It’s been a while since combat and strategy game enthusiasts took a ride down to the wastelands to have a fun shootout with some mutants and bandits. Thankfully, we can have a taste of some similar actions with Micro Forte’s Fallout Tactics. 

The developers successfully tweaked its two previous iterations to design a tactics-based title with the brotherhood at the center of every action. Released for Windows in 2001, Fallout Tactics has exponentially gone up the role-playing title ladder and sold hundreds of thousands of copies seven years after its inception. Its elements are intriguing and leave a lasting fun memory in the minds of players worldwide. 

Origin Of The Brotherhood

It starts with the world being at the brim of a nuclear attack. However, several formidable bunkers have been built to preserve the best and remainder of humanity following a full-blown apocalypse. These survivors were meant to repopulate the world and restore normalcy but shortly before the event was a nuclear war. 

A superior faction from one of the Californian bunkers reclaimed a substantial part of earth after the war’s ravaging effect through their potent weapons. They also created the brotherhood of steel, a group of survivors with the sole aim of restoring normalcy and inventing novel machines for the betterment of the world. 

After a while, there was a split within the group with one faction supporting the recruitment of outsiders into the fold, while the other was against this initiative. The unit that was against expansion had the upper hand, while the other unit went ahead to defeat some mutants from the previous iteration. 

Along the way on their expedition, their airship crash-landed, and the faction was forced to regroup to form a new brotherhood from recruits. The player character starts the game with a unit from this new brotherhood and leads a mission to defeat some bandits within the area. Eventually, he learns the true motives of the new group and continues on further missions. 

The Gameplay Can Hardly Bore You

Unlike the two former FALLOUT iterations, this version has more action than stories or dialogues. The dialogues are still preserved, but you only have to listen and move on immediately. This version also includes restricted interactions with non-player characters with more emphasis on combat and strategy. The usual setting from previous versions has also been changed. Now, all we have are bunkers and huge missions. 

In these vaults, the player character can coordinate the mission, gain access to medics, and receive characters from previous missions. Typically, the player’s army moves out from the bunker to the mission ground after listening to a brief from the commander. When the player gets to the target ground, he’ll receive a map with annotations and objectives. 

You are also required to move around the map, drive cars, and overcome random encounters with raiders. Other activities within the game include hiring squad members, buying items, and moving around the home base. 

There’s limited role-playing, but specific rules still apply, and the characters possess stats like luck and perception. You’ll find that the developers did an excellent job by adding new and beneficial perks instead of the old ones in previous iterations. 

The Harmony Within Combat 

As we mentioned above, FALLOUT TACTICS emphasizes more on combat than dialogue. To this end, we now have three combat modes compared to the single-mode in the previous versions.  The first mode is a novel addition that allows every character to act simultaneously. The second mode is the default playstyle, where everyone acts one at a time. 

The last mode, which is squad-based, allows the whole unit to make a turn. There’s also a multiplayer mode where each human player controls a unit and fights against other human players. Each squad leader will be given points to buy gears and members. The members can be human or any of the available game characters. 

A Mixture Of Drama, Music, And War  

The dialogues are a mix of well-written and juvenile scripts. You’ll notice the immature tone while conversing with non-player characters. The superiors, on the other hand, hold witty conversations. However, the scripts add little to the fun on a general scale, but I couldn’t blame the developers as they intended more action than story. The little downside to the dull conversation is the break in the tension that other parts of the game try to build. 

The soundtrack is amazing, even though it becomes repetitive as you progress. The voice acting is also of the highest grade and quality, but I remembered this is a trademark feature of micro Forté. 

This FALLOUT version also comes with improved graphics and resolution. Hence, every element in the game tends to look much better than what we used to see in previous iterations. The developers also added new items and tiles to the universe. These changes, though sometimes frustrating, are a welcomed addition on a general ground. 

The weapon effects and character animations are also well represented and improve player immersion. Overall, you will find yourself looking at an improved yet familiar game as you proceed through its missions. 

Verdict

FALLOUT TACTICS comes with a few downsides. Sometimes, it appears as a disorganized title that omits some vital game mechanics. However, the strengths overshadow the shortcomings and make them almost unnoticeable. The plot and missions are great. Also, as soon as you discover the best combo for your missions, you’ll find them fun and addictive. Its lengthy game time also provides an extended run of fun for tactics and combat-based title enthusiasts.