Best 7 Fallout Games: The Good To The Best Ranked
Choosing the best Fallout games can be hard, but this guide will help you know just how many Fallout games there are and which ones are worth playing right away.
There has been a total of 9 mainline Fallout games to this day, and while all of them are RPGs, the content can vary a lot. Plus, to be very fair, not all of them are, and that’s why we’ve prepared this guide. To help you choose some of the best games from this franchise.
So, if it’s your first time jumping into the series, the list will help you find where to begin and make your way to the rest of them.
Top Picks: The Very Best Fallout Games
We have prepared this list keeping in mind the core elements of what make a game great; the gameplay, storylines, and overall experience. Here’s a roundup of some of the best ones:
- Fallout: New Vegas (2010) – unarguably the best in the franchise, it was a spectacle when it came out and holds its own today.
- Fallout 4 (2015) – this game was a massive overhaul of the game introducing modern elements and much polished gameplay.
- Fallout 3 (2008) – it features one of the best storylines in the franchise and a solid all-around gameplay.
- Fallout 76 (2018) – the newest entry in the franchise, it’s a multiplayer game that offers very rich exploration.
- Fallout 2 (1998) – one of the earliest games in this roundup and was a better version of the original in all ways, and for many, the game that got them into the franchise.
These are some of the best Fallout games amongst all the available ones. But below we discuss in detail what makes these games so good, and how our experience with each of them was, with a few more honorable mentions.
What Makes a Fallout Game Good?
A great Fallout game pulls you into a gritty, post-apocalyptic world – full of danger, discovery, and tough choices. Whether you’re exploring the radioactive ruins of Washington D.C., the sun-scorched Mojave Desert, or the crumbling streets of Boston, it’s all about immersing yourself in the chaos of survival.
What makes it so special? The freedom to shape your own story. You get to decide who you side with, how you tackle problems, and whether you’re the charming negotiator, sneaky infiltrator, or a straight-up wrecking ball. Your choices aren’t just for show – they have real consequences that ripple throughout the game.
And then there’s the humor and heart. From quirky side quests to stumbling across bizarre factions like the Brotherhood of Steel or chatting with unforgettable companions, there’s always something unexpected around the corner.
It’s also about finding your playstyle. Whether you’re crafting gear, perfecting your V.A.T.S. combat strategy, or hunting down all secrets hidden in the wasteland, Fallout makes it personal. Every decision you make shapes your adventure – and that’s what keeps you coming back for more.
Best 7 Fallout Games
After going through every single Fallout game that has ever been released, we finally have our list of the ones we think stand out the most. So, if you have never ventured into the world of Fallout and want to experience it for the first time, here are 7 of the best Fallout games so far.
1. Fallout: New Vegas
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 9.5/10 | PC, Xbox 360, PS3 | 2010 | Obsidian Entertainment |
It is often hailed as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, thanks to its rich storytelling and immersive gameplay.
This game marks the pinnacle of the Fallout franchise, delivering an engaging narrative packed with meaningful choices and impressive RPG mechanics that were ahead of their time. The characters are unforgettable, from the enigmatic Mr. House to the sly and charismatic Benny, making every interaction feel impactful.
Combat in New Vegas is equally remarkable, offering flexible mechanics and a fantastic arsenal of weapons to suit your playstyle. The open world, set in the sprawling Mojave Wasteland, is massive and filled with secrets, quests, and factions that bring the setting to life. The game’s DLCs, like Old World Blues and Dead Money, add emotional depth and expand the lore, delivering some of the most impactful moments in the entire series.
While the map can feel sparse in some areas and the story pacing occasionally falters, these are minor flaws compared to everything New Vegas gets right. With its intricate world-building and player-driven choices, this game remains a standout RPG that still captivates players years later.
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2. Fallout 4
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 9/10 | PC, Xbox One, PS4 | 2015 | Bethesda Game Studios |
The fourth entry in the Fallout series was a major overhaul – pushing the franchise to compete with the best modern games – especially important after the release of The Witcher 3 that same year.
One of the most notable changes in this installment is the massive improvement in visuals. The game’s graphics are crisp – with stunning environments and much more detailed textures. Additionally, the gunplay was significantly upgraded – making combat smoother and more engaging compared to its predecessors.
Fallout 4 also brought a series of fun and compelling DLCs – with highlights like Vault-Tec Workshop, Automatron, Far Harbor, and Nuka-World. These expansions add new content and plenty of gameplay variety – and thanks to the excellent mod support, the game remains fresh for long-term players.
However, despite these upgrades, Fallout 4 doesn’t quite match the storytelling quality of New Vegas. The main plot feels less impactful – and the side quests lack the depth that made earlier entries so memorable. Additionally, the factions – while interesting – don’t leave as lasting an impression as those in previous games. Despite these shortcomings, Fallout 4 still offers a solid RPG experience with tons of exploration and fun content to dive into.
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3. Fallout 3
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 8.5/10 | PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 | 2008 | Bethesda Game Studios |
This was a groundbreaking entry in the series, marking the franchise’s transition to 3D graphics for the first time. Set in a post-apocalyptic Washington D.C., it was a major leap forward thanks to the capabilities of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The open-world environment, packed with atmospheric ruins and dangerous wastelands, was a true marvel of its time.
Known for its captivating storytelling, Fallout 3 brought to life memorable characters like Moira Brown and factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel. Its narrative choices and moral dilemmas, especially in the main questline, set a high bar for RPGs. Exploration was richly rewarding – with hidden secrets, unique locations, and engaging side quests. The combat, facilitated by the V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System), still holds up and adds strategic depth to encounters.
The game’s DLCs also added meaningful content to the experience, with The Pitt, Operation Anchorage, Point Lookout, and Mothership Zeta offering exciting new areas, quests, and storylines to dive into.
However, Fallout 3 did have some drawbacks, especially when compared to its predecessors. While it brought the series into 3D, its RPG elements felt more streamlined and less experimental than those in Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. The RPG mechanics were simplified, which some fans felt made the game less rich in terms of choice and customization. Additionally, the game suffered from numerous performance issues and bugs, particularly when played on modern hardware. Despite these flaws, Fallout 3 remains a landmark RPG with an unforgettable world and story.
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4. Fallout 76
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 7.5/10 | PC, Xbox One, PS4 | 2018 | Bethesda Game Studios |
This is the first installment in the Fallout franchise to offer a fully multiplayer experience, allowing players to explore the post-apocalyptic world of Appalachia alongside their friends in a massive, shared open world. When it launched, the game faced a rough reception due to technical issues, missing features, and a lack of NPCs, making the world feel lifeless and disjointed. This led to a rocky start, with performance problems, game-breaking bugs, and the absence of traditional Fallout elements like human NPC interactions.
However, over time, Fallout 76 has undergone substantial updates and improvements, steadily earning back the trust of players. Today, the game offers a dynamic and evolving world, with regular updates introducing fresh content, new events, and expanded questlines. The addition of human NPCs through updates like Wastelanders helped breathe life into the game, giving players the much-needed interaction and immersion they had been missing at launch.
For players who enjoy multiplayer experiences, Fallout 76 is the go-to choice in the Fallout universe, as it is the only game in the franchise that offers an entirely online experience. Its open-world exploration is incredibly rewarding when played with friends, and the variety of dynamic events ensures that gameplay remains engaging without feeling repetitive. Despite its troubled start, Fallout 76 has truly redeemed itself and has established a much-improved reputation, especially with the added success of the Fallout TV series, which has sparked renewed interest in the franchise.
Whether you’re fighting off mutated creatures, completing quests, or just soaking in the rich world around you, Fallout 76 offers a unique multiplayer twist on the beloved series.
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5. Fallout 2
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 8/10 | Windows, MacOS X | 1998 | Black Isle Studios |
Building on the foundation laid by the original Fallout game, as well as refining and expanding the RPG elements, Fallout 2 created one of the most immersive and unparalleled RPG experiences of its time. It pushed the boundaries of role-playing games, offering deep character customization, unlockable skills, and a well-designed karma system that has since become a staple of the series. The game blends dark humor with social and cultural commentary, delivering a narrative that still resonates with fans today.
What sets Fallout 2 apart is its expansive world, rich with detailed side quests, diverse factions, and a level of freedom that allows you to truly shape your character’s journey. The inclusion of mod support also ensures that the game can be endlessly customized, allowing players to tweak everything from visuals to gameplay mechanics. Despite being over two decades old, Fallout 2 remains a highly influential RPG, and its community continues to keep it alive through mods and fan content.
That being said, Fallout 2 shows its age in terms of graphics and user interface. The visuals are dated, and navigating the world can be a bit clunky and slow by today’s standards. Traversing the map can also be tedious at times, and the interface feels somewhat cumbersome. However, these issues are easily forgiven when considering the technical limitations of the era and the immense depth of gameplay on offer. For fans of classic RPGs, Fallout 2 remains an essential part of gaming history, with its rich narrative, complex systems, and memorable characters.
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6. Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 7/10 | Windows, MacOS X | 1997 | Interplay Productions |
This is the game that laid the groundwork for what would become one of the best RPG games and franchises of all time. Released in 1997, it introduced groundbreaking systems like the SPECIAL stat system, allowing players to deeply customize their character’s abilities and skills. The game also featured a karma system, where your choices could directly impact the world around you – a mechanic that would become a hallmark of the series moving forward. Though the narrative might seem generic by today’s standards, the idea of surviving in a post-apocalyptic wasteland was fresh and engaging for its time.
As the franchise’s origin point, Fallout holds an incredibly important place in gaming history, and much of what the game lacks can be forgiven considering its pioneering nature. The world is relatively small and the game can feel short by modern RPG standards, but these flaws are minor when you consider that this was the first step into the expansive, open-world RPGs that would define the genre. The limited scope and simple mechanics were necessary compromises in the early stages of the franchise’s evolution.
What truly makes Fallout stand out is the foundation it set for the future. It introduced players to a series that would eventually sell over 55 million copies, with the influence of this first game resonating across generations of gamers. It’s a must-play for anyone interested in the series’ origins, providing a fascinating glimpse into how one of the most iconic RPG franchises came to life – especially considering we’ve been waiting for a new entry for over six years.
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7. Fallout Shelter
| Our Score | Platforms | Year | Developer |
| 7/10 | Android, IOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | 2015 | Bethesda Game Studios |
This free-to-play game opened up a new chapter for the Fallout franchise, bringing the series to mobile devices in a fresh, laid-back format. Unlike the mainline RPGs, this title is designed for casual players, offering a more relaxed gaming experience compared to the intense, story-driven adventures of the core games.
You’ll be tasked with overseeing the creation and operation of a Vault, utilizing state-of-the-art tech to build and manage your underground shelter. The game is available across all major platforms, making it incredibly accessible whether you’re on your phone, PC, or Nintendo Switch. Its art style is visually appealing, especially on mobile devices, adding charm to the simple yet engaging gameplay loop.
While Fallout Shelter is fun for passing the time, it does have its drawbacks. The gameplay can become repetitive fairly quickly, and the lack of a solid narrative or deeper connection to the Fallout lore may leave long-time fans wanting more. Despite this, it’s still a solid option for a light, pick-up-and-play experience set in the Fallout universe.
All Fallout Games in Chronological Order
All Fallout games especially the mainline ones have a deeper lore associated with them. Therefore, it is especially helpful if you play them in chronological order. The franchise is spread across 9 mainline games and 13 DLCs, which can make things a bit overwhelming.
Here is a list to understand the lore better and play all Fallout games in chronological order:
- Fallout 76
- Fallout
- Fallout Tactics
- Fallout 2
- Fallout 3 (including the DLCs)
- Fallout: New Vegas (including the DLCs)
- Fallout 4 (including the DLCs)
Fallout Shelter doesn’t really fall into the order because it doesn’t connect to the lore. If you’re done with all the games and want to learn more about the lore, you can watch the Amazon Prime show Fallout featuring Ella Purnell.
Bethesda Game Studios has also shown solid hints that it is working on Fallout 5 as well. However, there is no release date or even an official confirmation at this point, so we can’t really say when the next Fallout title comes out.
History of the Fallout Franchise
The Fallout series has a long history. The first game was released in 1997 by Interplay Productions. It has since seen all sorts of eras from major peaks to massive lows, but nonetheless, it is one of the most popular series amongst the gamer audience to date.
The recent TV show has reincarnated the popularity of the games, which even led to flops like Fallout 76 getting a new life and people absolutely loving it.
Quick Facts About Fallout Games
The Fallout series is packed with fascinating details and behind-the-scenes lore. Here are some highlights:
- Released in 1997, Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game was the first in the series, inspired by the GURPS tabletop RPG. What set it apart was its dark humor, branching storylines, and iconic isometric perspective.
- Fallout: New Vegas is often hailed as the toughest game in the franchise, particularly due to its “Hardcore Mode.” Players face not only powerful enemies but also the need to manage resources carefully, adding extra layers of challenge.
- Among all the super mutants in Fallout, the Legendary Super Mutant from Fallout 4 stands out as an absolute behemoth. Towering like a mountain, it packs such a punch that only the most skilled marksmen can take it down.
- The Vaults in the Fallout universe are often horrific experiments in sociology. Vault 11, for example, forced its inhabitants to sacrifice one person each year to prevent “destruction”, which is a chilling commentary on the darker aspects of society.
- Iconic companions like Dogmeat, Nick Valentine, and Boone are more than just allies in combat. Each of them has their own compelling backstory and unique abilities that add depth and emotion to the game.
- Nuka-Cola, the popular wasteland beverage, is a clever satire of consumerism and pop culture. The Quantum Blue variant, which appears in bonus content, is especially valuable, further reinforcing its role as a humorous nod to commercial culture.
FAQs
When is the next Fallout game coming out?
Bethesda has dropped subtle hints about Fallout 5, but there isn’t an officially confirmed release date yet.
Which Fallout game should you play first?
If you want to explore the lore, start with Fallout 3. If you prefer solid RPGs, then it’s Fallout: New Vegas, and if you want a more modern experience, go with Fallout 4.
Which is the longest Fallout game?
Fallout 76 is the longest game in the franchise and can take up to 36 hours to complete.
What is the story behind Fallout games?
The series explores the aftermath of an apocalypse, where people survive in underground vaults.
Which game is the Fallout Show based on?
The Fallout TV show adds to the series’ lore but tells an original story.
