The ‘Fallout’ show on Amazon is finally here, all episodes of the first season have released and critics and fans alike are raving about the games attention to detail and dedication to the source material while also praising the shows original story.
If you are a Fallout veteran or someone who has never once experienced a journey through a post-apocalyptic America, the show might have you itching to one of the various games in the series. Each game in the series has its strengths, and in this list, we will lay out which game may suit your interests best.
In order to best explain why we think a specific game is best suited after watching the show, there will be specific plot details mentioned including the very end of the first season, so it is recommended you watch the entire show before reading the list. You have been warned.
Spoilers Ahead
Fallout: New Vegas (Obsidian, 2010)
If you are looking to play what might be the best game in the series while also playing a game that is directly tied in numerous ways to the show , Fallout: New Vegas is the first game I’d recommend. New Vegas is a 2010 release from industry veteran studio Obsidian and takes place in the Mojave Desert. The game mostly consists of Nevada with “Vegas” as the central city but also features some parts of neighboring states like California. The game features multiple factions, including the Brotherhood of Steel and New California Republic (NCR), both of whom appear in the TV show.
We also know Vegas will play a key role in the future of the TV Show as the very end of the first season features a shot of a major character making his way to New Vegas, meaning it is very likely the events of Fallout: New Vegas will be referenced in future seasons.
New Vegas has aged beautifully, featuring what is likely the best story and quest designs in the entire series as well as a memorable and iconic location. The game does show its age in some key areas like gunplay and graphical fidelity, but if you’re looking for a great story after coming off the Amazon show, there probably isn’t a better game in the series to jump into.
Fallout 76 (Bethesda Game Studios, 2018)
There was a time when 76 would not have been recommended on any list. The game launched in an extremely rough state, featuring game breaking bugs and a severe lack of content. More than 5 years later, after several updates, there’s a reasonable case to be made that 76 is the overall best game to play if you want to experience more of the Fallout universe while also playing a genuinely engaging game.
Fallout 76 is the only game with multiplayer features in the entire Fallout series and, in many ways, feels like an experimental game that has been duck taped together, but it somehow works. The game takes place in “Appalachia,” the fictional representation of West Virginia. The games exploration map is by far the most visually engaging, featuring a vast spectrum of colors and environments. The world truly feels “alive” with a mix of character, creature, and player interactions when you explore.
The game has seen frequent updates over the last 5+ years since its release. If you want to play the most modern feeling game in the series with a great map to explore, Fallout 76 is the game for you.
Fallout 3
This game was the beginning of the “Fallout” journey for many as it was the first time the series transformed into a first – and third-person action game after the first 2 games were CRPGs. This was also the first game in the series from now series stewards Todd Howard and Bethesda Game Studios. The game still holds up well in the world exploration and quest design but falters in gameplay and graphics.
If you’re on PC you can probably mod the game to feel more modern as there are quite literally thousands of mods that can transform the game from its original state in 2008 to something approaching a modern day game. Still, even in the games base version, Fallout 3 is a great experience and a game worth checking out if you’re excited about the universe after watching the show.
Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is the most recent single-player release in the series. Released all the way back in 2015, Fallout 4 pushed the series in a few specific directions, mainly with a heavy focus in simulation and base building with a lighter focus on RPG mechanics. The game is a haven for mod support and still has an active community working on mods including the upcoming Fallout London.
The “next gen” version of the game is releasing on April 25th and will improve the visuals of the game on current generation consoles and bring new content to the game, including a new quest and weapon packs. If you want to play the most modern single-player Fallout game that can be heavily modded, Fallout 4 is a perfect game.
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