Definitely one of the best RPG games ever.....till Mothership Zeta
Well lets start with graphics. Graphics are good. Actually excellent. This is improved Oblivion graphics that will definitely give you joy. Great light, blood, fire and water effects will follow you through the game. Character details (like face) is highly realistic. Good designed weapons and areas will make you wandering around without stopping.
Sounds are cool enough to make atmosphere more realistic (and I just love the sound when kill giant ant with head removing). Weapon sounds are interesting (like Chinese Riffle and Flamethrower) but some could be more realistic (like 10mm gun, but who know it's future, maybe guns will sound like that)
Gameplay. Well storyline is interesting form very beginning. Creating character is done very creatively. But after leaving vault 101, real experience begins. Devastated land, lots of mutated animals and insects, bandits, ghouls and "normal" people who just trying to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. So you chasing your father, doing lots of side quests, finding new armors and weapons which are so interesting(I mean, you have to love Minigun, Flamethrower, Missile Launcher and Fat Man right? Oh yeah, I just love that Hunting Rifle). And you can chose either you will be good or bad (I prefer 100% evil, it's so cool, but that's my opinion). Washington DC ruins are very good done, it's bit complicated to move to undiscovered location because of the blocked streets, but that is ok, it is interesting finding your way through ruined city. But it can be annoying though. And quest are interesting, creative and you will enjoy doing them. Dialogs can be often hilarious. And so, after doing tons of side quest and finally find time to do main quest, chase your father, fight the Enclave and game is finished with ending that depends of what have you done in the game. You can't continue further when you are completed, but you can with expansions
Yeah game have lot's of crashes, so for original game 9,5
Operation Anchorage: first expansion that will lead you to battle for Anchorage. Yes directly on front.No mutants here, just pure futuristic war story against communism. Snowy mountains are good change after the gray, toxic, radioactive, no-green-tree Capital Wasteland (I mean I liked Wasteland, but it is still good change)
Expansion have crashes too, so it will be 9,5
The Pitt: second expansion takes you to the totally toxic, worst than Wasteland Pitt. And you are slave. And it is sooo amusing to build your way from poor, pathetic slave to be again good armored yourself. New creatures and weapons.
Broken Steel: Again war against Enclave ? Yes, and I am always for that. Again with big bad robot on your side. But this time it is destroyed, and you go deep into the enemy lair, in their base, and finally finish the long-lasting war (yes you will encounter Enclave after this, witch is good because of the ammo and guns)
Still crashes 9,5
Point Lookout: Taking you to new area. Dark and full of strange new creatures and twisted cultist. You will find yourself between two old rivals, and you will choose who will you help. And there is cool part of the game when you trip from some plant's seeds. I had to mention that.
You guessed it, still crashes 9,5
Mothership Zeta: so four very good expansions and you want some more ?! Well you won't get it. At least till sixth expansion (we hope it will be better)
And why is it so bad you may ask. I'll tell you why. It starts like other expansions with radio signal, you go to check it, aliens kidnap you. You find yourself inside the space ship like prisoner, meet new friend, and you trying to find your way out. So far so good. You meet some little girl, she tells you how to free her, witch is by turning coolers off to some machine. And that is about innovative. Next few hours (or less), till the end of expansion, you will walk through same rooms like first one, killing same two types of enemies, and overheating that damn machine 5637 times more. So it is very very very and very repetitive. And worst thing of all is that ten years old girl knows all about space ship, and she learned that by sneaking out of her cell and exploring the ship and from watching the Star Trek. I mean really lame. But you can meet cowboy and samurai and obtain that Alien Disintegrator and Drone Cannon. I think that can be considered good, or at least interesting. And that's about good stuff. Why, Bethesda, why !?!?
And, my God, still crashes, but you are kinda happy when it happens so you don't need to look at that peace of junk. This is very poor Bethesda 4
So all in all Fallout 3 GOTYE is great experience, it will keep you on your keyboard for a while, and four great expansions will make you happy. And you should complete Mothership Zeta, just to see a bit of it, and to complete the series.
Play games, take care.