What is the best Fallout game?
The Fallout series is vast, highly nuanced, and varied, with each entry catering to different gaming preferences including top-down, open-world, dungeon crawling, shooter, and MMORPG games. With such a dedicated fan base and with each game offering a unique and unforgettable experience, pinning down the best Fallout game is no easy feat.
Here are the best Fallout games:
Set in 2161, Fallout introduced the series’ now iconic atompunk and retrofuturistic aesthetic, along with the first iteration of the core gameplay elements. Though not technically the first game in the series, Fallout 1 is considered the first entry due to its significant role in establishing the series’ world.
Despite its age and technical issues, Fallout 1’s charm and impact on the RPG genre cannot be denied. The game’s vast world of Megaton, the Capital Wasteland, and the underground Vaults is absolutely brimming with character, and the retrofuturistic aesthetic – combined with the game’s dark humor and adult narrative – makes Fallout 1 a unique and unforgettable experience.
Fallout 1 is also notable for its introduction of the Vault Dweller, the protagonist of the game and the first of the many ‘Sole Survivors’ that would come to inhabit the vast wasteland. The game’s antagonist, The Master, also made a significant and memorable impact on the series.
Set in 2241, Fallout 2 builds upon the world established in the first game and features improvements all round in terms of storytelling and gameplay. The sequel to Fallout 1 sees the return of the series’ protagonist, the now legendary playable character The Chosen One, as they return to their hometown of Arroyo to discover it decimated by the claws of the Beast Raiders.
The story of The Chosen One’s journey to find the Enclave and their role in the latest round of nuclear warfare is a captivating and emotional one, made all the more memorable by the game’s rich cast of companions and its memorable locations, including the New Reno casinos and the Sierra Madre Casino. Fallout 2 is also notable for offering the player the ability to recruit Dog Meat as a companion, cementing their status as the series expert.
Fallout 3 marked a significant change for the series by shifting to a first-person perspective and introducing a new game design perception. Though not without its issues, Fallout 3 also marked a turning point for the franchise and remains one of Bethesda’s most successful games to date.
Taking place in 2258, Fallout 3 sees players taking on the role of the Lone Wanderer as they are forced to flee from the ruins of Washington DC and head out into the vast wasteland in search of their father. Fallout 3’s story offers a unique perspective of the apocalypse, offering a new story centered around finding a missing son, which has since become a staple of the series.
Fallout 3’s gameplay also remains a fan favorite, offering a rich and rewarding RPG experience with a vast amount of customization. The game also introduced VATS, or the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, which acts as a combat aid by allowing players to target specific body parts when in combat.
Set in 2208, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel takes a different direction from the previous games in the series by offering a more streamlined tactical shooter experience. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel sees the player take on the role of the Initiate, a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, as they attempt to rescue the human population of Washington DC from the clutches of the ESS Quetzalcoatl and the mutating effects of the FEV virus.
Despite offering a fresh and engaging gameplay experience, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel fails to fulfill players’ desires due to its linear exploration and limited freedom. Despite these shortcomings, there is still something special about this entry that has proven popular with fans and has led to various mods being released over the years.
Set around 2286-2287, Fallout Shelter Online is a sequel to Fallout Shelter. Fallout Shelter Online offers a more significant emphasis on story, with the player assuming the role of ‘The Overseer’ as they build and expand their very own vault from the ground up. Fallout Shelter Online also features microtransactions, though this aspect remains relatively unobtrusive.
Fallout Shelter Online builds upon the success of its predecessor and sets the stage for the next game in the series, Fallout 4.
