In this ongoing look at significant moments in the history of video game design, we have already taken a look at Nintendo’s Kid Icarus, Electronic Arts’ Mirror’s Edge, Raven Software’s Soldier of Fortune 2 and several others. The goal of this series is to go beyond simple gaming magazines and iPhoneApp Reviews, and take a closer look at what defines memorability and quality in game design. In this twenty-seventh part of the series we will examine some more of those classic moments where video game designers undoubtedly got it right and delivered a memorable, enduring and progressive gaming experience.

In this ongoing look at significant moments in the history of video game design, we have already taken a look at Nintendo’s Kid Icarus, Electronic Arts’ Mirror’s Edge, Raven Software’s Soldier of Fortune 2 and several others. The goal of this series is to go beyond simple gaming magazines and iPhone App Reviews, and take a closer look at what defines memorability and quality in game design. In this twenty-seventh part of the series we will examine some more of those classic moments where video game designers undoubtedly got it right and delivered a memorable, enduring and progressive gaming experience.

Fallout 3 (Multi-Platform) – Developed by Bethesda Software and released in late 2008, Fallout 3 is not only another entry in the hugely popular Fallout series, it is a sort of spiritual successor to the games in the Elder Scroll series. Taking place in a post apocalyptic Washington D.C., Fallout 3 features a storyline which involves the game’s main character leaving the safety of their underground vault (an area protected from the nuclear radiation and resultant mutant creatures) in order to seek out their father.

Featuring gameplay almost identical to that seen in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, save for an attack queuing system, Fallout 3 was immediately familiar and playable for fans of that series. This familiarity helped gamers to quickly begin their journey and learn the intricacies of their new gaming environment. In discussing Fallout 3, several aspects of the game volunteer themselves for inclusion in this series due to their inherent quality and obvious polish. The voice acting, karma system, story and freedom are all features that one could easily write thousands of words on with perfect justification. However, for the purposes of this series, we will focus on the thoroughness of the designers in not allowing their game to be broken or derailed by the freedom they allow the player.

A standout moment that illustrates the game’s well designed safety net comes fairly early in the game. In one of the first missions the player receives, they are tasked with locating a DJ who may have information on their father’s location. Once the DJ has been talked to, the player is free to act on the information received and continue their quest. Conversely, the player could sneak into the bedroom of the sleeping DJ, and stealthily kill him in his sleep. There is absolutely no real reason that the player would do this, beyond the mere fact that they simply can do it. However, for those players who decided to ruthlessly murder the DJ, there were some rewards in store. As players adventure through the world they are equipped with a mobile device called a PipBoy. This device is able to access the few radio stations of the ravaged D.C. area, the assassinated DJs station among them. When players tuned into that station, they were able to hear the voice of an old woman. In listening closely to the woman’s words we learn that she has taken over for the murdered DJ, but has no idea what she is doing.

The developers at Bethesda must have known that only a small percentage of gamers would decide to kill that DJ. Still, his death had to be planned for and solutions put in place. For making sure players were rewarded for going off the beaten path, and their game remained consistent despite the loss of a running character, Bethesda Software’s Fallout 3 deserves its place in this series.