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Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available on PS3 and PC.

In a Nutshell: Post-apocalyptic RPG set in the western U.S. The big one hit somewhere in the '40s or '50s (based on music and style) but life went on... sort of. Multiple warring factions including The Legion (think Roman Empire), the NCR (military government) and multiple thuggish gangs are just a few of the things that stand between you and your destiny. As with Fallout 3, you can play it good, bad or ugly - but this time, your reputation varies down to the town. Piss off one faction and win brownie points with another. Play do-gooder in another area and expect a rival faction to come gunning for you in the wild.

The bounty hunters can make a simple trek across the desert a real pain - especially when they show up in the middle of a rad scorpion attack. And exploration is really what this game is about. There are tons of caves, towns, graveyards, and burned out camp areas to discover and loot, many with back-stories to distract you from the main mission. Expect to spend at least 100 hours on this game, and more than likely twice that. And, apart from the occasional freeze up (even after the most recent patch), New Vegas really delivers and builds on its predecessor with a deep, compelling world and rich and engaging action and story.

Learning Curve: New Vegas gives you the option to skip some training in the beginning, which is tempting to Fallout 3 vets. I opted to skip it myself, while ever-patient Gamewatcher went through the whole thing. He confirmed that the training included a few new skills that would have been helpful - but I managed to beat the game, learning what I needed on the job. If you're impatient and just want to start killing things, skip it. If you're a completest, take the training. Either way, you'll pick up everything you need as you go.

The Save Game: You can save anywhere from the menu, including during combat. This is the only reason I got through some particularly treacherous boss battles - shoot, retreat, hide, save. You are limited to 100 saves, which seems arbitrary to me. I easily burned through 400+ saves on Fallout 3, and I'm still not entirely done with it. (Beat it? Yes. Done with it? No.)

IMPORTANT: As with the original release of Fallout 3, you cannot return to the game after you beat the final quest. You can reload an earlier save and return the wasteland, however. You will be asked if you have done everything you want to do before entering the finale. If you have not saved recently, say no, save your game, and start the speech challenge again. Fallout 3 was eventually patched to allow you to continue after the ending, but apparently that bit of wisdom wasn't picked up for the sequel. Maybe we'll see a patch for this down the road, but the Dead Money expansion pack doesn't address it - you still have to play it from a save that predates the finale.

Family Factor: This one is for the grown-ups. Even people playing for good are forced into violent (and quite gory) confrontations with realistic people, giant mutants and an army of Elvis impersonators (Elvii?) There is some bad language, although a lot of it is written rather than spoken. Still, not for tweens or younger. Your teen may be mature enough, but that's for you to decide after you've logged at least a few hours in New Vegas yourself.

Buy, Rent or Skip? This falls into either Buy or Skip - there is simply too much to do in a reasonable rental time. Fallout New Vegas is a fantastic, immersive experience with much to offer both shooter and RPG fans. New expansion DLC extend the life of the game, although just wandering the wastelands and looking for new areas will keep you busy for quite a while. That said, gamers who don't have a strong tolerance for violence should skip it. But, for all others we recommend you buy this one.

On a Personal Note: There are plenty of areas open from the beginning, but don't be fooled - there are ample super-nasty factions waiting to hand your ass to you across the wastelands. The best way to level up is to stick to the main mission at least for a little while. Once you've gotten a few perks under your belt, you'll be good to go.

As a bonus, the more missions you perform, the more Mr. New Vegas - Wayne Newton in a genius piece of casting! - has to discuss as your personal DJ. Yes, once again, your actions will influence what you hear on the radio. Sadly, it won't do anything about the music, which is limited and repetitive. (Dear God, not Johnny Guitar again!)

Long-time readers know I'm firmly on team chaos, while Gamewatcher plays for the nice guys. We've both had some issues figuring out exactly how to keep our reps where we want them to be though. This game is hardly black-and-white. I finished it with two different endings, and I'm still not sure if I was a naughty girl or not. Now THAT'S a game!

The main mission is relatively short, and requires much more attention and thought than in Fallout 3. You'll have a chance to align yourself with one of several factions as you fly toward the grand finale. There's just one problem: Making even one incorrect speech choice can forever shut down access to your desired faction. I had to reload several times to redo seemingly innocuous speech decisions. Even speaking to the wrong person at the wrong time can kill an entire quest line.

I should note that I tried Hardcore Mode for about five minutes - and I do mean five minutes - before returning to regular mode. As you've no doubt heard, Hardcore Mode ups the ante by requiring you to find water, rest and actually seek out a doctor when you get hurt. It adds a serious level of masochism that is unlikely to appeal to busy gamers. But if you beat the game and want a bigger challenge, it's there waiting for you.

However you play, New Vegas is packed with magical moments:

The first time you see New Vegas at night.

The various vaults you unlock and the secrets they contain.

The relationships you build with the many characters who drop in and out of your travelling party, from the girl-crazy technophile Veronica (voiced by The Guild's Felicia Day) to the floating robot ED-E who plays march music whenever he attacks. Or my fave, Cass, who finally left me after the abuse I heaped on her took its toll. (I told you I was a bad girl in the game!)

Each character has a backstory to unravel, and the game may overwhelm you with its wide array of interesting quests to complete. Seriously, there's a good chance you may still be chipping away at this game a year from now.

If you've read this far, pick it up - you won't regret it!

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• Fallout: New Vegas - Welcome to the Strip
• Fallout: New Vegas - Felicia Day
• Fallout: New Vegas as Second Job
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• Costume Quest
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