New Vegas lead Josh Sawyer thinks turn-based combat fell off in the 2000s due to a lack of 'tactical variation': Even Fallout 1 would 'get to the point where you're always doing nut shots and eye shots'

Vault Boy demonstrates how to duck and cover.

Before a recent interview with Obsidian studio design director Josh Sawyer, I was tasked with a crucial mission by a different games industry Josh. PCG news writer Joshua Wolens wanted Josh the Elder's take on the apparent final victory of turn-based combat over real time with pause, as represented by recent hits like Baldur's Gate 3, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

A quick definition for those who are less obsessed with RPG minutia: Real time with pause (RTWP) is when you can halt the action at any time to issue commands to your party, but don't control characters directly like in an action game or take fully segmented turns. The original Baldur's Gates, Knights of the Old Republic, and Dragon Age: Origins are all examples of RTWP games.