The recent The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has proven to be a great success for Bethesda and Microsoft, leading many to wonder when the developer will tackle other classic games, like Fallout 3. Indeed, although Bethesda has been responsible for some of the most iconic and successful western RPGs of all time, it's not exactly a company known for its technical polish, so the benefits of sprucing up an older title, one that's rough around the edges, are myriad.
Although Bethesda achieved success with the likes of Oblivion and Morrowind in the mid-and early-2000s, Fallout 3 catapulted its popularity into the stratosphere. The game, which was a full-3D reimagining of the successful CRPG franchise by Interplay, was unlike anything that mainstream audiences had seen up until that point, with storytelling, atmosphere, and quest design that felt wholly refreshing to just about every demographic in 2008. But even for the time, its visuals were decidedly bland and, quite frankly, ugly, as were its character animations, and its overall performance left a lot to be desired as well. As such, Fallout 3 could absolutely benefit from a modern remaster or remake ala Virtuos' Oblivion Remastered project, and while there's a lot of room for improvement, one specific mechanic needs to be first up on the operating table.
One of the biggest leaks relating to Oblivion Remastered ahead of launch was a Bethesda release schedule, which also mentioned a Fallout 3 remaster. But much like Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda itself has remained tight-lipped about such a project.
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If Fallout 3 Remastered Is Coming, Gunplay Needs To Go Under the Knife
Shooting Isn't Fallout 3's Strong Suit
Even the staunchest, most fervent Fallout 3 fans agree that it's not a game prized for stellar shooting mechanics. This was among the most ubiquitous criticisms of the game at the time of its release, and the years certainly haven't been kind in this regard: Fallout 3's shooting is abysmal by modern standards, making it ripe for a redesign if Bethesda is indeed revisiting the game.
The addition of a few basic, conventional gunplay features would go a long way toward making Fallout 3's combat less painful. The ability to aim down sights, for example, would bring Fallout 3 more in line with modern standards, as would common mechanics like the ability to sprint or mantle, as these would increase maneuverability during gunfights. Even one of Fallout 3's original developers admits that combat could use a punch-up: writer Bruce Nesmith recently commented about the possibility of a Fallout 3 remaster, arguing that such a game would be wise to learn from the improvements Bethesda made to shooting in Fallout 4.
Better Shooting Mechanics Would Make 'Fallout 3 Remastered' a Sight To Behold
Nesmith may think that a Fallout 3 remaster should live up to Fallout 4's standards, but why stop there? Fallout 4 marked a big improvement for Bethesda's shooting mechanics, no doubt about it, but Starfield further improved in this area; a Fallout 3 remaster or remake should strive to be at least as well-crafted as Starfield in the shooting department, if not better.
Fallout 3 with modern, sharpened shooting systems, whether that be by virtue of more intuitive controls, added features, or just better all-around gamefeel, would be incredible. The 2008 original is one of Bethesda's best-ever RPGs, with atmosphere and writing that haven't been matched since, but its gunplay was weak even by the standards of the time. To put a fine point on it: Fallout 3's strengths still hold up today, so if its shooting can be brought up to par, then "Fallout Remastered" could easily compete with even the best modern RPGs.
- Released
- October 28, 2008
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Engine
- Gamebryo
- Franchise
- Fallout
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