Fallout Overview
Fallout is a role-playing game set after a global nuclear war has turned the Earth into a sparsely populated wasteland. The player controls a survivor from an underground Vault who must venture into this dangerous world to find a critical water purification component, under a strict time limit.
Character progression is governed by the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system, which defines core attributes. These are further developed through a wide array of skills, which cover combat, environmental interaction, and social activities. Players also select traits, which offer mixed benefits and drawbacks, and earn purely beneficial perks at regular intervals, allowing for deep customization of the protagonist's capabilities.
The world is open for exploration from the beginning, with a main plot supported by numerous optional quests. A Karma system records the moral consequences of the player's choices. The design emphasizes player agency, permitting problems to be solved through dialogue and stealth, making it possible to avoid combat entirely, or conversely, to pursue a violently destructive path.
When combat occurs, it is turn-based, using an action point economy for movement and attacks. A notable feature is the ability to target specific enemy body parts. The player can be accompanied by AI-controlled companions who fight in the party but cannot be directly customized.
