Amazing game, but wouldn't recommend buying it alone. For the best experience, get this and New Vegas Ultimate Edition and then install the Tale of Two Wastelands mod. This will allow you to experience everything this game has to offer but on an updated version of the same engine. Trust me, it's worth it.

If the game immediately crashes after clicking "play" in launcher or running Fallout3.exe from steam directory try this (worked for Win 11 and Nvidia gpu).

Check in the launcher options which graphic adapter it is using. In my case, cpu integrated graphics was selected by default & nvidia gpu wasn't even displayed. If so, go to Settings > Display > Graphics , under "Custom options for apps" click Browse and navigate to game's folder. The default is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 3 goty. Then add Fallout3.exe and FalloutLauncherSteam.exe. When they're added, for both of them click Options and set graphic preference to "High Performance".

Alternatively, this can also be done from Nvidia Control Panel. Click Manage 3D settings, then Program settings tab, select fallout3 from the list and choose "High performance Nvidia processor".

If you are using Windows 11 this game no longer works. You will spend hours just launching this game even with Windows 10. It is ABANDONWARE from Bethesda and does not function for up to 50% of players. It is borderline fraud that Steam continues to allow this to be sold on the Steam store as it no longer runs on modern PC's!

Compatability mode in Windows 11 does not solve the issue. Removing the intro video or clearing the Steam cache do not fix the issue. Many, Many potential solutions have been exhausted in an effort to run this game...should not require Nexus modding and file replacements to run the vanilla game.

Just spent some more time on it...changes to the .ini files were not successful. Removing or altering the FO3 files in the My documents folder didnt work and I always verify integrity of game files before trying anything new...

Gonna try it on another PC with lesser specs and will update again. FRAUD = BETHESDA

Gotta appreciate Bethesda for taking bold risks by reinventing the franchise. They switched to 3D graphics in open world setting and real-time combat, with choice to play in first as well third person view, replacing the 2D isometric graphics and turn-based combat featured in earlier games.

Although there are minor references to Fallout 1 and 2, you don't have to play either game before. Fallout 3 lets you create your own character with stats and attributes that were also featured in the previous games. The game also lets you recruit a companion including a dog or you could also choose to play solo. There's lots of ways you can complete side quests and a couple of main quests with multiple game endings. Ultimately your actions determine how characters treat you and there's a karma system for eg. every time you decide to do good deed like helping people adds positive karma while being a bad boy nets you negative karma. Playing as an evil person and excessive stealing will make everyone hate you and ultimately a bad ending. Either way the choice is left to you!

There's a very large open world to explore with hundreds of locations, tons of details and environmental storytelling, special unmarked quests, unique encounters with npcs and monsters. FO3 also features nice selection of vintage music from the 40s and 50s via in-game radio. Music score by Inon Zur is incredible and adds to the atmosphere even today. The plot is really good imho even though not approved and appreciated by purists and die hard fans of the origianl games and New Vegas.

Fallout 3 is plagued with tons of bugs and compatibility issues on Windows 10/11. Installing community mods, patches and fixes is recommended for a stable performance and stability. The game can also freeze or crash to desktop very often for no reason and your player character can get stuck into environment preventing you from playing unless you reload a previous save or use noclip console command. Like other Bethesda games you can download tons of mods to enhance gameplay and graphics to your liking. There's even a mod which can make the game less ugly by removing green/brown tint.

Despite being one of my favorite games of all time I'll say Fallout 3 is an ugly game. Gameplay and graphics to a degree are oudated. Some of the textures, character models and animations can look downright hideous. Lots of game assets, npc models and even entire areas are reused multiple times which can ruin some of the immersion but then again it's a 2008 game with a very large open world. Also expect a ton of loading screen every time you enter/exit a building/floor/town which is also common with all past and future games using Gamebryo/Creation Engine.

Even with it's problems there aren't many games as ambitious and big in scope as Fallout 3. The Game of the Year Edition includes 5 expansions and adds at least 15-20 hours of extra gameplay and story. If you decide to complete the whole game you can easily expect 80 - 100 hours of content depending on your pace. Easily one of the most enjoyable gaves I've ever played. Would surely revisit if they decide to remaster the game!

Bought it, downloaded it, tried to play it, just get a little windowed box in the top left on a black screen with a busy icon. Doesn't work. I have windows 11 and an Intel Core i7 9th gen. Not the best, but game should still work. It doesn't. Shouldn't have to go to NexusMods, create an account, to download a patch some random dude made to get a program created by a multi-billion dollar company sold by another to f**king work right. So tired of this crap.

It's a real shame, i loved plating this back when it first came out for console. Now that ive upgraded to a computer i wanted to replay this game but it doesn't work. The initial screen loads up but once you click play the game crashed and closes out imminently. Ive tried a bunch of the fixes people have suggested to get it working but none work. Its a real shame because its such a great game lost to time. Steam needs to take this down since this is an on going issue with many people and all this is doing is just making people to dish out money for a game that wont run and either have to request a refund or keep it and be out the money they just spent. This is straight bad business practice on steams end for allowing a non functional game to still be up on the store that does not work

Requested refund. Despite trying every workaround suggested on the internet the game still won't even launch. Until the game is officially fixed and playable in 2024, save your time and money.

On modern windows this version requires a lot of set up to get working, and bethesda should be embarrassed to present it for sale at all.

Not compatible with windows 11

It's weird that they haven't added patches for basic windows functionality to these old games at this point