Many years ago in a town far, far away, a little kid stumbled across a PC video game. That kid was me and the game was Bethesda’s Arena; and as luck would have it, my computer was just good enough for the game’s bare minimum requirements.

Since that day I was hooked on Bethesda’s games. I’ve played Daggerfal, Morrowind, Oblivion, and very shortly I will be playing Fallout 3. I’ve know I’ve missed some Bethesda games like Redguard, but I was shocked when I found out that I’ve missed on the entire Fallout series up until now. While on a personal level that is a tragic thing, from a reviewer’s perspective, sometimes is better to approach a series without prior knowledge; if you’re a true fan of the series it will be much harder to look at it with objective eyes.

So here’s where I come in. With all the new games being released and Christmas just around the corner, new computers and new games are not out of the question, but will Fallout 3 make a good gift (and game), or will it cause that special person that you’re trying to impress even more animosity towards you? Well, there’s nothing worse then a lame gift, so before you rush out to the stores for that early Christmas shopping take just a few minutes to read this review; it might save you some money in the long run. As for all the returning fans, I know how things go. There’s a good chance that you already have the game, and the 464 page official game guide with the Game Stop exclusive Skills Quick Reference Card. Brawler or sniper or something in between, Bethesda’s Fallout 3 claims to offer a fun way for all kinds of players and explore the wastelands around what once used to be the capital of a great nation; too bad for nuclear warfare!