Now Playing - Fallout: New Vegas

Despite the mixed reviews, the other day I purchased Fallout: New Vegas.

There was no way I was going to pass on it. I was interested in it whenever I saw pictures or watched a trailer of it.

This game, despite looking as though it could probably have been just nothing more than a mod for Fallout 3, was handled by Obsidian – a studio which consists of several guys who worked on the original Fallout games. The game goes back to the west coast this time, and takes place mainly in the Mojave, with locales such as what remains of Las Vegas being the main attraction. But, unlike Washington DC, the place seems to have been spared the same level of destruction. The surrounding towns though are a different story.

In my opinion, FNV is even more atmospheric than Fallout 3, and there are several little improvements and additions this time around. Of course, there are a number of bugs too – but luckily a have a couple of patches to help sort this out. Nevertheless, even then, I’ve come across a few annoying ones – mainly surrounding the companions.

In addition to the companions, you have other useful things such as a reloading bench where you can break down and make ammo, as well as campfires which help you create edible food stuffs from things you find out in the desert.

And the best part is you have more guns! And there’s quite a selection too: from the .357 Magnum, to the Service Rifle (M16), as well as numerous others. I was rather chuffed to see that there are now 9mm weapons, including a pistol to replace that horrid looking 10mm one, which still exists in this game. I just don’t want to use it.

Overall, I’m enjoying it so far. Great characters and missions in the game, and it really feels like the Wild West at times. Some people love FNV, and others hate it. I would fall in to the first camp. Despite its faults, I find it immensely enjoyable.

Now Playing - Fallout: New Vegas

AAA - Now Playing: Dark Forces

I think it was earlier this year when I decided I wanted to go ahead and get Star Wars: Dark Forces working.

So I got the game out of my collection and tried to run it with DosBox, but failed. So it laid there dormant for several months. I was kind of bummed that I couldn’t get it to work.

Then the other day I downloaded DarkXL – a source port for Dark Forces. With a bit of tinkering around, I was able to get it running. It was only the demo level though, and I was a little disappointed at this, seeing as I have the full version of the game. You see, the DarkXL source port is only in its Alpha stages of development, and it has been for years now.

So I went online and found out that there was in fact a later version of the program. I downloaded that ASAP and tried it again. The result was much better. The UI was vastly improved and I was able to at least play three levels this time before getting stuck.

Needless to say, much more work has to be done on the source port. But I eagerly anticipate the next build which should be out hopefully in the next few months. There’s been a pickup in activity as regards the project recently.

Still, it’s amazing that I’ve even been able run it, seeing as it’s been probably about 14 years or so since I’ve seen let alone played this classic. I usually have a habit of taking out a game every few years and playing it. So this one marks the longest amount of time that has elapsed since I last played it.

And this game was released in 1995, meaning it’s fifteen years old. But I’m still quite amazed at its technological advancements for that time.

AAA - Now Playing: Dark Forces