The road to Primm is a short one, but not without its dangers. It was here I was introduced to some of the new enemy types such as the Gecko (that come in many forms, like “young”, “hunter” and “golden”), they are dispatched easily enough, but when I am tricked by a lone wastelander (damn my quest for good karma!) into wandering straight into a Gecko nest it becomes apparent that the Mojave Wasteland holds more danger up its sleeve than its Washington DC counterpart; a horde of 7 or 8 of the lizards swarmed out of their lair and attacked me. I was nigh-on overwhelmed, and there’s only so much damage my little 9mm pistol or varmint rifle (both examples of the multitude of new weapons on disposal in this title) could deal out. I managed to get by with a handful of bullets and a slither of health remaining, so took a swig from a bottle of Sunset Sasparilla (this game’s answer to Nuka-Cola, though that’s back too – just rarer) I had picked up back in Goodsprings. Health boosts from food and drink products regenerate over time now, with the 25HP provided by the beverage I just drank taking 25 seconds to build up – this, I find adds a fun layer of realism and strategy to the combat.
It was at this point that the tricky wastelander reappeared; dismayed at the fact I was still breathing and not ready for looting. He turned on me but I switched into V.A.T.S. and blew him away before he even had a chance to draw. Good riddance, the sneaky bastard.
Now, where were we? Ah yes, on the road to Primm, and it’s at the gates to this town I find myself being shot at from atop the rickety old wooden roller coaster that towers over the casino there. A soldier emerges from a make-shift camp on the opposite side of the highway and recommends I get on the other side of the road if I wish to remain bullet-hole free. This is my first encounter with one of the main factions in the Mojave – the New California Republic, a government from the west coast who strive to bring order and a pre-war sensibility to the wastes. They tell me that the town has been overrun by escaped convicts from a nearby prison and to go in would be suicide. But, having already practically died once, I decide that finding out what happened to me is far too important to allow some brigands to stop me.
So, waiting for the cover of nightfall, I attempt to sneak into the settlement and the casino where the populace are all holed up. Needless to say, with a low sneak skill this does not go well and I end up in a gruelling gunfight – the intensity of it again going to show how much more brutal this game is compared to its predecessor. On the plus side, this gives me access to more ammo and better weapons and armour – a much needed luxury.
Arriving at the casino, I tracked down the man I was looking for; the head of the local branch of the Mojave Express. Asking him about the package I was delivering and if he knew who attacked me, he tells me I was carrying a solid platinum chip from the Lucky 38 casino, and that while he doesn’t know the name of the man who shot me he does know that he headed south from here and down through Nipton and onto Novac.
I thank him for this information and ask if there was anything I could do to repay him, and he tells me there is: find Primm a new sheriff since the last was murdered by the invading convicts. With this new task in mind, I return to the NCR camp and ask if they would be interested in taking the town under its wing as protectors, using my high speech skill to tell them of the benefits, such as bigger political influence and safer trading routes. They agree, but only if I head south to the Mojave Outpost – the NCR-controlled border crossing – to bring in the extra troops it would require.
As it’s on the way to Nipton, I head towards the outpost; first spotting its two giant statues of NCR troops shaking hands with the local rangers from miles away. I convince the commanding officer into lending a few hands for Primm’s security by clearing the trade road between the two locations of my most DESPISED enemy of Fallout 3 – God. Damn. Fire. Ants. They’re still as persistent as ever, and this time they seem to like to attack in packs. LARGE packs. But none the less, I cleared them out and escorted the troops back to Primm to set up a new law enforcement before setting off to Nipton.
And Nipton was not a pretty sight. Here, the second of New Vegas’ most prominent factions and one at war with the NCR reared its ugly head: Caesars Legion. They had burned down the town and its residents along with it, as well as crucifying the remaining survivors. Was this mindless, unmotivated violence? Not in their eyes – the leader of the present group told me that this town was a cesspool of decadence and it needed to be cleansed by fire. He orders me to leave and take with me the message of the Legion: “The fires will spread across the Mojave.” This is a message I have not yet passed on – my good-karma wills me not to pass on the message of such tyrannical beasts.
With the town and any possible evidence of my attackers burned to ashes, I head to Novac. It is a small town named after the broken ‘No Vacancy’ sign at the gates to the motel. The town’s centrepiece is a giant wooden dinosaur – Dinky – that serves as a sniper post. I asked the lookout if he had seen any smartly dressed men passing by lately, and he promises to tell me everything he knows if I aid him in a Ghoul related problem he’s having. I agree and head back into town.
On my way down a man stops and asks me to meet him up at the lookout once his shift starts at 9pm before going on his way. Looking at my watch, I decide to rent a room at the motel to rest after my long journey.
Upon the stained mattress, Roland Deschain falls asleep.
Up next: The first companion, invisible Super Mutants and the road to New Vegas!
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