Fallout 3 brought division among gamers. Fans of the first two games didn’t like the new approach Bethesda took with the series. Meanwhile, new fans were attached to the change of isometric gameplay to an option between first person and third person view. Loyal fans didn’t complain about the gameplay as much as they did the storyline and lack of role-playing possibilities. The Fallout series had previously emphasized a “post-apocalyptic role-playing game.” When Obsidian, a studio containing some of Fallout’s original creators, announced they would be working with Bethesda to develop Fallout: New Vegas, loyal fans were thrilled.
Fallout: New Vegas combined both elements from the defunct Fallout 3: Van Buren and Bethesda’s gameplay engine. While some gamers complained about the gameplay glitches and awkward animations, they stayed for the intriguing storyline. Obsidian spent long hours crafting an engaging role-playing experience but didn’t hesitate to add in secrets and Easter eggs. They knew that most gamers would only play the main story, then quit. The most loyal Fallout fans would explore every inch of the Mojave Desert for secrets that had the potential to make them richer or more powerful.
Some believe that years after its release, they've found every hidden gem in Fallout: New Vegas. Our list compiles some hidden secrets within the game that you may not have noticed yet. This list contains massive spoilers, so beware before you continue reading.
20 These Deeds Can Lead To More XP
The Mojave Desert contains several ranches and small farms. Settlers use Brahmins, or mutated cows, to carry large loads and work on the farm. The Courier can choose to have a little fun with the Brahmin. Walk up to one and press your designated action button, and you can tip it over. The Brahmin will protest the action with a loud sound, but will eventually get back up on its own.
Tipping a Brahmin counts towards the "Knocked Up" challenge, where the player must knock down 100 enemies to achieve.
Brahmin have the potential to become aggressive, which the game counts towards an "enemy." Though it's tipping the scale of animal cruelty, it's a reference to the real-life stories of cow tipping, which is impossible to do by a single person.
19 Whispers In The Dark
Cemeteries are not an unusual sight in the Fallout universe. The population was almost wiped out thanks to the bombs of the Great War. After the initial blasts, the survivors continued living for those who have left this world. When the living passed on, they were often given gravesites for grieving family and friends. The Courier is a stranger to most of the Mojave Desert but may find themselves walking by Goodsprings or Bitter Springs refugee camp. Visit at night, and you'll hear unsetting whispers from those who have passed. These whispers can be hard at any cemetery in the Mojave Desert. You may think you can escape the whispers, but they can be found in other locations in the desert, such as Vault 22 and Sierra Madre's casino.
18 Helping Out A Good Dog
Every Fallout game comes with a recruitable dog. These pets are the only neutral friend you have and won't judge your choices. Rex is your canine companion in Fallout: New Vegas. He's a cybernetic dog with one major issue: his old brain is beginning to fail.
If you become attached to Rex, the Courier can go on a search to find their furry friend a younger brain.
Rex has three possible replacement brains to find. One of the most noteworthy brains belongs to Violetta, a guard dog for the Fiends. Her owner, Violet, won't let her go easy. You'll have to destroy the entire fort to obtain this dog brain. Once installed in Rex, it will make the old dog much faster in battle.
17 The Silliest, Yet, Unfulfilling Ending
The Dead Money DLC features an ending that many gamers haven't discovered. Inside the Sierra Madre Casino is a vault, which is one of the last locations of the DLC. Gamers can trigger this ending by snooping around the terminals. When you access Sinclair's documents, you'll find a message exclusively for Dean Domino. Once you read this file, the Vault will lock. The Courier will have no way of escaping. Vera Keyes will explain that the Courier was trapped in the Vault. The casino created a new hologram that would replace you, from appearance to duties. You are no longer needed in the game. The last scene you'll watch is your character passing away. Immediately after watching this ending, your last saved game will reload.
16 The Fridge Became His Tomb
Action movies often feature outrageous scenes to draw in viewers. The Indiana Jones movies, in particular, have many unrealistic moments. One of the craziest scenes is in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when the hero hides inside of a refrigerator to escape a nuclear blast. He survives to live another day. Indiana Jones can also be discovered in Fallout: New Vegas. Don't think you can recruit him as a companion.
Jones' fate is a more realistic take on what would have happened if he hid from a nuclear blast.
Southwest of Goodsprings Cave, you'll find a lonely fridge. Inside are the skeletal remains of a man similar to Indiana Jones, along with the item "Suave gambler hat." Too bad this Jones didn't find the same fridge Fallout 4's Billy the Ghoul survived in for two centuries.
15 A Love That Spans Coastlines
The first scene you witness in Fallout 3 is your birth as the Lone Wanderer. Soon after, you will see the passing of the Lone Wanderer's mother, Catherine. The Lone Wanderer is raised by their father, James. They were Scientists working together to give birth to Project Purity. James never wanted his child to forget their mother, just as he never forgot Catherine. He kept a photo of the couple together.
In Fallout: New Vegas, the same photo is located in Vault 21 beside Sarah's bed. We'd like to believe James and Catherine's love may have reached the Western US, but it was more likely the developers reusing assets. Either way, it's a piece of the Capital Wasteland in the Mojave Desert.
14 We’re Not Crying, It’s Just Raining
Futurama's Fry may have had a great time in the future, but his unsuspecting family at home missed him. They were forced to accept that he would not come back. One of the saddest moments was in the episode "Jurassic Bark," as we watch, Seymour waits for Fry's return.
Seymour waited every day for his master until he passed away from old age.
A reference to this scene can be found only in the Lonesome Road DLC. To the right of the entrance of the Cave of Abaddon, you'll find a fossilized dog. He's standing on an overturned file cabinet, staring into the cave. He may have been told to wait by the entrance. The wait turned into decades. The dog was frozen in time, waiting for a master that would never return.
13 Back To The Fiery Family Farm
The Fallout series has always contained several pop culture references. The developers have their own interests outside of their work and want to pay homage to what they love. Many people credit Star Wars for making them interested in alternate universes. The Fallout universe is filled with references from a galaxy far, far away.
If your Courier has the Wild Wasteland perk activated, they can witness a familiar scene in the settlement of Nipton. You'll see the charred remains of two skeletons named Beru and Owen. Their bodies are a reference to Luke Skywalker's discovery of his aunt and uncle, Beru and Owen Lars. When he returned to his family farm, he saw the remains of his caretakers, who also met the same grisly fate.
12 Buffing Out Heartache
Craig Boone is a broken man. He was formerly part of the New California Republic Army and an excellent sharpshooter. After leaving the Army, he met his wife, Carla. They were happy together, but she was unhappy settling down. She ends up in the Legion's possession. Not wanting her to live as a slave, he ended her suffering.
The loss of Boone's wife drove him into a deep depression.
Once the Courier meets him, it takes a long time to gain his trust. One place you won't get into easily is his room in Novac. If you manage to sneak in, you'll find chems in his room, most notably Buffout. This discovery suggests that he's taken to consuming chems to make the pain of losing his family hurt less.
11 Don’t Feed This Pet After Dark
The base game of Fallout: New Vegas may be enough to satisfy most gamers, but the DLC still has tons of content to offer. There are some Easter eggs you don't want to miss. In Old World Blues, there's a small creature that you would never want to feed after midnight. In Higgs Village, House 103's backyard holds an unusual secret. There is a doghouse now belonging to a small Deathclaw named Stripe, named after the leader of the creatures in the first Gremlins film. He's taken over the small home of a cybernetic dog named Gabe. Don't be fooled by the little gremlin. Stripe may look domesticated, but he's fierce and has almost as many hit points as a Legendary Deathclaw. Luckily, he'll only chase you out of the backyard before retreating to his house.
10 A Friendly Mutant Returns
Obsidian knew that loyal fans missed the characters of the previous games. There was even some outrage over Harold's fate in Fallout 3. The developer decided to bring back an old, beloved character from Fallout 2.
Marcus was a Super Mutant who helped the Chosen One save Arroyo.
The two went their separate ways after their journey was over. He lived in Broken Hills until he felt the need to travel, like his old friend. Marcus's travels took him to the Mojave Desert. He discovered Mount Charleston and created a haven for mutants and other outcast creatures. He named it Jacobstown, in honor of his deceased friend and Brotherhood of Steel Paladin, Jacob. Marcus will treat the Courier with respect, and even warn him of the unfriendly Mutant haven on Black Mountain.
9 Control The Fate Of A Dear Friend
The Courier was left to suffer in a shallow grave outside of Goodsprings. Through the kindness of strangers, the Courier moved on to live another day. From there, the Courier may decide to turn their situation around and help others they encounter. Some devious players may decide to do the opposite.
On your journey, you'll meet a medical researcher named Arcade Gannon. He can assist you on your journey, both as a fighter and doctor. During the game, the Legion's leader, Caesar, will become sick from a tumor in his brain. If you've become close to the Legion, you'll want to save him. Arcade won't help him on his own, but you can force him. A cruel Courier can sell Arcade to the Legion, where he will become Caesar's personal doctor.
8 From Courier To Ring Master
Fallout: New Vegas' main quest can be quite short. The real joy of the game is finding all the side quests and taking over the Mojave Desert. By the Southern entrance of Westside is an underground settlement called The Thorn. Don't be fooled into thinking this is another Vault. Living in The Thorn is Red Lucy, who is training various creatures to fight. Though she doesn't have much interest in humans, she lives to see the fights.
The Courier can accept the quest "Fight Night" to set up fights to set Raiders against creatures from the Mojave.
The Raiders don't have to have all the fun. You can also participate in the fight to win some caps. The price pot will depend on what creatures you decide to fight.
7 Helping A Child Reclaim Her Soldier
Slavers don't discriminate. They'll capture anyone, young or old, to make a quick cap. Melody is one such slave. Caeser's Legion has held her captive for years and has only been cruel to the poor child. She now resides at The Fort. After speaking to her, you'll learn about her stolen toy, Sergeant Teddy. Most players will be happy to help her. Sergeant Teddy can be found at the Brahmin Pen at Fort Hill. You'll have to fight Antony and his dogs or barter to get the bear back, which can be easy if you're an experienced fighter. Give the bear back to her, and she'll be grateful. If you're feeling particularly evil, you can also tear the bear in half in front of her.
6 A Gang Of Grannies
The children and elderly have suffered in the post-apocalyptic world the most. In Fallout 3, children banded together to form an underground settlement called Little Lamplight. They weren't helpless, and the Lone Wanderer needed them. In Fallout: New Vegas, there is a gang of elderly women who are also tougher than they appear. Unlike Little Lamplight, they're not willing to help the Courier.
Maud's Muggers are a gang of elderly women wearing Spring Dresses terrorizing the Mojave.
You'll have to face these grannies if you have the Wild Wasteland perk activated. They will attempt to pounce on you as you enter Freeside. They're not waiting for anyone to help them survive. These grannies are out to prove to the Mojave Desert that they mean business.
5 Suspicious Home Of Wind-Brahmin
Brooks Tumbleweed Ranch is located at the Northern tip of the New Vegas map. Most gamers won't explore that far and will miss out. This ranch is home to a large house and an unreasonable Nightkin. He claims he is selling a special "Wind-Brahmin," which is just a tumbleweed. The Nightkin takes his "Wind-Brahmin" very seriously. If you disagree that his "cattle" are not adorable "Little Doggies," he will turn hostile. The costs for one of these "Wind-Brahmin" is the number of caps you're carrying. If you refuse, the Nightkin will no longer want to talk. He will become aggressive, and you'll be forced to finish him. The only way to avoid a fight is to give him all of your caps.
4 Trade A Dress For A New Skill
The Companions of Fallout: New Vegas are hard to befriend. They treat the Courier as a boss and not like a friend. Veronica Santangelo is a member of the Brotherhood of Steel and also recruitable. She spends most of her time wearing a hood and robes. Her dream has always been to wear a dress.
If you want to make Veronica happy, you'll have to hunt down some Formal Wear.
Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as it sounds. To get Formal Wear, you'll have to take out the person who is wearing the clothing. The work is worth the reward. Veronica will be thrilled to accept the Formal Wear. She will teach you a new Unarmed Skill, the Scribe Counter, which allows you to counterattack enemies.
3 A Chance To Take In The Scenery
Designers worked hard to bring out the environment in New Vegas. The desert landscape makes you feel like you're wandering in the sand. There is still beautiful to behold in the Mojave Desert. You'll meet a man named Michael Angelo, an obvious reference to the painter and inventor, who has been stuck inside his workshop. He longs to see the outside world but is also terrified of the dangers. Always willing to help, the Courier can begin the "Classic Inspiration" quest. You'll receive the Codac R9000 camera along with 24 pieces of film. He will ask you to take a photo of five different signs, such as Dinky the T-Rex, throughout the Mojave. The photos can be turned in for caps and additional XP. You should also be happy knowing you brought some light into Michael's dim world.
2 A Real Nuclear Option
The Courier first meets Father Elijah in the Dead Money DLC. He formerly worked as a Scribe for the Brotherhood of Steel. His way of living was seen as too extreme for the faction. He left the BoS to achieve his own goals. Elijah discovered the Sierra Madre and was enslaving settlers to do his bidding. He wanted to craft a new world with cruel means. Most gamers choose to end Elijah's reign of terror.
There is an optional ending for those who believe in Elijah's dreams and loathe the NCR.
The Courier can instead team up with Elijah and use the "weapons of the Old World" to wipe out the Mojave Desert. Together, you'll use the Toxic Clouds and REPCONN rockets to rain down destruction upon the Mojave. Only the Courier and Elijah will survive.
1 Bringing Cyrodiil Into Freeside
After Bethesda obtained the Fallout IP, they began including Easter eggs from their popular long-running series into the game. Fallout 4 made gamers speculate that the universes occur in the same timeline since a plant only found in Skyrim is also growing on the Brotherhood of Steels' Prydwen.
References can be found as early as Fallout 3, but Fallout: New Vegas wasn't left behind. If the Courier travels to Freeside, the utility poles hold an interesting secret. On many utility poles, a small plaque says "TES-04". The name and numbers are a reference to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It's an Easter egg that is easy for most gamers to miss. Even if gamers spot it, only fans of The Elder Scrolls may understand the reference.