Fallout: New Vegas is gaming's Lawrence of Arabia

[WorstUsernameEver]

Despite the title, the author of Bitmob's editorial doesn't claim that Fallout: New Vegas is going to be remembered as a classic in the future, but simply notes some similarities in the setting and themes between Obsidian's take on the Fallout universe and Lawrence of Arabia. Here's a snip:<blockquote>When it comes to plot, the game and film also walk similar paths. An outsider comes into the picture, uniting the various and disparate tribes in order to drive a common enemy (or enemies) from the lands. In Lawrence of Arabia, we find T.E. Lawrence uniting the various Arab tribes to drive out the Turks while in New Vegas the main character must choose to get rid of Caesar’s Legion, the New California Republic, or both.

Lawrence had to choose as well, deciding whether or not he wanted to help his British superiors or the native Arabs. In the end, he chose to help the Arabs form their own state, believing they had the right to be free. The player has the same power in New Vegas, deciding what is best for the people or even what is best for himself. Will the NCR be the best fit, or is the player the one who should be ruling?

The epics heavily deal in the morality of their respective protagonists. Lawrence learns what it means to kill and the human cost of what he is doing in his guerrilla war. He finds that he enjoys killing, and it disturbs him. He finds things out about himself that he wishes he never knew.
</blockquote>

 

[Sub-Human]

Just wikipedia'd the movie, suprisingly enough New Vegas does seem much like the movie when it comes to plot.

As for New Vegas not being remembered, I agree. There's nothing too significant about the game, it's been overshadowed by Skyrim, CoD, Battlefield 3, Assassin's Creed and countless other games.

 

[Surf Solar]

There's nothing too significant about the game.

What about being one of the only (and best) RPG we've had for years (and probably years to come)?

 

[archont]

There's nothing too significant about the game.

What about being one of the only (and best) RPG we've had for years (and probably years to come)?

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is the king.

 

[TychoXI]

Just wikipedia'd the movie, suprisingly enough New Vegas does seem much like the movie when it comes to plot.

As for New Vegas not being remembered, I agree. There's nothing too significant about the game, it's been overshadowed by Skyrim, CoD, Battlefield 3, Assassin's Creed and countless other games.

The amount of Classics that were overshadowed and overlooked at their time is staggering. I'm pretty sure NV will be fondly remembered by RPGers during many years to come.

 

[DevilTakeMe]

Time will tell. I think New Vegas will be vindicated by history, myself. Stories and character mean more in the long run than shiny graphics or the latest fad in gaming.

 

[shihonage]

If only in New Vegas interesting stories and characters were the rule (rather than exception), then we'd be all set.

 

[Sabirah]

It's funny because my second time playing the game I tried to basically be Lawrence.


He was truly an inspiring man. Easily my favorite historical figure of the 20th century besides Mohandas and Indra Gandhi

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

As for New Vegas not being remembered, I agree. There's nothing too significant about the game, it's been overshadowed by Skyrim, CoD, Battlefield 3, Assassin's Creed and countless other games.

Meh, whenever someone in the near future will ask me if there is any current PC game I can recommend I will always point them to Fallout New Vegas first.
Deus Ex Human Revolution probably second.

 

[Janmanden]

I smell a deluded fanboi.

The epics heavily deal in the morality of their respective protagonists. Lawrence learns what it means to kill and the human cost of what he is doing in his guerrilla war. He finds that he enjoys killing, and it disturbs him. He finds things out about himself that he wishes he never knew.

I haven't noticed much in the way of moral qualms about anything in this game apart from the hindsight notices of failed quests that gives me more in the way of a feeling of remorse and regret than anything else leading up to the kill. Killing is too easy, because noone ever begs for mercy and that is quite disturbing in itself, that the developer didn't feel like implementing hard choices.. The wasteland is full bloodthirsty mindless creatures of both man and beast.. It's kill or be killed without pause, without questions asked. [spoiler:d752524404]Killing Jules in Vampire: Bloodlines was actually pretty hard.. Hard choices like that should be more common than not at all.[/spoiler:d752524404]

-- edit --

Didn't see any spoiler tag i the editor, but I just guessed. Aaaargh, after I put NMA in the Restricted Sites to fix the faulty links I can't see it myself..

 

[smejki]

As for New Vegas not being remembered, I agree. There's nothing too significant about the game, it's been overshadowed by Skyrim, CoD, Battlefield 3, Assassin's Creed and countless other games.

Meh, whenever someone in the near future will ask me if there is any current PC game I can recommend I will always point them to Fallout New Vegas first.
Deus Ex Human Revolution probably second.

dtto

 

[Sub-Human]

While I understand it's a good RPG and proper Fallout, the game failed at making me go 'wow' like Fallout 1 and Deus Ex did.

Besides, who of the mainstream market will actually remember New Vegas? They might remember Skyrim or Battlefield 3, but New Vegas is pretty much forgotten for them.

I haven't even completed all the DLC for New Vegas (didn't even try Lonesome Road), but that's maybe because I like when the game's related to the whole core (and the reason why I hate DLC).

 

[Sabirah]

While I understand it's a good RPG and proper Fallout, the game failed at making me go 'wow' like Fallout 1 and Deus Ex did.

That can depend on how young you were when you first played them. I remember when I was 7 and Prince of Persia the Shadow and the flame for the SNES Filled me with awe that has been unmatched from a game since

 

[Ohaimerk]

It's hard to compare older games to older movies. Movies have been on basically the same medium for a hundred years so a movie from 1965 can be easily compared to a movie from 2005 with little bias. Games on the other hand change medium every five years and have dozens of different medium types over the 40 years they've been around. A game from 1988 with amazing plot and gameplay is harder to compare to a game from 2008 with poor gameplay and story because of the technology behind it. Accessability is a factor too, it's easier for one to gain access to an old movie than, say, an SNES game.

 

[gumbarrel]

Accessability is a factor too, it's easier for one to gain access to an old movie than, say, an SNES game.

Emulators.

 

[Sub-Human]

While I understand it's a good RPG and proper Fallout, the game failed at making me go 'wow' like Fallout 1 and Deus Ex did.

That can depend on how young you were when you first played them. I remember when I was 7 and Prince of Persia the Shadow and the flame for the SNES Filled me with awe that has been unmatched from a game since

Well, I think that my first game was that '89 Prince Of Persia on the DOS, and while I enjoyed it, I wouldn't replay it now, nor do I think of it as 'wow'.

It still comes down to the quality of the game and your tastes in the specific genre, but age is a factor (unless I'm still that little immature kid .

 

[Ohaimerk]

Emulators.

I'm talking general mainstream public wise. You can go into a store and get any movie from any era and are guaranteed it will play but it takes digging and some know-how to learn how to find and play old games. Plus there's the whole legality issue. Imagine if you had to get a movie theater emulator to watch pre-DVD movies.

 

[UniversalWolf]

Lawrence of Arabia could be an interesting RPG setting, actually. You could play as an Arab, or a Turk, or a Brit, or a German, or a Frenchman.

 

[Sub-Human]

Lawrence of Arabia could be an interesting RPG setting, actually. You could play as an Arab, or a Turk, or a Brit, or a German, or a Frenchman.

And a Russian, for a change.

 

[UniversalWolf]

Lawrence of Arabia could be an interesting RPG setting, actually. You could play as an Arab, or a Turk, or a Brit, or a German, or a Frenchman.

And a Russian, for a change.

That would work too.