RPG: R U Sure?

2010 marks the release of several prominent RPGs in the world of video games, namely Mass Effect 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fable 3. I've been wondering for a while what makes an RPG an RPG, and I've decided to declare winners of these three RPGs in each respective category. Now keep in mind this is just my opinion and if you disagree, then fuck off, I don't care.

Story - You know, the thing that most games have? It's important to distinguish what I'm talking about here. I mean the core concept of the franchise, not the individual game. Just a brief one sentence summary of why you're doing what you're doing in the game.
Winner: Mass Effect. The idea of the Reapers is brilliant, and both games take careful not to continue the overlapping story arch, rather than just create new adventures for Sheppard and Co.
2nd: Fable. Boy gets life ruined. Boy becomes hero. Boy kills bad guy. End of Story. It's a BFD.
3rd: Fallout. War. War never changes. Fallout never does either.

Combat - When you're not busy scrolling thru your gear, you may be out killing things for experience points. It's gotta be fun and interesting, something all RPGs have a problem with apparently.
Winner: Fable. I'm going to award this to Fable by the hair of its neck. It has the most diverse combat of the the three, using swords, guns, and magic, but lacks enemy variation. Bandits, balvarines and guards? Really?
2nd: Mass Effect. More enemy variation, but far less choice for combat. Guns and special abilities are always funny though.
3rd: Fallout. VATS is the shining diamond in an otherwise empty rough.

Fat L00tz - Often what keeps you entranced in a game for so long is the shit you hoard. It's addicting rummaging thru containers, dead bodies, and wasting man hours searching for that one thing you can't do without. A must for RPGs.
Winner: Fallout. The most impressive thing about Fallout is the amount of things you can collect and that everything has a purpose. You'll never not know what something is for, and the fact that you can create weapons and other items out of the junk you find is amazing. You'll treasure every treasure (even if it is crap).
2nd: Fable. A huge list of items, but many of them don't do anything, or just don't matter to you.
3rd. Mass Effect. The first game was much better in terms of the items you procured, but for the most part, both games simply don't have much in terms of customization of gear.

Presentation - An RPG must look pretty. It's got to be epic in scope and graphics, and they're can't be much room for unoriginality.
Winner: Mass Effect. The first game was very pretty. The second game was mind-boggingly pretty. The characters and environments are rich and diverse, and the amount of detail is highly commendable.
2nd: Fable. The game is pretty, but lacks diversity. Animations are off the charts however.
3rd: Fallout. A beautiful world can't make you forget about terrible character models and animations for robots.

Open World - A massive world is one of the reasons RPGs are so long in length. There are places to discover, adventures to have, and people to meet. A big world but a filled one.
Winner: Fallout. By miles, the biggest of the three. Fallout is filled with interesting locals and locales. There is so much to see, and going thru the whole world is a challenge and a treat.
2nd: Mass Effect. Mass Effect is hardly the kind of game you'd call free roam. Many areas are unavailable to you until a certain quest, then they aren't open again. Sad really.
3rd: Fable. Like Mass Effect, it's just not open enough. There is a lot to explore but you feel funneled toward certain things.

Side Quests - When you have some down-time from saving the world, you've gotta keep yourself in shape and entertained. Side quests give you an opportunity to meet people you normally wouldn't and get you good items and experience.
Winner: Fallout. Undisputed attention to this. Dozens of side quests with varying levels of involvement make Fallout the most interesting game outside of the main story. You'll never be sad taking these on, and you can often create different endings for each one. Now that's dedication.
2nd: Fable. Fable's quests are interesting, but often are repetitive. Some are prone to give Loregasms, so watch it.
3rd: Mass Effect. Mass Effect's quests are often brief, don't require a lot of skill, only open up a part of the world briefly, but are fantastic whenever you do them.

Sound - Music, sound effects, voice acting. A cornerstone of a good RPGs.
Winner: Mass Effect. The music and score is magnificent, and voice acting is always high caliber. It's use of robots, space, ships, and guns do the rest.
2nd: Fable. The Fable score is always majestic, and voice acting is held to a high quality (a tough task for some 80 voice actors). But it's the ambient noise of water against a dock, crackling of fire, humming in the Spire, and shouting villagers that bring the game to stunning life.
3rd: Fallout. When you're not listening to catchy songs from the 40's, you're listening to the profound silence of the wasteland or a freaking annoying cashier.

Morality - Good or Evil?
A THREE WAY TIE! Cause really, how do you judge morality (pun intended)? Each does pretty much the same thing. If I were to categorize, I'd guess I'd go Fable, Fallout, and then Mass Effect.

Environment Reaction - How do you affect the environment?
Winner: Fable. Come on, this is what Fable is known for. A single action from you could determine the fate of the world. People can scream in terror at the site of you, and refuse to serve you if you've upset them in some way.
2nd: Fallout. You hear about yourself on the radio. People will come and give you things for your good deeds. It feels authentic.
3rd: Mass Effect. You can actually determine whether you and your crew survive the final battle. Apart from that, not much else. Still very awesome.

Stats/Skills - Is leveling up important? For that matter, do you really need to invest a strategy when playing the game?
Winner: Fallout. A lot of energy should be put into your stats and abilities so you can succeed or just look cool. Nobody does it better. If you don't plan it out, you'll have trouble constantly.
2nd: Fable. It only gets easier for you as you level, to the point where you'll be virtually invincible at the end of the game. Not that the end of the game is difficult.
3rd: I suppose gaining loyalty counts as leveling, but just bringing someone with each type ability should do the trick, as well as picking the correct order.

Anyway, that's my take. Lemme know which is your favorite and why. DO NOT VOICE YOUR DISAPPROVAL ABOUT MY CHOICES. Just tell me what you think.