Fallout 2

"Even if it is slightly flawed, this is a role-player's dream come true..."

Let me begin by saying this- Fallout 2 is by no means a bad game. From a player's aspect, it's all but perfect. However, from a critical aspect(or if you've played through the first one about 2 dozen times, like me), this game has a few unmistakable flaws it's predecessor did not. I'm not saying you won't enjoy Fallout 2- in fact, you may enjoy it more than Fallout- I'm simply saying that it could've been better.

Fallout 2 takes the original Fallout's gameplay and expands it, but leaves most of it the same(almost all, in fact). The original's problem of not being long enough(or basically people just wanting more- like me again) has been crushed out of existense- Fallout 2 is seamless, non-linear, and OPEN ENDED. That's right- you can play as long as you like after you're done. Now, I enjoy Interplay's not wanting to change the Fallout look or feel, but this game almost takes it to a fault. And that is this game's main problem- all the Fallout complaints translate here nicely. Oh, and you better have the patch, or you'll be hurting...The initial game in boxed form is incredibly buggy. So, without furthur ado, my review...

I'll rate the categories individually, on a scale of 1 to 5(one being worst, five being best). Oh yeah, and I'm in no way affiliated with Interplay or Black Isle, or any company for that matter.

::-GRAPHICS & VOICE ACTING-:: -3 1/2-
Let's begin with the good- the movies, talking heads, and voices will absolutely blow you away. It's equal to the original's, to which no other game I've seen can compare. The 3D Rendered Heads are beautiful(and their expressions fitting their demeanor), as are the cut-scenes. And the illustrations convey a dark sense of humor, as entertaining as it is, at times, sick. However, these only occupy a small portion of the game. It's the actual in-game part I have to complain about.

The initial problem I saw when I fired up the game was the use of the same graphics engine. While it captivated many "oohs" and "aahs" back in the time of Fallout(mine included), it's beginning to show it's age. Everything has a sort of grainy look to it, almost like you can pick out pixels, and everything in it is still two-dimensional with little depth. The textures are slightly varied, but will leave you craving more. And the lack of a rotatable veiw will show you just how hard it is to find a dropped item behind a building in the dark. Overall, it still very appealing- but I don't understand why Black Isle decided not to go with a newer engine. I would've enjoyed seeing the post-apocalyptic wastelands in 3D, maybe with D3D or Glide acceleration, in 1024x768.

::-ROLE PLAYING ASPECT-:: -5-
Fallout 2 is one of the few games I can actually call a 'real' RPG, not another hyped-up adventure game. Watch the introduction and the first cut-scene and you'll see both sides of the game- the wicked humor and the dark storyline. Play through the first area and you'll get the hang of it. Play 10 more minutes and you'll see how incredibly immersive it really is. This game strives to give you all the options a real person would have- an dialogue system filled with numerous choices for individual people(Fallout 2 is almost heavier on human interaction than Fallout 1); seamless, non-linear, open ended gameplay without the burdens time limits a'la Fallout(with the exception of some quests, but that just adds to the realism); the addition of more realistic NPCs and teammates, including the well designed weapon control system Fallout lacked(considering you have the patch); and, most noteworthy, the addition of sexual relations- relations like dating and marriage, not just prostitution like Fallout(although that's included as well, including a couple traits involving it >:)

The storyline is also top-notch and quite plausible, as is it's progression. The side quests also make sense, and add to the story's progression rather than being thrown in just for something to do. Even better, you can choose what you want to do and when- you don't even have to save your village if you don't want to. But then again, that's pretty rude. :)

Adding to the realistic feel of the experience, the Fallout character creation system returns in full glory, and it really shines. It's still basically the same as the first, when you begin by choosing you stats, traits, and tag skills. But in-game, however, there are some very positive changes. First of all, you have individual reputations for each town, from Vilified to Idolized, affecting people's reactions within those towns, a very handy addition, since it doesn't allow you to blow away a guard and have everyone love you. To go with it, there are a over 100 perks to choose 1 from every 3 levels, and, as the box says, they are 'tailored to your characters abilities'- each one has it's prerequisites. There are also Karmic perks that appear depending on your player's in-game action. All this adds up to a very satisfying and very REAL experience- this is the high point of Fallout 2.

::-INTERFACE-:: -5-
The Fallout interface is a very beautiful thing, and also a very well-done part of this game. Very little has changed from the original, but I'm a strong believer in the philosophy "If it's not broke, don't fix it". Everything is laid out in an orderly fashion, and everything need for gameplay is available at a mouse click. The mouse interface is also stunningly good. As far as I've seen, this is the easiest to use interface- there's hardly even a need for hot-keys(but that doesn't detract from the options available, either).

::-INTELLIGENCE & DIFFICULTY-:: -4 12-
No matter what difficulty level you set it at, this game is friggin' hard. People act and react like real people, adjusting their disposition as the situation changes. The combat AI for the mutants, aliens, rodents, and other non-human creatures is a little lacking, but the human AI is absolutely ruthless, even on the easiest difficulty level. They move strategically, react realistically, and attack with no mercy. When they are wounded, they run, and another steps in to cover him(I'll use masculine nouns, just to avoid the him/her hassle :). When they run out of ammo, they'll search their dead partners' bodies for weapons. Yes, it's disturbing. Welcome to the real world. Excellent job, Black Isle.

::-COMBAT SYSTEM-:: -4-
Fallout 2 uses Fallout's turn-based combat system, and it's about the same in nearly every way. Yes, that means you get to think before you act- and you'll need it too, because every single action- reloading, accessing your inventory, firing, ect- consumes action points, Fallout's way of regulating turns to a reasonable amount of time. This also applies for the enemies as well. The weapon variety is awesome, and the targeting system means you can choose to cripple or kill as you see fit. The death animations are canned, a downfall, but not by any means unimpressive. Indeed, this game is very violent(in a realistic sort of way, of course) and is not for the sensitive- most critical hits result in massive holes gaping out a person's side. This can be toned down, but then again, it's all part of the fun.

This all sounds good, but it too could've been better. The introduction of visible damage instead of canned sequences would've made more sense, and it would've been cool to see you being able to use strategic rolls and flips. Also, interacting with your environment could've led to snipers and camoflage- it's too bad the developers didn't think of this.

::-SOUND-:: -2 12-
Fallout's sound was a high-water mark in the genre, with it's realistic sounds, perfectly timed screams of pain, gruesome ambience, and eerie background music to set the mood. Fallout 2, however, just doesn't live up to it. The guns sound different, but all the specific groups sound exactly alike- rifles, miniguns, pistols, flamers- just like the original. Back then it was good- but with the advances in sound, they should've taken advantage of it. 3D sound would've added to the immersiveness, and voice overs for all the characters, heads or not, would've improved it. And the music, while maintaining it's evil undertone, is hardly audible at it's default settings, so it's mostly overlooked. This one should've been obvious. Shame on you, Black Isle.

::-OVERALL GAMEPLAY-:: -3 12-
I was very excited about this game, being a huge fan of the original, and listening to all the hype for nearly half a year before it's release. But upon entering the first few towns, my impression took a turn for the worse. Klamath feels like Junktown, The Den feels like the Hub, and Modoc feels like Shady Sands. For people new to the Fallout series, this won't bother you- but veterans of Fallout 1 will feel a bit disappointed. The beginning is quite stale overall, actually- most of the quests in the first 2 areas involve simply retrieving something or killing something, lacking the plot twists and little hints about the story the first one gave. That's not saying it's bad all the way through- if you go through a couple hours(it doesn't seem that long, trust me), you'll begin seeing what Fallout is all about as the plot twists and the 'little-things-that-mean-a-lot' come into play, and you may begin to feel overwhelmed, wondering where to go next. I'll be putting a comprehensive quest list for those stuck in a quest or town on here soon. :) Anyway, once you get involved in the game, trust me, you won't wanna quit- even though the first few hours is boring, the overall game is a lot of fun. This game is far from perfect, but it's definitely some of the most fun I've had in a long time. 6 months, and I'm still playing- the replay value is excellent. This one is definitly worth your buck.

-Kent Roggemann- {Silencer224}

Copyright 1999. If you want to use this on your website, contact me first and leave it unmodified. Happy Puppy, that goes for you too, got it?

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99