Despite being over a decade old, Bethesda's Fallout 3 is still a title that many point to as one of the best games of all time. Released in 2008, the game was a radical change to the top-down RPG that the Fallout franchise has become known for. Besides the upgraded graphics, Fallout became faster and for lack of a better term, became much more epic.
The series would never be the same again -- for better or for worse depending on the fan that you ask. Regardless of where the franchise stands today, there's no denying the greatness of Fallout 3. So let's look at the concept art behind one of gaming's best.
10 War Never Changes
Our first piece of artwork describes a time that we aren't exposed to in Fallout 3, the time before the bomb. It's such a surreal piece of work as we see a community not to far from the ones we interact in everyday on the brink of being vaporized.
Despite the horror that lies in the middle of this image, there's just no denying the beauty in it as well. Almost like Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" would be playing in the background of the scene while these innocuous citizens take their last breaths. It's a scary reality that can only be perfected in a game like Fallout.
9 The Harder They Fall
Even though we still have seven more stunning pieces of artwork to go, this one might be our favorites. It's something that only a "cool" Fallout fan would hang up in their house -- you know, instead of displaying a billion different pictures of Vault Boy.
You're going to see a pattern in these concept images, being that since most of these are underdeveloped, the creatures we're used to interacting with look much more terrifying. That Super Mutant Behemoth for example looks like he belongs in a Sam Raimi movie. And quick side note... are Deathclaws really that small?
8 Protectron Looking Spicy
While we're trying to stick to concept images that are jarring to most Fallout fans, or are underdeveloped showing no resemblance to their final form; we just couldn't help but throw this Protectron sketch in. It's just such a sleek design, and it's neat to see that they found a great design so early.
The Protectron embodies everything fun about sci-fi and early robots designs in the genre. Clunky, obtuse and no way to distinguish them between your microwave or a toaster. We're guessing Bethesda drew some heavy inspiration from Forbidden Planet and Robby the Robot.
7 Don't Try This One At Home!
Ahhh the M42, or more commonly known "Fat Man," is a gun that is more classic than Fallout itself. It's a missile launcher that shoots mini-nukes that usually results in your opponent being blown into the inner atmosphere (that is unless you're fighting a Behemoth or fighting your way through the Deathclaw Sanctuary).
There's some really interesting ideas in these concept images such as a mini airplane being attached to the top of the min-nuke guiding it before dropping the payload. There's also a tripod which would make a lot more sense than holding the massive weapon on your frail shoulders.
6 Happy New Year!
This is another that's really up there for one of our favorite concept artwork from Fallout 3. It's such a melancholic scene -- everyone alone off in their own part of the bar, a "Happy New Year!" banner, but no party in sight -- it's something that fits perfectly in the Fallout world.
There's always a charm in everything you do, whether it be the jubilant music you hear on the radio or the outrageous over-the-top situations you find yourself in while playing the game. But at the end of the day you're still trapped in a world that has little-to-no hope left.
5 Early Citadel Concepts
Now this is some weirdness, and yes we're directing all of that towards the early artwork of the elders in the Brotherhood of Steel. They look like the alien from Ridley Scott's 1979 movie Alien. Just replace the double tongue, eyeless monstrosity that was in that film with an even more terrifying old man face.
Sure the elders already look goofy in those strange get-ups, but it's far from this. We're going to assume that this was an exaggeration of what the final design would look like, but that doesn't make it any less creepy.
4 Centaurs From Hell
There's two creature designs on this list, this one, and one further down, that would have no doubt changed the way we played Fallout. Just look at this demonic evil that lays before you, this my friends could've been what Centaurs look like.
Sure Centaurs look creepy in their own rights, looking like creatures from a Silent Hill game, but once you get used to them it's snipe city on their asses. But this design is repulsive, it's something that belongs in Doom and makes us wonder what sort of mutation caused this hellish being to exist in the first place.
3 Liberty Prime Flexes On The Capital Wasteland
Liberty Prime is hate it or love it when it comes to the Fallout fan base. On one hand you have a final mission where the Iron Giant clears the way and allows you to sit back and watch everything unfold without you having to lift a finger.
But on the other you have one badass design for a robot who adds a major what the f$%# element to the final machine. Either way, Liberty Prime's concept artwork is a sight to behold as you see all the ideas that were eventually scrapped before the final game.
2 Rivet City In All Its Greatness
This artwork alone makes us want a Fallout 3 remake one day, or at the very least allow us the chance to revisit the Capital Wasteland. It's bonkers to think that Skyrim has received several editions and remasters and we haven't even gotten a Fallout game on the Switch yet -- step your game up Bethesda.
The graphics of 2008 could've never done this artwork justice, but for awhile this is what a lot of gamers saw. But with games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Modern Warefare (2019) out, Fallout 3's graphics are as dated as Pong's.
1 The Alien Design That Could've Been
Sure the Centaur-Doom like design was awesome, this is truth, but it has nothing on the initial alien artwork. This could've been Fallout's version of the flood from the Halo series and would've proven to be one of the most unique alien designs in any game.
Instead they took the route of making the aliens look like your traditional green men from the stars above. It does offer up some laughs, especially when you randomly first run into them in the wasteland in both Fallout 3 and New Vegas. But the original design might've been something that was seared into gamer's minds for years to come.