Fallout 2

Within the world of isometric RPGs, it's my firm opinion that this game is the best. Obviously there are some minor problems, but these pale beside the retro-style kitsch, the incredible humour, the easy interface and the free-form play available.

The only pathetic gripes with the game are that the graphics are perhaps a little mediocre, but the point is that these games centre more around what you do then what it looks like.

It's unfortunate that the idea of a sci-fi roleplay has slipped into the background in favour of the standard fantasy genre, because if people checked out the Fallout series then I'm sure many would change their minds.

I love this Game. In answer to the UK version having no kids in it there IS a patch you can get that adds them back in and lets you finish the 2 quests, watch out though if you encounter them in town they pick your pocket.

The kids were taken out of the UK game because of the Dunblane shootings and the game makers were worried about any negative feedback they might get from a game where you can shoot anyone or anything just for kicks.

Play this game, find the secret encounters, its a riot. You could buy a pack with all 3 games in it, bargain.

How many times have i played and finished this game?

I have no idea! I bought this game when it came out. I had never played the first part but this game got so many good reviews, i had to see it for myself. Life has never been the same again.

This game really is the Ultimate RPG game. You can do almost anything you want.

-Be a good guy -Be a bad guy -Become a price fighter -Buy/Sell Slaves -Go visit a Prostitute, or star in an adult movie -Get a car and cruise the wastelands

And many more things. You get lots of different skills which you can apply to your character. Do you want to specialize in Big guns or small Firearms? Do you prefer sharp weapons like knifes or spears? Or do you specialize in using your fists in battles. I always go for the last one.

There's nothing like the satisfaction you get when you take on a

heavily armed opponent and win. I usually aim for people weak spots. The eyes (so they can't see anymore), the arms (so they cant use their weapons) or their legs (a crippled opponent can't run fast.

If you like you can also try to recruit people. Ofcourse your charisma and other skills have to be right for that, but once you get your own party together, you can really go on a killing spree.

The party-members are very diverse too. You can choose to pick only human-like characters (humans,ghouls,mutants) but i prefer to have a party with animals around me. One vicious dog and 2 robot ones. I also try to get Gorus with me, he's a deathclaw, one of the many species in the game.

Ofcourse it takes a lot of time to get to the point in which you are able to do all the things i mentioned. But it's never boring.

Once you start the game, it grabs you.....and never lets go.

I'm gonna start again this weekend!

Some of the little touches that make this game so great are the kitschy references to current pop culture. The opening sequence resembles a 50's bomb-shelter public service film, while all the interfaces have the old-style push buttons and heavily-riveted construction common to Korean War era military equipment.

During game play, look for some of the computers to randomly display messages such as "just what do you think you're doing, Dave?" (2001) and "you now have 30 seconds to reach minimum safe distance" (Aliens), and so forth.

If you like your combat a little grittier than in Baldur's Gate and other CRPG's, set the gore filter (the game is designed to be played by most age levels) to maximum and enjoy the carnage. Or, you may be more involved by the puzzle-solving aspects of some of the missions, such as solving a murder or repairing a nuclear reactor.

This game feeds both the hack-and-slash and intellectual needs of today's computer role-player.

I first played this game in the summer of 2002.Until then I only played fantasy type RPG-s.I never knew what I've missed.The first time I played it I was struck by the complexity of the character creation system.I said to myself "Maybe this could be something cool , even though it's from 1998." Then I started playing.YuK!!! I said out loud. The GFX were a little....dated... to put it nicely.But I said "What the heck! I paid for it , might as well see what's it about." (I was a little intrigued by the intros too...Remember the one with the Enclave Doodz?) And so,a little later, came the first level up...I tell you,I didn't know where to allocate my skill points first.Hmm...Let's see...aha! lockpick...2 points...NO WAIT!! I won't have enough points for the Doctor skill(and I suppose I'll need that later) I have plenty of points left but I have to think about the weapons skills...Hmm...Heavy or medium? Wait a minute... you can use a Bazooka in this game? And so , intrigued by this , I continued playing. I wasn't sorry. Well...all I can tell you is that in about 48 hours I slept only 3 or 4 hours and in these 48 hours I only ate a couple of slices of bread and drank a glass of water.That's what Fallout 2 did to me.And I wasn't sorry.Despite the old graphics and the bugs that made the game a little cumbersome,everything was perfect!I didn't play Fallout , but Fallout 2 is for me the best game I ever played. Maybe some time in the future I'll get my hands on Fallout - the original game and have "Another 48 hours" , but until then , let's talk a little about the game. One thing that stroke me from the first hours of play was the "Good or Evil" system based on your reputation.I finished the game as a "Goody goody two shoes" fella and then started it and did only evil and uncool stuff. It was a tottally different experience. Should I talk about the non-linearity and the freedom of movement?If Fallout 2 would be famous for two things, then these should be those things. Voice acting is only technical but I tell you , It beats by far nowadays games. And there's always the humor. There are some quotees that will always ring in my head."Gun , meet Enemy.Enemy, meet Gun!" or "Hope you got hip waders , 'cause we're about to walk in some serious sh*t!".

Overall Fallout 2 is a game like I've never seen before and like I don'think I'll see too soon. Play it. You must if you call yourself a gamer.