Overall 9.7 Graphics 6 Sound 7 Addictive 9 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 8
9.5
The Peak of Computer RPGs CJOLL
Released in '96 and '97, the classic Fallout games are considered by many to be the crowning achievements in their era of the computer RPG genre. Praised for their intriguing setting, compelling story, and sheer depth, they spawned one of the most well-known post-apocalyptic franchises of all time.
Graphics: 6/10
For their time, Fallout and Fallout 2 had some pretty good graphics. They are obviously obsolete by modern standards, and they were never so pretty as to make the player go "ooh, ahh," but they got the job done. One nice thing about the graphics, however, is the game's distinct look. You can take one glance at a game and determine that it's classic Fallout. The bright blues and yellows of the vault suits, the polished steel floors and walls of the vaults, and the depressing brown of the wasteland all come together quite nicely to give the game its signature look.
Sound: 7/10
Again, there was nothing too special about the game's sound, but it worked. Sound is ranked slightly higher than graphics here because of how well the music score influences the atmosphere. The music helps to immerse the player in the game without ever being distracting.
Addictiveness: 9/10
One of the great things about all Fallout titles is their replayability value. "Depth," below, will cover this aspect of the game in detail. In Fallout and Fallout 2, you can create your own character with completely customized stats. The type of character that you create determines the options that will be available to you, and it is fun to start a brand-new playthrough and find out what else there is to discover.
Story: 10/10
I will try to avoid spoilers here, and mostly focus on the background story and why it is so fascinating. In the Fallout universe, cultural progress came to a halt in the 1950's, whereas technological progress skyrocketed. The result is a fascinating world taken straight out of a 50's-era sci-fi comic book. There are robots, nuclear-powered automobiles, and all manner of deadly laser and plasma weapons... but the Ink Spots and Louis Armstrong still play on the radio. Things take a turn for the worse in the year 2077. The world as we know it comes to an end when the major powers of the world unleash their nuclear arsenals. The only humans who survived unmutated are those who lived far away from any major population centers, or those who took shelter in one of several Vaults; fallout shelters designed to preserve humanity in case of nuclear war. Fast-forward eighty-four years to 2161, where Fallout begins. Your character, a resident of Vault 13, is sent out into the irradiated wasteland to find a
replacement for the Vault's damaged water purification control chip. An adventure ensues in which the player saves his or her Vault by finding the control chip, and then saves all of humankind by defeating an army of mutants and their leader. Fast-forward another eighty years to 2241, where Fallout 2 begins. Your character is a descendant of the first game's player character, who again must save his or her people; this time, by finding a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK). The GECK is a miraculous terraforming device capable of creating a lush oasis in the barren wasteland. Another adventure ensues and your character once again ends up saving the entire human race. I have left out most of the details of the games' plots, but suffice it to say that you will encounter a very colorful and varied cast of characters. There are factions and settlements of all shapes, sizes, and ideologies. To a large extent, the choices you make will shape the story of the game. The story is really very immersive and fascinating.
Depth: 10/10
This category is where Fallout shines the most, especially Fallout 2. The games are open-world RPGs that focus on player freedom. Your character can be a heroic goody-two-shoes or a sadistic marauder. There are countless side quests to complete and NPCs to interact with. A large arsenal of weapons and other items allows you to customize your character even further, and "special" random encounters on the world map exist to keep the game fresh. All in all, Fallout has the highest replayability value of any game that I personally have ever played.
Difficulty: 8/10
Okay, so... the game is pretty frustrating. Doubly so for anyone who didn't start playing video games until the 2000's. As some people would put it, "Fallout doesn't hold your hand." As others would put it, "How the heck does anyone complete this game without consulting the wiki every fifteen minutes?!" The game makes you think outside the box and come up with your own solutions to problems, often in very unintuitive ways. On top of this, the graphical limitations at the time often prevented picking up useable items because they were hidden behind desks, piles of rocks, or other bits of scenery; and don't even get me started on the bugs. There are lots of them. It's very buggy. The moral of the story? Until you get the hang of the game, you should save VERY often, use a new save slot each time, and don't be afraid to consult a fallout wiki whenever you get stuck. Sorry, but it's just the way games were back then; you had to really work for the reward.
Other notes:
The games had a wonderful sense of humor, especially Fallout 2. If you like dark humor, innuendo, fourth-wall-breaking, and Monty Python, you will absolutely love Fallout 2. The classic Fallout games are great in that, unlike most AAA games these days, they didn't take themselves too seriously. One last quick note: if you decide to play Fallout 2, for the best experience, the "Killap's Fallout 2 Restoration Project" mod is highly recommended. It is easy to find with a quick internet search and just as easy to download and install. It restores a lot of cut content to the game and, even better, it removes tons of those pesky bugs that I mentioned before.
Overall: 9.5/10
As someone who grew up playing these games, I will admit right now to being biased, but I think this is a fair rating. I think that there's no denying that Fallout has excellent depth, story, and replayability value, and based on these factors alone it merits a 10/10 rating. On the other hand, there's also no denying that the game is buggy and frustrating from time to time, preventing a perfect rating. All in all, these games are regarded as classics, and they have definitely earned their place in video game history.
Graphics 6 Sound 7 Addictive 9 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 4.3/5
Submitted: 07-24-15
Updated: 07-25-15
Review Replies: 3
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