If you want more: First-person RPGs with massive environments and tons of quests and activities
Notable differences: Post-apocalyptic setting, not as much of an action-oriented experience
Availability:
Fallout 3: Windows (Steam Deck YMMV), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS3
Fallout: New Vegas: Windows (Steam Deck YMMV), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS3
Fallout 4: Windows (Steam Deck YMMV), Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5
If you’re looking for another open-world, first-person RPG set in a science fiction world, it’s hard to pass up the recent Fallout games. Featuring worlds that are far more open to exploration with and many, many more quests, checking out Fallout 3, 4, and New Vegas feels like a natural progression after playing Cyberpunk.
Fallout takes place after a nuclear disaster, so it falls more into the post-apocalyptic category of science fiction. But like Cyberpunk, Fallout is very interested in the theater of its fictional tech: You’ll come across all sorts of interesting contraptions, some made in the apocalypse, some barely frozen in time behind locked doors, buried in labyrinths of a world-now-gone. Aside from in Fallout 4, your protagonist will be silent. And in general the narrative isn’t as dominating as 2077’s.
Fallout has a slightly slower pace than Cyberpunk. You won’t be zipping around in fast cars or engaged in split-second combat. While aiming is important, most combat situations utilize the semi-freeze frame V.A.T.S. system that lets you target enemies’ specific body parts. I’ve always found that to add a satisfying level of pseudo-turn-based action that still feels close to real time. And there are a wide variety of builds you can try over the course of the game. In general the combat showing off your character’s aesthetics and heroic feats more than Cyberpunk 2077 ever does—you rarely see V after the character creation screen.
If you’re only going to pick one of these, I recommend going with New Vegas. It’s the best, period Fallout 4 might feel a little more modern, but its narrative isn’t as interesting and it’s a little too overburdened with busywork like base building and prompts to go and aid yet another settlement that’s dealing with some raiders or radioactive monstrosity. God, I’m tired just writing that.
If you wrapped 2077’s campaign and want another immersive first-person RPG to jump into, Fallout should be one of your first stops.
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