I've only played 1, not 2. But I've read about 2 & how it has "improvements" to the game. I know the general concensus is that 2 is "better," but I'm a bit of a stick-in-the-mud when it comes to my games. I'm resistant to change once I learn a game...always afraid it'll be too much change & I won't be able to adapt. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong.
So, does anyone like 1 better than 2, and why?

My position on this is same as ever:
Fallout 1's story/atmosphere was better than Fallout 2's.
Fallout 2's everything else was better than Fallout 1's, especially in the annoying glitch department. I can't tell you how grateful I was that I could tell my henchmen to moves their butts when they barricaded me inside a small room.

That aggravated me too in the original. And I appreciate your input on the games...your opinion was clear & concise.

I was fairly disappointed with Fallout 2. The game world was bigger, but I wasn't nearly as interested in exploring it. The characters where more bland, the town design seemed less distinctive, and I enjoyed the humor considerably less.
I'd actually say that Arcanum was a more worthy successor in a number of ways.

I do prefer Fallout 1 background/atmosphere.
But Fallout 2 bring many improvements: bigger world, more towns, longer story...
I cant say which one I prefer. If this is a matter of feeling that would be Fallout 1 since each time I finish it, I'm close to cry >.>

I prefer Fallout 1 too. It's shorter, but I like the story more.

That pretty much sums up how I feel about it.

Guess i'm the one that loves Falout 2 better.
Maybe because i played it first.

I already own all the fallout games on disc apart from Fallout NV. But I just bought Fallout 2 on GOG just now and am downloading it now. I'm also going to get fallout 1 on here I haven't played that yet but it sounds really interesting too.
I haven't gotten very far in Fallout 2 but I am really enjoying it so far. Will be even more fun without having to use the disc and getting all those extra Goodies that GOG has to download.

Not necessarily. I expect most would prefer F2 because of its improvements. I just kinda directed this topic more towards those who prefer F1.
But I hear what you're saying about having played it first. My first adventure game was King's Quest III, back when it first came out around 1987. I then played KQ1-6, and KQ3 remains my favorite...probably not because it truly was so much better and I just happened to start with the very best one, but simply because it was my "first love" in adventure games.

Me! I love Fallout 1. Fallout 2 is fairly good, but I have never even finished it. I have, however, finished Fallout 1 several times

The improvements won't detract from your play style at all. Most of them are small changes, such as being able to give your companions items (rather than having to use the steal option to plant items on them).
I think the consensus is that the original Fallout has the better story, but Fallout 2 is exactly what a sequel should be - it's bigger, longer, has slight interface improvements, and lets you continue playing after conquering it - which I really enjoyed back in the day.
If you liked the first, you should have a blast with the second, but you'll probably be more fond of the original regardless. I remember reading that someone was working on a mod to build the original Fallout story in Fallout 2 (playing Fallout 1 in Fallout 2, simply so you have the superior interface). I haven't really seen anything about it lately, so I don't know if it's still in production or what.

I've finished fallout 1, and liked the ending (plus the master) I've played a good amount of FO2 so far and as for interface, ally control, and abilities, it's a win. I like fallout 2 more than the original. though. It didn't drive me mad.

I've always preferred Fallout over the sequel. The story and atmosphere found in the first are better than in the second one. That being said, Fallout 2 provides all of the things a sequel should: slightly better graphics, improved gameplay, and more of everything. Both are brilliant games, it is simply a matter of preference.

Pardon my necro on this one, but this is my topic after all. :-)
Well, I played Fallout three times over the course of a year or so, and I've been playing Fallout 2 for the last few weeks, so I've formed an opinion.
I like all the improvements in the gameplay of F2....but the game is just so damn big compared to the first. I wish they would've split it into two Fallout sequels instead of one gigantic one.