When Mutants Attack...

So, I didn't intend to play Fallout 3 last night, but I did.

As it is, I'm still out and about exploring around.  I really need to make my way towards Megaton the town and follow the main quest, but I keep getting side-tracked.  I'm checking out some buildings around an old subway station, when I come across (3) "Runaway Slaves."  Um... ok, WTF?  I try and talk to them, but my dialogue only allows me to say I have to go.  That situation is kinda surreal.  All three of them are just crouching in the bushes on the outside of one of the buildings.

Since I can't speak to them (yet), I head off towards what appears to be a derailed train.  When, (2) of these nasty mutants appear:

Except, without the gun...  all they had were clubs.  Instead of wasting ammo on them, I pull out the trusty combat knife and play a little slice-and-dice dance.  I take a few hits, but for the most part, they are slow and clumsy and easy to dodge.

After I dispatch them, I head off towards what looks like an abandoned church, when, Muty's big brother appears:

This guy is HUGE.  Easily 2-3 bigger them me, and carrying a club twice my size.

I figure, ok, his little brothers were easy to take out, I'll give him a shot.  Big mistake.

Even though I've recovered a mini-nuke and a rocket launcher at this point in the game, the rocket launcher has no effect on him, and I forget that I'm carrying the nuke (not that I'm sure I know how to use it anyways).

Big Daddy Muty takes TWO swings at me with his club, and promptly ends my life.

Needless to say, since I hadn't saved after my fight with his little brothers, I got to fight them again when I re-spawned.  However, I avoided big brother and just moved on.

I see this game sucking up a TON of time here in the near future.