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Choose by the experience you want, not by chronology: Fallout: New Vegas is the clearest fit for faction politics and role-playing choices; Fallout 4 for crafting and settlement building; and Fallout 76 for an online world you can explore alone or with others. For classic turn-based play, start with Fallout or Fallout 2. You do not need to play the series in order—Bethesda Game Studios says any Fallout game can be your first.
Which Fallout game fits what you want to play?
| If you want… | Play… | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Classic, turn-based role-playing with character builds and dialogue choices | Fallout | Follow the Vault Dweller on a water-chip mission in a harsh Southern California wasteland, with companions and turn-based combat. |
| A direct classic sequel and a broader West Coast world | Fallout 2 | The Chosen One searches for a G.E.C.K. across Northern California and parts of Oregon; it retains turn-based RPG play. |
| Squad tactics rather than a typical solo RPG | Fallout Tactics | Build a Brotherhood squad and choose between real-time and turn-based combat. |
| Washington landmarks and a personal search story | Fallout 3 | Leave Vault 101 as the Lone Wanderer to search for your father in the Capital Wasteland. |
| Desert travel, faction maneuvering, and consequential role-playing choices | Fallout: New Vegas | A botched delivery pulls the Courier into a Mojave power struggle involving factions such as the NCR and Caesar’s Legion. |
| Crafting, settlement building, and Boston-area exploration | Fallout 4 | The Sole Survivor searches for family in the Commonwealth while encountering factions, companions, and extensive crafting and settlement systems. |
| Online exploration, events, group play, or C.A.M.P. building | Fallout 76 | Explore Appalachia in an online multiplayer entry; Bethesda also describes solo play as an option. |
| Vault management rather than a wasteland RPG | Fallout Shelter | This spin-off centers on managing a Vault and its resources. |
Bethesda’s 2024 guide to Fallout games and its player-preference chooser describe different kinds of play rather than naming one universally best entry. Use the rows as a starting point: the best next game depends on whether you want a solitary story, tactical combat, building, or an online world.
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Choose by setting and story
The mainline games visit distinct regions and follow separate protagonists. Their fictional setting years can help with lore order, but they are not release years and do not dictate the order in which you should play.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Game | Fictional setting year | Region and story premise |
|---|---|---|
| Fallout 76 | 2102 | Appalachia; a Vault 76 resident emerges into the world after the Great War. |
| Fallout | 2161 | Southern California; the Vault Dweller leaves Vault 13 to find a water chip and confronts a larger threat. |
| Fallout 2 | 2241 | Northern California and parts of Oregon; the Chosen One seeks a G.E.C.K. to help a drought-stricken village. |
| Fallout 3 | 2277 | Washington, D.C., and the Capital Wasteland; the Lone Wanderer leaves Vault 101 to search for their father. |
| Fallout: New Vegas | 2281 | The Mojave; the Courier is attacked after taking a delivery job and becomes caught in a regional power struggle. |
| Fallout 4 | 2287 | Boston and the Commonwealth; the Sole Survivor wakes from cryogenic stasis and searches for family. |
The years come from Bethesda Game Studios’ Fallout timeline. The order shown is chronological within the fiction, not a required play sequence.
#1 Best Overall
- Freedom and Liberty Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the special character system. From a power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
Choose by gameplay
For classic turn-based role-playing: Fallout or Fallout 2
The original Fallout and its direct sequel use turn-based combat and emphasize builds and dialogue choices. Choose Fallout for the Vault Dweller’s first journey; choose Fallout 2 if you want to continue into a later West Coast story. These games have a different combat rhythm from the later first-person/action RPG entries.
For squad combat: Fallout Tactics
Fallout Tactics shifts the focus to a Brotherhood squad. Bethesda describes both real-time and turn-based combat modes, making it the tactical choice rather than a substitute for the usual solo, story-led format.
Rank #2
- Freedom and Liberty Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the special character system. From a power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
For exploration and a personal story: Fallout 3
Fallout 3 places the Lone Wanderer in the Capital Wasteland, where ruined Washington landmarks, companions, and choices that shape the region define the journey. Pick it when the setting and missing-father premise appeal more than settlement management or faction-centered negotiation.
For faction politics and role-playing: Fallout: New Vegas
New Vegas is the strongest match if you want conversations and competing political interests to sit at the center of the experience. The Courier’s failed delivery opens onto a struggle for power across the Mojave, with the NCR and Caesar’s Legion among the factions Bethesda identifies. Choose it for desert atmosphere, faction maneuvering, and role-playing choices.
Rank #3
- Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition PS3
- console-video-games
For crafting and settlement building: Fallout 4
Fallout 4 combines the Sole Survivor’s search for family with Commonwealth exploration, factions, companions, Power Armor, crafting, and settlement building. It is the clearest pick if making and developing settlements is a major part of what you want from a game.
For online play—or solo exploration in an online game: Fallout 76
Fallout 76 is structurally different from the single-player story entries: it is an online multiplayer game set in Appalachia, with shared exploration, events, and C.A.M.P. building. Bethesda’s guide says players can explore alone or with friends, so it is an option if you want to play solo within an online world rather than join a group. Choose it when its evolving, multiplayer structure is a draw.
Rank #4
![Fallout 4 | Anniversary Edition | Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in Box]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41nB7eUArSL._SL160_.jpg)
- ANNIVERSARY EDITION — Celebrate ten years of Fallout 4 with the complete post‑nuclear RPG experience, winner of over 200 Best Of awards including DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year.
- COMPLETE BASE GAME INCLUDED — Experience the full Fallout 4 main campaign as the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, shaping the fate of the Commonwealth through meaningful choices, factions, and exploration.
- ALL 6 OFFICIAL EXPANSIONS — Includes Automatron, Wasteland Workshop, Far Harbor, Contraptions Workshop, Vault‑Tec Workshop, and Nuka‑World for massive story, settlement, and gameplay additions.
- 150+ CREATION CLUB ITEMS — Expand your adventure with curated Creation Club content featuring unique weapons, power armor sets, building packs, paint jobs, player homes, and Dogmeat cosmetic variants.
- OPEN‑WORLD FREEDOM — Explore hundreds of locations, craft weapons and armor, build and manage settlements, and customize your playstyle using the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and perk progression.
For management instead of a mainline RPG: Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter is a Vault-management spin-off, not another open-wasteland story RPG. It suits players looking for simulation and resource management rather than exploring the mainline games’ regions.
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Is chronological order necessary?
No. Bethesda Game Studios’ timeline introduction says, “The universe of Fallout is rich and rewarding for those who love to dig deep into the lore, but any Fallout game can be your first.” Start with the premise or gameplay that appeals to you; the setting years are there for lore-minded players, not as an entry requirement.
Best Value
- Not even nuclear fallout could slow the hustle of Sin City. Explore the vast expanses of the desert wastelands
- Feuding Factions, Colorful Characters and a Host of Hostiles
- Enjoy new additions to Fallout: Special melee combat moves have been added to bring new meaning to the phrase "up close and personal"
- With double the amount of weapons found in Fallout 3
- In a huge, open world with unlimited options you can see the sights, choose sides, or go it alone
If you do want the mainline story settings in chronological order, follow Fallout 76, Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, then Fallout 4. That sequence follows the fictional years 2102, 2161, 2241, 2277, 2281, and 2287, respectively. It is different from release order and is optional.
Check platform availability before choosing
Platform, edition, storefront, and backward compatibility can vary by game and region. Bethesda’s guides list broad platform information, but that does not establish current availability for every edition or device. Before buying, check the official store listing for the specific game, platform, and edition you intend to use.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
