(Gamasutra) – Bethesda Softworks says it will soon announce its plans to patch and fix bugs in its just-released Fallout: New Vegas. Although the Obsidian-developed game is receiving a generally positive critical reception, much of the response to the game has made note of an unusually high degree of bugs in the post-apocalyptic roleplaying game.

“Mid-battle a foe may suddenly plummet through the game world or get stuck on a rock, making for an easy kill,” said Game Informer’s Andrew Reiner; Giant Bomb’s Jeff Gerstmann discovered “a list of incredibly annoying bugs that only got worse as I continued playing”, although both reviewers recommended the game.

In fact, Gerstmann even advised: “If you’re the type of person who likes to watch for a patch or two before settling into a game, know this now: you probably don’t want to play Fallout: New Vegas right away.”

Initial play of the just-debuted game by fans have also found a number of other polish-related issues, although none are known to stop in-game progress on the open-world game.

But Bethesda says it hopes not to make those watchers wait too long: “We are currently working on releasing patches/updates as quickly as possible for Fallout: New Vegas, for all platforms,” says the company in a statement to Gamasutra. “Announcements regarding the patches are forthcoming.”

Fallout: New Vegas launched yesterday on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in North America, and will launch tomorrow in Australia and on Friday in Europe. The game is set after the events of Bethesda’s Fallout 3, staged in a future-dystopian Las Vegas as it begins to show slow signs of recovery from nuclear disaster.

HO, HO, I puHOwned you.

So I know some of you out there are late on the get go, heck I’M ALWAYS late on the get go. I’m speaking to those of you who just now managed to be on the adequate behavior list, and ole Santa went and decided to drop you a Xbox 360 down your chimney last week. Now you have all that cash that your Aunt Edna and Uncle Willard passed on to you since they found out that you wern’t a Jonas Brothers fan, and bought you the boxed set last year…ahh what to do with all that fat dough.

Well I thought that I would convey on to you some vital info, since we do mingle some games around here with our busy lifestyles. Yes, we are awesome, and yes we occasionally get to fire up a console now and then. That being noted, I’d like to compile a few ‘must haves’ for new Xbox 360 owners out there. We know, since you’re here, you understand our BusyGamer Theology, and may not have, nor want to take risks on game titles that (a) you know nothing about; (b) may have the potential to just suck, and really suck; or (c) cost too much to risk beer money on.

So here below are some definite titles to consider, I’ve also tried to keep the genres varied (to cater to your playstyles). But these are games that I refuse to vendor back to my local resale shop, hence the fact I always come back to them. Kinda like bad girlfriends, only less pricey.

I could be running over prostitutes.

RANDOM CHAOS GAME
Grand Theft Auto IV – No questions asked. They should ship this to you when you buy an Xbox 360. You’ve seen it, you’ve heard the controversy in it, and yes, it’s all what they make it – AND MORE. For a 2007 game release, it is still one of my favorites that does not lose any thing on replay. It’s always fun running down pedestrians, chasing criminals (and the law), jacking a new Ferrari because you scratched yours on that old lady crossing the road, or taking over the local Burger Shot at gunpoint with my friends online, to see how many cars we can pile up in the lobby.

ROLE PLAYING GAME
Mass Effect – As much as I write about this game, and anticipate the sequel coming January 26, no surprise that I would put this on a list. And for someone new to this console, a $19.99 game that is well rounded, fun, surprising, beautiful, and well deserving of a play through with a new character type, this is a steal. A Science Fiction, RPG, third person shooter, with action reminiscent of Starship Troopers meets Star Trek meets Space 1999, hell I’m sold. AND a great story to boot!

We still look the best in armor.

FALLOUT 3 – Can you say HUGE? Let’s add a few DLC’s and then HUGEAMOUS! Yeah, this game is big. Not too good on the staying busy with your normal life, but a fantastic RPG game set in a post-nuclear-fallout environment. This game makes me feel like a character out of Road Warrior, mainly because my armor never matches and I’m always out of ammo. Guns and melee weapons are great, tons of quests, playthroughs will guarantee new things to discover, and if you think you’ve seen it all – just download some new content episodes, available online via the Xbox Live Store.

SPORTS GAME
Madden Football – Since one comes out every year just pick one. If you don’t care about the new rosters, and you plan to create all your friends on your hometown team, then buy one that is 2 years old. They all offer pretty much the same thing, and seeing my name on the back of a Texans jersey is damn exciting in my book. They all play great, and football video games are good party starters, plus injuring your friends for the season is fantastic too. Madden Football + beer + bowl of Doritos = win, no matter how you look at it.

Claymore, or less, I win.

FIRST PERSON SHOOTER
COD:Modern Warfare 1 or 2 – Like a story where you (the heroes) get to shoot the terrorists (the enemies) in a third world country? We do. Like a game that boasts an arsenal of real military weapons that you get to test drive, in a world where that would be impossible to the general population? We do. Like a game that offers hours upon hours of online multiplayer gameplay, with so many unlockables, that they themselves have wikisites dedicated to them? We do too. And again some could argue that the Halo series overpowers this, but I vote no, (my article, my rules), and lets add even more varied teamplay to the dish, better maps, and well executed co-op missions to challenge you and your war buddy.

STAR WARS GAME (yes it gets it’s own category)
Star Wars : Battlefront II – One thing that makes the Xbox 360 superior to other consoles, is BACKWARDS COMPATIBILTY! That brings this Star Wars title (from the original Xbox) to the table that won’t get pawned at the store. As much as I love the Star Wars franchise, a majority of the serious Lucas games are a big fail. Most of them. Not this one, BFII is still kicking butt at my house from a ‘console ago’. If you need a blaster fix, this is your game. The story starts at Episode III and goes on into Episode VI and beyond, even includes the fan based cosplay club, the 501st, in the story line, /WIN!

Old, but never outdated.

There you have it, these are all great games (my all time picks). And they most ALL have won awards for how bad a$$ they are, in their respective categories. As for the older titles, well it’s a bonus – because NOW they are discounted, and can be readily found at your local “previously-played shops”. So get to it, their are plenty of old worlds to fight battles in, and all in all, these worlds definitely deserve being saved again, and again, and again….

It’s an understatement to say that I love games. It would be more to the point to say that I *live* games. I love the storylines, the graphics, the gameplay and each game comes with its own unique “flavor??? which may or may not keep me coming back for more. And then there are those games which appeal to some portion of my psyche and latch onto me, refusing to release me from its diabolical grip. These are the games I love to play but shouldn’t be allowed to play.

The list below comprises some of the most insidious games I’ve played in the recent past. Each one has its own draw and while I am not telling anyone to avoid these games, I am advising caution… Because if you’re anything like me, they’ll consume large portions of your free time without you realizing it until you glance up at the clock and realize you’ve been playing for the last four hours straight. Which may explain why your bladder is hurting and you’re starving.

When I play these games, I find myself bargaining with the clock. I only need three hours of sleep, right? I can catch a later movie. My friends won’t be that mad if I show up a little late. I can always get a haircut tomorrow. And that’s why I avoid some games like the plague. Not because I don’t like them but because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that once I play that first little bit, I’m going to be in for the long haul.

So, for better or worse, here is my list of five games which I should not be allowed to play in reverse order.

What do you do after you collect all the bobbleheads in Fallout 3?

#5 Fallout 3 – I’ve beat this game. I’ve bought and played through every expansion. I’ve even collected every single bobblehead. There shouldn’t be anything left to do and yet somehow, magically, I find things to do. Most recently I have begun decorating my home in the Wastelands. And no, I don’t mean buying one of the schemes. I’m talking about wandering the wastes looking for things that will look good on my bookshelf. I have become a post-apocalyptic interior designer. I find something I like, I take it home, I drop it from my inventory and then meticulously place it somewhere in my home. And because I have to have things set up a certain way, I may decide I need another of whatever it is I just used in my home and so back out into the wastelands I go. And every time I head out for more decorations, I find another portion of the map I haven’t fully explored, another quest I haven’t done, another *something* to keep me playing “just another 30 minutes???. (more…)

Fallout 3 - Point Lookout DLC today.

(Gamespot) – After Bethesda Softworks’ less-than-ideal launches of Fallout 3′s previous downloadable content Broken Steel and The Pitt, the company hopes to get it right today with the release of its newest add-on pack, Point Lookout. Point Lookout will be the fourth expansion to Fallout 3 and is available today on the PC and Xbox 360 for $10 (800 Microsoft points).

As outlined in GameSpot‘s hands-on preview, players begin the expansion by meeting a ferryman in the southern end of Capital Wasteland. Players are taken to Point Lookout, a swampland filled with mutated inbred hillbillies, a mysterious hi-tech mansion, and raider cultists. The game is targeted at players over level 20 and offers weaponry that’s a step backward from the laser-driven technology that dominates the second half of the original Fallout 3 game.

Fallout 3 isn’t over when players have survived their foray into Point Lookout. A fifth expansion, the alien-abduction-themed Mothership Zeta is expected to come in late July. As previously announced, Bethesda will package all five expansions into the retail release of Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, which is due out in October.

(Shacknews) – At a press event in the United Kingdom, Fallout 3 developer Bethesda today announced a new externally-developed entry in the post-apocalyptic role-playing series.

Titled Fallout New Vegas, it’s being developed by Obsidian Entertainment (Neverwinter Nights 2, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II) with PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions planed for a simultaneous launch in 2010.

New Vegas will be an RPG in the style of Fallout 3, Bethesda noted, but the company did not confirm if it uses the same engine. The studio also stressed that it approached Obsidian to make a new Fallout entry, not the other way around.

“It is not a sequel to Fallout 3,” said Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines. “It was just a great opportunity we thought to work with some guys who very clearly know Fallout–Feargus [Urquhart] and those guys were there in the early days of Fallout.”

Obsidian Entertainment was founded in 2003 by several former employees of Black Isle Studios, the company responsible for the original Fallout titles.

“We approached them. And obviously they were like, ‘Yeah!’ That was a pretty easy conversation,” Hines continued. “It’s definitely an RPG. Same sort of experience as what folks got in Fallout 3. It’s not Fallout Tactics, it’s not Brotherhood of Steel. It’s another Fallout game in that universe.”

Obsidian is planning to release its espionage-based RPG Alpha Protocol later this year. The studio was also working on an RPG set in the Aliens universe until early this year, when it was revealed to be cancelled.

“[New Vegas] has no impact whatsoever on what [Fallout 3 director] Todd Howard and his guys are working on [internally at Bethesda],” added Hines.

Fallout 3 falls all on the greatness.

The captivating story-driven videogame made by Bethesda Softworks bested blockbuster rivals including notorious “Grand Theft Auto: IV” and zombie shooter “Left 4 Dead” at the 9th annual Game Developers Choice Awards.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever won this award, and to be given it by other game developers, with so many amazing games that could have won, well, we’re simply overjoyed,” Bethesda game director Todd Howard said Thursday.

“It’s very special to us.”

“Fallout 3″ also won a Best Writing award at Wednesday’s ceremony, considered a highlight of the Game Developers Conference (GDC).

“The games being recognized here are virtuoso efforts that have truly advanced the state of video games.” said GDC content director Meggan Scavio.

“The Game Developers Conference has become the premiere videogame award show because it gives voice to those who understand games better than anyone; the people who make them.”

Fallout 3 - Busy Gamer Rating 1

First Glance:
Roam a post apocalyptic wasteland with a gun and an attitude. The long awaited next chapter in the Fallout series.

The Short Story:
Bethesda takes the reins of the Fallout franchise and delivers a visually stunning, dramatic, awe inspiring game. Unfortunately, it’s a very long, very unforgiving game for the Busy Gamer.

The Score:
There’s very little here not to like. And that’s the problem for the Busy Gamer. There’s so much here to do, see, and yes, kill, that the game is simply too expansive for most Busy Gamers. While there’s not a steep learning curve and a very good quest tracker for the game, Fallout 3 rates a 1 on our scale.

Body of review:
Let me begin by saying that I have been waiting for this game for a very, very long time. I was a fan of the first two Fallouts and even before that, played the Wasteland games. I was always curious how well Fallout would fare as a first person shooter if it was able to somehow incorporate the turn based combat into the mix and I have to say Bethesda Softworks has managed to merge the two in a very functional mix.

Fans of the series will be thrilled to see that the “feel??? of the franchise has translated well in Bethesda’s efforts. The 1950s sci-fi feel is intact and the whole landscape conveys the post-apocalyptic genre that the series has always done so well. Also intact is the storyline that each chapter has delivered on.

Returning players will find that very little has changed during the character creation, the old S.P.E.C.I.A.L. build. Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and finally Luck. Some old faithful perks, unique abilities that can be chosen at each level, make their return while new, interesting perks make their debut.

The latest hero of the Fallout series begins, quite literally, at birth. The initial cutscene shows our hero being born and it is during this initial scene that the sex, looks, and stats of the character are established. Shortly thereafter, our hero begins his life within Vault 101 and the story begins to unfold.

Initially your character will begin wandering the Wastelands with a pistol and very little ammo. This would be a problem if this were a straight first person shooter but fortunately, this is where the incorporation of the turn based combat comes into place. It’s called V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) and you’ll grow to love it.

Essentially allowing you to target specific body parts with ranged weapons and slowing down the action while you fire, VATS moves you into a slow motion action sequence where you spend your Action Points to fire. The results can be quite gratifying and gruesome. Headshots can result in decapitations and skull explosions. Put the kiddies to bed for this bit.

The Wasteland you’ll be exploring (the East Coast, specifically D.C, Virginia, and Maryland) is huge and unlike the previous two chapters, which allowed you to pick a spot on the map and fast travel there even if you hadn’t been before, you must run everywhere. This increases the amount of combat you will see significantly, which is fun, but results in a much longer exploration time, a downside for the Busy Gamer.

You’ll run into some of the old familiar beasties and baddies if you’ve played the previous titles, but with much improved graphics. Molerats, Radscorpions, Raiders, and of course, no Fallout title would be complete without the Deathclaw. You’ll also see some familiar groups like the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave.

The graphics are gorgeous, the landscape is suitably surreal, and the voice acting is outstanding. This game has been a long time in the making and Bethesda has certainly not disappointed this longtime Fallout fan with its delivery. The weapons, when you can find them are devastating, when you can keep enough ammo to use them, and the skills and perks give this game high replay value.

No for the downside for the Busy Gamer… The game is huge. I mean huge on an epic scale. You have to run everywhere, at least the first time before you can fast travel to a location. Running into a location without sufficient levels or weaponry will typically end poorly though the autosave feature has saved, pardon the pun, my butt on more than one occasion.

There’s so much to do in the game, you may find yourself bogged down with side missions, completely ignoring the main quest line as you travel to just one more new location before continuing on. The characters are genuinely interesting and almost everyone you meet has some agenda that you can participate in.

There’s certainly enough here to keep you interested for some time to come but the time investment will be the main concern for the Busy Gamer. The control scheme is easy enough to pick up and an absence from the game won’t mean having to remember where you left off thanks to a very nicely done quest log. Map markers are clear and easy to follow, showing you waypoints where you may have to travel underground but always showing clearly on the map where you are and where you need to get to.

All in all, the game is fantastic. There’s just so much to do, so much to see, and so much to discover that it’s easy to lose track of time and wander the Wastelands looking for bottlecaps… And ammo.

Gritskrieg – End of Line