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Fallout 3
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
An outstanding role-playing game -- for adults.
Why We Rated This 
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Fallout 3 was written by Common Sense Media Editors
Parents need to know that this game is extremely graphic in nature, particularly when it comes to violence, blood, and gore -- and there are ample examples of each. Players can decapitate or dismember enemies with precision, resulting in a gruesome blood spray and chunks -- even witnessed in slow motion. Language might also offend with many instances of cussing. Less controversial but still in the game is the ability to take drugs called Chems (though you don't see the act) and some sexual scenes including some risqué dialogue and mannequins in a sexual position.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about whether this level of violence and gore is necessary to deliver the same dreary post-apocalyptic experience. If it were less graphic and had cleaner language, would the game be as appealing among players and would it sell as well? Is there a difference between fighting against radioactive enemies as in this game, and shooting at police officers in a game like Grand Theft Auto IV?
More on Fallout 3
What’s the Story?
A word of warning for parents concerned about what video games their kids are playing: while FALLOUT 3 is one of the finest role-playing games (RPGs) in recent memory, take heed to the "Mature" warning in the corner of the box (and be sure to read all the sections on this page for specific details). In case you haven't played any of the original games, Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic adventure, where the player emerges from Vault 101 after a devastating nuclear war only to find a dangerous wasteland populated with radioactive mutants to fight, memorable survivors to interact with, and plenty of challenging missions to tackle.
But how this single-player RPG plays out is entirely up to you, with a huge, open-ended world to explore (based on an irradiated Washington, D.C.), customizable skills, abilities and "perks" to enhance your character, and even options on how to engage in combat. With the latter, when approaching a threatening enemy, players can choose between a tactical, turn-based combat scheme by pausing time and pinpointing areas of the body to hit (and seeing the likelihood of a successful shot measured in percentages) or a more straight-forward real-time mechanic, if the player prefers to use weapons against baddies without a break in the action (note: the former combat style results in blood-soaked, slow-motion limb and head explosions). Befriend some non-player characters (NPCs) and they might help fight alongside you. Speaking of choices, players can also toggle between a first- or third-person view with the push of a button.
CloseIs It Any Good?
Not only is this game an immersive, futuristic Wild Wild West thriller that offers many dozens of hours of play, but it's also quite the looker with its high-definition characters, environments, and special effects (the game looks and plays the same between the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions). Animation isn't always smooth, though, and there are occasional camera issues that obscure your view instead of aiding it. Another minor shortcoming: it would have been great if a second player -- online or in front of the same TV -- could join in and play with you at any time (as you can in the Fable II RPG) but at least the artificial intelligence is smart and will keep you on your toes. Whether or not you played the original Fallout games, this sequel is one of the finest -- yet quite mature -- video games of 2008. Close
Publisher’s Details
Released on 10/28/2008, price $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: M (for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs)
ESRB rating: M (for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs)
Our Members Say
See all 74 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
Good for a mature child
This game does have some violent fighting, but my 12 and 13 year old children were not affected by the contents of the game. The only thing my wife and I had a problem with was the coarse language. However, this did not turn out to be much of an issue. One of the highlights of this RPG is that the character is not forced to be evil. In fact, the player is rewarded for doing good deeds. Overall, we believe that any mature child 12+ can play this game without a problem.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
great game a lot of mature humor so watch out for kids
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Deserves every one of it's 5+ Game Of the Year awards...and it's rating
Fallout 3 is a post-nuclear simulator - and a great one, and the reason it's great is it's realistic: as in if you seriously piss someone off, they're either going to a) cuss you out, b) cuss you out, then hurt you, c) get someone else to cuss out and/or hurt you, or d) get a whole town to do so. The whole point of the game is choices, and there's a lot of them to make, no matter what route you take - you can wipe out whole towns/races if you decide to, or you can protect children and feed the needy. The ratings set in the What to Watch Out For section is right on track - it's bloody-gory, you take drugs for benefit and can get addicted (the game suggests that addiction can be cured instantly by going to any doctor you find), you run into prostitutes occasionally, and the language can be foul; I'm fairly sure there's no filter available as in other games (Gears of War, etc.). Having said that, it is one of the best games I've ever played, and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have a weak heart (it's 10x scarier than any of the Resident Evil games).
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
Amazing RPG/Shooter for 14 and up!
This is my favorite video game, period. It's simply amazing in every way. Warning: parents, this game is Extremely Gorey. You can blow anybodies head off with a shotgun in slow motion and it shows chunks of the head, or the head exploding (even though you don't want to do that with ANYBODY, as killing just anybody unprovoked will lower your karma and others will attack you), as well as other limbs as well. There's also some language, sexual references, and you can use drugs. Oh, and one more thing. You can either be an angel in this game, or absolutely downright EVIL! The game sometimes gives you outrageous text options. The only people you can't kill, are children, but that's it.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 40% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 40% | of parents say it's educational |
| 40% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
| 30% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 30% | of parents feel the site is safe |
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