It is no small secret that both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas appear to be getting the remaster treatment in the nearish future. That should undeniably be an exciting prospect, given both how long ago these games were released and their beloved yet often frustrating quirks that hamper otherwise thoroughly enjoyable experiences. While we have little to go on, the length of time it is taking Bethesda to produce said remasters seems to imply that these remasters will go above and beyond the expected, much like 2025’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Videos by ComicBook.com
However, while to some the idea of an Unreal Engine 5 iteration of both Fallout 3 and New Vegas may be an exciting prospect, to me it is a nightmare. For all of Oblivion Remastered’s many improvements, it did something to that original experience that prevents it from being a true definitive edition. That is something the Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters simply cannot afford to do, especially when there’s so much potential in reviving these nearly two-decade-old games.
Oblivion Remastered Was Disappointing
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, for all its truly delightful elements, hasn’t aged all that well. Its simplification of Morrowind’s complex RPG systems muddies its combat and stats-based leveling system, its visuals range from striking to unbearably ugly, and its narrative, while padded early on with famous faces and iconic lines, underdelivers. Still, there is a ridiculous amount to praise about the original game, so much so that it’s understandable why everyone was so excited for a remaster, myself included.
I have many very fond memories of exploring Cyrodill, its tiny villages filled with eccentric denizens, large bustling cities bursting with lore, and idyllic countryside landscapes filled with adventure. I longed to return to that experience, albeit with all the frustrations baked into the core experience ironed out. While there are plenty of new features in Oblivion Remastered, some of which do fix many of those aforementioned annoyances, they simply aren’t enough to truly transform a game that is in dire need of serious repairs.
Of course, you could argue that Oblivion Remastered is not a remake, and therefore shouldn’t be burdened with the task of transforming the core experience. However, the game’s completely overhauled visuals (which rob it of the original’s iconic atmosphere that was intentional, not a flaw born of restriction as many assume), and shift to Unreal Engine 5, rather heavily imply this project goes beyond the simple remaster treatment. Expectations are therefore raised, and, naturally, not well met.
Even beyond what Oblivion Remastered doesn’t do, the things it does change feel incremental, or, at times, worsen the experience. The use of UE5 brings with it all the pitfalls of that precarious engine, making for a laggy and oftentimes broken wander around the now visually dull landscapes. Patches have only broken Oblivion Remastered further, and it remains an inconsistent experience. All of these issues have me extremely worried about what is in store for the potential Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters.
Fallout 3 & Fallout New Vegas Remasters Need To Avoid Oblivion Remastered’s Flaws
Much like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, both Fallout 3 and New Vegas are littered with major and minor flaws worthy of tweaking in a potential remaster. However, so too do they have their own delightful quirks, atmospheres, and ideas that should remain intact. Far too much was robbed from the original Oblivion experience, and it would be a genuine shame to see that happen to the rumored upcoming Fallout remasters.
As aforementioned, it isn’t the job of a remaster to fundamentally alter the original game’s vision. I appreciate that’s somewhat hypercritical of me to say, especially after lamenting that Oblivion Remastered didn’t change enough. However, if Bethesda and Virtuos are going to change something as foundational as a game’s entire visual style, then we’ve undeniably veered away from remastered territory and into something more akin to a hybrid between remaster and remake. Should the alleged Fallout remasters be titled as such, then they shouldn’t divert so greatly from their original intentions.
It is the job of a remaster to elevate a core experience to make it more approachable to a modern-day audience, whether that’s with improved framerates (akin to how Ubisoft has handled Far Cry 3 and several other games as of late), enhanced resolutions, or minor quality-of-life features to make the otherwise expertly designed experience less frustrating. Remasters exist to use modern technology to heighten a game, not alter it. That is what Bethesda and Virtuos appear to have misunderstood with Oblivion Remastered, and what I fear they will misunderstand with Fallout 3 and New Vegas.
Old Fallout Games Still Deserve Remasters
None of this is to say that I don’t believe either Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas deserves remasters. While it is easy to poke fun at Bethesda for its rather ridiculous remastering practices, both of its early Fallout games have somehow gone untouched since they were released back in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Remasters would not only fix any underlying issues, but would also allow Bethesda to bring both games to new platforms, namely the Nintendo Switch 2.
It would also ensure that these experiences are preserved for a whole new generation. Of course, in an ideal world, they’d be preserved in their intended forms, especially as playing the original games is becoming increasingly difficult without a current-gen port. For a remastered version akin to Oblivion Remastered to become the “definitive” version would only serve to bury the original games further, and that would be a great shame.
It is worth new people experiencing Fallout 3 and New Vegas as intended. Crucially, this does not mean in their original buggy and oftentimes broken forms, but rather how the developers had wished the games to be played had they had the resources and technology to pull it off. That’s what a remaster should do: bring forth the intended vision, not obfuscate it with UE5 visuals and worse lag. Fallout 3 and New Vegas undeniably deserve to be remastered for a modern audience, just not in the same way as Oblivion was unfortunately subjected to.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of TOHO Animation -
Image Courtesy of A-1 Pictures -
Image Courtesy of MAPPA
