Fallout 3 as a Life Commentary?

I've recently finished my play through of Fallout 3, and am now continuing my 2nd play through of Mass Effect. I know, its a little late, but I take forever to play games, especially while going to school. You may see from my "top 5" list that Mass Effect is number 1, and that Fallout 3 is not even ranked. The top 5 list is written from the perspective of how much I enjoyed playing a game and not necessarily how good the game is.

Some people, like my good friend and author of Adge's Rambles, play pseudo-sandbox games like Fallout 3 by allowing themselves to be someone completely different than who they are in real life. Using such games to fully explore their "alter ego" or approach situations with a solution that they would never choose in the real world. Sandbox games are designed for such purposes, to allow the player to explore all sorts of actions and situations without regard for real-world consequences.

As much as I may try, I am incapable of playing in the truest form of the sandbox. I can not bring myself to make decisions contrary to what I would make if I were in that situation for real. I get too involved in a game, so much so that the consequences in the virtual world are almost as important to me as the consequences of the real world. I even feel guilt for doing something bad or contrary to my personality. I think this is the reason I like Mass Effect, and do not like Fallout 3.

When I do try an make decisions that I wouldn't normally make, it feels like I've removed myself from the game. All of a sudden I don't care as much as about my character or the world in which I am playing and it detracts from the story. For example, in my first play through of Mass Effect, I was presented with a tactical choice. One team mate was stationed at one objective, and another at a second objective. I chose to sacrifice the team mate at the objective that I felt was not as tactically important to my mission. When the mission was over, I was not pleased with my choice in sacrifice because the member who died was a vital part of my team, and I would have had to play the rest of the game without the team mate that I found extremely valuable. So I went back to a save game before the decision and made the other choice. As soon as I did that, I regretted it. I felt I had cheated the game. The whole point of Mass Effect is that your decisions influence game play and story throughout the remainder of the game, and I had neutered that. Even now, on my second play through I am conflicted because now I know what will happen in that decision, and I can never be as involved in it as I was the first time around.

The reason I didn't like Fallout 3 is not because I didn't play sandbox style, but because of the choices I was forced to make. It's a post-apocalyptic world where its every man for himself. The game put my character in positions where there was no clean answer. I was forced, on more than one occasion, to make decisions that I felt were morally wrong and conflicting in order to survive or achieve some greater objective. It left a bad taste in my mouth because it means that if I were really in this situation, I would have made the same decision. It means if I am ever really that down on my luck, I would rather make the tough choice than die for my principles. Not very heroic I know. It is this simple realization that made my play through of Fallout 3 less than enjoyable. And it is this very same fact that I think makes Fallout 3 a great game. It showed me a side of myself that I had never faced before, one that I don't like, and am a little ashamed of. It has shown me a small slice of my own humanity and that is quite astounding for a video game.

You may say that I just get too involved, and that games are supposed to be fun and nothing more, but I would reply that is a short-sighted view of the possibilities of the medium. A method of storytelling that allows direct interaction in the world is the truest form of self exploration. If you let it, it will teach you things about yourself that you never knew. All this is pretty heavy for a video game review, but that's what I got out of the game. Even though I didn't like Fallout 3, I would have to say it is one of the better games I've played. Whether it's better than Mass Effect...well, I wouldn't go that far.
-Ty

Normandy pic via Bioware
Brotherhood Knight pic via someone's blog
Kill shot pic via TGR.com