These aren’t minor choices or minor plot directions, either, they represent honking great big sections of the game. Entire towns can become unlocked or permanently inaccessible depending on the decisions you make.

Combat is a unique combination of statistic and numerical based RPG style scraps and the usual targeted assault system. VATS, or Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, lets you select individual parts of your opponents body and use this to your advantage. By using this method it’s possible to fell more powerful enemies and make fights a lot shorter.

The original Fallout games were bathed in humour, including blood-lust humour and this is something that Bethesda is attempting to capture in the latest version of the game. Close range firing will result in masses of blood emanating in a crimson shower.

Because this is a full on RPG, there is a skill ladder and a character perk system that makes the game more encapsulating. Weapons and other items can be collected during your adventures and you can use one to repair another as they deteriorate and worsen with use. Perhaps similarly to Bioshock you can create your own weapons using various items combined.

From what we’ve seen of the graphics, with particular attention to the post apocalyptic setting, Fallout 3 is going to look incredible; considerably better than Oblivion. It uses an updated version of the Oblivion engine and Bethesda has claimed that they have made many improvements to their own techniques to provide better graphics.

The final note is one of character. Oblivion was not without its downfalls, and repetitive NPC dialogue was evident throughout the game. Fallout 3 utilises 30 to 40 voice actors in order to give every single character its own character, if you see what I mean.

For me, Fallout 3 is the one game that I can’t wait to play. It’s slated for release towards the end of this year, and bearing in mind that it’s now nearly August that means it could be with us in just a couple of months – fingers crossed.