Fallout: New Vegas super review

Veterans who played Fallout 3 should also consider Fallout: New Vegas' hardcore difficulty mode for their first play through. It's not for everyone. But we liked it a lot and for those who like an extra challenge, the hardcore mode really freshens up the game by adding lots of survival-themed restrictions, which make your treks through the harsh desert more realistic. Your character will get hungry, thirsty, and sleepy. So you'll need to make sure you have food items, water, and rest to prevent negative effects. Push your body too hard, and you may even wind up dying from hunger or exhaustion. Healing items, like stimpacks, aren't quite as effective either, and your ammo has weight, requiring you to make sure you only carry what you'll need to survive.

Fallout: New Vegas also adds several sweet tweaks to the weapon system. Special ammo, like armor piercing rounds and hollow bullets, are abundant - and you'll need them as you start encountering tougher enemies later in the game. You can also modify and customize all your guns with extra parts to make them more effective.


Above: Loading screens seem to last too long in the console versions

The cast of voice actors in Fallout: New Vegas is also mighty impressive. Ron Perlman reprises his role as the narrator, voicing the intro and outro scenes in the game. We still get goose bumps when he says, "War never changes." Fallout 2 players will also welcome the return of Marcus, the super mutant, played by Star Trek: The Next Generation's Michael Dorn. Wayne Newton also does an excellent job voicing Mister New Vegas, DJ for the Radio New Vegas channel. We'll take his old-timey voice over the howling Three Dog from Fallout 3 any day.

Fans of Felicia Day will be pleased that the star of The Guild and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blogvoices a companion character named Veronica. She's a scribe for The Brotherhood of Steel and has several awesome side quests. Also on the celebrity list is Hollywood goon-for-hire Danny Trejo, who voices companion character Raul the Ghoul. The zombified bandito voiced by the star of Machete also seems destined to be a favorite companion amongst fans.


Above: After Power Fisting a feral ghoul to death, Veronica watched as we had joyless videogame sex with a Vegas prostitute. Here's us the morning after. It was our most shameful moment in Fallout: New Vegas