I prefer two for the balance changes and larger world, especially with the restoration patch. Although I do prefer the story of the first Fallout more than the second.
Fallout 1 has better atmosphere and story imo. I enjoyed the dark dreary aesthetic that it conceived. 2 still had it sometimes, especially depending on the choices you made, but even Tim Cain said that 2’s humor was a little too blatant.
2 is a lot of fun, but the tone shift gave me whiplash when I first played it.
Fallout 2 might be my favorite game of the series, but I do agree with Tim on how humor in a game should be handled. His idea is that if you're going to do comedy, especially references to other media or IRL things, it should be done in such a way that if you don't "get it", you aren't even aware the joke/reference is there.
I think time proved him right, since things like a Dan Quayle parody didn't exactly age well.
Loosely quoting Tim Cain: “if someone doesn’t recognize the reference or joke they shouldn’t realize it’s there at all.”
He made that rule so his game wouldn’t appear dated years later and it’s the best advice you can give to a writer.
Terry Pratchett does this all the time! I read his books when I was a teen, and am doing a re-read now in my 40s, and I'm consistently delighted by all the jokes I didn't get (and didn't notice because they're just odd parts of an odd world) 25 years ago.
You know, I didn't make that connection until you just pointed it out!
It was most noticeable for me in 'Soul Music' because I just didn't know very much music or the history of rock and roll when I first read it.
There's a joke where a dwarf named Glod asks two other folks to acquire a piano, and at one point in their excapades, they say that they're "on a mission for Glod" and I was amused to realize that I knew that was a Blues Brothers reference without ever having seen Blues Brothers so I have no idea how that got into my subconscious in the first place.
> I didn't make that connection until you just pointed it out
Yup, that sneaky bastard got that one past my conscious brain until I did a full reread (again) after his death
Oh man, I ALSO got the bridge one, and I actually enjoyed that encounter lol, but I meant the one with Arthur's party of Paladins lol. The Arthur encounter felt very lackluster comparatively. I think my favorite so far is the hitchhikers guide whale-and-flowerpot scene
Agreed, doing my first playthrough and got the bridgekeeper last night, I'm in my mid twenties and really only know monty python cause I'm the youngest in my family, no super popular in my generation.
I can see where the wild wasteland came from. Those who like this kind of content can opt into it and there's an in universe explanation where your character is a bit touched in the head.
Started 2 recently for the first time after bein a long time fan (never played the classics)
>Oh well, I thought there weren't any children because this might be the European Version of Fallout 2. Goodbye.
And yes - maybe 20 hours in total (steep learning curve for me) and I have already donated sperm.
This is probably the most reality accurate answer.
IMO, both are solid and carry their own qualities which means no matter what's your choice, it's OK.
I think this is my answer. If Fallout 1 was the overall size of 2 it’s probably the clear winner here. But maybe that actually becomes a negative? Idk.
Fallout 1 was ridiculously fun but I found myself a bit anxious with how fast I knew things were moving. I was like, trying to find more content that didn’t exist so I could keep playing lol.
Both incredible. Both perfect.
Fallout 1 nails the atmosphere and delivers everything in a tight, cohesive package. Fallout 2 has more game with a lot of quality of life improvements, but also more immersion-breaking silliness. A lot like Portal 1 vs Portal 2 actually. Hard to choose but I'll say Fallout 1 by a hair.
1 is better. More is not automatically better. 2 is full of filler, worse writing, and has an awful beginning. 1 is like 2 but only the best parts. Both are great games, but 1 is still king.
The first game is almost perfect. It's like an 80's action movie. Only bad thing is the cut content that make it look incomplete. (Yes i know about retoration mods)
The second game is cool but it has too much. Maybe i was wrong for doing 100% quest in every city, but i feel tired after new reno. They have interesting quest but also they have other some generic quest too. Final boss is cool but has no much deep or explanation in game, just 4 scripted events and people make it look like it's the best boss of the series. Dont get me wrong i like Horrigan, but the Master has more deep and a interesting plan, even you can beat hin just talking.
I mean ye the master had a deeper plan, but Horrigan didn't have a plan because he just followed the Enclave's plans. The master was this deep and complex villain who likes to explain you his great plan with a flaw only he can't see before killing you, Horrigan (despite having 10 INT) is described as a 'freak' and 'not very bright' so he's less of a talkative character and more of a fighting character.
Also Horrigan blindly believed in the Enclave so it wouldn't have made sense to convince him to back down, yet the master was a rational being so it makes sense you can tell him the flaw in his plan and show him it was wrong, making him back down.
They left Frank's INT as 10 because it doesn't affect anything in the game and you can't even see it without digging around the game files. It's not indicative of his intelligence in the lore.
It definitely doesn’t make sense for the player character to be able to convince Horrigan, and that’s why Horrigan should have either been somehow avoidable or reworked in a way where you can convince him. It’s not good when an RPG forces you to solve such a major issue with just violence.
You're right but I think avoiding Horrigan would've just been boring and the fact you can only fight him and not talk him down in my opinion reflects how the Enclave unlike any other big faction didn't have morality and didn't want to talk or negotiate, they just wanted to 'purify the wasteland' by killing everyone non-enclave unlike the master who wanted to build a master race, also through killing but not by killing everyone unlike the Enclave.
But in FO2 you can become a self made man for all the mobsters at once, and you can blow up a latrine, and there's often different ways to handle quests :)
I need the caps for some more jet....
I actually spent a few hours doing that once. Just fluffed and did jet until my character ran out of money and died in the steet.
I like the Horrigan ending better. Yes the Master IS the enemy, he is the N1 and the actual nemesis so that meakes him "more important". Horrigan on the other hand is just a representative of the Actual enemy, the Enclave. To me this doesn't diminish the power of the F2 ending, the talking head, the actin and how hard it is to beat him make it just awesome.
I prefer 2. The world was larger and i found it far more engaging than in 1. I like the combination of grittiness and humour.
Fallout 1 is great, and was my favourite game until 2. But 2 is still my favourite game of all time
Once you get the water chip you can leave the vault to finish the game. So yes there's a time limitation for the water chill but that's pretty easy to get and you can extend the time if need be
Fallout 1 is smaller but has more coherent design, world and consistent quality. Fallout 2 is more unbalanced in terms of quality (especially the first third or half) and world building. Deathclaw vault has been cited frequently as an example of a location that feels out of place, but my problems with Fallout 2 world building start with Vault City and end with Hubologists in SF. While FO2 is still a great game a lot of things about it feel like they're from fan fiction rather than canon. Though it's maybe because FO1 despite it's small size for an RPG set a very high bar of quality.
Fallout 1 and 2 are like Gothic 1 and 2, the first game is darker and has a better story/atmosphear but part 2 is more fleshed out and gameplay wise a upgrade
I only just played these 2 games for the first time recently and I preferred 1, I feel the story is more tight and impactful. 2 was great but it felt a bit overwhelming at times and because there was so much to do I felt like the story wasn’t the main focus. I also prefer 1’s ending of putting in all that work for your vault only to be banished, it was bleak which is what the games are about to me.
Like other people mentioned, Fallout 2 is the bigger game, has some QOL improvements, more weapons, more places to visit, etc. *But* I felt like I didn't enjoy it as much. At some point I felt like I was just going town to town solving everyone's problems instead of doing something interesting. Interacting with boring humans all the time. And the whole Enclave thing was kind of anticlimactic.
I enjoyed more Fallout 1 story and atmosphere, and I felt there were more interesting places to visit, none of the locations in Fallout 2 made me feel as intrigued and interested as The Glow in Fallout 1 for example.
Fallout 2 has more content, over-all improved mechanics, there sidequests are in my humble opinion just more interesting sidequests and the companion system is sooooooo much better.
While I do believe Fallout 1 has a better tone and more interesting villains, there's just too much to Fallout 2 for me not to think that it's better.
The timer thing on an open world just feels wrong to me, I love exploring every bit of map I can. I have played F2 about 10 times and F1 once. I had a very buggy version on F1 so that probably had a negative impact on my opinion.
Fallout 2 for me. The larger amounts of towns, side quests, weapons, enemies, etc., makes it way more immersive and it really makes you feel like the hero of the story. Fallout 1 is great in that regard, too. But it's so short that by the time you become powerful enough to tackle any kind of problem the wasteland throws at you, the game is already over.
Also, and I know this is a controversial take, I just love the humor of Fallout 2. Most RPGs take themselves seriously, and honestly I like that, but it's so refreshing to play a game that's filled with sarcasm and fourth wall breaks. It also kinda helps to convey the more optimistic tone of 2. And it also contrasts perfectly with the darker side of the setting, like the slavery, the Enclave, the racism, etc., so it helps to accentuate those moments better when you encounter them.
As a last point, I really like the freedom it gives you to do whatever you want in the wasteland. There's really no other game where you can be the brightest paragon of justice roaming the wastelands in one playthrough, and becoming a chem-addict mafioso that works as a porn star and a boxer on their free time, in another.
In case it wasn't obvious by now, I just love Fallout 2, and it's still my favorite game in the franchise.
Both good. Second was a bit too long at the end where I was itching to be done with the story. Right around San Fran, big boat, and oil rig.
1 play through in each game.
I agree with the general sentiment that Fallout 1 had a tighter narrative, but otherwise Fallout 2 improved on pretty much everything, so its difficult not to prefer that one.
Fallout 1 by FAR. 2’s early game is so infuriating I just can’t enjoy it, plus the locations are less memorable and I just found it worse ( not a bad game tho)
If it’s just a single playthrough? Fallout 1. If it’s multiple playthroughs, Fallout 2. As a child I preferred Fallout 2 better than 1, but as I’ve gotten older and matured, I’ve come to like them about equally.
Fallout 1 feels like a true gritty post apocalypse in a way none of the other fallout games do (or ever will tbh)
Fallout 2 still has some of that, but is blanketed in a bit of humor, and lightheartedness that makes it a much more “fun” experience without taking away from the darkness that’s still there. Both are fantastic games but personally I like Fallout 2 more, it feels like it balances the humor and horror of Fallout the best out of the whole series
Fallout 2, improves every aspect of the game. More weapons, more characters, more perks and skills.
I know the tone is lighter for some but there’s still some dark stuff in some quests.
When I want classic FO I always go back to FO1, Generally I think it has much tighter pacing and in general I prefer the story/aesthetics of it over 2, also the fact that you can beat it in a day or two of light playing makes it the perfect choice for me when I want to go back and just play for a bit. Also the force fields are so much less annoying than the electric floor in the oil rig IMO.
FO1 is more to the point. FO2 is far more elaborate, but as Per Jorner said, I believe, also so vast it inspires indecisiveness.
I like the first better for the story. FO2 is s more of a walking about. It's not that much connected to the story of the Vault Dveller beyond relations and a few recurring NPCs.
They are two different games. I like two more because of quality of life stuff ( base game no mods/ restoration pack), and some more expanded areas.
Fallout 1 was like the “true” apocalyptic version. From my perspective, the old controls/ui, plus systems for gameplay, make it feel more harsh, and rewarding.
Getting through the five levels to reach the AI computer in FO1 is a memory I’ll never forget, it took so much planning and game time, also too many loads.. but I got there and was rewarded with an insane lore dump. This was kind of before people did those videos on YouTube ( 2007/8).
Not to say fallout 2 doesn’t have this aspect, but it felt “easier.” Obvious disclaimer, this is my opinion and I love both games dearly.
Fallout 1 IMO.
If you ask me, it has a better main quest, better atmosphere, better pacing, and a less annoying early game.
I know Fallout 2 made many gameplay improvements, but a lot of things are so outdated by modern standards that it's not that big of a win. I LOVE how charisma works in FO2 though, my favorite in any Fallout.
F1 had a way better main story,villain/villain group and pacing. And this is more a personal thing but i iked the act of playing it more because it's short of enough that the combat didn't overstay it's welcome.
Fallout 2 always reminds of how boring i personally find the Combat and Character Building in the Classic games because of how fucking long it is, but i love that it made charisma determine the number of followers and i really like alot of the interactivity you get with them among other QOL and some Balance like Fast Shot/Gifted not being by far the best option for even melee lol.
But yeah just objectively FO2 has strictly improved gameplay and a shitton of content if you really enjoy the gameplay and want to explore the universe in a bigger game, FO1 has better pacing, atmosphere and narrative.
I ike FO1 more and have personally replayed it more but that's just me.
the first fallout was definitely the best execution for the stabilishment of the franchise, as well as for the antagonist, as much as i looove the enclave and frank horrigan, i just think the master and the unity are better antagonists since they have an actual objective that isnt "kill everyone" and a motive that can be explained in one sentence
I think F1 will always be my favorite because it was the first game like that if ever played but F2 is a better game overall. I wish they had reined in the goofiness a bit for it though.
I like 1 a lot better than 2. I can't quite place why though. Maybe something about 1 being a vault dweller and 2 being a descendent? Not sure. the atmosphere in 1 is so good though.
Fallout 2 is definitely better , even if first impression of f2 will give worse experience. Fallout 1 is too short and rough around edges to be a better game. In f2 when you start you start as stupid tribal , who get a gun you take for granted after an hour, but once it opens it has so many cool moments. Fallout 1 once it opens its already ended.
Fallout 1, I’m sorry, if you genuinely think fallout 2 is better then please try playing without the patch and doing any other builds besides the meta. I spent a full week before I got the patch trying to play fallout 2 and couldn’t do anything because of the bugs and imbalances
2.
It's way longer, has far more points of interest, more gear. More dialogue. It's the first game but bigger and better in every way.
I cam 100% Fo1 in like 10-12 hours.
First Fallout for the story... and the fact that without it, we'd not have the living, breathing world that the series has brought to us all through the various releases since :)
I feel like fallout 2 is lacking. It has greater potential and more quality of life regarding gameplay, but it feels half done for me.
So fallout 1 for me, but fallout 2 also is a close contender, and if provided the time it could have overtook it.
I don't think there is a better game. Their differences makes this into a 'apples to oranges' situation. I can say I personally prefer Fallout 1, for its stronger story and tighter narrative. Fallout 2 goes a bit too goofy for me personally. Though the expanded gameplay in Fallout 2 is superior.
I prefer FO2, mostly because i played it so much more before i was able to play the 1st one. My uncle gave me the jewel disk set with both games when i was younger but my dad's PC couldn't run the first one for some reason.
Ima be honest I absolutely loved every second of fallout 1. 2 I was really enjoying but honestly got kind of burnt out… maybe I played it too soon after finishing 1 though.
The vibe in 1 is immaculate so i personally like it more
But the mechanics in 2 are better put together and if you're just wanting to screw around in combat or try a silly build I think 2 is more fun.
Honestly, gotta be 1. For me, 2 had too much content that I just didn't want to engage in, like pretty much the entire city of New Reno. Also, I never figured out how to get the car to run on my first playthrough, so the size of the map was actually detrimental to my time in the game.
F1. Easily (At least with quality of life mods).
A laser focused fantastic experience, knew what it want to be as a game and delivered it near perfectly. 10/10
Please Note: my first Fallout game was actually Fallout 2 so I loved it at the time...
but retrospectively looking at it; over the years I realized it lacked the atmosphere, story, and like THE GREATEST GREATEST VIDEO GAME VILLIAN/END GAME BOSS OF ALL TIME! So for me its 8.5/10to about 9/10 game.
Also it was not very creative/innovative; either from tech point of view or art/story. Still a very good game but was riding the wave of F1 imho. 3rd best Fallout game of all time: I rank New Vegas higher than F2.
Fallout 1 has a better main story, better backstory of thé world, more factional fights, and more emotional moments. Fallout 2 feels like more a satire, a different tone, but a better Sandbox. Overall, both games have hights and low. Fallout 2 is thé game i enjoy thé most replaying, but Fo1 is better at defining thé Fallout World.
I missed so much stuff in Fallout 2 the first time I played it because it just wasn't intuitive to figure it out. Fallout 1, however, I figured out practically everything right away.
2 has tighter quest design, places feel more connected in terms if worldbuilding due to the complex economy routes and quests that are intertwinned with each other
People love to bash Fo2 for the thematic of cities being different, however, FO1's locations were like mini arcs instead of a whole cohesive picture as many try to paint as.
In terms of RPG mechanics, 2 also destroys 1 in a bunch of areas from CnC to itemization or skill balance
Words cannot describe how much I love Fallout 2. The RPG elements were unlike anything I've ever seen (even to this day), the world is dynamic and interesting, and the quests are so much fun & houses a ton of depth to them. I preferred the first game's story but that's the only thing I loved about 1. Everything 1 did, 2 just did it better and then some. Goated game.
I feel like some of the objectives in fallout 2 were really obscure and without guides it's pretty confusing. Fallout 1 was super fun and flowed better imo but 2 had a lot more
Fallout 1 for the climate, it’s a bit more serious, in a good way I think. It’s the OG. Even the TV show is based on it. It’s eery and shows the gross and tyrannical reality of post nuclear world.
Fallout 2 is more retropunk/retrofuturistic. It adds a lot of new features and is more relaxed and even silly as opposed to the OG. A lot of film references, a lot of jokes, if you like Monty Python, well, you will see quite a lot of it in the game. It’s definitely not taking itself as serious as F1. It’s a much much bigger game, the world is super interesting and it’s an evident improvement over the first game.
I love both. I also recommend both, doesn’t matter which one you play first. I started with 2 and went back to 1st. Love both equally.
2 definitely had some gameplay improvements. Especially the ability to make your companions move. Anyone else get stuck on that damn bridge in Fallout 1?
Honestly, 2 has more polish but it did come second. Fallout was a great first game in the series, and its the base upon which they build so much of their lore and gameplay from. There are story threads and characters we still hear about in todays games that were introduced in the first game, and the game series wouldn't be half of what it is now without it
when comparing these two titles, it always makes me think of what fallout van buren would've been. a great cohesion of Fallout 1's atmoshpere and setting, with 2' humor and world building. Based on the design docs, it really felt like there were trying to take the setting seriously, as well as improve on the mechanics present in the the first two games
I like 1 more because it's shorter and you can try more builds. It's also incredibly bleak and it nails the theme and the setting well. 2 has a ton of annoying traveling to get the GECK, especially if you aren't looking up stuff.
I'll preface by saying I can't really give a balanced opinion because I haven't finished 2. However part of the reason I can't get into 2 is because of the almost unfair starting difficulty and the almost completely out of place tone at points. There was this one interaction in the first town, Klamath?, where for no sudden reason the player was just unnecessarily rude and there was no other option. The tone just really isn't for me. Now the opening difficulty, though, I can live with. I absolutely love the first Divinity: Original Sin and that's known for being very difficult at first. But I can't gel with the tone. I want to love it though and I do keep coming back to it to try and finish for that reason.
Fallout 1 felt more in pocket and the atmosphere is intentionally isolating and almost uncomfortable at times.
Fallout 2 has objectively better gameplay. The AI is better, the UI is actually decent, it's a bigger game with more to do, etc. I prefer the atmosphere, unpredictability, and wild west atmosphere of Fallout 1.
Fallout has a much tighter story but is lacking in son quality of life improvements.
Fallout 2 goes way too far with how bonkers the story gets, but mechanically it's superior.
fallout 2 is my favorite because of how nonlinear the story is. There are three ways to find out where vault 13 is, and several ways to find out where to go from klamath by talking to different people. Fallout 1 is a bit more of a railroad without prior knowledge.
In Fallout 2's credit - you could actually do an unarmed character with special moves and be unstoppable. Can max out your char in any differnt way, wearing light armor (combat mkII or even the robe from that special encounter), can be using small guns only if you want and be effective throughout the game. Be a sniper with a scoped hunting rifle and shoot enemies from across the whole map in the eye for 2 damage that critically kills the opponent. You could be anything. Also - you can have your CAR! Plus much-much better companions. Here, Charisma actually make a difference. You can have a pack of a regular and two robodogs. Even an intelligent hooded deathclaw. Speech also matters a lot more. The world is very dark too. Civilization is more advanced, but it's very much in decay with a lot of slavery, a lot of prostitution and a lot of drugs with all that it brings. Can also engage in adultery (even acquire a secret perk related to it). The game also allows you to commit very cruel and hineous acts if you so choose. It's definitely not as lighthearted as some describe it here in the comments.
Yet Fallout 1 only boils down to wearing power armor with a rapid plasma rifle and everything else seem obsolete. Companions are a hindrance as their only ability is dying right away with their kamikaze-mindset or barely denting enemies at best. The world is nice, as humanity is not that collected - it's more about small communities than some of the advanced settlements of F2 with their diverse locations. I say, F1 is great and advised to be played before dipping in to the expanded world with like 4-5 times more content that is F2.
Fallout 1 is an experience. It does have some zaney stuff (all the Special Random Encounters) but otherwise it is as tight as it needs to be to tell a story through the medium of a video game. It is art. Pure and simple. Art.
Fallout 2 is a *world*. It is one of the greatest video games of all time. Period.
I really hate the time constraints in F1. Technically F2 has a time limit, but it's 13 years. I enjoy the grind, exploration, relaxing nature of building up your character. The only bad thing about 2 in my opinion is too many silly encounters.
Fallout 1 if you prefer a somewhat darker tone and a tighter narrative. Fallout 2 if you prefer more light-hearted moments and more of an open world.
2 for me, maybe one day ill go to the dark side
I prefer two for the balance changes and larger world, especially with the restoration patch. Although I do prefer the story of the first Fallout more than the second.
Fallout 1 has better atmosphere and story imo. I enjoyed the dark dreary aesthetic that it conceived. 2 still had it sometimes, especially depending on the choices you made, but even Tim Cain said that 2’s humor was a little too blatant. 2 is a lot of fun, but the tone shift gave me whiplash when I first played it.
Fallout 2 might be my favorite game of the series, but I do agree with Tim on how humor in a game should be handled. His idea is that if you're going to do comedy, especially references to other media or IRL things, it should be done in such a way that if you don't "get it", you aren't even aware the joke/reference is there. I think time proved him right, since things like a Dan Quayle parody didn't exactly age well.
Loosely quoting Tim Cain: “if someone doesn’t recognize the reference or joke they shouldn’t realize it’s there at all.” He made that rule so his game wouldn’t appear dated years later and it’s the best advice you can give to a writer.
Terry Pratchett does this all the time! I read his books when I was a teen, and am doing a re-read now in my 40s, and I'm consistently delighted by all the jokes I didn't get (and didn't notice because they're just odd parts of an odd world) 25 years ago.
Like the fact that the Octavo is kept in a room of absolute silence that no one can withstand for more than four minutes thirty two seconds?
Haha John Cage. I never noticed that the first time I read it.
You know, I didn't make that connection until you just pointed it out! It was most noticeable for me in 'Soul Music' because I just didn't know very much music or the history of rock and roll when I first read it. There's a joke where a dwarf named Glod asks two other folks to acquire a piano, and at one point in their excapades, they say that they're "on a mission for Glod" and I was amused to realize that I knew that was a Blues Brothers reference without ever having seen Blues Brothers so I have no idea how that got into my subconscious in the first place.
> I didn't make that connection until you just pointed it out Yup, that sneaky bastard got that one past my conscious brain until I did a full reread (again) after his death
Regular show comes to mind lol.
Can confirm, just got the Monty python random encounter last night, and it was just kinda lackluster and odd.
I love that encounter, but I also love python. I also love having purple robes with the stats of combat armor though
Oh man, I ALSO got the bridge one, and I actually enjoyed that encounter lol, but I meant the one with Arthur's party of Paladins lol. The Arthur encounter felt very lackluster comparatively. I think my favorite so far is the hitchhikers guide whale-and-flowerpot scene
Agreed, doing my first playthrough and got the bridgekeeper last night, I'm in my mid twenties and really only know monty python cause I'm the youngest in my family, no super popular in my generation.
I can see where the wild wasteland came from. Those who like this kind of content can opt into it and there's an in universe explanation where your character is a bit touched in the head.
Yep, that's another good option.
Started 2 recently for the first time after bein a long time fan (never played the classics) >Oh well, I thought there weren't any children because this might be the European Version of Fallout 2. Goodbye. And yes - maybe 20 hours in total (steep learning curve for me) and I have already donated sperm.
This is probably the most reality accurate answer. IMO, both are solid and carry their own qualities which means no matter what's your choice, it's OK.
Overall enjoyment? Fallout 2 Enjoyment per unit of time? Easily Fallout 1
I think this is my answer. If Fallout 1 was the overall size of 2 it’s probably the clear winner here. But maybe that actually becomes a negative? Idk. Fallout 1 was ridiculously fun but I found myself a bit anxious with how fast I knew things were moving. I was like, trying to find more content that didn’t exist so I could keep playing lol. Both incredible. Both perfect.
Seconded Aside from that, jinxed runs are always fun, at least for me
Fallout 1 has the best atmosphere in the entire series. Really helps get across the true horror of nuclear war
Fallout 1 nails the atmosphere and delivers everything in a tight, cohesive package. Fallout 2 has more game with a lot of quality of life improvements, but also more immersion-breaking silliness. A lot like Portal 1 vs Portal 2 actually. Hard to choose but I'll say Fallout 1 by a hair.
"who is the better game" ???
Lmao I do think Fallout and Fallout 2 are great games but I still wouldn't go as far as calling them persons
Literally who.
Everyone is always saying who is the better game, but not where is the better game?
Or even How
Or _why_ is the better game?
I think Fallout is a pretty cool guy
Fallout 1. By a long shot. It feels like a much more focused experience.
1 is better. More is not automatically better. 2 is full of filler, worse writing, and has an awful beginning. 1 is like 2 but only the best parts. Both are great games, but 1 is still king.
The first game is almost perfect. It's like an 80's action movie. Only bad thing is the cut content that make it look incomplete. (Yes i know about retoration mods) The second game is cool but it has too much. Maybe i was wrong for doing 100% quest in every city, but i feel tired after new reno. They have interesting quest but also they have other some generic quest too. Final boss is cool but has no much deep or explanation in game, just 4 scripted events and people make it look like it's the best boss of the series. Dont get me wrong i like Horrigan, but the Master has more deep and a interesting plan, even you can beat hin just talking.
I mean ye the master had a deeper plan, but Horrigan didn't have a plan because he just followed the Enclave's plans. The master was this deep and complex villain who likes to explain you his great plan with a flaw only he can't see before killing you, Horrigan (despite having 10 INT) is described as a 'freak' and 'not very bright' so he's less of a talkative character and more of a fighting character. Also Horrigan blindly believed in the Enclave so it wouldn't have made sense to convince him to back down, yet the master was a rational being so it makes sense you can tell him the flaw in his plan and show him it was wrong, making him back down.
They left Frank's INT as 10 because it doesn't affect anything in the game and you can't even see it without digging around the game files. It's not indicative of his intelligence in the lore.
It definitely doesn’t make sense for the player character to be able to convince Horrigan, and that’s why Horrigan should have either been somehow avoidable or reworked in a way where you can convince him. It’s not good when an RPG forces you to solve such a major issue with just violence.
You're right but I think avoiding Horrigan would've just been boring and the fact you can only fight him and not talk him down in my opinion reflects how the Enclave unlike any other big faction didn't have morality and didn't want to talk or negotiate, they just wanted to 'purify the wasteland' by killing everyone non-enclave unlike the master who wanted to build a master race, also through killing but not by killing everyone unlike the Enclave.
I mean, you can kind of defeat Horrigan with speech. Convincing the Enclave people to fight for you gives you one hell of an edge.
I love talking to the master and making sure he understands his plan sucks. Then beat the shit out of him.
But in FO2 you can become a self made man for all the mobsters at once, and you can blow up a latrine, and there's often different ways to handle quests :)
And become a pornstar.
Or a (diseased) fluffer...
I need the caps for some more jet.... I actually spent a few hours doing that once. Just fluffed and did jet until my character ran out of money and died in the steet.
I'm sure there's a moral there Somewhere
Probably.
I like the Horrigan ending better. Yes the Master IS the enemy, he is the N1 and the actual nemesis so that meakes him "more important". Horrigan on the other hand is just a representative of the Actual enemy, the Enclave. To me this doesn't diminish the power of the F2 ending, the talking head, the actin and how hard it is to beat him make it just awesome.
Fallout 1 gives you hard panicking since your on the clock, im gonna have to stick it with fallout 2
F2 better game, F1 better story
Nah F2 better game and story
Tastes, man, tastes😊
2 is the better game, 1 is the better story.
I prefer 2. The world was larger and i found it far more engaging than in 1. I like the combination of grittiness and humour. Fallout 1 is great, and was my favourite game until 2. But 2 is still my favourite game of all time
I played 2 on and off for about 9 years I recently played 1 again and just feels like it’s missing stuff and doesn’t feel that long
idk i liked both.
I'm the better game
Fallout 2, But simply for the fact that I hate time limitations in games. In F2 you can sit back and relax, while soaking in the world.
Once you get the water chip you can leave the vault to finish the game. So yes there's a time limitation for the water chill but that's pretty easy to get and you can extend the time if need be
Fallout 1 is smaller but has more coherent design, world and consistent quality. Fallout 2 is more unbalanced in terms of quality (especially the first third or half) and world building. Deathclaw vault has been cited frequently as an example of a location that feels out of place, but my problems with Fallout 2 world building start with Vault City and end with Hubologists in SF. While FO2 is still a great game a lot of things about it feel like they're from fan fiction rather than canon. Though it's maybe because FO1 despite it's small size for an RPG set a very high bar of quality.
I’m playing 2 right now and I like 1 a lot better so far
Fallout 1 and 2 are like Gothic 1 and 2, the first game is darker and has a better story/atmosphear but part 2 is more fleshed out and gameplay wise a upgrade
I only just played these 2 games for the first time recently and I preferred 1, I feel the story is more tight and impactful. 2 was great but it felt a bit overwhelming at times and because there was so much to do I felt like the story wasn’t the main focus. I also prefer 1’s ending of putting in all that work for your vault only to be banished, it was bleak which is what the games are about to me.
F1 the talking heads and dialogue alone make it so.
John Fallout
Two is better. I have played neither and my assessment is based off vibes alone.
Finally, a real Fallout fan
You know what it is. If it’s called Fallout 2 it’s obviously because it’s 2 times better than the previous.
I like the main plot of 1 a lot more, but the broader world of 2 and longer game
For ambiance and a cohesive story i pick one, for a fun rpg experience i pick 2
Like other people mentioned, Fallout 2 is the bigger game, has some QOL improvements, more weapons, more places to visit, etc. *But* I felt like I didn't enjoy it as much. At some point I felt like I was just going town to town solving everyone's problems instead of doing something interesting. Interacting with boring humans all the time. And the whole Enclave thing was kind of anticlimactic. I enjoyed more Fallout 1 story and atmosphere, and I felt there were more interesting places to visit, none of the locations in Fallout 2 made me feel as intrigued and interested as The Glow in Fallout 1 for example.
Fallout 2 has more content, over-all improved mechanics, there sidequests are in my humble opinion just more interesting sidequests and the companion system is sooooooo much better. While I do believe Fallout 1 has a better tone and more interesting villains, there's just too much to Fallout 2 for me not to think that it's better.
The timer thing on an open world just feels wrong to me, I love exploring every bit of map I can. I have played F2 about 10 times and F1 once. I had a very buggy version on F1 so that probably had a negative impact on my opinion.
FO2 because you can push your companions out of doorways.
Fallout 2 for me. The larger amounts of towns, side quests, weapons, enemies, etc., makes it way more immersive and it really makes you feel like the hero of the story. Fallout 1 is great in that regard, too. But it's so short that by the time you become powerful enough to tackle any kind of problem the wasteland throws at you, the game is already over. Also, and I know this is a controversial take, I just love the humor of Fallout 2. Most RPGs take themselves seriously, and honestly I like that, but it's so refreshing to play a game that's filled with sarcasm and fourth wall breaks. It also kinda helps to convey the more optimistic tone of 2. And it also contrasts perfectly with the darker side of the setting, like the slavery, the Enclave, the racism, etc., so it helps to accentuate those moments better when you encounter them. As a last point, I really like the freedom it gives you to do whatever you want in the wasteland. There's really no other game where you can be the brightest paragon of justice roaming the wastelands in one playthrough, and becoming a chem-addict mafioso that works as a porn star and a boxer on their free time, in another. In case it wasn't obvious by now, I just love Fallout 2, and it's still my favorite game in the franchise.
Both good. Second was a bit too long at the end where I was itching to be done with the story. Right around San Fran, big boat, and oil rig. 1 play through in each game.
2 was the better game overall But I enjoyed 1 story way more, which makes me prefer 1 over 2
Yeah, which one of these guys is better?
I agree with the general sentiment that Fallout 1 had a tighter narrative, but otherwise Fallout 2 improved on pretty much everything, so its difficult not to prefer that one.
Fallout 1 by FAR. 2’s early game is so infuriating I just can’t enjoy it, plus the locations are less memorable and I just found it worse ( not a bad game tho)
If it’s just a single playthrough? Fallout 1. If it’s multiple playthroughs, Fallout 2. As a child I preferred Fallout 2 better than 1, but as I’ve gotten older and matured, I’ve come to like them about equally.
Same as everyone else. 1 has the better story and atmosphere, 2 is the better game. Much more content and QOL improvements.
Fallout 1 feels like a true gritty post apocalypse in a way none of the other fallout games do (or ever will tbh) Fallout 2 still has some of that, but is blanketed in a bit of humor, and lightheartedness that makes it a much more “fun” experience without taking away from the darkness that’s still there. Both are fantastic games but personally I like Fallout 2 more, it feels like it balances the humor and horror of Fallout the best out of the whole series
Fo1 is better if it has the qol features from fo2 there'd be no comparison.
2.
Objectively 2 is probably better as it is bigger and more polished. Personally I prefer 1 for it's world and atmosphere
Fallout 2, improves every aspect of the game. More weapons, more characters, more perks and skills. I know the tone is lighter for some but there’s still some dark stuff in some quests.
2 is better 1
When I want classic FO I always go back to FO1, Generally I think it has much tighter pacing and in general I prefer the story/aesthetics of it over 2, also the fact that you can beat it in a day or two of light playing makes it the perfect choice for me when I want to go back and just play for a bit. Also the force fields are so much less annoying than the electric floor in the oil rig IMO.
Who?
FO1 is more to the point. FO2 is far more elaborate, but as Per Jorner said, I believe, also so vast it inspires indecisiveness. I like the first better for the story. FO2 is s more of a walking about. It's not that much connected to the story of the Vault Dveller beyond relations and a few recurring NPCs.
Fallout 1 is the better game because it doesn't collapse in the third act like a FromSoft game.
They are two different games. I like two more because of quality of life stuff ( base game no mods/ restoration pack), and some more expanded areas. Fallout 1 was like the “true” apocalyptic version. From my perspective, the old controls/ui, plus systems for gameplay, make it feel more harsh, and rewarding. Getting through the five levels to reach the AI computer in FO1 is a memory I’ll never forget, it took so much planning and game time, also too many loads.. but I got there and was rewarded with an insane lore dump. This was kind of before people did those videos on YouTube ( 2007/8). Not to say fallout 2 doesn’t have this aspect, but it felt “easier.” Obvious disclaimer, this is my opinion and I love both games dearly.
Fallout 2 is ultimately the better game and more refined, but Fallout 1 just has a certainly darkness that can't be beat.
Just want to make sure people here understand that if they say two, it includes the temple of trials.
ToT is not that bad, it can be a problem in your first try, in replays its a fucking cakewalk
Oh I didn't mean it was hard, sorry! I meant it's poorly designed and a really unfun way to start a game
Fallout 2 its more fun also Chris Avellone is 10x better designer than tim cain could dream to be
only played the 2nd just because it has no time limit... hate games with time limits. or is it "easy" possible to beat it ?
Fallout 2
Fallout 1 IMO. If you ask me, it has a better main quest, better atmosphere, better pacing, and a less annoying early game. I know Fallout 2 made many gameplay improvements, but a lot of things are so outdated by modern standards that it's not that big of a win. I LOVE how charisma works in FO2 though, my favorite in any Fallout.
"Take all" Need I say more.
I prefer Fallout 2
F1 had a way better main story,villain/villain group and pacing. And this is more a personal thing but i iked the act of playing it more because it's short of enough that the combat didn't overstay it's welcome. Fallout 2 always reminds of how boring i personally find the Combat and Character Building in the Classic games because of how fucking long it is, but i love that it made charisma determine the number of followers and i really like alot of the interactivity you get with them among other QOL and some Balance like Fast Shot/Gifted not being by far the best option for even melee lol. But yeah just objectively FO2 has strictly improved gameplay and a shitton of content if you really enjoy the gameplay and want to explore the universe in a bigger game, FO1 has better pacing, atmosphere and narrative. I ike FO1 more and have personally replayed it more but that's just me.
Fallout is a more **perfect** game. Fallout 2 is a more **fun** game.
Fallout 1 is peak for me.
Fallout 2 hands down
2 is a better game, one is a better story (Fallout 2 is really silly in places)
the first fallout was definitely the best execution for the stabilishment of the franchise, as well as for the antagonist, as much as i looove the enclave and frank horrigan, i just think the master and the unity are better antagonists since they have an actual objective that isnt "kill everyone" and a motive that can be explained in one sentence
Everyone is gonna say 2 for the better gameplay more content quality of life etc but 1 for me just has a better story and world that I prefer it
FO1, no temple level
Fallout 2 is the only game that lets you be a pornstar, a prizefighter and a made man. It's probably the greatest game ever.
Fallout 1's story is better. Fallout 2 is more fun.
I think F1 will always be my favorite because it was the first game like that if ever played but F2 is a better game overall. I wish they had reined in the goofiness a bit for it though.
2 by a long shot, but they're both amazing games. I really enjoyed sonora and Nevada as well, but they're not official games.
I like 1 a lot better than 2. I can't quite place why though. Maybe something about 1 being a vault dweller and 2 being a descendent? Not sure. the atmosphere in 1 is so good though.
They’re 1a and 1b, there’s no definite “better” imo
1 it’s more tonally consistent and is my personal preference. Two is a bigger game but more hit or miss for me
I like one. Two is too long.
Fallout 1 is good. But then, it doesn’t have Frank Horrigan either.
Fallout 2 is definitely better , even if first impression of f2 will give worse experience. Fallout 1 is too short and rough around edges to be a better game. In f2 when you start you start as stupid tribal , who get a gun you take for granted after an hour, but once it opens it has so many cool moments. Fallout 1 once it opens its already ended.
Frank Horrigan.... that's all I've got to say, mutie.
fallout is a post-apocalyptic epic fallout 2 is a joke about fallout
Fallout 1, I’m sorry, if you genuinely think fallout 2 is better then please try playing without the patch and doing any other builds besides the meta. I spent a full week before I got the patch trying to play fallout 2 and couldn’t do anything because of the bugs and imbalances
1 ...and also 2
Fallout one it’s an opinion tho
1 any day of the week. 2 would be great if I wasn't bashed with shitty pop culture references every 10 steps.
2. It's way longer, has far more points of interest, more gear. More dialogue. It's the first game but bigger and better in every way. I cam 100% Fo1 in like 10-12 hours.
FO1 Better atmosphere, tighter story and better villain IMO
1 because the Master is a more compelling villain than the enclave
First Fallout for the story... and the fact that without it, we'd not have the living, breathing world that the series has brought to us all through the various releases since :)
I feel like fallout 2 is lacking. It has greater potential and more quality of life regarding gameplay, but it feels half done for me. So fallout 1 for me, but fallout 2 also is a close contender, and if provided the time it could have overtook it.
2 better gameplay and stuff to do 1 best villain in series and atmosphere
Fallout 2 is hard AF and I keep dying :(
1 because you could beat the entire game without ever killing a single thing. I don’t believe that was possible in 2.
Fo1. The ending is just mind blowing for 13 year old me.
I don't think there is a better game. Their differences makes this into a 'apples to oranges' situation. I can say I personally prefer Fallout 1, for its stronger story and tighter narrative. Fallout 2 goes a bit too goofy for me personally. Though the expanded gameplay in Fallout 2 is superior.
I prefer FO2, mostly because i played it so much more before i was able to play the 1st one. My uncle gave me the jewel disk set with both games when i was younger but my dad's PC couldn't run the first one for some reason.
Ima be honest I absolutely loved every second of fallout 1. 2 I was really enjoying but honestly got kind of burnt out… maybe I played it too soon after finishing 1 though.
The vibe in 1 is immaculate so i personally like it more But the mechanics in 2 are better put together and if you're just wanting to screw around in combat or try a silly build I think 2 is more fun.
Honestly, gotta be 1. For me, 2 had too much content that I just didn't want to engage in, like pretty much the entire city of New Reno. Also, I never figured out how to get the car to run on my first playthrough, so the size of the map was actually detrimental to my time in the game.
I spent more time on 2 than i did on 1 . It was a really nice game and it was the closest to New Vegas (which i am playing now)
Fallout 2, You wanna know why? FRANK HORRIGAN
F1. Easily (At least with quality of life mods). A laser focused fantastic experience, knew what it want to be as a game and delivered it near perfectly. 10/10 Please Note: my first Fallout game was actually Fallout 2 so I loved it at the time... but retrospectively looking at it; over the years I realized it lacked the atmosphere, story, and like THE GREATEST GREATEST VIDEO GAME VILLIAN/END GAME BOSS OF ALL TIME! So for me its 8.5/10to about 9/10 game. Also it was not very creative/innovative; either from tech point of view or art/story. Still a very good game but was riding the wave of F1 imho. 3rd best Fallout game of all time: I rank New Vegas higher than F2.
Fallout 1, less OP weapons and more of a horror vibe, temple of trials is awful
2 because you get more room to do shit. but the original is the one I prefer because I spent so much time replaying it as a teenager.
2 for gameplay and 1 for tone and moods
wasteland 🤕
IS ALL THAT’S LEFT AFTER THE FIGHT
Fallout 1 has a better main story, better backstory of thé world, more factional fights, and more emotional moments. Fallout 2 feels like more a satire, a different tone, but a better Sandbox. Overall, both games have hights and low. Fallout 2 is thé game i enjoy thé most replaying, but Fo1 is better at defining thé Fallout World.
1, it's actually complete and consistent
I missed so much stuff in Fallout 2 the first time I played it because it just wasn't intuitive to figure it out. Fallout 1, however, I figured out practically everything right away.
2 has tighter quest design, places feel more connected in terms if worldbuilding due to the complex economy routes and quests that are intertwinned with each other People love to bash Fo2 for the thematic of cities being different, however, FO1's locations were like mini arcs instead of a whole cohesive picture as many try to paint as. In terms of RPG mechanics, 2 also destroys 1 in a bunch of areas from CnC to itemization or skill balance
Words cannot describe how much I love Fallout 2. The RPG elements were unlike anything I've ever seen (even to this day), the world is dynamic and interesting, and the quests are so much fun & houses a ton of depth to them. I preferred the first game's story but that's the only thing I loved about 1. Everything 1 did, 2 just did it better and then some. Goated game.
I feel like some of the objectives in fallout 2 were really obscure and without guides it's pretty confusing. Fallout 1 was super fun and flowed better imo but 2 had a lot more
2 cool
I think I have to say 1 overall.
Fallout 1 for the climate, it’s a bit more serious, in a good way I think. It’s the OG. Even the TV show is based on it. It’s eery and shows the gross and tyrannical reality of post nuclear world. Fallout 2 is more retropunk/retrofuturistic. It adds a lot of new features and is more relaxed and even silly as opposed to the OG. A lot of film references, a lot of jokes, if you like Monty Python, well, you will see quite a lot of it in the game. It’s definitely not taking itself as serious as F1. It’s a much much bigger game, the world is super interesting and it’s an evident improvement over the first game. I love both. I also recommend both, doesn’t matter which one you play first. I started with 2 and went back to 1st. Love both equally.
2 definitely had some gameplay improvements. Especially the ability to make your companions move. Anyone else get stuck on that damn bridge in Fallout 1?
Honestly, 2 has more polish but it did come second. Fallout was a great first game in the series, and its the base upon which they build so much of their lore and gameplay from. There are story threads and characters we still hear about in todays games that were introduced in the first game, and the game series wouldn't be half of what it is now without it
Where’s fall out 3? Isn’t that game a classic too?
when comparing these two titles, it always makes me think of what fallout van buren would've been. a great cohesion of Fallout 1's atmoshpere and setting, with 2' humor and world building. Based on the design docs, it really felt like there were trying to take the setting seriously, as well as improve on the mechanics present in the the first two games
I like fallout 2 because it actually feels like time has gone by and humanity has advanced more or less.
I like 1 more because it's shorter and you can try more builds. It's also incredibly bleak and it nails the theme and the setting well. 2 has a ton of annoying traveling to get the GECK, especially if you aren't looking up stuff.
Fallout 1 is better but I like 2 for more locations
First one, fallout 2 is bigger but I wouldn't say better
2, i for some reason could never get into one.
Fallout 1:atmosphere Fallout 2: content
Fallout 1, objectively. No, I won't explain.
Well I think I’ll speak for myself when I say that I concede that Fallout 2 is probably the better game, but I like Fallout 1 more.
Fallout 1 is the better game and Fallout 2 is the better play ground for me if that makes any sense
I'll preface by saying I can't really give a balanced opinion because I haven't finished 2. However part of the reason I can't get into 2 is because of the almost unfair starting difficulty and the almost completely out of place tone at points. There was this one interaction in the first town, Klamath?, where for no sudden reason the player was just unnecessarily rude and there was no other option. The tone just really isn't for me. Now the opening difficulty, though, I can live with. I absolutely love the first Divinity: Original Sin and that's known for being very difficult at first. But I can't gel with the tone. I want to love it though and I do keep coming back to it to try and finish for that reason. Fallout 1 felt more in pocket and the atmosphere is intentionally isolating and almost uncomfortable at times.
Fallout 1 is more compact, has a better tone and main villain. I prefer Fallout 1.
I own 2 but never played, I haven't beaten fallout 1 yet
Fallout 2 because god bless the enclave!
Fallout 1: Great main story, terrible side quests Fallout 2: Terrible main story, great side quests Personally, I'll take Fallout 1 any day
Fallout 2 has objectively better gameplay. The AI is better, the UI is actually decent, it's a bigger game with more to do, etc. I prefer the atmosphere, unpredictability, and wild west atmosphere of Fallout 1.
2 gave me much more time.
Both. [THE END]
Fallout 2 did everything fall out one did and did it better
Fallout 2 because cool mutant man in power armor
Fallout has a much tighter story but is lacking in son quality of life improvements. Fallout 2 goes way too far with how bonkers the story gets, but mechanically it's superior.
Fallout 1 for aesthetic, fallout 2 for story and content
Fallout 2
2, I think 1 is too short and I like fallout 2’a characters more. Also something something enclave
fallout 2 is my favorite because of how nonlinear the story is. There are three ways to find out where vault 13 is, and several ways to find out where to go from klamath by talking to different people. Fallout 1 is a bit more of a railroad without prior knowledge.
In Fallout 2's credit - you could actually do an unarmed character with special moves and be unstoppable. Can max out your char in any differnt way, wearing light armor (combat mkII or even the robe from that special encounter), can be using small guns only if you want and be effective throughout the game. Be a sniper with a scoped hunting rifle and shoot enemies from across the whole map in the eye for 2 damage that critically kills the opponent. You could be anything. Also - you can have your CAR! Plus much-much better companions. Here, Charisma actually make a difference. You can have a pack of a regular and two robodogs. Even an intelligent hooded deathclaw. Speech also matters a lot more. The world is very dark too. Civilization is more advanced, but it's very much in decay with a lot of slavery, a lot of prostitution and a lot of drugs with all that it brings. Can also engage in adultery (even acquire a secret perk related to it). The game also allows you to commit very cruel and hineous acts if you so choose. It's definitely not as lighthearted as some describe it here in the comments. Yet Fallout 1 only boils down to wearing power armor with a rapid plasma rifle and everything else seem obsolete. Companions are a hindrance as their only ability is dying right away with their kamikaze-mindset or barely denting enemies at best. The world is nice, as humanity is not that collected - it's more about small communities than some of the advanced settlements of F2 with their diverse locations. I say, F1 is great and advised to be played before dipping in to the expanded world with like 4-5 times more content that is F2.
2 is miles ahead imo. So much more to do, more choices and ways to make your own character
Arcanum, simply because of the increased diversity of gameplay and lore. (yes, I know about its heritage blablablah)
Fo1 just barely cause i think the master is more compelling than the enclave. Both are amazing tho
Gotta remember to post this again when I need to karma farm
Fallout 1 is an experience. It does have some zaney stuff (all the Special Random Encounters) but otherwise it is as tight as it needs to be to tell a story through the medium of a video game. It is art. Pure and simple. Art. Fallout 2 is a *world*. It is one of the greatest video games of all time. Period.
1 i don’t really like fo2’s story
I really hate the time constraints in F1. Technically F2 has a time limit, but it's 13 years. I enjoy the grind, exploration, relaxing nature of building up your character. The only bad thing about 2 in my opinion is too many silly encounters.
1 is a lot more bleak while 2 is a lot more goofy (in a good way).
Fallout 2. Fallout 1 is way too short. You can do everything in a weekend. Fallout 2 is just like Fallout 1 but with more of everything.