Hi all, I've never actually played the Fallout series before. I was wondering, if you could recommend only 1 game from the series (sold at GOG) which one would it be? Is Fallout 1 so great that I should definitely not miss it? Or do you think I should just go with a more modern Fallout 2 or Fallout: Tactics if I'm only going to play 1 game from the series. I'm not really looking to play the entire series so please keep in mind that I don't want to hear "you should play the first one and then play the rest of them!", please only recommend 1 game. Thanks, I appreciate your input.
One more question, about how long does it take to play through a typical Fallout game?

Hello, glad you are interested in this great series!
Well, if you can only play one Fallout game, then the candidates are definitely narrowed down to Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. Fallout Tactics is decent, but it's not really an RPG (it's a tactical strategy game like X-Com or Jagged Alliance, which are also "good old games").
I think Fallout 1 is a safe choice. Fallout 2 isn't really that more "modern"...the game engine is exactly the same and there are only a few interface enhancements. Fallout 1 holds up very well and really has created most of the "Fallout mythology" that most people are familiar with. It also has kickass voice acting, characters, and decisions for you to make.
So I can confidently say "Start with Fallout 1", and I don't just say that because it's the first game in the series and I think you should work your way through. If you like it, then hey, you got a similar sequel and a radically updated sequel to look forward to :)
EDIT: To answer one of your other questions, beating Fallout 1 probably takes about 10 hours for the normal person. That's what I clocked in my first time through.

Very variable question. Fallout is short but is no doubt the tightest, most saturated in quality. Fallout 2 has a lot more content but the quality drops off from the mid-point towards the end. You might not notice though, especially having not played the first, how it bends the setting. Hell, if you're having enough fun you won't even notice the drop in quality, which is mostly apparent on subsequent playthroughs. Fallout 2 also starts out boring.
Fallout Tactics is a pretty big departure from the originals. Good game, sure, but it's a squad-based tactical game instead of a role-playing game heavily involving choices and consequences. There aren't all that many choices, which isn't to say they don't exist.
So, Fallout. Get and play Fallout. (one of) The best RPG(s) ever made.

Thanks for the advice you two. I think I'll eliminate Fallout 2 for now (unless I end up really liking the series). I thought from the description that Fallout: Tactics sounded like a different type of game and to be honest I think I'd like a tactical game more than an RPG right now. I'm already playing Mass Effect and I can only handle so much role-playing at a time that I want some action into my gaming mix. I'm glad to hear that Fallout 1's voice acting still holds up to standards, that will make a play-through much more enjoyable.
So, if I want a good engaging story I will go with Fallout 1, but if I find out that Fallout: Tactics is a pretty fun time, then I may go with that. Can anyone else comment as to how good of a game Fallout: Tactics is? Thanks again.

Fallout tactics is fairly good, but I really think you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you skip on Fallout 1. It's just an all around astonishing game, easily one of the greatest of all time.

Hmm, so how long does it take to beat Fallout 1? I'm not looking to get into anything too time committing. I know, maybe I shouldn't be looking at an RPG game to begin with, but I really want to buy something to support this site because of their no DRM policy.

I would defiantely go with the first one, the original. It's slightly shorter than the second, superior story wise to tactics and you can't argue with voice acting by at big names like Richard Dean Anderson, Richard Moll, Brad Garrett (you should see his Bill Cosby impression) and naration by Ron Pearlman.
[url=]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134648/[/url]
A veratible list of rather large list of excellent character actors. A large numbe rof them before they were famous. And arguably, unlike Mark Hamill a large body of their best work came AFTER the video games.

Thanks I appreciate all the help. I think I'll go with the original then. I'm sure I'll like it.
Maybe it won't be too long until GOG puts out a more action oriented game that I've been wanting to play. So far I've heard of most of the action games they offer, but none of them really appealed to me.

I think that Tactics doesnt really get the credit in gaming circles that it deserves. Its not revolutionary but it is alot of fun and a definite good buy if you like tactical squad games.
That being said it might be VERY hard to start with that game and go back to the orriginals. The combat in tactics is designed to be very streamlined with alot of automated actions. The combat in 1 and 2 might seem annoyingly clunky after playing that so i strongly advise playing those first. They are amazing games with LOTS to do and even greater replay value.

You should definitely start with the first one. By the time you're done with it you probably wont even hesitate to buy the second due to it's immense level of awesomeness.

Fallout is much shorter than either other game. In case you missed it, from reply number 1:
Also, just so you aren't mislead, most of the dialogue (and I mean the vast majority) is not voice acted. The voice acting there is (for particularly special characters) is, as others have said, very good.
Other disclaimers:
There is a time limit on the first half of the main quest. That puts a lot of people off. It's a lot longer than necessary, so don't feel too rushed, but these are things you should know going in.

Cool, I'm glad to hear its only about 10 hours to beat. I like games that are short and have high replay value. This sounds like a good candidate. Buying now...

I liked Fallout better than Fallout 2. Better feel all around, for me, and I liked the mechanics better.
Also, you don't have to rush through the game. I enjoyed many combats so much that I saved the good ones and went back later and replayed them again and again. In fact there were so many good combats that I wished I could save endless numbers of them so I could just dial up one certain type or another to replay whenever I felt like a particular experience.
And you can replay the game by making different choices and choosing different skills. I got many many more than 10 hours out of Fallout.

Definitely Fallout 1 for all of the reasons cited above. Although I love Fallout 2 and the sometimes-maligned Tactics, the original communicates the purest vision of the postapocalyptic setting that made Fallout such a stand-out (heh) in 1997.
If you had started with 2 or especially Tactics, you wouldn't really "grok" the mythos. It would be like meeting a self-described Star Wars fan who never saw the first trilogy. Just kind of missing the point.
So yeah, Fallout. The original. I'm excited on your behalf, that you're about to play it for the first time. My advice: Choose two things you want your character to be BADASS at, and downplay everything else. Small Guns/Speech is a good combo, because you get to pick your battles, and when you do fight the ability to snipe for criticals cannot be underestimated. That's the character I'd build if I were going for a fairly quick first playthrough.

Yeah... I just got to Necropolis in my current game after doing everything in Shady Sands and Junktown... And still have 100 days on the main quest... Probably could have spent more time exploring the Hub and finding quests there... Ahh well.. Maybe after I finish up in Necropolis.