"This a well thought out and well planned game. if you enjoyed bualders gate then this is the gate for you, but if you are looking for the traditional fallout style game,then look else were. The people at Black Isle did away with the turn based combat and the "Meter System> were one Hex is a meter and have made this game into a nearly carbon copy of Baulders gate, Baulders Gate II, and other Baulders Gate-isk games. The S.P.E.C.I.A.L Character creation is intact (Somewhat) and so are the skills (Barely). All in all a good game but dont expect to go traveling to the glow before Shady sands or New Reno before The Den in this one, its very linear in travel from city to city but quests are pretty much free range. In addition, companions are even less interactable then in Fallout 1, you can only tell them to leave the group or not to leave the group, nothing else, and many times leave when you complete a quest assocaited with them. Perks exist, as good as ever, and are gained every 3 levels, starting level two, then five, then eight, ect. In closing, if your looking for a Baulders gate with expanded skills and no linear classes then this game is for you, if your looking for a Fallout 3, set in the past, then this isnt your gem." - eaths_Hero