The underrated 81 Metacritic game that fares better than Bethesda (and is the perfect companion to Season 2 of the Amazon Prime series)

The post-apocalyptic setting is a common trope of video games, and Fall-out franchise is perhaps the most iconic when it comes to a world that exists after nuclear holocaust. While Bethesda's series may have a strong 2025, the future of Fall-out 2026 is still unknown without a new game on the horizon. For fans excited by Fall-out Season 2 and want to experience a game with similar vibes without the distinctly Bethesda quirks, Wasteland comics can be ideal for them.

Particularly, Wastelands 2 serves as the perfect starting point for Fall-out fans who want to try a different take on the post-nuclear apocalypse RPG. Developed by inXile Entertainment and released back in 2013, Wastelands 2 serves as a crowd-funded sequel to the 1988 title Wasteland which precedes Fall-out series almost 10 years earlier. Interestingly, the original developer of the WastelandInterplay, would continue to create Fall-out series, and Fall-outs original director, Brian Fargo, would go on to found inXile Entertainment, do Wastelands 2 a spiritual successor to before Bethesda Fall-out game.

Wastelands 2 also received an enhanced Director's Cut edition in 2015.

Wasteland 2 is like classic Fallout for a modern audience

It's no secret that the original Fall-out games are hard to get into in 2025, with clunky combat controls and often esoteric mission design that is a holdover from 1997. When you watch Amazon Prime Fall-out series can entice players to go back and check out these older titles, it's understandable if players have a hard time getting into them. This does Wastelands 2 the perfect option, as it takes some of the nostalgic elements from the 90s Fall-out games and modernize them for a more user-friendly experience.

The top-down gameplay of Wasteland 2 combines the XCOM and OG Fallout games

As Fall-out and other modern RPGs, Wastelands 2 allows players to recruit party members for use in battle, including 4 player-created characters and 3 recruitable NPCs out of a possible 18 to form a full party of 7. Fall-outs SPECIAL system for character statistics, Wastelands 2s character creation includes stats for:

Coordination
Happiness
Awareness
Strength
Speed
Intelligence
Charisma

This CLASSIC system also gives players access to certain skills, such as skills with a certain weapon type, lock-on, explosives, and field medics, among others. Combat takes place in a turn-based mode where players place their party members on a grid and use limited Action Points to get closer to enemies, take cover and use their weapons. This gives Wastelands 2 a more tactical isometric element that resembles something similar XCOM than the modern first person game Fall-out game.

Wasteland 2 is perfect for fans burnt out on Bethesda's Fallout

Since the release of Fallout 3 In 2008, the series has been almost exclusively first-person FPS RPGs. Although there have been some great storytelling opportunities in the series since this time, especially with highly regarded games like Fallout: New Vegas When they hit the scene, some fans may want a different perspective on life after the nuclear apocalypse. It is here Wastelands 2 presents the perfect counterbalance to the mother Fall-outand why the game is ideal for fans who like Fall-out TV series but looking for a new yet familiar experience.

The Setting of Wasteland 2 makes it the perfect companion game for Fallout Season 2

How to prepare for the second season of Fallout

The story of Wastelands 2 takes place in the desert southwest of the United States, with players first starting out in Arizona before eventually heading to California. Wastelands 2s backstory paints a similar picture to that of Fall-out: a world destroyed by nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1998, and nearly 100 years later, a faction of survivors in the Southwest, known as the Desert Rangers, have become a force dedicated to helping other survivors in the wasteland. While it is no New Vegasexploring the remains of Arizona and California, uncovering the threat of AI technology and a crazy cult that worships nuclear warheads will feel very familiar to fans of Fall-out.

The Wasteland series opens up a whole new world to explore

Wastelands 2 may be the best party game for Fall-out fans engrossed in the Amazon Prime show, but it's not even the latest entry in the Wasteland series. Wastelands 3 was already released in 2020 and follows the events of its predecessor, but instead of the dry desert of Arizona, players will have to face the harsh snowy environments of a post-apocalyptic Colorado. While the gameplay is largely the same, the mood of this game may clash with fans looking for a Fallout: New Vegas-type experience to complement the Amazon Prime show. However, for players who like Wastelands 2the perfect sequel is already waiting for them when they finish their playthrough.