Fallout 3 review

Fallout 3 is the Xbox 360's best post-apocalyptic role-playing game. Bethesda's store page places you in the Capital Wasteland, with the great monuments of the United States in ruins, and frames the game with retro Vault-Tec humor. You build a character with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and dozens of skills and perks, choose first or third person, and decide whether to play a villain or a good samaritan, talking your way through problems or shooting. V.A.T.S. pauses combat so you can target body parts and queue attacks, which helps role-playing fans who are not sharp shooters. A used Xbox 360 disc lists at $12.99 at DKOldies. It ranks tenth because Skyrim, from the same studio, is cheaper, larger and newer, but it remains the pick if you prefer wasteland to fantasy.

Who it is for

Role-playing fans who like dark humor, choices and slow-motion targeted combat.

Price

Used Xbox 360 disc from $12.99 at DKOldies (regular price, before sales).

Original price: $12.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Open Capital Wasteland with ruined Washington, DC monuments
• S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system with dozens of skills and perks
• V.A.T.S. targeting that pauses combat to aim at body parts
• First or third person view
• Choices to play as a villain or a good samaritan

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: V.A.T.S. makes combat approachable for role-playing fans
• Strength: Many ways to handle each situation
• Strength: $12.99 used
• Weakness: Older and rougher than Skyrim from the same studio
• Weakness: Single-player only
• Weakness: Slower start than the shooters on this list

Key facts

• Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Release: October 2008
• Setting: Capital Wasteland, Washington, DC
• Multiplayer: No

Where it ranks

Fallout 3 is No. 9 in our Best Xbox 360 Games of All Time verdict.