Poll: What's your favourite Fallout game?

[Condiments]

Fallout 1 was the best Fallout for me. The setting, black humor, and characters were all internally consistent unlike the others. I felt like I was truly in a wasteland, scrounging for what I could and solving local problems when I could. I really enjoyed NV as well, buts a its a little on the crazy side.

 

[uzo]

Ahh FO2. Some of my fondest moments in gaming history:

* Getting forced into a shotgun marriage `cause I shagged the homesteader's daughter
* Later selling said homesteader's daughter to slavers for a few extra caps
* Blowing away children pick-pockets. 'Artful dodger' this! *blam*
* Digging up the neighbourhood graveyard
* Becoming an apocalyptic porn star (although once I only became a fluffer *sigh* )
* Killing every last Scientologist (the Hubologists)

C'mon .. any game with lines like these deserves respect:

"I'm gonna beat you like a red-headed step child!!"

"You fight like old people fuck!"

" I'm jolly ol' Saint Nick. And YOU must be that stupid slip of porno trash that trench coat-wearing elderly men use to fulfill their masturbatory fantasies."

"You put the 'B' in 'subtle'." (actually a hidden credit quote)

And damnit there was one more quote I can't remember and can't find online - in Broken Hills, there's a tirade you can unleash against these twin NPC brothers that has perhaps the most uses of the word 'fuck' in one paragraph.

 

[TheTim]

I'd have to say NV just because of its massive shooting upgrades over fallout 3, where you can actually hit a target at more than 2 feet away with a rifle this time.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

Despite being a relative newcomer to the Fallout series (only having EVER played Fallout 3 and New Vegas), I'd have to say New Vegas, but thats most DEFINITELY unfairly biased. But, i do think I have a decent reason as to WHY its my favorite.

Spoiler: WARNING: SPOILERS AND OPINIONS!

Compared to 3, it doesn't feel quite as cramped and, I know I'm going to get some flak for this, but it doesn't feel as linear either. For example: Fallout 3 starts off in Vault 101, where you go through infancy, your childhood, teenage years, and subsequent escape. The reason behind it? To track down your father. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved Fallout 3, it got me hooked on the series like a lovely catfish on prime bait. But, to continue on the fishing metaphor, its New Vegas that promptly filleted me with an open, breathing world, seasoned me by having the starting plot be just a small part of a growing powderkeg in the wastes, and finally grilled me to perfection with factions you can choose from.

The only main problem I had with Fallout 3, and this is relatively minor, is that you don't get quite as much choice as New Vegas. I don't mind the fact that the main story consists of finding your wayward father and finishing his work, along with defeating the Enclave, since its a good simple story that can be very nuanced. But, you can't openly ally with the Enclave and fight alongside them, only slightly further their agendas. You can only really side with the Brotherhood of Steel, and there aren't any other noteworthy factions, save the Raiders, Super Mutants, and the Outcasts, but they are still relatively minor.

As for story, I have to admit I think (and this is pure opinion, mind you) that New Vegas is better. You start off getting shot in the head, and wake up after having been saved by Victor and the good doctor at Goodsprings. Once you recover, you're off to find Benny, the man who shot you, and get back what he stole from you. Revenge is, of course, optional. Along the way, you find out about other major factions at work in the Mojave, namely the NCR and Caesars Legion, both aligned with Good and Evil karma respectively. Once you get to New Vegas, however, you find out about more: The Followers of the Apocalypse, the enigmatic Mr. House, and eventually you find out that you yourself can be a faction that forms a completely independent New Vegas. Of course, lets not forget that the Brotherhood of Steel is still alive and well, but strangely in hiding. Theres even the local variant of Raiders, now called Fiends, the Powder Gangers, and the Great Khans, which although minor, you can still ally with them in some fashion. You can choose from any of those and forge the future of New Vegas almost on a whim. Unfortunately, you simply cant do that in the Capital Wasteland.

Of course, there are other changes which I may see as improvements, namely Immortal Companions in any mode other than Hardcore in New Vegas, being able to aim down true iron-sights, traits such as Wild Wasteland, and most definitely the Jury Rigging perk, but, in the end, it all comes down to play style. New Vegas just suits mine better.

Short version: New Vegas simply suited me better. I loved Fallout 3, but again, I never played either 1, 2, or Tactics. Unfortunately, I just don't think they would suit me well. I'm too ingrained to like real-time first-person-shooters.

Edit: After some fumbling, spoiler warning is now working!

 

[Suijen]

Fallout 2 then Fallout 3. Fallout 1 was too lacking in content for my tastes.

 

[Waffle_Man]

I greatly enjoyed fallout 1, 2, 3, and vegas.

However, to me, 2, 3, and vegas were just games. Good games, but they lacked the genuine thoughtfulness and artistic merit that had been poured into fallout 1.

All of the other games in the series have a terrible issue with the major choices in the game either being completely illogical, or ultimately a whim. It's choice for choice sake, which is no different from choosing a hat. The enclave is blatantly made out by the games as being a bunch of cartoonish super villains. I can't remember a single redeeming quality that the enclave possessed. As far as I know, the player is never once able to side with them, but even if they were, there wouldn't be any rational reason to do so. It gives the player options, but either gives them a very straightforward "correct" (either morally or mechanically) option, or it really doesn't give the player an incentive to choose any option. Everything the player does is either because the game forces them to, or for the random hell of it.

Where as fallout 2, 3, and vegas all were a canvas for the player's whims, generally lacking in almost any meaningful conflict, the original fallout is one of the few games that I can think of that actually tries to probe the player's sense of morality. It does this with the most frequently hated part of the game: the time limit. Now, I have to admit that the time limit was ultimately just an annoyance, but that was because it wasn't strict enough, not because it simply existed. What the time limit adds is a permanent consequence for for choices. It's no longer a question of whether the player wants to be good or evil, but whether they want to be expedient at the cost of causing suffering and death to others or if they want to try and help as many people as possible at the risk of failing their primary quest. This could have been improved if failing the main quest hadn't caused an instant "game over," and the time limit was about two thirds of what it ended up being, but the point stands.

Sure, the player could waste their time helping a bunch of ghouls in exchange for their water chip, or they could just take it. It's for a good cause, right?

Sure, the player could help the corrupt mayor for a quick and easy reward, or they could use up a lot of time helping some people that the mayor is using as scapegoats. There are more people in the vault that are at stake though.

Sure, the player could try negotiating with the raiders for the safe release of the chief's daughter, but at the cost of a great deal of money. If I remember right, the player isn't compensated for even close to what is required to barter for her safe return.

The other games never forced me to actually contemplate what I was doing or question why.

 

[vermin_]

Actualy i didnt mention BoS becouse it is a terrible game, and shouldnt be realy mentioned in Fallout topics. It's that bad that it isnt even canon. But seriously, its not worth mentioning imo.

Yes, played JA. Only the second one, but found it realy awesome. Loved the atention to detail, like sending flowers to that queen ***** and watching her react and stuff like that.

Well idk mate about that. Played Fallout 3 with a crazy mod that made every house in the ruined city explorable. Not only that, but had a mod that works similair to the Hardcore one, so it was pretty rewarding. Actualy scratch that, im still playing NV and i think it's realy realy good. Fallout 2 takes the cake, but NV and F3 are at the same place, i gues. (Actualy NV has tons of reference to the earlier Fallouts, like characters, etc. so thats kinda smexy. Not only that, it even has the old backround music from the old Fallouts).

Fallout 1 was realy gritty, dark, it was realy a game made for adults. I kinda miss that feel.

Actualy i think that the Enclave in the second one arent that cartoonish. I was realy afriad of them, and digusted by their actions. The ones in F3 were a bit off tho.

 

[Rad Party God]

I've played from Fallout 1 through 3 and New Vegas. I couldn't stand Tactics.

I throughfully enjoyed 1 & 2 when my video card went kaput right after finishing Fallout 3. I also liked New Vegas a lot.

But of all of them, I'd say that Fallout 3 is my favorite, just because it introduced me to the franchise, also because it's still a lot of fun to play.

 

[mirror's edgy]

Tie between 2 and New Vegas for me. 3 is an awesome game, as long as you stay far, far away from the main quest. Fallout 1 is a classic but it's rather short and lacking in content in comparison to 2.

I agree. The writing and open storylines of the first two games are very intriguing, and I always love building a new character. The latter half of the series has very different, more action oriented combat, but the central narratives were a bit of an impediment. However, New Vegas maintains most of the upbeat atmosphere, good balance and gameplay variety that I loved about Fallout 2. I feel that Fallout 2 just essentially streamlined the mechanics and had a more interesting world than Fallout, and New Vegas did the same for Fallout 3.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

New Vegas is my favourite so far may sheer number of playthroughs. Although I haven completed Fallout 2 and tactics yet so my opinion may change.