Getting through Fallout 3 made me wonder a bit over the value of video games in general. What I have in mind is the whole 'becaming better person' thing. One can argue that games are low culture and that shooting guns and storming through imaginary wasteland is not to inspire any philosophical meditation and that is true. However, what I found in this game very interesting is the total freedom in shaping your player character and the choices that he mades.
Keeping this in mind I decided to make every decision in the course of the story the way I would do it being there myself. That meant saying goodbye to stealing, killing innocent etc. to the point that I even carefully picked every option during the conversations to be always kind and not to offend anybody.

Of course the game allows you to be the total jerk and kill whoever you please or even blow up the whole city with a nuke. This is the power of choice - you can take the easy way and just follow the majority of the spoiled wasteland inhabitants or try to go against the current and remain noble ( an intact soul in a corrupt sorroundings - this sort of makes me think of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist"). Every action is reflected in your karma ( or reputation, if you like it better this way) and this preety much determines the attitude of others towards you. I had a very good karma for instance, and was titled 'hero of the wastes'.

The ending of the game is mostly determined by your karma and also varies according to some final choices and to whether you'll accept the ultimate sacrifice.

One statement that Fawkes happens to say before the ending, concerning the nature of the final choice seized me: 'We all have our own destinies, and yours culminates here. I would not rob you of that.'


I was also very much impressed by the persona of the main character's father. He is a very good and noble man who always places the good of others before his own, quotes Bible to you and who struggles to fulfill his dreams even despite the striking scepticism of others. I like how the good ending mentions the player following father's example: 'values passed from father to son' etc. This makes me dwell on how we shall struggle with leading a good life, so that one day our children would make the right choice. Those tiny bits of didacticism in the game appeared quite inspiring to me.



By the way: The final battle fought along Lyon's Pride and Liberty Prime was epic