Highlights
- The Fallout series offers a wide variety of gameplay styles, from top-down to open-world, shooter, and MMORPG titles, ensuring there is something for everyone.
- The timeline of the Fallout franchise is deep and intricate, with each game set in a different year after the Great War. The story and ambiance have remained consistent throughout the series.
- While some Fallout games have faced initial criticism and issues, such as Fallout 76's buggy launch, many have been able to turn things around and become enjoyable experiences for players.
The Fallout series has been a staple in post-apocalyptic games since its inception. This series has an entry for everyone, including top-down, open-world, dungeon crawling, shooter, and MMORPG titles. The story, character styles, and ambiance have remained true to form from the start to the present.
The familiarity of the ghouls and Super Mutants from the first game until now keeps a relatable factor to help gamers follow the series through its changes. The overall arching story is much deeper than initially appeared, and as the series grew, the years went on and on. Let's just hope humanity doesn't really follow along on this timeline of Fallout games.
Updated June 23, 2023 by David Kinder: Whether it's a character's favorite food or a hidden Easter egg, people always want to know more about their beloved franchises. Fallout's timeline is a big part of that. Bethesda has announced a complete timeline for the Fallout franchise, but they didn't try to pull together every title. Spin-offs were at the bottom of the list without any timeframe. If you want to know when each Fallout game occurs, you're in the right hands. These are all the games that have some credible chronology.
9 Fallout 76 - Set In 2102
Let's go back to the beginning –well, not the franchise's beginning. Fallout 76 takes place in 2102, making it the earliest chronological entry. Fallout and MMORPGs sound like the perfect marriage, so who wouldn't want to travel through a radioactive hellscape with a few good friends? Don't worry. Fallout 76 isn't the same game it used to be.
Fallout 76 earned its dicey reputation with a buggy launch, overemphasis on microtransactions, and underperforming gameplay. However, it's become an enjoyable experience for everyone. It's a pity it took several years to finally be worth the cost.
8 Fallout 1 - Set In 2161
Fallout 1 was set in 2161, around 80 years after the Great War concluded. The atompunk and retrofuturistic aesthetic was another winning feature that has become a mainstay in the franchise. With Super Mutants, Deathclaws, and Ghouls, there were dozens of unique monsters we had never seen before.
Some of you may not know that Fallout is a spiritual successor of the Wasteland franchise. The original developers wanted to improve upon the series while doing things their way. Fallout became a massive success as people fell in love with the post-apocalyptic RPG.
7 Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood Of Steel - Set In 2197
Fallout Tactics is an oddity compared to the rest of the franchise. Instead of an open-world RPG, it's a tactical shooter that takes place in 2197. Fallout Tactics offers a more streamlined experience for some of us who might've felt overwhelmed by the sandbox nature of the series.
The gameplay is a massive improvement compared to the original Fallout. The story is more linear and tightly focused. Your goal is to keep your squad alive as you go through missions. It's actually quite similar to old-school Xcom games. Don't be surprised when RNG starts to play some cruel jokes on you.
6 Fallout: Brotherhood Of Steel - Set In 2208
Fallout Brotherhood of Steel takes place in 2208 and went in a different direction, like its confusingly similar namesake. Have you wanted to play an off-beat version of Fallout with a quirky roster of protagonists? Brotherhood of Steel covers that desire but in a rather unfulfilling way.
It's a product of its time. The extremely linear exploration can get exhausting, with over 50 sectors that require their own subquests. You really start to miss being able to roam and work on things at your pace. Unfortunately, if you're interested, you'll have to put in some effort to play this game.
5 Fallout 2 - Set In 2241
Fallout 2 is set in 2241 and builds up the world it carefully crafted in the first game. There were much-needed improvements in storytelling, gameplay, and combat. Fans at the time, however, were divided by the inclusion of overt pop culture references and its inability to take itself seriously.
While it hasn't aged well in the past twenty years, it's still a phenomenal game that can be revived with a handful of mods. Dedicated fans are always giving a second life to games that developers have moved on from. Whether it's through GoG or Steam, give this classic a try.
4 Fallout 3 - Set In 2258
Fallout 3 takes place 17 years after its predecessor in 2258. Fallout 3 changed the franchise forever. As nostalgic and retro as isometric RPGs were, the series needed a change. Fallout's pivot to first-person allowed us to better connect with the world around them.
It also marked a renewed perception of Bethesda's game design. If you're a veteran of the series, you'll be well aware of just how finicky these games can get. Fallout 3 suffered from glitches and jank that have been amended in community mods. Fallout 3 is definitely where the series becomes accessible to newer fans.
3 Fallout: New Vegas - Set In 2281
Fallout New Vegas takes place in 2281, and it's one of the most loved titles in the series. It's the most true-to-home RPG you'll get with Fallout, and honestly, it nails every aspect of it. You can deal with Benny immediately after you start the game or befriend the Legion of Steel and raze New Vegas.
You'll never have the same experience playing New Vegas. Even with moderate glitches, it has an amazing story with an absurdly open-ended amount of customization. Add some mods if you want to make the journey even more unforgettable.
2 Fallout Shelter Online - Set in 2286-2287
Fallout Shelter Online takes place immediately before Fallout 4. This means it occurs around 2286-2287. It's a sequel to Fallout Shelter but with more of a story and slightly predatory micro-transactional practices. There's a lot of give and take when it comes to gacha mechanics.
You either enjoy the content until the game slows itself down to a crawl or spend thousands of dollars. Fear of missing out and frustration is an awful combination.
1 Fallout 4 - Set In 2287
Fallout 4 takes place in 2287. Fans were finally taken to the East Coast and given a different story to unravel. This time, you have to find your missing son. However, the campaign is easily missable if you get too involved with the settlement-building side of things.
It garnered criticism for its dialogue wheel since whatever option you picked was still yes. Fans were also split on Fallout 4's mixed focus on gameplay elements. Some things felt more akin to The Sims, which can be a bad thing if you're more interested in the survival aspect of the franchise.