Interplay's Fallout is a role-playing adventure set in a dismal, post-apocalyptic world, years after a nuclear exchange has utterly devastated human civilization. Life found a way, it seems, as a select few inhabitants survived by sheltering themselves in massive, underground vaults. Players emerge from Vault 13 with the specific objective of securing a replacement chip for their dwelling's water recycler. As with its spiritual predecessor Wasteland, this title encompasses a marvelous open-ended design. If your character chooses to ignore the quest and let their vault die, it dies. If they demand an evacuation, then it shall be! Be warned, the abominations living atop the earth are no joke.

Betwixt the branching storyline paths, the player character will grow via the usual experience points. You earn new skills and traits to boost certain attributes and influence NPC interactions, or to bolster muscles to wipe out all that you see. Fallout uses a fixed, isometric perspective, which only occasionally hinders gameplay when items or enemies are hidden behind walls. Combat is strictly strategic and turn-based, with the added aspect of limb-targeting for an uber gory affair against mutants, robots, and distorted creatures of all varieties. Those searching for an original PC role-player, void of tired Tolkien elements yet chock full of endless replayability, have found it here.