Every Fallout game ranked worst to best in 2024
Since the release of the first game in 1997, the Fallout series has emerged as one of the best RPG franchises in gaming, renowned for its dark humor, bitter satire, deep build and weapon variety, and retrofuturistic art direction. Interplay Entertainment, Obsidian Entertainment, and Bethesda Game Studios have contributed entries to the post-apocalyptic IP, each taking place at different times and in different parts of the United States in the years following nuclear Armageddon.
There haven't been any new Fallout titles since the release of Fallout 76 in 2018, but Fallout 5 has at least been confirmed. Additionally, the popular new Fallout TV show as well as the ongoing Fallout franchise sale have led to somewhat of a renaissance for the series, with player numbers increasing across all games. In fact, Fallout is on everyone's mind right now, including us – and as a result, we're considering, polling, and discussing its games to determine which ones we enjoy the most. And we want them to be a little better. Below you'll find Team Windows Central's ranking of all mainline Fallout RPGs, arranged from worst to best.
6. Fallout 76
Bethesda took a big risk when it decided to develop a multiplayer-focused Fallout game instead of the series' typical single-player entries, and the final product – Fallout 76 – got off to a shockingly poor start in 2018. Open Wilderness West Virginia initially had very little to do or see, and the small amount of story content available at launch paled in comparison to the content included in previous titles (for a long time, there weren't even any NPCs you could talk to). Can do). The game also ran badly, despite huge patches released by the developers in the early weeks.
Thankfully, Fallout 76's got a lot of that, too. excess Better since then, with various free expansions and updates adding a ton of quality story, roleplaying and gameplay content over time. Its performance has also improved dramatically over the years, though your mileage may vary (a friend of mine couldn't even get a consistent 30 fps at 1080p on medium settings, despite using a rig well above the recommended specification). Could). This is still our least favorite Fallout, but it's still worth checking out, especially because if you have Amazon Prime it's free until May 15th.
5. Fallout 2
Interplay Entertainment division Black Isle Studios released Fallout 2 a year after the original game, and while it has the same isometric perspective and gameplay systems, that's where the similarities – broadly, at least – end. Compared to the tight and focused design of Fallout, Fallout 2 is much larger, with tons of different locations, factions, characters, quests, and random encounters to meet and play through. Its broad scope can result in it feeling unfocused at times, although at the end of the day, what's here is still pretty damn good. Notably, it is also Very Zany at times, in contrast to the darker, more serious tone of the first game.
In it, you play as The Chosen One, a member of a village called Arroyo who worships the Vault Dweller from the first game, set 80 years after the events of Fallout. The chosen person is tasked with finding the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, or GECK, so that the people of Arroyo can use it to terraform their land and save their community.
4. result
The one that started it all. Released in 1997 by Interplay Entertainment, Fallout introduced gamers to the iconic world of the post-apocalyptic RPG series. It, like Fallout 2, is isometric and a little awkward to play by today's standards due to the funky controls and confusing interface, but if you can get past that, here's a wonderful game to experience. It puts you in the role of Vault Dweller, a survivor of the Great War, who ventures out into the California wastes to discover a replacement water chip for the Vault's purification system from his austere Vault 13 bunker 84 years after the bombs fell. .
Although shorter than its sequel, the original Fallout has immaculate world building, wonderful characters, and a great balance of both serious and comedic writing. It also has an impressive number of branching story paths and different ways to complete its quests, though one thing to keep in mind is that many of these have some annoying time limits. Ultimately, Fallout is a beloved classic, and every fan should at least give it a try.
3. Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is the most recent single-player entry from Bethesda Game Studios, the franchise's current stewards, and it is set on the wasteland of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 210 years after the Great War. Compared to other single-player 3D Fallout games, Fallout 4 is notable for having the best graphics, gunplay, and build variety, and it is the only game to feature the fan-favorite settlement base-building system that Fallout 76 would eventually adopt. This is CAMP Mechanic. This is a phenomenal base for community-made mods, which are available on both PC and Xbox (here are some of the best Fallout 4 Xbox mods I recommend).
Although Fallout 4 has excellent world-building and plenty of factions and characters to encounter, its weak dialogue options and weak role-playing opportunities keep it from reaching a high spot on this list. Its highly customizable weapons, gunplay, and combat system are some of the best in the series, but as soon as the shooting stops and the conversations begin, the game's issues become painfully obvious.
2. Fallout 3
Fallout 4's predecessor Fallout 3 may lack the earlier gameplay refinements and its settlement mechanics, but it makes up for it through overall better dialogue, roleplaying, and writing. This was the first game made for the franchise by Bethesda after acquiring the rights to it in 2007, and in our opinion, it's also the best. Notably, it was also the first 3D title in the series, as well as the first title to feature the dynamic VATS targeting system that has appeared in every new game since then.
Fallout 3 takes place in the Capital Wasteland – which is what is left of Washington DC and its surrounding areas – and you are tasked with finding your father after he mysteriously disappears from your vault. Factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave from Fallout and Fallout 2 feature prominently here, and events that unfold throughout the narrative directly influence Fallout 4's story.
1. Fallout: New Vegas
Yes, you probably saw this coming, but hey – there's a Reason Why 2010's Fallout: New Vegas is often considered the best Fallout game, and is one of the best PC games and best Xbox games of all time. Many in fact; It's everything we love about Fallout 3, but with better gameplay mechanics, even better writing and dialogue, a ridiculous number of branching story and quest paths, and a rich, dense open world filled with unique factions and characters. With the world. Obsidian Entertainment's contribution to Fallout is arguably the studio's greatest work, and almost everyone is hoping it will work on the franchise again one day.
The only major issue with New Vegas is that the PC version is notorious for its bugs and crashes, but these are problems you can solve by installing stability and bugfix mods released by the community over the years. The process is actually much simpler than you might expect, especially when resources are like Viva New Vegas Modding Guide Existence
What about other sports?
I can already hear your furious typing, but don't worry – we haven't forgotten about other Fallout games like Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, or Fallout Shelter. Compared to both the main RPG titles as well as each other, these spinoffs are too different to rank fairly, so they're getting a few honorable mentions here. And before you ask, no, we have not included Fallout Pinball. it is technically bethesda pinballAnyway – Fallout is one of three tables you can play on.
Released in 2017, Fallout Shelter is a remarkably successful free-to-play base-building and management game that allows players to create and expand their own Vault-Tec vault. Over time, it has been updated to include characters from the RPG games as well as characters from the TV show, and is available to play Steam, xbox, Play StationThe Google Play StoreAnd Apple's App Store.
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel was created by Interplay and came out in 2001, and is available to purchase on Steam (you will get the best price) Green Man Gaming, The story is a bit convoluted and has no direct connection to the stories of Interplay's other games, but it's a very entertaining strategy combat-heavy take on the isometric Fallout. If you like turn-based strategy, definitely give it a try.
Finally, there's Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, which is often considered the black sheep of the series (most people don't even know it). Present, Released in 2004 by Interplay on Xbox and PlayStation 2, it is a top-down action RPG with linear “chapters” and hack-and-slash combat. Notably, it is the only Fallout game considered non-canonical (Bethesda revised its decision to outlaw Fallout Tactics a few years ago,
Agree or disagree with our rankings? Leave us a comment and tell us why, and feel free to share your rankings as well. By the way, every game listed here except Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is available to play on either Xbox or PC (or both). xbox game pass ultimateSo if you are a subscriber, you can start your wasteland adventure without purchasing anything from them.
