A video game company, Interplay Productions, developed a game called Wasteland in 1988. The post-apocalyptic RPG (Role Playing Game) was received with critically positive reviews, but due to legal issues with Electronic Arts, a sequel wasn’t made until much later. After several attempts at making sequels, Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game was released in 1997.

Fallout received critical acclaim. People praised the story and mechanics for their creativity, and replayability. Black Isle Studios, the new division of Interplay’s RPG game developers, rushed to make a sequel that launched two years later. However, that’s a story for another day.

Fallout starts with a character selection screen. You can pick from several presets or a custom character (which I highly recommend) in which you can select your SPECIAL stats and perks. SPECIAL stats (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck) determine what you do in the world to start. Perks modify your game to play differently, like increasing how many SPECIAL points you receive, at the cost of EXP, which increases your level. After a cutscene detailing the introduction of living in a vault after a nuclear apocalypse, and the failure of your water purification system, the vault door opens, and you step into the wasteland.

After fighting your way through mutated rats and using the hexagonal tiles, you exit the cave. The game shifts view from third person isometric to top-down as you travel from town to town, searching to repair the water purifier. As you search, you make friends and discover mysterious mutated enemies and get tasked with finding the source. Everything falls into place with the final act, in which you and your allies assault the leader’s hideout, and finish him once and for all.

Fallout, in my opinion, did a great job with the unlikely hero aspect. Interplay took a risk with a new franchise, and it shot to popularity and gained a cult following as well as setting the bar for rpgs. Fallout earns itself a 9 out of 10 for a rich story, polished game mechanics, and replayability. My only qualms are with the difficulty spike, but other than that, give it a try!

Ratings (out of 10)

Graphics: 6 (for the time)

Music: 9

Cinematics: 6

Story: 10

Content: 10

Controls: 9

Gameplay: 10

Final Rating: 9

-Ethan Clark