Fallout: New Vegas
June 25, 2026 Filed in: Video Games
2026 is turning out to be a big year for Fallout. I started the year by playing Fallout 3 and all of its add-ons. June has been dedicated to playing Fallout: New Vegas. FNV comes from the same stock as Fallout 3. It uses the same game engine and shares most of the gameplay elements. Although it feels like a large expansion to Fallout 3, it is a standalone game with familiar Fallout game mechanics. Your character, known as "The Courier," possesses stats according to the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck. There are also many skills and perks available, most of which were seen in Fallout 3.
FNV is set four years after the previous game (2281 vs. 2277). Instead of Washington, D.C., the setting is Las Vegas (now New Vegas) and the surrounding Mojave Desert. The story begins with an attack on the Courier and his quest to find the assailant. He becomes involved in a power struggle around New Vegas between several factions. The most notable factions are the NCR (New California Republic), the Legion, and one led by the mysterious Mr. House. There are numerous quests for each faction and the outcomes affect their favorability toward the Courier. In my case, I found myself siding with the NCR most strongly. Things escalated toward a confrontation between factions with the Hoover Dam as a particular focal point. The NCR was victorious in my game but there are several possible endings depending on your choices.
In Fallout 3, I played all five add-ons after I finished the base game. Fallout: New Vegas has several add-ons as well. Unfortunately, FNV does not allow you to continue playing after the main story has concluded. I did not realize that beforehand. I will have to go back to an earlier saved game to allow me to play those DLC quests. Even with that disappointment, I still really liked Fallout: New Vegas. Both games were great but I think I enjoyed it a bit more than Fallout 3.
FNV is set four years after the previous game (2281 vs. 2277). Instead of Washington, D.C., the setting is Las Vegas (now New Vegas) and the surrounding Mojave Desert. The story begins with an attack on the Courier and his quest to find the assailant. He becomes involved in a power struggle around New Vegas between several factions. The most notable factions are the NCR (New California Republic), the Legion, and one led by the mysterious Mr. House. There are numerous quests for each faction and the outcomes affect their favorability toward the Courier. In my case, I found myself siding with the NCR most strongly. Things escalated toward a confrontation between factions with the Hoover Dam as a particular focal point. The NCR was victorious in my game but there are several possible endings depending on your choices.
In Fallout 3, I played all five add-ons after I finished the base game. Fallout: New Vegas has several add-ons as well. Unfortunately, FNV does not allow you to continue playing after the main story has concluded. I did not realize that beforehand. I will have to go back to an earlier saved game to allow me to play those DLC quests. Even with that disappointment, I still really liked Fallout: New Vegas. Both games were great but I think I enjoyed it a bit more than Fallout 3.