Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas is an upcoming role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. While New Vegas is not a direct sequel, it will use the same engine and be in the same style as Fallout 3, and is being developed by some of the people who worked on previous Fallout games at Black Isle Studios. It will be set in and around post-apocalyptic Las Vegas (New Vegas). It has an official release date of October 19th in North America and October 22nd in Europe and will be available on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is currently at the top of the pre-order charts.

Development history
Fallout: New Vegas was announced on April 20, 2009 at Bethesda's London showcase. The first official information was released in the February 2010 issue of PC Gamer. A cinematic teaser trailer has also been released.

Setting
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic, retro-futurist Las Vegas following the Great War between the U.S., China and other countries, a conventional and nuclear war that occurred on October 23, 2077 and lasted less than two hours despite causing immense damage and destruction. Before the Great War were the Resource Wars, during which the United Nations disbanded, a plague rendered the United States paranoid, and Canada was annexed. The city of New Vegas itself didn't get hit as much as other districts, and most buildings were left intact. Hoover Dam supplies all the free electricity and water to those who control it.

Story
The story will continue some parts of the Fallout and Fallout 2 stories, but will not be related in any way to the one in Fallout 3.

Fallout: New Vegas takes place in 2280, three years after the events of Fallout 3 and thirty-nine years after Fallout 2, making this installment set furthest of the series. The New California Republic plays a major part in the story in a three way struggle between the Caesar's Legion slavers and the local New Vegas populace.

The courier, the player character, is meant to deliver a package to Primm. However, the Courier ends up buried in a shallow grave, only to be rescued by a TV Robot named Victor and treated by a man named Doctor Mitchell. Fallout: New Vegas will have a definitive ending, just like Fallout 3.

Gameplay
The gameplay system will be similar to the Fallout 3 gameplay, although some changes have been made, including changes to the combat system to make it more like a first person shooter, such as the ability to use weapon iron sights.

Hardcore mode
Hardcore mode is an optional setting which makes the game more realistic, with gameplay elements such as dehydration and healing over time. If the difficulty is switched to normal, it is impossible switch back to Hardcore. Either a Trophy or Achievement is awarded for completing Fallout: New Vegas on Hardcore mode.

Character system
The SPECIAL system returns, and directly influences speech options and quests. Unlike Fallout 3, perks are gained every 2 levels, however this may change when the game is released.

Combat
The Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S., is an active pause combat system implemented in the game, just like in Fallout 3. While using V.A.T.S., the otherwise real-time combat is paused. V.A.T.S. also allows the gory deaths in the game to be shown in slow motion and great detail. Attacks in V.A.T.S. cost action points, and the player can target specific body areas for attacks to inflict specific injuries. During real time combat you can now look down the iron sights of weapons rather than the zoom in Fallout 3. Unlike Fallout 3, melee weapons now have special moves in V.A.T.S., such as "Fore!" for golf clubs. Another feature being added, is that if an enemy has a high damage threshold, some weapons may be ineffective. This is shown by a red shield near the enemy's health bar when attacking it, in and out of VATS. The damage threshold will be due to high armor or a built in mechanic to that character, and will require the Courier to retreat, or attack with a more powerful weapon. Previews have also mentioned the presence of a dynamic 'Kill Cam' which shows the killing bullet in slow motion, permitting players who play in real-time to experience the same cinematic feel of V.A.T.S.

Karma and Reputation
Karma is back, but now incorporated alongside a reputation system, similar to Fallout 2. Reputation is a form of tracking relationships within the factions and towns of Fallout New Vegas, such as the NCR or Goodsprings, a high reputation with a faction or town may give certain benefits, such as gifts from the people of that town, while a low reputation may lead to hits being taken out against you. Karma in New Vegas will have very little effect compared to Fallout 3 as reputation will decide how people react to you.

Weapon modding feature
This modding feature allows you to modify your gun by adding things like scopes, expanded magazines, etc. You are able to have a weapon with no more than 3 mods attached to it. These mods will be permanent to that weapon. Whether unique weapons can be modded is currently unknown.

Companion wheel
A new Companion wheel has been added to easily give companions commands such as 'Attack' and 'Flee'. It will also make it easier to swap health and equipment. The companions also have their likes and dislikes; giving a sniper companion a shotgun will result in a nasty remark and decreased effectiveness.

Developers
Fallout: New Vegas is being developed by Obsidian Entertainment, a company founded by Feargus Urquhart and Chris Avellone, two of the makers of Fallout 2 (originally at Black Isle Studios). The project is led by J.E. Sawyer, one of the lead designers of Van Buren, the canceled Fallout 3 project by Black Isle Studios. John R. Gonzalez is the lead creative designer, while Obsidian founder Chris Avellone, who worked on Fallout 2 and Van Buren is a senior designer. Joe Sanabria is the lead artist.