With a little spare money and 2+ months until Christmas, I’m looking to get a good game to fill the time. I have narrowed it down to two that I want, and I’m just waffling back and forth between them:
Fallout New Vegas
Fallout 3 blew me away, caused me to play through the full story being as good and as evil as I could, scouring the wastelands for any side quests and delicious details as I could. In a recent purge of video games (the reason I have some extra money), Fallout 3 was never a consideration to give up. Because New Vegas will be more of the same, I feel I could get my fix just as well just going back to what I have.
Side question (as reflected in the poll): My copy of Fallout 3 is console because I had an underpowered laptop at the time I bought it, but I now have a computer capable of handing the new game. With that comes the ability to mod, but I lose the ability to play on a big beautiful TV, not to mention potential for resale value (ex. Fallout 3 GOTY for PS3 is currently at $22 trade-in on Amazon; PC GOTY is just $8).
Civilization 5
As it was getting close to release, I didn’t catch the buzz, but in the weeks since, I’ve been lusting. #1 in gameplay time for the past two weeks or so has been Civ 4, and I’m ready for more. However, again, even with the improvements and changes from previous games, 5 really doesn’t look like a drastically different game, and I could just play what I have.
I don’t know why anyone would play the Bethesda games on a console if they had a computer available – the mods is 85% of the fun of most of them. And a $14 difference on a single resale data point seems too low to worry about.
That said, you could spring for a DVI -> HDMI converter (assuming you even need one, many TVs take PC input directly) and play the PC game on your TV anyway.
As TimeWinder says, the modding support is one of the great things about Bethesda’s games. I’d wait until after other people have reviewed the game just to make sure Obsidian hasn’t buggered it up, but assuming that’s not the case I’d definitely go for Fallout: New Vegas.
I’d go with New Vegas, although depends how much you enjoyed Fallout 3, as NV appears to be ‘the same but more’ of it. I loved it, so no problem for me. PC, obviously - for mods and (un)official patches.
I’d wait a few days and see what sort of reviews Fallout is getting before deciding. That’s what I’m doing, at least.
Personally, I love Civ5 and I think it is quite different from Civ4, especially as far as warfare is concerned. But having done quite a lot of reading on various forums about the game, there’s a substantial number of people who haven’t been happy with it so YMMV.
Steam says I’ve played ~45 hours of Fallout 3 and ~66 hours of Civ5.
Been a while since I’ve looked at the back of my TV, but I think it does have DVI input. However, it’s kind of moot since my video card has HDMI out. The problem is the computer being on one floor of the house, and the TV on another.
I realized last night after posting that I had a wonderful experience with the console version, even without any mods. Make me lust a bit for the mods I missed in Fallout 3. There are a few I’d heard about that would have made the experience a bit nicer, but Bda’s games are so massive on their own that I don’t really need anything sweeping different. Junk Metal Repair (which I understand is now built into the base New Vegas) and an expanded playlist on GNR (looks like New Vegas has more music, but is still kind of sparse), and I would have the only mods that I think would have “completed” the game. What else should I have had there, that I may want to want for New Vegas?
I have to vote for Civ 5 because its replayability is near endless.
I have Fallout 3 but not New Vegas yet. While I loved Fallout 3 I was disappointed in a variety of aspects. Unfortunately after I finished the game I found there are some amazing mods out that make it hugely more fun and address most issues I had.
To be sure Civ5 has some issues too. Mostly it is great but there are issues with AI and such that need fixing and, hopefully, will be in the near future.
At the end of the day though it is Civ 5 that keeps me up till 3am. Fallout I’d usually manage to get to bed by 1a.
Either way I do not think you can go too far wrong. Both should give you a lot of enjoyment. I’d say the final choice is subjective on which genre you personally enjoy more.
ETA: I would never in a million years choose the console over the PC for just about any game (there are a few exceptions). If your PC has the chops to run the game well the PC is the way to go…particularly for a single-player game (console can be good for playing with friends sitting on your couch that a PC really cannot do but that depends on the particular game).
Fallout Vegas sounds like would provide you with the most fun. Have you seen the quest/area specs?
And don’t be silly, get for your PC.
Why on earth would you even consider playing a game that will run at 720p (or less depending on the console) runs at sub 30 fps, and features less graphics detail/view distance AND offers no mods? If playing o the TV is important to you, get an $4 HDMI cable and (if your PC doesn’t have an HDMI or a DVI input) a $2 DVI to HDMI dongle. I know, I wouldn’t want to play at sub 720p on a large screen 1080p HDTV. Looks like crap.
Specially a Bethesda game as mentioned. Fallout 3 and Oblivion modded are two entirely different games from the vanilla versions, much better games in just about every respect too.
That’s quite the beefy upgrade. I’m sure beefing up the game, without any downloadable content, was one of the big reasons they kept the same game engine.
I’ll be getting New Vegas, but for the console. I love me some Civ, but I haven’t played Civ since 3, I think.
Oh Christ. The Wanderer Mod (realism: powerful weapons, limited ammo, food and water system) and the Fellout Mod (realism: super clear days and pitch black nights) make me want to get Fallout 3 for the PC (I’ve got it for the 360). Hardcore survivalism is the kind of game I was hoping it’d be. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game anyway but those mods sound completely game-changing.
I prefer gaming on a console in general and when Fallout 3 came out my computer at the time likely wouldn’t have been able to handle it. Never have to worry about that with a console. Shrug.
Same as the others, I like Bethesda’s games a lot and I’d like the PC version more. I just wouldn’t 800$-computer-upgrade like it more. My trusty 700$ early 2008 laptop serves me well, but it can’t even reliably run Civ4.
FYI: You don’t need a converter for DVI->HDMI, since they’re essentially the exact same thing (except that DVI doesn’t transfer audio). A $3 adapter from monoprice will get the job done.
