even worse when you realise why.
the game was a huge mess at launch, and the gameplay hasn’t exactly aged well for that reason. an 84 was fair at that time imo
The game released completely buggy and broken, if it released in the state it was after all the patches it would have been an 89 to 91
Replaying fallout 3 after re-playing New Vegas and realizing how much better New Vegas is, just with the writing alone
new vegas needs to be remade with the FO4 / 76 engine
The modding community is already doing just that as we speak.
Look up Fallout 4: New Vegas
It's slow progress, but it looks promising.
New Vegas is reminiscent of a narrative crafted by Cormac McCarthy.
“War endures, well ask what man thinks of stone.”
Between NEW VEGAS and KOTOR 2 OBSIDIAN=BEST WRITERS!!!
Most of the writers left obsidian
@@paulallen2680 sadly 😥
My first fallout and my number 1.
Nice piece, Michael Swaim. Where the hell did you go? You haven't been at Camp Goose in forever.
Who else is still pissed off that Metacritic gave this game an 84?
Metacritic doesn't give ratings, they just list the average (albeit somewhat weighted). Only reason it's not in the 90s is due to all the Bethesda jank and bugs baked into the game engine, since there was only so much Obsidian could fix in the limited time given.
Bethesda HATES that Obsidian made the best one
Whenever it's sold Bethesda makes the money
@@Lucassecondfreepremiumaccountw they wouldn’t let Obsidian make a New Vegas sequel when they weren’t making a Fallout which cost them money so hush 🤫
@@snarlynx1 Yes because they're next game was Fallout 4 and the own the I.P.
@@Lucassecondfreepremiumaccountw this was after. Quit while you’re behind 🤫
You can actually sneak out of the vault with all the gold if you have a stealth boy causing Elijah to get trapped in the self destruct
*opens console commands to edit carry capacity*
“I’ll be damned if you think you’re taking my winnings”
The simple answer is that it was written by the original team and not the BOS worshipping Todd
One could only imagine what New Vegas could’ve been had obsidian been given more time to build this gem
Really makes you feel like a mojave courier
Could the gameplay footage be blurrier? More compression artifacts please.
What is your favorite faction ending in fallout new Vegas?
It's great seeing new Vegas get the props it deserves
Any one else notice the gamer shoot the happy trails company in the back of the head when it gets to honest hearts XDDDD
After 3 going back to new vegas or doing tale of 2 wastelands. so much meat in classics especially NV
Every single video game player in the world needs to play NEW VEGAS!!!
This video is giving some serious “We have Oxhorn at home” vibes 😂😂😂
In what year are we
The year where noobs need to be reminded of the greatness of New Vegas
the year of the fallout show
welcome to new vegas
enjoy your stay
Thank you for recapping all the DLC stories, never managed to force myself to play them to be honest
Why?
You messed up big time go play them. Every faction in fallout dislikes this.
You have no place here then
@@ListerLanius whatever you say brother
Go play them
Let’s take a vote in the comments. What is the best New Vegas DLC?
13:02 why not saying just scientists
wokeism is a disease and the narrator clearly suffers from it.
bcs them being mostly white males is inherently problematic.
this is IGN. their staff is filled with leftoid activists.
We got ourselves a chupacabra with an automatic weapon on our hands.
MICHAEL SWAIM!
Great feature! IGN has been carving up quality at the moment since the Fallout tv series dropped
new vegas was perfect to me and one of my favorite games.
“we got a chupacabra with an automatic weapon”
Is this the dude from after hours on cracked?
Obsidian and not Bethesda made the modern fallout great.
Why do people hate Bethesda soo much?
@@ukrainefighter2456 you mean Bugthesda?
@@ukrainefighter2456 Apart from the fact their game design formula was already old with Fallout 4 and they keep changing nothing?
Need a Remake
post-apocalyptic Forrest Gump? never has there been a better description!
I'm sure Obsidian had a lot of what was writen for FO3 Van Buren and used it for this game. Impossible they create this game in 18 months, bugs included.
Best Fallout ever, dig.
Actually you can escape the vault with ALL the gold and while over encumbered, just sneak out instead of confronting Elijah.
The scientists comment, was their race really worth mentioning?
Was gonna bring up the same thing. Had nothing to do with the story lol but this is "gaming journalism" now
Michael!?! is that you!?!?! SWAAAAAAAAIM
IGN MILKING VIEWS AGAIN
Me walking out of the vault carrying a head that has every gold bar in its inventory 😎
the “white male scientists” comment was so unnecessary
you can hear the boyish low T voice in that guy.
its exactly the kind of thing someone like him would say.
@Senumunu fr. The amount of times he uses the word facist in this video alone let's you know the kind of person this is ☠️ that word has completely lost its meaning for so many people.
@@craigsovilla6578it's not like he's throwing the word out there for no reason. Caesar's Legion is literally fascist...
It sounded like an accurate description to me.
@@HaniAlhasni dictatorship is probably a better word. It can be aligned with fascism but the legion had no governance. It was a single leader with military. Plus the fascism word get thrown around so much it's lost meaning
I'm usually more of a jrpg player. New Vegas is my favorite western rpg of all time.
Swaim is a national treasure.
Just give us the next fallout made by obsidian
It is one of the greatest of all time
Everyone jumping on Fallout. Howard, it works .
Yeah, but not Bethesturd's Fallout with those moronic dialogues and writings
*slings and arrows of outrageous MISfortune
This voice over reminds me of Oxhorn, don't tell me large fallout youtubers all sounds like this🤣
Kotor, mass effect 2
, gears 2 lot of sci fi amazing games.
is there a Fallout 4 mod that plays FO:NV??
Man IGN is cashing OUUUTTT on the fallout hype 😂
Swaim, when will you return to 1Upmanship!?!
IGN COVERING A NEW VEGAS VIDEO IN 2024?!?!?!?
Still my favorite Fallout game!
It wouldn't be IGN if they didn't insert some pointless DEI messaging in their vids, as in the Old world Blues part
Don't forget the "white savior" comment he/it/she made about Honest Hearts DLC.
lonesome road
the Sierra Madre wasn't on an island
Swaim, is that you?
Yeah, voice sounds super familiar.
Pls can we have a remake for NV pls!!!!
All for the fallout coverage lately