Here's A Massively Impressive Fallout: NV Prequel Mod

I am sad. I am sad because Fallout: New Vegas' Project Brazil mod isn't available yet, which means I can only ogle its incredibly impressive-looking peaks and valleys from afar. So here's the skinny: it doesn't actually take place in Brazil. Instead, the story begins in California years before New Vegas' courier ever began his promising career by being shot in the head and buried in a shallow grave. Your new main character's goal? To reach Los Angeles. But the entire new wasteland of San Bernardino is rife with factional conflicts, and oh goodness also there is this: "The vision of Fallout 2 will be honoured by Project Brazil. Project Brazil is a quieter, more harsh and severe world than Fallout 3 or New Vegas. It feels like a real place spotted with rare moments of absurdity and fear, split between multiple rising civilizations all trying to fight for what they want or need in a world recovering from the Great War." Yes. Yesssssss.

The plan is to deliver the unfolding story of your character's journey - which starts at Vault 18 and ends someplace that's not Vault 18 (unless it ends up pulling some crazy full-circle thing) - in chapters. Originally, chapter one was set to launch this month, but then that trailer (no joke) got the creators a major motion picture job, so progress has been derailed slightly. But only just so. The gig wraps on January 20th, and then Project Brazil will continue its parched, irradiated journey toward completion.

So then, why chapters? Well, here's one big reason:

"It's a game about choice and consequence along a journey - not about loot and kills. You might actually TALK to the raiders instead of getting themselves wiped out attacking strangers on sight. It's mostly about the Main Quest, but there is a lot more to our game than just accepting and completing quests. It's a whole plotline you are apart of, and your actions have serious impact on how you play the game."

Other highlights will apparently include inter-dimensional travel, giant robot armies, and a story-based build-up to the New California Republic's eventual invasion of New Vegas' wasteland.

That, of course, sounds extremely promising. Honestly, this whole project does, and - at least, based on the trailer and an early version of the mod's beginning - it seems like Brandan Lee and co might just have the dramatic chops to pull it off. I really, really, really hope so, anyway. Otherwise, I can't promise my tiny region of California will remain habitable. The end result will be nearly as toxic as the creeping cancer that is rampant radiation, only much, much whinier.