Fallout: New Vegas came out in 2010, and one of its most acclaimed DLCs, Honest Hearts, came out in 2011. Over the next 10 years, Bethesda has made Fallout 4 and Fallout 76. However, fans keep coming back to New Vegas, and it is not an unpopular opinion to say it is the best of the Fallout franchise. Fans absolutely loved its factions, writing, setting, and themes, and old-school fans found it matched the spirit of the first two games in the franchise more than Fallout 3, 4, and 76.
Some fans also claim Fallout: New Vegas has the best characters in the series, from fan-favorites like Ulysses to tragic figures like Boone. One who stood out to many fans was Joshua Graham from the Honest Hearts DLC. He was an over-the-top badass with many quotable moments and a unique design, so to this day many say he is the best Fallout character - and some claim he is among the best Bethesda characters ever.
What Made Joshua Graham a Fan-Favorite Character
Fans do not love Joshua Graham because he is a good person; what draws fans to this character is how he survived a fall from the top of the Grand Canyon while on fire, now living in excruciating pain every day. He describes what keeps him alive is an unwavering faith in God and an intense grudge against Caesar.
Joshua is a legend, and his story is told in the main game as the "Burned Man" despite him not showing up outside the Honest Hearts DLC. He is the former right-hand man of Caesar that was punished and exiled from the Legion. This put Joshua in the role of an anti-hero, which are often the kinds of characters who do get a lot of fans because they are very flawed but largely still fight for the common good against major villains (in this case, that villain being Caesar). He is far from redeemed, but is a reformed villain.
Joshua's backstory is not the only thing that has won the hearts of Fallout players. Personality wise, he talks about religion and mortality without seeming preachy. He is serious, blunt, honest, and honorable at times. He has many notable quotes in Honest Hearts such as, "I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fires around me," and, "Waging war against good people is bad for the soul. This may not seem important to you now, but it's the most important thing I've ever said."
Lastly, Joshua has a character design that separates him from everyone else. In Bethesda franchises like Fallout and Elder Scrolls, NPCs are not often that different because there are so many of them to drop into a world. By contrast, Joshua looks like a mummified cowboy with a SWAT vest. Fans also loved his voice acting by Keith Szarabajka, who has also done voice for franchises like Metal Gear, Dragon Age, BioShock, and Dishonored.
How Joshua Still Stands Out 10 Years Later
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In a 2021 post on Reddit saying, "Joshua Graham is one of the greatest characters in all of Fallout," many chimed in with their agreements. Other posts in recent years have all said the same, that he is among the most interesting character in the game, in the Fallout franchise, and across Bethesda's whole catalog.
Since Fallout: New Vegas, few new badass characters have compared to Joshua Graham. There are fan-favorites in later titles, but seemingly none have inspired a widespread sense of awe in quite the same way. Fans hope that New Vegas will get a remaster or remake, then perhaps newcomers can get to meet the legendary Burned Man themselves.
Fallout New Vegas is available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.