The original Fallout is one of the greatest takes on the post-apocalypse in any media — its writing and characters are some of the best, and it's worldbuilding is revolutionary.

Unlike the rest of the series, Fallout 1 is unapologetically bleak, harsh, and brutal. From the moment you leave your vault, throughout our journey in what was once California, all the way to your return to your home vault, there is virtually no reprieve from the bleakness of post-nuclear war America. In fact, it only accelerates all the way to the very end.

Fallout 1 is also home to one of the greatest villains in gaming. The Master's presence slowly reveals itself over the course of the game until its climax. With The Master, we are introduced to a reoccuring theme in the series: an individual, or group of individuals, obsessed with not only preventing another nuclear fallout or similar event, but seemingly absolve America of its sins — the "wrath and folly of a bygone generation," as described in another entry — an obsession ironcially leading to a new set of sins.

If you're coming from the 3D games, like myself, there's a few things to keep in mind. The retrofuturism of the series is a lot more subtle. Whereas Bethesda leans into so much (which I love, mind you) it almsot turns into retroism, the original Fallout uses it a lot more subtly. Yes, this is a CRPG from 30 years ago, so it's mechanically clunky, sometimes obtuse, and the character creation requires a full on guide if you don't want to brick your first playthrough. But it's absolutely worth playing.