>>715827449When I refer to emptiness I'm referring to the actual world you traverse, and NV world is extremely empty because of how they prioritized things like writing. Not saying that's a bad thing, that's just how it is.
Even the POIs in NV were usually just something like a shack with a bed in it, a radio, and a star bottle cap.
Most of the charm of Fallout 3 wears off after you've explored the world in its entirety, because there's nothing else to see, no branching paths to take. Popping out of a metro tunnel into the ruins of the downtown DC area for the first time is pretty impressive, but the second and third time doesn't have the same impact because you've seen it before.
Whereas in NV you can go back and replay the game to experience the multitude of different endings or explore different quest outcomes and their impact on the world, in Fallout 3 once you've explored the world you're done. There's no point in coming back.
Fallout 4 fails on both ends. The entire game lacks soul. I'm not sure if it's because every location is a glorified loot crate for duct tape and wonderglue, or if it's because the game insists on giving you endless radiant quests, or if it's just the overall atmosphere of the game, but I never felt like exploring the world or trying to discover new locations. The world is boring. Despite all of the clutter and detail, it's boring.