New Vegas

f you take a look at some of the recent screen shots for Bethesda's newest entry in the Fallout series, you will probably notice that graphically, not much has changed since Fallout 3. This is due to the fact that the game runs on the same engine used in Fallout 3, and in many respects, the textures, artwork, and animations remain the same. This may upset some, as New Vegas could potentially have been released as an expansion for Fallout 3, as opposed to to a full priced standalone game, but development has changed hands in such a way that I will gladly pay up.


 The original Fallout games were developed by Black Isle Studios, and they allowed for much more freedom in both action and morals than the Bethesda developed Fallout 3 was able to provide. Fallout 3 was a great game, but it ended up feeling diluted and restrictive regarding matters of character choice. Interactions typically fell to combat, whereas in the first two Fallout games, you could use civilized conversation, infallible logic, proven science, or if absolutely necessary, a cheap shot to the groin. While Black Isle Studios was dissolved, many of its employees now work for developer Obsidian Entertainment. Backed by Bethesda, serving as producer this time around, Obsidian Entertainment has been given the Fallout 3 engine to do with what they will, and from what I have seen so far, every complaint I had about Fallout 3 has been addressed. 


 The V.A.T.S. targeting system has been revamped to not only include groin shots once again, but special weapon specific finishing moves as well. The diversity of character interaction has increased, and those that choose to specialize into the social aspects of their character will see much greater rewards than those offered in Fallout 3. Another issue I experienced with Fallout 3 was the overall dilution of my character as I approached max level. You ended up literally having every skill in the game, with the only real variance being in what order you chose to max them out. This has supposedly been fixed in New Vegas, with characters becoming very specialized depending on what skill route they choose.

 I can't wait until October 19th, when Fallout: New Vegas is released in North America, for I shall delve deep into the man cave and return enlightened by the developmental power of Obsidian Entertainment. If it does end up sucking however, you can call me out on it here.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Civilization V

Civilization V is the fifth offering in the multi-award winning Civilization strategy game series featuring the famous “just one more turn” addictive gameplay that has made it one of the greatest game series of all time.

In Civilization V, players strive to become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the dawn of man into the space age, waging war, conducting diplomacy, discovering new technologies, going head-to-head with some of history’s greatest leaders and building the most powerful empire the world has ever known.
Features:
Believable World
More than just a strategy game - the expanded visuals and immersive audio invite would - be kings to take up the reigns of power and forge a mighty empire. Civilization V offers a limitless variety of vast, realistic and diverse landscapes for players to explore, battle over and claim as their own.
Inviting Presentation
An intuitive interface eases both new players and Civ veterans into the game. Guided by a set of trusted advisors who will explain game functionality and provide counsel for significant decisions, even first-time players will be confident in the choices they make.
Huge Battles
Combat is more exciting and engaging than ever before. Wars between empires feel massive with armies spreading across the landscape.The addition of ranged bombardment allows players to fire weapons from behind the front lines, challenging players to develop clever new strategies to guarantee victory on the battlefield.
Live History
Write your own epic story each time you play! Choose one of eighteen historical civilizations to lead from the stone-age to the space age on your quest to build the world’s most powerful empire.
system requirements:
Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 256 MB (GeForce 7900 GS or better), 8 GB HDD, Windows XP/Vista/7.