Just when you thought it couldn't get better...

Let me start this by recommending you play the first one before you play this sequel. If you've never heard of Fallout before I would also recommend you look over some of the reviews for Fallout 1 so you can perhaps get a better understanding of some of what I mention here.

Players of Fallout will find the Fallout 2 has many of the same features that made the first one the "Best game of the year". It has a detailed combat system, thoughtful plot, freedom to move around and accomplish different mini quests on your own and some impressive character interaction. The map of Fallout 2 is about 3 times larger than that of the first one as well, allowing for several more hours worth of game play.

Overview

In Fallout 2 the world is in ruin. Civilization has been destroyed and the survivors are either mutated, spent their lives living in little ramshackle towns spotted along the desert, or lived in Vaults - Huge underground shelters. Some larger towns have been made from the remnants of ancient cities (Like Reno). Overall the atmosphere centers around the old 1950's view of the Nuclear Age. The instruction manual is even illustrated much the same way the old bomb shelter books and pamphlets were.

You are a member of a tribe established by The Vault Dweller (Character from Fallout 1). Being tired and fearing for their lives as supplies are running low, the leader selects you to go find a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK). This is supposed to help the Vault survivors establish a colony when they resurface.

Being from a tribe, you are not looked favorably upon and are usually an outcast when you first enter the nearby towns. In this world, tribe members are also sold as slaves, another concern you have to deal with. So adventure awaits as you step foot across the bridge from your village.

Character Development

As with any great role playing game, you get to make your own character. Here you get to choose skills, attributes, name and sex. You can decide whether or not you want this character to be a pea-brained body builder, or smooth fast talking salesman, along with any other combination you can think of.

Interaction

What makes this role playing game stand out from the crowd is the huge amount of interaction between your character and the others. You get to actually select what you want to say so people, but your options are limited by your intelligence and charisma. Certain aspects of the game might not be available to you if you can't fight your way through a band of brigands, while others might not be available if you can't sweet talk the barmaid. There are limitless options in the plot just based on the conversations you have with people. Every word does count and is used to advance the story.

You can also decide how moral you want to be, or what actions you want to take in your life. You can randomly shoot people, main characters or just "grunts". You can dig up graves. You can work jobs for crime bosses. You can star in porn movies (although they're censored). You can become a boxing champion. You can sleep with as many women as you can afford. You can get married in either heterosexual or homosexual relationship (I discovered the later by accident, quite shocking actually). Al these options are available to you any time you like during the game, providing you take the path(s) that lead to them.

Combat

Detailed, gruesome and turn based. You have a huge variety of weapons available in the game, and various skills for each. If you prefer unarmed combat, you can master a large number of different moves, if you prefer to be armed to the teeth, you can master heavy weaponry. As your skill improves, so does your chance of hitting at target.

You don't really have to worry about futility in your combat. Whenever you select a target you see a percentage appear, that's your chance to hit. If you have horrible skill, you'll probably miss.

You don't have to worry about being slow, or not being able to react quickly. The combat is turn based, meaning you get to move/shoot and then your opponent does. There's not much stress involved.

After you aim at your opponent and click you'll be presented with a map of their body. Each section has different percentages of hitting but some do more damage then others. An Uzi to the groin for example will just about take down anything. Different areas of the body can also be crippled, arms and legs can be broke and eyes can be blinded. Use your imagination!

The graphics are impressive. You can actually watch a person get shredded by a Gatling gun, disintegrated by a lazer, etc...


Although this game is bloody, has a serious plot and mature content matter, it's hysterical at the same time. There are frequent comments taken from movies, such as the RUS's from "Princess Bride" or the bridge keeper from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail - You must answer me these questions three...". As well as some witty remarks that are always available for your character say back to the other characters.

This is perhaps the only game that would ever get a perfect rating in my books. It's entertaining, humorous, intriguing, action packed and just overall fun!