From a design perspective, one of Fallout 3’s biggest hurdles was managing the difficulty curve in an open world. Fallout and Fallout 2 addressed this by placing Vault 13 and Arroyo in the far north while crafting a narrative that relied on unlocking the location of new, more difficult settlements. In terms of structure, these games also benefited from a timer, discouraging players from exploring the vacant wasteland in favor of following the story.
Previously, we analyzed the Brotherhood of Steel in the first three Fallout games. Now, lets turn our attention to Fallout 3 and Fallout: NV. During the transition from isometric to 3D, the Brotherhood of Steel got dipped in the F.E.V., mutating the faction until it was barely recognizable as the force it once was. The BoS is the only faction to appear in every Fallout game, but it seems none of the writers know exactly what to do with them. Continue reading
The Brotherhood of Steel is the only faction to appear in every single Fallout game. From charming isolationists in Fallout to conquering warlords in Fallout: Tactics and then xenophobic isolationists in New Vegas, the Brotherhood of Steel has served as the lighthouse of the Fallout franchise. Despite their strong presence, the Brotherhood perhaps the most inconsistent and controversial faction. This inconsistency has led many fans to see the Brotherhood as little more than techno-raiders, rather than knights of knowledge.
To better understand the Brotherhood and their changing mission, I want to unpack the canonical forms of the Brotherhood of Steel in two parts. First from Fallout 1-Tactics and then from Fallout 3-4. Continue reading
The Rad-Lands 