I've started to play Skyrim and I have definitely felt this game engine before. Bethesda, creators of Fallout 3, an older favorite, reusing it in a new format. Overall, game play is is just as fun and addicting as Fallout was, the content feels larger, the maps are less dreary and there are twists on how things that worked in Fallout have changed in the new iteration but behind the scenes still feels very familiar. Not that familiar is bad in this instance, it stands that the game has it's own story to tell and the adventures are all very unique (much of the charm of the game by the way), but familiarity has offered experience that can be take from a previous title and applied here. For instance, knowing that at times, wrong decisions can lead to closing of story threads or that in order to maximize the number of followers, you should not always accept the first follower you can take on. It worked this way in Fallout and it appears to be the same here. It's got to be handed to Bethesda, they write a mean game and it's unbelievable the content that is offered without feeling repetitive.
On a more negative note, back when I was playing Fallout 3, online multiplayer games were starting to come of age and most that weren't FPS shooters were not highly played, but knowing they existed and seeing how big the game was, it felt that if you had followers in the game, why not be able to invite a friend to help with eachother's quests. The game didn't support it and after all but conquering the game completely after months of gameplay, Borderlands came to fill the void of a multiplayer quest based game. Borderlands has now passed on for newer titles and this being one of the latest additions, I again feel the longing for playing with friends and wonder why in the hell it wasn't added yet. If Borderlands had it why can't Bethesda add a similar feature? After all this time, popularity in online gameplay with friends has exploded and I feel Bethesda has fallen on their asses to take advantage of this. I don't think they will continue to be as popular, even though they make awesome games, if they do not include an online aspect to their next game.
As a side note.... Intro, Fallout MMO..... Who knows when this will ever come out with all the legal battles that just seem to have been settled. Bethesda is now in full control of the Fallout brand and I have yet to hear who they might bring on to continue the development since they have basically fired the last team that started on it. With any hope they don't ruin it either. Part of the greatness of the game engine that is in both Fallout and Skyrim is feeling the vastness of the map and how alone you are as well as how much your fate is in your own hands, adding a limited number to your party doesn't dimish that much as long as you leave the ability to quest alone or with friends, but if Fallout MMO turns into a crowded meat market where every turn you are frustrated by a random noob or a hacked his pants off to get the highest possible unemployed life is nothing but this game looser, I will not be pleased with the product. Perhaps I am hoping for a merger of Fallout 3/Skyrim with Borderlands, but i feel that is the prefect possible end for this next significant step for Bethesda.