Fallout 2

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Genre: Role-Playing
• Style: Isometric RPG
• Similar Games: Fallout (IBM PC Compatible), Baldur's Gate (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Once again life looks bleak for the survivors of the nuclear wipe-out of the 21st century. Eighty years ago your ancestor braved the unknown post-apocalyptic world after leaving Vault 13 in search of the remnants of a society only vaguely remembered. Now it's your turn. You need to find the Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK) in an effort to save your pitiful village from the vicissitudes of a dying world. Mutants, radiation, ruthless and deadly gangs of demented wasteland survivors and a landscape full of death and destruction await you in your search for the way to a better life, or at the very least a reason to even continue this primal existence in this desolate land.



Fallout 2 is the sequel to the award-winning role-playing original title, Fallout. The game builds on that success by including a vast number of improvements, enhancements and new features, including more than 100 new skills to learn, enemies with characteristics and attitudes that make the original cast of mutants look like wimps, a vast arsenal of more deadly weapons, better armor, improved AI for NPCs and a huge array of modifiable personal traits, characteristics, attributes and abilities with which to build your on-screen alter ego.

The interface for Fallout 2 relies on an action cursor system used in conjunction with a mouse (some keyboard shortcuts) and combat is turn-based. Basic controls fall in four categories: movement, command, targeting (combat only) and hand (inventory manipulation). Auto-mapping, detailed interaction, dialogue, character generation (statistics, traits, perks, skills, karma), medical concerns and use of a Personal Information Processor (Holy RobCo PIPBoy 2000) to help organize the vast amount of data needed to just stay alive in the unfriendly world are just some of the detailed features encountered in the game. Fallout 2 continues the high levels of gritty action and player immersion established in the original and is backed by a comprehensive manual and tutorial. An upgrade to Version 1.02 is available at either www.interplay.com or www.blackisle.com.

Voice credits for Fallout 2 include Michael Dorn, Jeffrey Jones, and Ron Perlman.

Roots & Influences

As a sequel, Fallout 2 continues the story and setting established in the original title of the series, Fallout. Imaginative fiction that looks at what a post-apocalyptic world might look like about 200 years in the future (22nd century). Background would include just about any science-fiction source that speculates on future worlds.

Review: Overall

When Fallout was released in late 1997, the game garnered high praise from nearly every major publication dealing with the computer game industry. Not surprisingly, the developers have followed up the title with a sequel, Fallout 2. Adhering to the old adage that you don't fix it if it isn't broken, the game is every bit the equal of it's predecessor but with enhancements that make game play even more riveting. As a rare entry in the role playing genre that caters to all levels of game playing skills, Fallout 2 begins rather slowly but picks up speed as the main character develops the skills, equipment and savvy to simply survive in this post-apocalyptic nightmarish wasteland. Through both subtle innuendo and in-your-face contact, the somewhat naïve lead character methodically learns the terms of existence in a very human (and at times painful) way. The game is tough. Resources are scarce at the beginning and things don't get much better for quite a while.

The game world is much larger and even more inhospitable than the original. Things have settled down a bit since your ancestor left Vault 13 nearly eighty years ago and the various pockets of humanity have coalesced into severely repressed and dangerous factions you'll have to deal with in order to accomplish the overall objective of helping your village survive. Progress can be frustrating at first because of the weaknesses of your character (he's just an ordinary guy), lack of weaponry (or skills) and inability to discover ways to make what passes for currency in the world (bottle caps!). You'll be forced to rely on some decidedly tasteless schemes to "finance" your trek and you'll be required to make some difficult decisions on moral issues (e.g., prostitution, slavery) to ensure survival. Places (towns, camps, etc.) and people you encounter during your travels have unique methods of dealing with the overwhelming problems of the land and each locale includes lots of NPCs. Like in the first game, interaction with NPCs plays a large part in story advancement but beware, the enemies, mutants and crazies you meet are meaner and more plentiful than before. Oftentimes your only survival tool is to retreat and live to fight another day.

Survival in Fallout 2 is approached in a refreshing and innovative manner that requires some original thinking and doesn't depend on fantastic, imaginary gimmicks as do so many fantasy-based role playing worlds. You learn to make do in an extremely realistic portrayal of a world hanging on by the thinnest of threads. Because of the huge world, travel/exploration can be a daunting aspect although a semi-solution is offered (I won't spoil the surprise). As it impacts on this particular aspect of game play as well as other minor glitches, it is important to download the patch (see description for internet sites) and apply it BEFORE beginning the game as there are unfortunate incompatibility problems when applied to earlier saves. Fans of the original will love Fallout 2 with its more intensive story and gritty game play and new players will no doubt want to go back and play the original as well.

Review: Enjoyment

I loved the original title, this one is even better. Terrifically designed character creation module, superbly developed plot with lots of surprises and tough, gritty game play. Struggling to get your character's traits, attributes and abilities beefed up is what a role playing game is all about and Fallout 2 delivers big time with it's adaptation of the character to his bleak surroundings. Well balanced physical and mental requirements of survival are emphasized and immersion in the game world makes for some long nights in front of the computer screen. Puzzles are created fairly and the interface is a dream to use. Even with the mostly minor glitches encountered, the game is still a triumph likely to be embraced by all serious role-playing fans. And the developers quick response to patching the problems shows a total commitment to consumer concerns.

Review: Graphics

Richly detailed, dark and moody. The bleak landscapes and realistically rendered scenes evoke a definite feeling of desolation and despair. Characters (mutants and general population) are frightfully presented as caricatures of what one can only imagine as strife-torn, unlucky survivors of a deadly and ghastly post-nuclear battleground. Exploration in this wasteland should trigger all too real eerie and creepy feelings of disgust and horror based on the mood setting graphical environments.

Review: Sound

Sounds are very conducive to setting the mood and seem to be intertwined seamlessly with game play. Don earphones, turn off the lights and immerse yourself in the ambiance of nuclear devastation.

Review: Replay Value

The character creation option is so completely functional and varied, playing through the game again would be a viable option although the major quests and objective would remain the same. Still, with such a customizable feature providing an extraordinary range of possibilities, exploring as a different character would change emphasis on the "how to" factors needed to complete the game.

Review: Documentation

Just as innovative and fun to read as the original game. Absolutely total coverage of every aspect of game play and background story. Full and meaningful disclosure of weaponry, skills, attributes and all the other facets of successful role playing games is available in the manual (survival guide).

Production Credits

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