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Fallout 3 should not be considered part of the series (don't give me the 'crying fanboy' comment). Of course it has the same name and features the classic PIPboy, but the title is completely superficial since the gameplay took a major turn off course.
 The key reason it should be renamed is when you drastically change the rules and gameplay, you have ultimately changed the game. If Tetris was changed into a FPS, is it still Tetris or would you call it something else? GAMEPLAY IS INTEGRAL TO A GAME. So when Bethesda changes the Fallout gameplay while keeping the name, of course I'm going to say “Bethesda butchered the series.” It doesn't resemble the rest of the series at all. Any pissed Fallout fan has the right to say so.
I'm sure it'll still be an amazing game, I won't argue a good game, but the game is truly not part of the Fallout series but the mutated love-child of Oblivion's gameplay and Fallout's storyline. So who can complain about such an awesome combination? No one...unless it teases us with the title “Fallout 3.”
Carrying the title “Fallout 3” makes it an offensive grotesque of the original series. The choice of changing the game to a jumbled up FP/TP-RPG/Shooter without changing the name was a marketing move with no concern for the originality of the series. When Interplay was forced to sell the game because of declaring bankruptcy (thanks for the correction), Bethesda bought the chance to capitalize on the name with no regards for the actual game.
Foremost is the issue of Bethesda's choice to remove of the isometric view which is pivotal to the originality of the narrative and gameplay. The isometric narrative has the player guiding the PC through the uncharted wastelands. This allowed the player to take a more objective view which was the root its dark comedic undertones (so prevelent they're probably overtones). Bethesda's decision to toss aside the isometric view reduced the title to an almost unrecognizable shred of its former self, sharing more in common with BioShock and Half-Life. Bethesda also said they were going to take out the self-referential jokes to make the world seem more “real.” Here's a tip – we know its not real. I didn't expect them to do as good of a job with the jokes anyhow, but don't justify altering key parts of the game for misguided reasons.
In a weak attempt to connect the game to the series Bethesda kept features like the PIPboy, reoccurring NPCs and the SPECIAL stat-system , but it doesn't make the world right again. They're just remnants of the former games, mere foot notes referencing to the creativity of Black Isle's Fallout series. Does every RPG have to sellout to some hybrid form including FPS?
My main suggestion: Change the title of the game!
At least when Microsoft developed Halo Wars, a Halo RTS, they didn't call it Halo 4. It' because they realized it's a different game that still uses the Halo world - Same goes for Fallout 3. Instead of FO3 they should call it “Fallout V.A.T.S.” (the added 'Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) or Brotherhood of Steel 2. Don't ruin a great series by mixing genres and titles.
I am extremely let down by this mutated release of Fallout 3. I was really anticipating the next Fallout after the lack of sand-boxing in Fallout Tactics. It's hard to see your favorite game turned into such a blatant sellout. I hope somehow game companies learn from this mistake, because on the unlikely chance Diablo 3 is released as a FPS/TPS...I'll have a stroke
PS- Obviously I'm still buying the game, but mostly because I love Oblivion (and that's a sad reality for a Fallout fans).
Checkout the follow-up article by Trick
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