Fallout Games – Ranked

With the impending release of Fallout 76, it’s well worth taking a look back at the eight previous Fallout universe games to grace various screens. Presented here we have writer Aaron’s ranking for the previous games in the franchise.

1. Fallout 2. The textbook example of a perfect sequel. Make no mistake, Fallout is a classic in its own right, but Fallout 2 improves upon it in every way. More guns. More companions. Bigger map. No time limits. Explore the wastes of California, Nevada, and Oregon at your own pace. Fix up a car and travel faster between points. It’s possible that I’ve spent more time playing Fallout 2 than any other game, and every single playthrough has been slightly different. There’s just so many things to do, so many subtly different interactions and things to find that can only be unlocked with a specific stat choice, so many surprise random encounters. I still haven’t done a full pacifism run, and likely never will.
   

   Ah the starting temple in FO2. It’s worth pointing out that the version now available on Steam includes an HD patch allowing for resolutions up to 2715×1527. You can see a lot more of the map now.

2. Fallout: New Vegas. While Fallout 3 reinvigorated the long dead franchise, New Vegas was the return to the West Coast that long-time series fans had been waiting for. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment with a team including a lot of former Black Isle Fallout developers, New Vegas represented the return to form that fans had been hoping for. A number of great, but subtle callbacks to Fallout 2 helped reinforce the feeling that this was the true sequel to Fallout 2.
3. Fallout 4. When Bethesda too the reins of the series back for the next numbered iteration, they brought the story back to their familiar stomping grounds on the East Coast. Fallout 4 takes the “There’s so much to do” elements of New Vegas and cranks them to 11, adding settlement building that becomes a game unto itself. Unfortunately, the VATS system keeps getting re-worked, and parts of the game start feeling more like a shooter with post-apocalyptic RPG elements with every new iteration.
4. Fallout. The grand-daddy who started it all. The initial time limit actually works in the game’s favor, granting a sense of urgency to the game’s first act like no other game in the franchise. It’s hobbled by some awkward bugs which require a good fan patch to really enjoy, and suffers in comparison to its superior sequel, but the very first game remains a very good place to start as an entry point to the series.
5. Fallout 3. The move from isometric turn-based RPG to 1^st/3^rd person style was one of the single-most divisive issues in the Fallout fan base when Fallout 3 came out. Time has mellowed a lot of the anger, and the game is a good game unto itself. Later entries have polished the formula better, but Fallout 3 deserves recognition for resurrecting the series from the dead. For gamers who want to get into Fallout but just can’t wrap their heads around a classic isometric experience, Fallout 4 would probably be a better starting point.
6. Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. Fallout 76 isn’t the first spin-off of the Fallout series into slightly different genre. No, that distinction belongs to this title, which ditched the RPG elements of Fallout and Fallout 2 for a pure turn-based tactical war gaming experience. It’s a good game in its own right, but given its story status as non-canonical, there’s no reason to go back and play it if squad-level strategy games aren’t your thing.
7. Fallout Shelter. Play Fallout on the bus! In your classroom! At your job! Take it anywhere. It’s a surprisingly competent base-building game for mobile set in the Fallout Popular enough to make it’s way onto Steam as an F2P title, it’s a fun way to kill some time on your favorite mobile device.
8. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel. Despite sharing almost the same name as the tactical spinoff, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is a totally different game, marking the franchise’s first foray onto consoles. Unfortunately, it also isn’t very good. Released for Xbox and PlayStation 2, this game was built on the Snowblind game engine previously used for Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance (and which would be upgraded for Justice League Heroes). Unfortunately, that engine really wasn’t up to the task of a world where most enemies use ranged weapons. Attacks tend to come from off-screen a lot, and the game ends up involving a lot of wandering around trying to find what’s shooting you this time.

Where will Fallout 76 land on this list? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts, or if you think that Aaron got any of his rankings wrong!