Fallout 1 – A Post-Nuclear Review 2025

An Introduction to My First Experience with Fallout 1: A Nostalgic Review

I still vividly remember the day I first came across Fallout 1. It was around 1999 when my dad brought home a CD of the game. Back then, I was very young and didn’t fully understand what I was doing, but I was instantly hooked. The freedom to explore a vast, open world and do whatever I wanted captivated me like nothing else. In fact, Fallout 1 was probably the first game that introduced me to the concept of open-world gaming, and it left a lasting impression.

Fast forward to today, I’m excited to share my thoughts and insights about Fallout 1—what made it special back then and why it still holds a unique place in my heart.

Overview of Fallout 1

Fallout 1, the first in the series, is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game published by Interplay. Set in the 22nd century, 84 years after the bombs fell, the game introduces players to a world that feels frozen in time, with technology, culture, and fashion heavily inspired by the 1940s and 1950s. This unique retro-futuristic aesthetic became one of the franchise’s defining characteristics.

The game was developed by Tim Cain and his team, who began work on it in 1994. After years of dedication, Fallout 1 was released in 1997, marking the start of an iconic series.

What made Fallout 1 stand out was its originality and strong identity. It quickly garnered critical acclaim, earning awards and laying the groundwork for numerous sequels that have kept the series alive and beloved to this day.

The Plot of Fallout 1

The protagonist came from a vault called vault 13, the overseer who is the leader of the vault tasked him to look for a water chip which provides water for the vault because theres are broken.

Little did the protagonist know is that he will discover more than about the outside world and not just by getting the water chip, which will change his life.

Initially, the main mission of the game is look for a water chip, because you know, someone broke it, maybe some guy just came from the future and did some tinkering hehe.

During travels, the protagonist would find a lot has changed and a lot of living things would love to devour him or kill him

Fallout 1 Gameplay Mechanics

The gameplay in Fallout 1 is turn-based, with each action—whether moving, shooting, or using items—costing action points (AP). Outside of combat, you’re free to move around the world and interact with objects or characters without worrying about AP. This system strikes a balance between strategy and exploration, giving players control during battles while allowing freedom in non-combat scenarios.

The game features a vast world map filled with locations like towns, settlements, and mysterious areas to explore, embodying the spirit of an open-world RPG. Players can engage in conversations with NPCs, accept side quests, and make decisions that influence the game’s outcome. These branching paths add depth and replayability, as your choices have a meaningful impact on the story.

What truly sets Fallout 1 apart is its SPECIAL system—a unique set of player attributes that define your character. SPECIAL stands for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Each time you level up, you earn skill points to enhance your abilities in areas like small guns, energy weapons, science, lockpicking, and more.

This flexible system allows for a wide variety of playstyles. For example, focusing on intelligence unlocks more nuanced dialogue options, while playing a low-intelligence character results in hilariously limited communication and unique interactions. The freedom to experiment with different SPECIAL builds and skill combinations ensures no two playthroughs are the same.

What I Love About Fallout 1

Here are some of the things I love about Fallout 1:

• Setting up your character stats is such a fun and strategic part of the game. You can also choose from three pre-created characters, each with a unique playstyle.
• The freedom to do whatever you want! Fallout 1 was one of the very first open-world games I ever played, and that sense of freedom was unforgettable.
• The variety of weapons is amazing—everything from small guns like pistols and assault rifles, to big guns like miniguns and rocket launchers, and even energy weapons like the plasma rifle.
• The Stealth Boy is one of my favorite items. It makes you ethereal (or invisible-looking) for a while—so handy for sneaky gameplay!
• You can pretty much steal from every NPC in the game, and it’s oddly satisfying.
• The special encounters are incredibly rewarding. I always loved finding the alien blaster—such a cool weapon!
• Exploring The Glow was a highlight for me. It’s a challenging area with all the radiation, but it’s so worth it.
• Your decisions directly affect the game’s ending for each town, which makes your choices feel meaningful.
• And, of course, the death animations. They’re pixelated, gory, and absolutely hilarious—so much fun to watch!

What I Don’t Like About Fallout 1

While Fallout 1 is an incredible game that I have a lot of love for, it’s not without its flaws. Like any game, there are aspects that could have been improved or that might frustrate certain players. Here are a few things I didn’t enjoy as much:

• While the game offers an open world with the freedom to do what you want, the main story feels pretty short and could have been more fleshed out.
• Leveling up can be challenging, especially for first-time players. Side quests don’t provide much experience, and you often need to travel long distances to encounter enemies for XP. This can feel time-consuming, given the game’s built-in time constraints.
• The time limit to finish the game for a good ending can be stressful. If I remember correctly, you have 150 in-game days to retrieve the water chip. After that, I think there’s an additional time limit for completing the rest of the game, which also affects the good endings for each town. It’s something I recall reading about but always found frustrating.

The Best Weapons in Fallout 1

The best weapon in Fallout 1 is probably the Alien Blaster, an energy pistol with electrical damage. It deals an impressive 30–90 hit points of damage, making it highly effective—especially on critical hits, where its damage output truly shines.

However, my personal favorite weapon, if I don’t get the Alien Blaster, is the Turbo Plasma Rifle. It’s another energy weapon, but this time in rifle form. Its damage output is the second best after the Alien Blaster, and it also delivers devastating critical hits.

You can acquire the Turbo Plasma Rifle from several locations:

• Gun Runners in Adytum
• Mariposa Military Base
• The Cathedral
• The Glow
• Alternatively, you can try your luck taking it from Super Mutants—but good luck with that, haha!

The Best Armor in Fallout 1

The obvious best armor in Fallout 1 has to be the T-51 Power Armor—or as I like to call it, the ultimate endgame armor. It can even be upgraded to Hardened Power Armor if you visit the Boneyard and complete the necessary process.

Surprisingly, the T-51 Power Armor is obtainable relatively early if you join the Brotherhood of Steel. It’s rewarded to you as part of one of their quests. Alternatively, you can find and repair a broken suit of Power Armor on level 3 of the Brotherhood’s base—though this requires a decent Repair skill.

The Most Memorable Items in Fallout 1

When I was younger, playing Fallout 1, I came across an item called the Stealth Boy. I think I found it from one of the Night Kin at the Cathedral. This item boosts your Sneak skill by 20% when activated, but it’s limited by its charge, so you can't use it endlessly.

I actually didn’t use it for sneaking, though—I just loved how it made me look ethereal. Back in the day, in one of Fallout 1’s earlier versions, there was a bug where if you removed the Stealth Boy from your weapon slot, you would still maintain the ethereal look. You’d appear as a human Night Kin, which was pretty hilarious!

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Stealth Boy. 😀 😀 😀

The Most Dangerous Encounters in Fallout 1

While exploring the Mariposa Military Base, you’ll encounter a variety of enemies, including Super Mutants, Floaters, and Centaurs. Floaters and Centaurs are manageable, but the Super Mutants are a real threat. They’re heavily armed, packing miniguns, laser rifles, and even rocket launchers.

If you're alone but well-equipped with weapons and Power Armor, you'll likely be okay—unless you take a critical hit. However, if you're with companions, you'll survive, but they won’t fare as well. As I mentioned, companions are pretty much doomed when facing higher-level enemies like these.

Essential Tips for Playing Fallout 1

Having played Fallout 1 for so long, I still remember a few key strategies I used to progress. Here are some tips that might help you:

• Recruit Ian in Shady Sands as soon as possible. He only costs 100 Bottle Caps and will also help you with the Radscorpion quest.
• Make sure to carry a rope in your inventory before reaching Vault 15.
• After leaving Vault 15, head straight to another town (other than Shady Sands). This will trigger a Raider quest, which can be tough at lower levels.
• Always check your Pip-Boy for how many days are left before the water supply in Vault 13 runs out.
• For companions, here’s where you can find them:
  • Ian in Shady Sands
  • Tycho and Dogmeat in Junktown
  • Katja in Boneyard
• To level up quickly, head to Boneyard, specifically the area before the Gun Runners. Kill all the Deathclaws except the mother. Once they’re dead, leave the area, rest for one day, and come back—all the Deathclaws will respawn. Just make sure to avoid killing the mother, or they won’t respawn. It can be challenging at the start because, well… Deathclaws.
• Get the Power Armor by joining the Brotherhood of Steel, but you’ll need to complete a few quests first. Be sure to stock up on Anti-Rad and RadAway to prepare for radiation.
• Steal all the Stimpaks and ammo in The Hub. If you get caught, reload and try again.
• Companions are pretty much useless in this game since they don’t level up, but at least you’ll have someone following you around. Just make sure to keep Dogmeat safe! 😅
• Or, you could ignore all of the above tips and simply enjoy the game as a first-time player!

Conclusion: Is Fallout 1 Still Worth Playing in 2025?

Fallout 1 remains a classic RPG and one of the earliest examples of open-world gaming. Although its graphics might appear outdated by modern standards, they were considered groundbreaking back in 1997. What truly makes this game stand out is its rich gameplay—the ability to engage in meaningful conversations with NPCs and the fact that the outcome of your game hinges on your actions and decisions.

Despite being released nearly three decades ago, Fallout 1 is still very much playable, especially with its availability on Steam. While the current generation may not be as familiar with the game’s mechanics or graphics, those who enjoy retro RPGs or are open to older titles will find it to be a worthwhile experience. If you’re comfortable with classic gameplay and enjoy story-driven RPGs, Fallout 1 remains a timeless gem and definitely worth playing, even in 2025.

Relive the classic Fallout 1 adventure—now available on Steam!

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Disclaimer: All images used in this blog post are from Fallout and are © Interplay Entertainment. This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by Interplay Entertainment, Bethesda Softworks, or any other game publisher.