Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Apocalyptic RPG is an outstanding sequel to the original Fallout.

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Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game is an acclaimed video game released in 1998 by Black Isle Studios and Interplay Productions, featuring the same graphical style and gameplay mechanics as its predecessor, Fallout (1997). This role-playing game occurs 80 years after the original story’s events and 164 years after the devastating atomic war. The Chosen One -the grandchild of the epic protagonist from the first game- embarks on a quest to rescue their home village on the West Coast of America. It is an iconic journey full of challenging puzzles, intense combat sequences, and unforgettable characters.

The Story

The Vault Dweller was exiled from the Vault 13 by the overseer for prolonged exposure to the outside world. Unable to return home, the Vault Dweller traveled north with a group of willing companions. The Vault Dweller eventually settled in Arroyo, which is now known as Oregon. Decades have passed since the original Fallout, and after writing their memoirs, they disappeared from Arroyo.

Since the exile of the Vault Dweller, a new government has begun unifying southern towns and spreading to the north known as the New California Republic (abbreviated as NCR). A mysterious new organization known as the Enclave has emerged with the most advanced technology in the wastes, surpassing the Brotherhood of Steel in terms of technology. As a result of Jet’s addictive properties, many towns have resorted to New Reno to keep themselves stocked.

There was a severe drought in Arroyo in 2241, the worst in recorded history. Due to this hardship, the village elder requested the Chosen One, a direct descendant of the Vault Dweller, to retrieve a Garden of Eden Creation Kit for Arroyo. With the help of the GECK, post-apocalyptic wasteland can be transformed into thriving communities. On July 25, 2241, the player assumes the role of the Chosen One and is provided with a Vault Dweller’s jumpsuit, a RobCo Pip-Boy 2000 handheld device, a Vault 13 water flask, and some cash.

Vault 13 (the first place where a GECK can be obtained) has been found almost entirely empty by the player. After returning to their village, the Chosen One finds it captured by the Enclave, a mysterious organization that is later revealed to be the remnants of the United States government before World War II. By activating an oil tanker and its autopilot, the Chosen One can reach the Enclave’s main base on an offshore oil rig.

Vault 13’s dwellers were also captured and tested for FEV (Forced Evolutionary Virus), along with Arroyo tribespeople. Vault 13 was supposed to be closed for 200 years as part of a Vault-Tec vault experiment; therefore, they make ideal test subjects. Forced Evolutionary Virus has been modified by the Enclave into an airborne disease designed to attack any living creature with mutated DNA. When all genetic impurities were removed, the Enclave (which remains radiation-protected) could take over.

As a result of the Chosen One’s action, both residents of Arroyo and Vault 13 are freed from Enclave control, and the oil rig of the Enclave is destroyed. Together with the help of the GECK, they create a new prosperous community.

Character attributes

SPECIAL is Fallout 2’s character creation system, which stands for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. This is the acronym and initialism for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Character skills and perks are determined by these seven attributes.

Skills

A character’s seven basic attributes determine the starting values for those skills at level one, but most skills would be between 0% and 50%. There are 18 different skills in the game. When a player completes a level, they will receive skill points equal to five points plus twice their Intelligence, which they can use to improve their character’s skills. In addition, some non-player characters can improve Skills via training by tagging three of the 18 skills (though later a fourth skill may be tagged). A tagged skill will improve twice as fast.

Six combat skills: Small Guns, Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Unarmed, Melee Weapons, Throwing.

Eight active skills: First Aid, Doctor, Sneak, Lockpick, Steal, Traps, Science, Repair.

Four passive skills: Speech, Barter, Gambling, Outdoorsman.

With a combat skill, you improve accuracy and (generally) damage with weapons corresponding to your skill. For example, a minigun’s effectiveness is governed by a Skill: Big Guns, and a 10mm pistol’s effectiveness is governed by a Skill: Small Guns.

The player can select and use active skills to accomplish tasks on themselves, non-player characters, and the environment. For instance, First Aid can be used to heal players or allies, and Repair can be used to fix generators. Ingame dialogue can also be affected by active skills. For example, someone with a high science skill could speak with a scientist and receive a better response than someone with a low science skill.

In addition to contributing to the dialogue in the game, passive skills also play a role in other aspects of the game, but they cannot be selected and used as active skills are.

Books

The game world is filled with books that can help with Small Guns, First Aid, Science, Repair, and Outdoorsman skills, to a maximum value of 91%; using one after that won’t raise the skill further. The game starts with limited books, and the max cap can make books less useful later on. You can find books in Vault City and San Francisco.

Tools and lockpicks

It is possible to open locks with lockpicks, but note that not all doors have the code script necessary for all lockpick types, and the bonuses may vary. Normally +20-40%, it can range from +10-50%. In addition, certain items can be equipped to improve some skills. (For example, equipping lock picks would increase lockpicking skill.) Players may also benefit from stimulants, but they may also have adverse side effects, such as addiction and withdrawal. Increasing a Skill costs more Skill Points as its rating increases.

Traits and perks

Two optional traits can be chosen by the player during character creation. ‘Skilled’ (which dramatically increases the player’s skills, but adds an extra level before the player can choose each perk), or ‘Jinxed’ (enemies are more likely to fail critical attacks, but the player too). Below the Perks section on the character sheet are two Traits that normally have one beneficial effect and one detrimental effect. It is not possible to change a Trait once it has been chosen, except by using the “Mutate” Perk, which allows the player to change one Trait only.

A “perk” is a special element of the leveling system. Players receive a perk after three levels (or every four levels if they choose the “Skilled” Trait). Many of the perks in the game are not available through normal play, such as the player being able to take more actions per round. Perks are usually purely beneficial—the infrequency of obtaining them is usually the only factor offseting their benefits.

Karma and Reputation

While Karma affects the player as a whole, Reputation affects how the player is viewed in a particular town. The player can earn Karma by doing good things and killing villains, but the player will earn Reputation by helping the city, usually by completing subquests. Reputation and Karma tend to grow parallel to one another by nature. Players with different Karma will have different reactions to good and evil characters in Fallout. Additionally, the player can obtain certain titles (Gigolo, Made Man, Slaver) based on their actions. These titles also affect the game and how others react to them.

In the first game, recruitable non-player characters were very simplistic, and the only control the player had over them was to designate which weapon to give them and how far away they should stand from the player. In Fallout 2, team non-player character control became much more sophisticated, with non-player characters gaining levels, equipping armor and being issued orders before and during combat, including when to run away, when to heal themselves, and when to holster their weapons. As in previous games, the non-player characters also have distinct personalities and characteristics. It has also been made more difficult to recruit non-player characters, since some of them won’t join the player if their Karma is negative or if they haven’t completed a specific quest. Also, a player can only recruit a limited number of non-player characters (depending on the character’s Charisma), and a larger number to recruit.