Fallout 3 (2008) is a good game.
(Jump to the end to read the verdict.)

(FO3 – GOTY | For some stupid reason, this version of the game only counts the launcher as “the game.” I finished the base game in about 25 hours.)

THE GOOD
Fallout 3 has a great main narrative with deep world-building, and the characters are interesting and believably human. The story gets really engaging and personally hooked me back into the game during moments when I felt I should’ve given up on the experience.

The game’s aesthetic is very well put together. I actually started preferring the grim look of the older games compared to Fallout 4 and 76—it sets the tone much better in my opinion (except for the mirelurks; those are really ugly and goofy-looking…).

Also, Fawkes, my GOAT, taking radiation like a champ!!

THE BAD
The combat in FO3 is very dated. It lacks responsiveness, and you mostly have to rely on V.A.T.S. for firearms, which makes the game frustrating and sometimes downright unfair.
(It’s like shooting fish in a barrel—but instead of you shooting, the fish have the gun.)

The lack of ammo in the early game was also rough for me—skill issue. (•‿•)
As a consequence, the early game is tough, and not because it’s the beginning: the player feels powerless, and it takes a while before you can really strike back against those bullies.

Beware: you will die—a lot—so hang in there and push through. It’s worth it.

This version (GOTY) is also prone to crashing on Windows 10/11. It wasn’t terribly annoying, but it did happen a few times. My guess is that Rivet City is hard for the engine to load and is especially prone to crashes if the player speeds through the settlement, as I did… many times.

THE OK
As I finish FO3 and set my sights on New Vegas, there are a few things I hope get better.

For example, early on you stumble upon Megaton, a growing settlement, and the game forces you to face a decisive moment for the community. Since I focused heavily on Intelligence, the outcome of that decision was very underwhelming. I just... did it. Sure, I was content with the result, but it didn’t feel earned.

This underwhelming feeling happened a few more times, but I mainly remember this quest and the Arefu quest as being the most “okay, I guess.”

(Update!)
The game actually does have a weapon wheel—it’s just not very intuitive to stumble upon. So yeah, way less tab-switching! (Only found out during post-game quests…)

Also, not all quests are particularly interesting—the weaker ones tend to be boring or straight-up repetitive (mostly fetch quests).

CONCLUSION
Fallout 3 GOTY (2008) is good—really good—but it lacks in gameplay.

If you’re interested in lore-heavy and exploration-based games, pick it up.
If you’re here for combat, go play Fallout 4 or 76, or even wait for the rumored FO3 remake.

Basically, FO3 is really rough around the edges, but if you can overlook those flaws, it’s a great game.