"Fallout" is currently free on Steam. While it might not be everyone's cup of tea; especially for those who only played "Fallout 3," "New Vegas," or "Fallout 4," there is literally nothing to lose with adding it to your library.
Developed and published in 1997, this isometric RPG feels like a relic of a forgotten time, while still offering an experience worth visiting today. Over the years, quite a few mods were released which greatly improved the experience. It is recommended to take a quick look into the community before starting a playthrough, as installing a proper mod could greatly impact how enjoyable your time with the game ends up being.
A retrospective
Before Bethesda got their hands on the series, "Fallout" was not conceived as an action RPG. The focus was squarely on the story and character interactions, with the full title of the first game being "Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game." While some prefer the more gun-ho later entries, the original and its sequel deserve quite a lot of credit.
While the gameplay might not be as exciting as "Fallout 4," there are genuinely interesting themes, and quests brought up throughout the narrative. Player choice directly impacts the world, making every decision feel weighty. Interplay Productions, the developers at the time, set out to make a spiritual successor to their 1988 epic "Wasteland."
Most situations allow for a variety of ways to proceed, allowing the player to decide how his character should react.
This creates a great sense of immersion, as we are not just along for the ride. No, the choices we make are crucial to the survival of this world.
As the original and "Fallout 2" are not the easiest games to get into, especially for those accustomed to modern RPGs, we recommend picking it up during the Steam giveaway. Considering their age, a toaster should be able to run it perfectly.
Legacy
The series as a whole is a stable of gaming and is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Due to the success of the recent third-person-shooter versions, it is unlikely Bethesda ever plans to revisit the stylings of the pioneering first two games. "Fallout" was groundbreaking for its time, earning multiple awards and currently sits with an 89 on Metacritic.
Gamespot named Interplay Productions' title as the "RPG of the Year" for 1997, and it even sold quite well at the time. If nothing else, players should experience it just to see where the popular franchise began.
