Fallout 2

Fallout 2 is a great game with some minor flaws. It's not quite as good as the original Fallout, the humor in this game hurts it more than helps (where the original Fallout found the perfect balance). Still, this is an outstanding Fallout experience in almost every way!

If you're having issues where the game gets stuck on the intro video then just restart. That fixed it for me. Also Windows 7 compatability mode fixed my audio crackling. I'm on Windows 11. I think the issue has to do with Sfall.

one of my all time favorite games of all time

Fallout 1 was a strong introduction to the post apocalyptic world of the Fallout series, but Fallout 2 takes everything that made its predecessor great and builds upon it, creating a game that's even more immersive, intricate, and morally complex. World building is one of its greatest strengths. The wasteland feels alive and interconnected, with factions evolving since the first game: the NCR grows into a government with its own currency, super mutants change after the Master's death, and the Brotherhood fades into the background. This sense of progression makes the setting feel alive. Another element is how the game embraces moral grayness. Choices rarely have a clear right or wrong answer, sometimes you're punished simply for delaying too long, as quests can fail or NPCs die while you're busy elsewhere. You can even choose to be an a**hole, become a slaver, or kill innocents, and the game reacts accordingly. Unlike many modern RPGs, morality isn't reduced to simple good or evil factions. Gameplay builds on the first game with improvements. Companions are more useful, with better inventory and combat options, and random encounters are more varied. Towns and settlements feel distinct, each with its own identity and conflicts. Quests offer multiple solutions, encouraging replayability and experimentation, every run can reveal new dialogue, choices, or endings. But Fallout 2 isn't flawless. The rushed development shows in unfinished areas, messy scripts, and occasional bugs, sometimes preventing quest rewards or certain endings even if you met the requirements. Frequent saving is essential. If you can show patience and a willingness to embrace its imperfections, this is a must play for you. At least, I had great fun with it.

Released during the golden age of isometric cRPGs, Fallout 2 is a quintessential isometric cRPG that not only helped define the genre, but set the bar for the rpg genre as a whole for decades to come. The by-now iconic post-apocalyptic setting of the Fallout franchise is created in such immersive depth in these classic titles, and the flexibility with which you can explore the world and go about the main quest line is as impressive as they come. What stands out most about the game is the depth you can go with playing your character, especially concerning the consequences of your actions and choices within the world. As an example, this game allows you to invest in the bare minimum intelligence points and unlock special (hilarious) dialogue where NPCs painstakingly speak in dumbed down language trying to explain things to you. Not to mention a low-intelligence character doesn’t know how to use a computer and as such will have problems getting into most if not all of the high-tech areas or abandoned vaults. The game also allows you to become an ahem “movie” star, weight boxing champion, slaver, and much more. As far as roleplaying games go, the classic Fallout titles are very hard to beat and the reason they are definitely still worth playing 25 years later. Criticism: in general I don’t care much about a game’s age, but Fallout 2 has to be played with this in mind. It is a product of its time and is therefore oftentimes very unintuitive to play. Not to mention even despite several projects to make the game more accessible on modern operating systems, it can still occasionally hit you with some annoying bugs. Save often.