Replaying Fallout: New Vegas

Looking west towards Mojave Outpost

Yes, just seven months after I finished the main quest in Fallout: New Vegas, I'm back playing the game again. It's just that much fun! (You can read my earlier thoughts about it here.)

It's not that I don't have many, many other games to play. But I just couldn't resist. At first, I thought I'd load up a saved game and try one of the DLC I'd skipped. (Since this game wasn't new, I could buy the "Ultimate Edition," which came complete with all the previously-released downloadable content. Note that the game is dirt cheap these days, especially when it goes on sale at Steam or GamersGate.)

But pretty soon, I just decided to start the whole game all over again. And I'm having a blast! I'm not doing things too differently, but some. I started the first game on Easy difficulty, but I'm on Normal now, right from the start (and I'm not noticing much difference.)

The first time, I focused on Guns as my weapon skill, but I'm using both Guns and Energy Weapons this time. My skill level isn't very high with either, since I'm splitting skill points between them. But that hasn't been a problem, either.

Ranger Station Charlie

And right from the start, I've been finding things I missed the first time. OK, they're just small locations, mostly, but they're still fun. Of course, I know what to expect from the main quests, but I can still do things differently, if I want.

For example, the first time I needed to find Primm a new sheriff, I just reprogrammed their robot to do that. It was quick and easy, and it seemed to work just fine. But the other options offer a lot more gameplay. So, this time, I tried them all before making my decision.

It's funny - if a bit embarrassing - but I was such a bad shot at the start of my first game that I apparently didn't kill anyone when I was helping Goodsprings fight off the Powder Gangers. So the Powder Gangers didn't hate me, and we just ignored each other for the rest of the game.

This time, I did much better, so we were enemies right from the start. And since, this time, I needed to talk to an ex-sheriff at the NCR Correctional Facility, to see if I'd want to hire him as Primm's sheriff, that opened up a whole new area for me.

But sure, most of this has been a replay of what's still fresh in my mind. But it's been fun, anyway. You know, there's a lot of Skyrim I haven't even touched,... but I just couldn't get interested - not even when I tried with a different character. But Fallout: New Vegas is just my kind of game, I guess.

East Las Vegas looks a little sad these days

Most likely, after my character level rises a bit, I'll try some of that DLC. The only one I've played is Old World Blues, and it was just massive. That was a whole game in itself (and you couldn't leave until you finished the quest). But if I want something new, there's a lot more DLC I haven't even touched.

I did take a brief look at Dead Money, but that one didn't appeal to me much. Well, you can't take any equipment inside - or out, I think. And I'm such a scavenger that loot is a big part of this game, for me. Old World Blues gave me some great weapons, but I don't suppose I'll want to play that one again, not yet. But Honest Hearts and Lonesome Road both look interesting.

But I'm a long way from that - my character has just reached level 10 - and who knows how long I'll want to play this, given that I've spent more than 200 hours (228 hours, to be precise) in the game already! And I have a lot of games I want to play.

There's never enough time for everything, is there?