Fallout 2

"Ever play Rifts? Post Nuclear RPG on yer CPU"

Alright, this is my first review for this site, so I decided to make it on a worthwhile game.If anyone has ever played the RPG Rifts by the Palladium company(and enjoyed it) youll feel right at home here, power armor, the Coalition States(the Enclave)weapons ranging from spears, vibro-blades, various H&K guns to plasma rifles, rail guns and laser gatling guns. You can pick a pre-generated player, but what RPGer doesnt jump at the chance to create his own? Thats covered too, and is rather detailed and customizeable may I add...want a theif? Focus on stealing, sneaking an dlockpick skills, a sniper? A high perception and small arms skill, a basher? strength and heavy weapons...the list goes on and on, combine em too-I liked the snitheif(heh) a guy with high perception and agility who was good with his guns when he got caught. Enough rambling, lets break it down....

Gameplay- Turn based combat system utilizes AP(action points)more you have, the better. You can access your inventory, fire your guns-single shot, single aimed shot(you get a cool wire frame 3D target, you can aim for eyes, groin, left arm, pincers, thorax, whatever) or burst(some weapons). Watch out for bursts though, while you can cut an enemy in half with one, you may also gun down your NPC's....but the smae goes for your ebemies-so combat is fair, theyll screw up just as many times as you do. The actual quest is go out and save your village, but theres easily 100 subquests to do, ranging from assasinate a cult leader, save some cows from scorpions, star in a porno flick(you get a cool porn star title, a cool porno name, I chose Richie Cunilinguist-people actually address you as that by the way, and all the prostitues hit on you in that city, yes, this is a VERRRY mature game, drugs, blood, murders, assasins, and there actually was a rape, so dont let the little kiddies have this one K?). As you can see, you pretty much forge your own path, evil, good, (people react accordingly, I was shot at for being a ''goodie-good'' This definitely deserves a 10.

Story-Your basic RPG quest with lotsa twists(see previous rant). Although saving the village is your main purpose for starting it all in the first place, you wind up confronting far greater evils...... the story gets a 9.

Music- Great sound effects, the actual music kinda sucks to be really honest, never seems to fit the mood, as is awfully repetitive. Gets a 4, and that sonly because of the good sound effects(loved the screams of pain when I shot someone in the groin with a .223)

Graphics-All in all, not bad, colorful and fitting, the trash and rubbish looks individually done, but for some reason this game doesnt look good if youve got a bad glare, I mean the whole screen looks bad due to the heavy use of the color black in your menu, prepare to keep the lights off or buy a glare cover. Graphics get an 8.

Replay- Go for it! Wanna play it a vicous serial killer this time? Why not? Wanna see how things wouldve turned out if you didnt kill the cult leader but worked for him instead? You can! The replay value is intensely worthwhile valuewise. A 10 for replay.

Buy or rent? Since a computer game really cant be rented as far as I know, this is pointless, but if you DID have a choice-buy it! I paid about 15.00 for it, off of ebay, since this game was made in august 1998, and its currebtly march 2000, you could find it at really low prices if you look online or in the discount software bin at a computer game store.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/17/00, Updated 03/17/00