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Help me choose: Skyrim vs Witcher 3 vs Fallout: New Vegas
- Thread starter Gorilla Shark
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ScientificPizza
Banned
Role playing doesnt always mean doing whatever *you* want to do. The role playing in NV is different than The Witcher because in The Witcher you are role playing as an esablished character instead of a character of your own creating. The role playing in The Witcher 3 is exceptional once you reconcile that youre playing *a* character and not *your* character
I could even argue that the role playing is better in The Witcher 3 because its world and quests is built around options to a specific character, whereas something like Nee Vegas has *more* options, but so often they are tonally different and contradictory from one decision to the next
TheRedSnifit
Member
You're "role playing" in Witcher 3 in the same way you "role play" as an Italian plumber in Super Mario Bros. or "role play" as a soldier in CoD. Have you played the famous RPG Modern Warfare 2?
Role-playing has a specific definition in video games, and I don't grasp why people are so obtuse about it.
At Gaf, people usually think witcher 3 is some kinda of game of the generation, redefine of open-world but Nah, it's a ok open-world game with not much freedom, a very bad combat system but very good narrative
If you like to experience geralt's story and make some choice for him, witcher 3 is a good game for you
If you like to create your own avatar, I think Skyrim is a much better game overall
If you like to experience geralt's story and make some choice for him, witcher 3 is a good game for you
If you like to create your own avatar, I think Skyrim is a much better game overall
Hasphat'sAnts
Member
Look man, if you like Breath of the Wild and GTA 5 then Witcher 3 is a no brainer.
Sygma
Member
Blood and Wine is amazing and it's really difficult to deny that. The problem is that you have to go through the extremely flawed base game to have a shot at it. I mean the world / leveling design of Witcher 3 is so bad. And let's not talk about the whole story part in Novigrad which is just there to artifically boost the length of the game.
Yes I'll go up that ladder for the 145th time, thank you Jaskier. You can't even do side quests in Witcher 3 vanilla or you'll over level the requirements so much when it comes down to the main story that the whole thing is a total joke even in death march. And the freeze bombs + whirlwind cheese is still more than viable
I'm gonna need some explanation for this logic, because that makes zero sense to me.
I'd have said F:NV is the best extension of BotW and GTAV, because of the degree of play experimentation its quest design allows (and its general goofiness). It's a true sandbox, top to bottom. Witcher 3, while having branching quests, does not come anywhere close to the creativity and complexity of choice allowed for in F:NV (see, for example, the chart linked on the previous page). Plus, there is very little actual space for 'role playing' in Witcher 3. The only character skill that has any tangible benefits outside of combat is Axii/Delusion and, even then, it never radically changes your given options. Because its story and outcome is structurally rigid, Witcher 3 can tell fairly straightforward and strong stories, but it's always Geralt's story or a Geralt from a parallel reality. In New Vegas, you have as much agency over practically every story aspect as you want, as a result of which it gets incredibly complex and difficult to maintain a 'good story' like the one put forward in Witcher 3 (and thus I won't argue that the latter has a better story). However, the story in F:NV is far more of a function to give you interesting gameplay (choices), whereas in Witcher 3 the gameplay a function to move the story forward. The choice between the two is really simple: would like to choose your own adventure (i.e. play a proper RPG), or would you like to follow a very well-developed cast of characters in a rich fantasy world (that has some RPG elements)?
I love The Witcher 3. I probably put twice or thrice as much time into it as F: NV. I love it like I do a good fantasy book with thick descriptions of lore, characters, and culture. But as a game, I don't think it's in the same league as New Vegas. That is the realm your Planescapes and Baldur's Gates of the world.
Imp the Dimp
Member
News Vegas is the best out of these 3
played them all, witcher 3 is by far the best.
i find bethesda's output gets worse and worse with each release. new vegas (technically not them, i know) was good, had a nice story unlike fallout 3, but still took place in a pretty uninteresting world. in that respect fallout 3 was a better GAME imo. skyrim i found was a worse game than oblivion, which in turn was a worse game than morrowind. non of which have particularly well written stories.
i feel like if i could erase all memory of all 3 games, the witcher 3 would still be awesome, the story would get me through new vegas, and skyrim would, once again, bore me to tears.
just my 2 cents.
i find bethesda's output gets worse and worse with each release. new vegas (technically not them, i know) was good, had a nice story unlike fallout 3, but still took place in a pretty uninteresting world. in that respect fallout 3 was a better GAME imo. skyrim i found was a worse game than oblivion, which in turn was a worse game than morrowind. non of which have particularly well written stories.
i feel like if i could erase all memory of all 3 games, the witcher 3 would still be awesome, the story would get me through new vegas, and skyrim would, once again, bore me to tears.
just my 2 cents.
Camp Freddie
Member
Witcher 3. Not only is it a great game, it also looks great.
The only caveat is that you need to like the character of Geralt. If you hate world-weary gruff stoic characters then you might not like it. The other games give you more freedom to define your character.
NV is better than Skyrim. The quest structure is brilliant. The game is MUCH better than Fallout 4 and 3 when it comes to 'roleplaying' and story, but it will look a bit rough compared to 4 (which wasn't exactly a pretty game itself).
Skyrim is great too, but it's dated. It's a really good world to explore, but the quest lines are generally a bit boring comapred to the other two.
The only caveat is that you need to like the character of Geralt. If you hate world-weary gruff stoic characters then you might not like it. The other games give you more freedom to define your character.
NV is better than Skyrim. The quest structure is brilliant. The game is MUCH better than Fallout 4 and 3 when it comes to 'roleplaying' and story, but it will look a bit rough compared to 4 (which wasn't exactly a pretty game itself).
Skyrim is great too, but it's dated. It's a really good world to explore, but the quest lines are generally a bit boring comapred to the other two.
Something tells me you haven't played Skyrim or Fallout. New Vegas is a fantastic game.
PuppetSlave
Member
They are all three great games. I have done the math, it is actually possible for three games to be good without two of them being dog shit!!1!
My personal favorite out of them is Vegas, however both vegas and skyrim has aged graphically. Witcher 3 is the prettiest one.
My personal favorite out of them is Vegas, however both vegas and skyrim has aged graphically. Witcher 3 is the prettiest one.
New Vegas has better quest design than the other two, which is one think the OP was after.
Sändersson
Member
Personally I would go for the witcher. Completed it two times and will complete it for a third time before cyberpunk. I have played Skyrim almost as long as the witcher but it quite honestly has aged horribly. I wouldnt touch that thing with a ten feet pole at this moment.
Never played new vegas but I have heard so much good about it that it is highly likely to be worth checking out. In my understanding the story and the quests should be very good and versatile. Maybe ill finish it myself someday..
Also dont get too hyped for the witcher since it will certainly lead to a disappointment. I loved the game in everyway but keep your expectations in check if you go for w3.
Never played new vegas but I have heard so much good about it that it is highly likely to be worth checking out. In my understanding the story and the quests should be very good and versatile. Maybe ill finish it myself someday..
Also dont get too hyped for the witcher since it will certainly lead to a disappointment. I loved the game in everyway but keep your expectations in check if you go for w3.
Sändersson
Member
I remember seeing a picture years ago which compared f3's (if I remember correctly) nv's quest structure. First it was fun and then it was sad. xD
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
The Wild Hunt easily.
Followed by Skyrim.
Then if you really want NV. It's aged pretty badly at this point even with mods. Just play FO4.
Followed by Skyrim.
Then if you really want NV. It's aged pretty badly at this point even with mods. Just play FO4.
Alexander DeLarge
Member
New Vegas is one of the best RPGs to release this decade. So is Witcher 3 but we're comparing apples to oranges. Both of them do what they're trying to do incredibly well. Skyrim not so much.
TheRedSnifit
Member
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
PhilipDoesMatter
Member
Skyrim. The soundtrack alone makes it worthy.
ScientificPizza
Banned
Thats not true at all. You are making decisions that directly impact the story and colour your playthrough. Its a different kind of role playing than New Vegas, but to claim its not role playing at all is disingenuous
TheRedSnifit
Member
9/10 times the dialogue gives you the choice of what to say first and nothing else. A dichotomization of choice that's just a way to artificially make the player feel like their game is unique to them and centered around their choices, without having to actually spend (the hugely expensive for a game like that) resources to do so. Roughly 95% of conversation trees only have two or three lines of dialog unique to your "choice," then the immediate response (from whomever you're speaking to) to that selection. After that, the conversation just goes back into the same dialog tree that's shared by all the "choices."
Humorously, the few choices that are present don't work either, because (as you say) Geralt is a pre-defined character with two games and several books of backstory. A lot of the choices, especially regarding the evil ending, directly clash with his character and don't really make sense. So it's in this weird spot where there's not enough choice to be particularly good for roleplaying, but too much choice to be particularly good as a linear story. Huh.
TheRedSnifit
Member
Sändersson;250049898 said:
Sändersson
Member
New Vegas is the best game of the three, but the worst if you just want to explore and do random stuff. New Vegas doesn't really have big, sprawling dungeons, everything is built around narratives (very good ones though). So if you're specifically looking for that, go for Witcher 3. If you're looking for an amazing RPG experience, go for New Vegas first and then The Witcher 3.
Avoid Skyrim.
Avoid Skyrim.
ScientificPizza
Banned
Nothing you said disqualifies it from being a good role playing game. *Every* game is a restriction of choices meant to make your experience feel unique, just to varying degrees. A role playing game doesnt need to be a sandbox for it to be a successful role playing game
By this logic games like Final Fantasy or Dragon Question wouldnt be role playing games. You know those genre defining JRPGs
Even something like Baldurs Gate is a limited number of options designed to make you feel like youre having a unique experience. Claiming The Witcher 3 isnt a role playing game is needlessly narrowing the genre for no other reason than to make some games more valid than others
TheRedSnifit
Member
I'm not saying it's not an RPG. But trying to spin it's comparatively (compared to NV, at least) light emphasis on actual role playing as just a "different" type of role playing is just silly. It'd be like if somebody said New Vegas has poor gunplay and I responded with "It's just a different type of gunplay, see? I could argue that the gunplay is even better than in DOOM because [silly reasons]."
The Witcher 3 has very light role playing that frankly isn't very interesting (imo) and meshes poorly with its predefined character. Maybe that isn't a big deal for you, just like NV's shitty gunplay isn't a big deal for me. But if you're looking for a game with a vast amount of meaningful choices successfully melded onto an interesting story, then you'll probably prefer New Vegas.
Skyrim - Witcher 3 - F:NV
Skyrim is similar to fallout but in a fantasy setting. as you have played fallout 3 & 4 you have a good idea of how the game plays.
Witcher 3 is very good but is a different type of open world with less detail interactions (in skyrim you can interact will 95% of the objects whilst in the witcher a lot of the stuff you see can not be interacted with). Witcher 3 story is a lot better than the other 2,
Fallout:NV is good but I found it to be the least enjoyable fallout. Also the game has dated graphics compared to the other 2.
Skyrim is similar to fallout but in a fantasy setting. as you have played fallout 3 & 4 you have a good idea of how the game plays.
Witcher 3 is very good but is a different type of open world with less detail interactions (in skyrim you can interact will 95% of the objects whilst in the witcher a lot of the stuff you see can not be interacted with). Witcher 3 story is a lot better than the other 2,
Fallout:NV is good but I found it to be the least enjoyable fallout. Also the game has dated graphics compared to the other 2.
I am on PC.
I love New Vegas and consider it one of the great games i have ever experienced but it does still have some problems with CTDs and all that. You can mod it for added enjoyment.
TW3 is a complete experience, the best game i have ever played.
Skyrim is a very entertaining game that also has a ton of quality mods for enhanced experience.
So i would suggest
TW3>=NV>>>Skyrim.
I love New Vegas and consider it one of the great games i have ever experienced but it does still have some problems with CTDs and all that. You can mod it for added enjoyment.
TW3 is a complete experience, the best game i have ever played.
Skyrim is a very entertaining game that also has a ton of quality mods for enhanced experience.
So i would suggest
TW3>=NV>>>Skyrim.
ScientificPizza
Banned
It wouldnt be like saying its a different kind of gunplay in NV, because that gunplay is objectively bad. The role playing in The Witcher isnt objectively bad, its just a different kind of role playing. Thats a terrible comparison
Also I dont see how the role playing meshes poorly with Geralt at all. It meshes exceptionally well with Geralt, better than trying to piece together whatever four pre written options youre given in New Vegas that hopefully match that character youre trying to play
Pre-written options in New Vegas? What? Your character in New Vegas is pretty much a blank slate, the only detail about him/her is that you work/worked as a courier who got asked to deliver a delicate package (
twice
Even considering the different factions as pre-written options are a bit weird IMO, because you don't actually have to play into their hands that much. Sure, with Mr. House you can pretty much do only one thing, but NCR and Legion options are very varied and Yes Man is literally designed to be able to be played however you want since it's the fallback option that is viable even if you choose to murder everyone in the game. The many different endings for every faction reflect this perfectly.
decoyplatypus
Member
I think what he/she is getting at is that the dialogue options in New Vegas, however numerous, aren't sufficient to help him/her generate a character as coherent as Geralt. I wouldn't take that as a knock against New Vegas, exactly. There's a pretty fundamental tradeoff between defined characters like Geralt and player-choice vehicles like the courier. People have different tastes and aptitudes (I, for one, prefer New Vegas but freely admit I can't *really* envision my character as a free-standing character with history and stable personality traits, at least not in the same way I do during tabletop role-play), and those tastes and aptitudes are going to lead to different opinions on the role-playing return on the Geralt/Courier tradeoff.
A key difference of Witcher 3 from the other two is that Witcher 3 has a set character as the protagonist while NV and Skyrim have a player created character. You still make dialogue choices and quest decisions in Witcher 3 but they don't have the extreme variability as the other 2 where you can choose a faction to support. Giving up that advanced variability in Witcher 3 does allow the story to have a much tighter focus and to be much more character driven than NV or Skyrim. Just something to keep in mind. You can't really make a wrong choice here.
Fallout New Vegas. All the way. As for Witcher vs skyrim, I'm going to be he odd one out and say I liked skyrim more. But I prefer RPGs that are more aimed at letting me play my own character in the way I want vs a set character and his story. But I did enjoy Witcher too. Also, person above me has a pretty good take on it to consider which you want.
I really can't disagree with this more. They're all good games and honestly Witcher is more different than the other two so it depends on more what you want. And fallout as a series? Imho Fallout >> Witcher (but this is including nv and 2). And NV definitely holds its own against Witcher 3 even if you want to ignore different type games (ok the graphics look dated but it's an old game, what are you going to do?).
I really can't disagree with this more. They're all good games and honestly Witcher is more different than the other two so it depends on more what you want. And fallout as a series? Imho Fallout >> Witcher (but this is including nv and 2). And NV definitely holds its own against Witcher 3 even if you want to ignore different type games (ok the graphics look dated but it's an old game, what are you going to do?).
TheRedSnifit
Member
It isn't a different type of roleplaying, it's incredibly weak roleplaying where your choices are binary and often don't amount to anything (the main exception being karma flags, deviously hidden in the inane busywork that pads out the more boring quests), dialogue is linear, classes have no meaningful distinctions, and your weapon choices range only from "good swords" to "bad swords." It's a sacrifice they made to save on budget, nothing more.
It doesn't mesh well at all. Example:
In my playthrough, I'd been generally supportive of Cirri the entire game, but because I didn't have a snowball fight - yes, a snowball fight - Cirri dies, Geralt kills himself, and the universe may be doomed.
The game just assumes you've been playing a certain way and making certain choices, and requires that playstyle for the linear story to make sense. The story didn't fit my Geralt, the one that I'd been playing for two games. Instead, the whole thing just beat me over the head, providing no closure, and left me pretty dissatisfied. The game's story, the choices you make, and the previous two games can very well combine into an incoherent mess.
Also, this illustrates just how garbage karma systems like the one in TW3 are in comparison to NV's fantastic faction system.
The game just assumes you've been playing a certain way and making certain choices, and requires that playstyle for the linear story to make sense. The story didn't fit my Geralt, the one that I'd been playing for two games. Instead, the whole thing just beat me over the head, providing no closure, and left me pretty dissatisfied. The game's story, the choices you make, and the previous two games can very well combine into an incoherent mess.
Also, this illustrates just how garbage karma systems like the one in TW3 are in comparison to NV's fantastic faction system.
Taliban Stan
Member
I couldn't get into Witcher 2 so I didn't play Wither 3. But I'd go with Skyrim over New Vegas. Vegas has a better story (I think the people making it legit care about story in games while I've seen Todd Howard slam the idea of games having stories so there's a massive quality gulf in storytelling between the two titles) but I just like playing Skyrim a lot more.
The setting of NV ruins a lot of the good stuff it has going. It's really bland and boring compared to all the other Bethesda open world RPGs I've ever played (Oblivion, FO3, FONV, Skyrim, FO4). Oblivion and Skyrim might be an unfair comparison because they're supposed to be like epic medieval King Arthur fake Europe type stuff but the Fallouts are all playing in the same wheel house. NV just gets the bad end of the locale stick.
The setting of NV ruins a lot of the good stuff it has going. It's really bland and boring compared to all the other Bethesda open world RPGs I've ever played (Oblivion, FO3, FONV, Skyrim, FO4). Oblivion and Skyrim might be an unfair comparison because they're supposed to be like epic medieval King Arthur fake Europe type stuff but the Fallouts are all playing in the same wheel house. NV just gets the bad end of the locale stick.
Evil Monkey DTT
Banned
Witcher has some of the best narrative in gaming, with new Vegas being the most complete package..... Skyrim fine I guess.
None of the Witcher games have any karma nor reputation systems. The beauty of the games is that you really aren't sure about the consequences when making decisions. Often it's not clear cut as, "this will be good" or "this will be bad".
TheRedSnifit
Member
It is a karma system for all intents and purposes. There are arbitrarily flagged quest choices that generate the ending based on which binary option you choose.
It would maybe be brilliant if there were a bunch of small decisions that logically came together to have major consequences, but no. There's a ton of dialogue with Cirri, and a ton of choices to make. But the game only picks five or so of those to matter, so it's less a clever game system measuring your temperament and giving a fitting ending, so much as it is just picking random decisions to be important while ignoring 99% of your choices. The result is that your choices don't match up with the game's story if you don't play it the way the developers expected.