In 1998, Black Isle Studios, the newly named rpg division of Interplay, released Fallout 2. The newly released game promised a broader world, more choices, and a larger story. Critics praised the game for accomplishing more than what the original Fallout did. Many fans praise it as the best Fallout game in the series, however does it truly live up to the praise it received?

Disclaimer: This is my OPINION, not fact.

I found Fallout 2 boring. I loved Fallout 1 for its originality and story, but Fallout 2 is basically a rehash of its predecessor. The story was basically the same format: find a tool to save your home, discover a new enemy type, blow up their base, and save the day. This worked with Fallout 1, but became painfully boring and predictable when done the exact same way with Fallout 2. The

story had more focus on character development which was done very well, but if even half that effort was put into a new story, it might have been the best in the series.

Unfortunately, nothing has really changed mechanic-wise. It’s still the 3rd person isometric rpg that you loved, but now it feels unoriginal and overused. The character selection screen is the same, with one or two more perks. The pip-boy menu is also unchanged, and the music is repeated from Fallout 1.

The story takes place after the death of the vault dweller from Fallout, in a village he founded. After a semi-tutorial level (which Fallout didn’t have) you set off to find a “GECK”, a sci-fi miracle growth device for saving your village. Along your journey, your village is captured by a faction of military psychopaths called the Enclave, who want to purge all wastelanders. This is pretty much the most that the story explains about their motives. For a game that focuses on character development, it’s disappointing.

All in all, Fallout 2 is decent, but also disappointing. Basically, it’s the definition of meh. I recommend playing if you want to play a later entry in the franchise. However, by itself, I wouldn’t recommend the game. Although if you thought this was the worst Fallout game, then you’re in for a shock when we talk about Bethesda’s “addition” to the series, “Fallout 3”.

Ratings (Out of 10)

Graphics: 3

Music: 8

Cinematics: 4

Story: 5

Content: 10

Controls: 5

Gameplay: 6

Final Rating: 6

-Ethan Clark