Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition Guides are Go!

Read more about Fallout 3 Game of the Year Collector's Edition Game Guide

I began the mammoth undertaking of writing a strategy guide for Fallout 3 on May 24^th, 2008, along with a huge amount of help and support from everyone at Bethesda; our efforts have culminated in the newly released Game of the Year Edition guide, now available in softcover and limited edition, numbered hardcover versions. Over a year in the making, these take the very finest elements from the previous Fallout 3 guides, add a huge number of exclusive sections, and squeeze everything into 752 packed pages. Heck, we even added an index.

The first thing you notice about the guide is its sheer weight. The hardback version, for example, is a full pound heavier than the previous iteration, and it should be: there’s every possible piece of information you’ll ever need in there. But it’s the content inside that matters, and I’m happy to say that everything I and the team at Bethesda wanted has made it into both these weighty tomes. Glossy paper makes the screenshots pop. The Capital Wasteland map has new content areas labeled. But let’s delve into the guide on a chapter-by-chapter basis:

From the very start, we’ve revamped the guide to make it user-friendly, giving brief descriptions of what each chapter contains. This begins with the Training, which runs through all the statistics you need during character creation, along with general character development and Perks all the way to Level 30. Chapter 2 is the Factions and Bestiary, charting the machinations of every Wasteland clan and association from the Bandits to the Brotherhood of Steel, the Aliens to the wig-wearing Ghoul Guard. Then comes statistics for every single enemy in the game.

I’m particularly happy with Chapters 3 and 4: brand-new Wasteland Census and Gear information. The Census showcases every single person with a name that appears in Fallout 3. And I mean EVERYONE, along with where to find them, their biography, and their related Quests. Each Wasteland dweller has their own portrait too; a screen-taking process that took 72 hours alone to accomplish. But you will be able to look up information on anyone you meet, whether it’s Split Jack the Bandit or Leaf Mother Laurel. The Gear features every available weapon (along with a render of it), and all the wearable equipment you can find, with statistics and advice on how (and where) to find each type. Naturally, this includes associated Quests, unique weapons, custom weapons, and every other possible piece of information you need.

Next comes the familiar Main Quest, all the Miscellaneous Quests, and a thorough Tour of the Capital Wasteland. Did I just sum up pages 149-464 in one sentence? Yes, I think I did. Not to worry, there’s still close to 300 additional pages of content to peruse. This encompasses Quests and extensive Tours of every location you visit (and many you haven’t even spotted yet) during Operation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout, and Mothership Zeta. Finally to finish, there’s an Appendix listing Achievements, Trophies, and the location of hundreds of important items. Did I mention we have an index now, too?

The man-hours on this project and the social activity missed because of it cannot be understated, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This book was created with great affection for the game, the series, the developer, and most importantly, the gamer. I hope it helps your Wasteland excursions for months to come.

David S J Hodgson. October 13, 2009.

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Tags: Fallout 3, prima games, strategy guides, video games
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