Earth May Inherit the Weak, but Fallout isn't for Weak of Heart

Fallout is Science Fiction MUD that takes place in the post-nuclear wasteland that once was Earth (as we know it). Intrigued by the game's motto, "And the Earth Shall Inherit the Weak," I sauntered over and was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

The first thing I must say about this game--as it is dreadfully important--is that Fallout is not intended for a general audience. In fact, the administration of Fallout themselves ask that no one under the age of 18 play Fallout without express parental permission. It is a game geared towards adults. And even then, Fallout is not for the squeamish or sensitive folk. Profanity is permitted, indeed encouraged, to add to the rough n' tough post-Apocalyptic atmosphere. Items and descriptions are oft unsavory, but very much fitting to Fallout's environment.

You begin your experience in Fallout in a massive dump, with all manner of junk scattered about you. I found the early stages of play very satisfying. There is no "Newbie MUD School" to insult your intelligence. Instead, a lone NPC gives you random streaming advice on what to do with your first few moments in the game. A bulletin board greets you with cryptic, chilling messages. Wielding a switchblade and donning tattered clothes (provided immediately upon character creation), I headed out into the vast dump to chop up some critters.

From there, the sky's the limit. Fallout bills itself as an exceptionally challenging game. There are certainly many opportunities given to new players for immediate advancement, which is great, in my opinion. I am more likely to become hooked on a game that gives me some encouragement at first, by providing means to increase wealth and stature, than I am on a game that makes initial advancement impossible. I realize that as you grow, progression becomes more difficult. From what I've seen, I'd imagine Fallout does a good job of living up to its claims about being a hard game. However, there's nothing quite as gratifying as going into a hack n' slash game and actually being able to hack and slash with some measure of success, even if you're only a matter of minutes into gameplay.

That being said, I would definitely have to categorize Fallout as a hack n' slash game. Whilst they have gone to great pains to make their world individual, the basic activities-running around beating up a plethora of mobiles, and participating in occasional player killing-are akin to your run-of-the-mill hack n' slash. Fallout, however, entertained me far more than many such games, as the atmosphere was so strong, the environment so colorful, and the premise excellent.

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