Fallout: New Vegas
Common Sense says
- PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
- $59.99
- 2010
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Fallout: New Vegas contains scenes of bloody combat -- many dramatized with a slow-motion effect -- as well as the option to use blunt weapons, chainsaws and knives to wound or murder enemies, which may be human, mutants, or robots. The game also has prostitutes, gambling, and alcohol and drug consumption. Players have some ability to control the morality of the main character, and some of the characters he meets are genuinely nice and altruistic, but the world he inhabits is filled with gangs, racism, and hatred.
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What's it about?
From the opening sequence -- where you'll find yourself kneeling in front of a freshly dug grave and with a gun pointed to your head -- to an "explosive" climax much later on in the game, Fallout: New Vegas is a thrilling single-player adventure that doesn't mess much with the formula used for its acclaimed 2008 predecessor, Fallout 3. The game takes place in the year 2281, a few years after the events of Fallout 3, and 200-odd years following a nuclear war that destroyed much of the earth's civilization. While unraveling what got you in the deadly predicament at the start of the game, you'll learn about your role as a courier, the power struggle between local feuding factions, and how to best navigate treacherous Las Vegas and the Mojave Desert (collectively referred to as the "Mojave Wasteland").
Is it any good?
It's good game, though very similar to Fallout 3. Played from a first- or third-person perspective (it's up to you), you'll take on many dozens of missions, pick locks, charm characters, play mini-games (including casino games), and, most importantly, use a variety of weapons to engage in combat against enemies, such as mutant creatures and robots. As with Fallout 3, you can attack baddies in real-time or press the right shoulder button on the controller to enter the V.A.T.S. targeting system for a turn-based approach.
More so than in its predecessor, the choices you make come with consequences and can shape the direction of the story. Along with new weapons, characters, and locations, Fallout: New Vegas"also includes an optional "hardcore mode," which adds an even greater challenge for skilled players. This game is a great pick for fans of the franchise.
Online interaction: The game doesn't support multiplayer matches but players will be able to download additional content over time.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about whether adult themes are more tolerable in games with a futuristic, post-apocalyptic setting than in those set in contemporary times, such as the Grand Theft Auto series. Does this fictional setting make a difference in terms of age suitability? Or is blood and gore always disturbing, no matter how it is dressed up?
Families can also discuss the depiction of sexuality in games. How do you feel about frank discussions of sex and nudity as opposed to its visual depiction? Should this distinction make a difference in terms of how games are rated?
Game details
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
- Price: $59.99
- Available online? Not available online
- Developer: Bethesda Softworks
- Release date: October 19, 2010
- Genre: Role-Playing
- ESRB rating: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.