Bethesda Softworks
One of the crown jewels published by Bethesda Softworks is “Fallout,” the post-apocalyptic RPG series started by Interplay Entertainment in 1997. The game is set in a retro-futuristic vision of the United States after the world has been devastated by nuclear warfare. Players control survivors battling across the harsh landscape, taking on rival factions and monsters mutated by the immense radiation. The bizarre story of “Fallout” has its own offbeat sense of humor, mixed with RPG action and sweeping sci-fi storytelling.
For players looking for similar action RPGs or other games set in post-apocalyptic landscapes, there is plenty to choose from. With that in mind, we’re highlighting games that feature a gameplay style and scope that evokes “Fallout.” Some of these are also post-apocalyptic titles but all feature an open-world approach that have kept fans coming back for more. These are the best video games like “Fallout,” each bringing their own brand of action.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks’ other big action RPG franchise is “The Elder Scrolls” series, which takes place in the fantasy realm of Tamriel. The most recent mainline installment is “The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim,” set in a mountainous northern region in the midst of a civil war. The player character is caught in the middle of the conflict before discovering that they can absorb the souls of slain dragons and gain their power. Using this ability, the player character sets out to defeat the villainous dragon Alduin and save Skyrim from his fiery wrath.
“The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim” is one of the best fantasy games of all time, providing the series with its most immersive experiences yet. Its presentation and gameplay not only evoke elements of “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion,” but also “Fallout 3,” including a greater emphasis on combat, particularly whenever the player deals an enemy a mortal blow. Implementing the “Fallout” sensibilities to a high fantasy setting, “Skyrim” is still very much an “Elder Scrolls” game but with clear influence from Bethesda’s other hit franchise.
The Outer Worlds
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment developed one of the best “Fallout” games with 2010’s “Fallout: New Vegas.” Afterwards, the studio had “Fallout” creators Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky direct their own original sci-fi game “The Outer Worlds,” with Boyarsky also serving as writer. Released in 2019, the game takes place in a future where humanity is run by rival megacorporations as they settle across the cosmos. Players can either work for one of the powerful megacorporations or ally themselves against the corporate oligarchs.
While “The Outer Worlds” isn’t quite an open-world game, so much of it aligns with Obsidian’s past work in the “Fallout” franchise. This includes an emphasis on player decisions for each major quest and its retrofuturistic aesthetic, albeit one that evokes the American Gilded Age. But even the combat mechanics resemble the V.A.T.S. System in “Fallout,” albeit with its own distinct nuances. One of the best titles that Obsidian Entertainment has ever made, “The Outer Worlds” is a must-play for any “Fallout” fan.
Wasteland 3
inXile Entertainment
When it comes to other post-apocalyptic games set in the United States, inXile Entertainment’s “Wasteland” series has offered its own RPG thrills. The franchise’s most recent entry, 2020’s “Wasteland 3” takes the action to the snowy mountains of Colorado, which was also affected by a devastating nuclear war. The game follows a pair of Arizona Rangers who become involved with the infighting between the region’s ruling family. As players become more involved in the conflict, they have to decide who to support for the future of the survivor community in Colorado.
In terms of gameplay, “Wasteland 3” is the biggest outlier on this list, even if its premise and aesthetics resemble “Fallout.” The game is a turn-based RPG following a small squad not unlike the “XCOM” series, albeit with a greater emphasis on player decisions. These choices shape how the story unfolds and the dynamics within the environment, something that aligns with “Fallout” quite closely. Those looking for a turn-based alternative, hewing closer to the original “Fallout” games prior to the property’s acquisition by Bethesda, “Wasteland 3” has got the goods.
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt
As far as sci-fi games with a sweeping scope, stylish aesthetics, and range of choices for players go, few top “Cyberpunk 2077.” Released in 2020, the game takes place in the sprawling metropolis of Night City, a sci-fi locale run by megacorporations. The player character, known simply as V, is a mercenary of varying backgrounds hired to raid the Arasaka Corporation for a biochip. With the heist going disastrously, V implants the biochip in themselves, discovering it belongs to the digital memory of terrorist Johnny Silverhand as they navigate the fallout in Night City.
While “Cyberpunk 2077” endured a rough launch, its latest patch basically turned it into a new game, and a much better one at that. With the breadth of Night City and choices available to players, this is one of the most ambitious games in years and it eventually made good on its lofty goals. The game will also have players returning to explore the choices and backgrounds they missed in previous playthroughs. “Cyberpunk 2077” is as immersive as modern sci-fi gaming gets, and is well worth checking out for those who missed it the first time around.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
GSC Game World
Ukrainian video game development studio GSC Game World followed up its 2009 title “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Heart of Pripyat” 15 years later with “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.” Like its predecessors, the game is a first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic vision of Chernobyl. The 2024 game follows protagonist Skif Martynenko as he contends with rival factions and their opposing plans for the region around the destroyed nuclear reactor. Players must decide who to ally themselves with as they fight monsters and enemy soldiers.
While more of a survival horror experience than other entries on this list, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl” has clear similarities with “Fallout.” Other than both franchises being set within a heavily irradiated region populated by mutated monsters, players have to keep a careful eye on resources. “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2” takes this to the next level, with players needing to be aware of hunger and sleep, in addition to resource and weight management. A welcome return to form for GSC Game World, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl” is survivalist action with a horrific edge.