Fallout 2 – Metacritic Score: 86
Released in 1998 and developed by BlackIsle Studios, Fallout 2 was another top-down entry in this open world RPG franchise that tried to expand upon the story and characters from the original Fallout. Players take control of a direct descendant of Fallout 1’s Vault Dweller and are tasked with retrieving a powerful device known as GECK or Garden of Eden Creation Kit. This takes numerous twists and turns (as most Fallout stories do) and ends up involving a paramilitary organization known as the Enclave. Fallout 2 also marked a deeper explanation for the race of super mutants popping up and what was causing their rather dramatic changes.
Despite having some bugs and not really expanding upon the original Fallout’s gameplay in any noticeable way, this title was considered to be a success by many. This is thanks to the wonderfully dark and twisted story crafted along with the various characters that inhabited it. The action and non-linear structure to combat was also praised, despite some critics taking issue with the bulky and cumbersome HUD. Even with these issues, Fallout 2 is considered by many to be one of the finest RPGs ever crafted.
