Fallout 2

Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game is the sequel to Fallout. Released on October 29, 1998 exclusively for PC, it was developed by Black Isle Studios, a division of publisher Interplay Entertainment.

Story
Arroyo is suffering from the worst drought on record. Faced with this hardship, the village elder asks the direct descendant of the Vault Dweller, referred to as the Chosen One, to retrieve a Garden of Eden Creation Kit, or G.E.C.K, for the town. This device can create thriving communities out of the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

The Chosen One is given the Vault Dweller's jumpsuit, a RobCo Pip-Boy 2000 device, a Vault 13 water flask, and some cash to start their journey. During their travels, they learn of an entity known as the New California Republic that seeks to spread its borders and a technologically advanced organization known as the Enclave. The Chosen One encounters information regarding Jet, an addictive drug that has forced many to rely on the drug trade centralized in New Reno.

Returning to Arroyo reveals the village residents were kidnapped by the Enclave, along with the inhabitants of Vault 13, to serve as human test subjects. The Enclave has modified Forced Evolutionary Virus into an airborne pathogen, intended to murder those who have genetic mutations. The Chosen One must commandeer an oil tanker to reach the Enclave's main base on an offshore oil rig in order to save the imprisoned wastelanders.

Gameplay
Fallout 2 ' s gameplay is similar to that of Fallout. It is a CRPG or computer role-playing game with turn-based combat and isometric view.

Character attributes
Fallout 2 uses a character creation system called SPECIAL. S.P.E.C.I.A.L is an acronym and initialism of Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. These are the seven basic attributes of every character in the game. They are used to determine the skills and perks of the given character.

Skills
There are 18 different skills in the game. They are ranked from 0% to 300%. The starting values for those skills at level one are determined by the character's seven basic attributes, but most of those skills would fall between 0% and 50%. Every time a level is gained, the player will be awarded skill points to be used to improve their character's skills, equal to five points plus twice their Intelligence. The player may choose to "tag" three of the 18 skills (though later a fourth skill may be tagged). A tagged skill will improve at twice the normal rate. Some non-player characters can also improve Skills via training.

There are:
 * Six combat skills: Small Guns, Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Unarmed, Melee Weapons, Throwing.
 * Eight active skills: First Aid, Doctor, Sneak, Lockpick, Steal, Traps, Science, Repair.
 * Four passive skills: Speech, Barter, Gambling, Outdoorsman.

Combat skills improve accuracy and (generally) damage with weapons which correspond to that combat skill. For example, the effectiveness of a minigun would be governed by the Big Guns skill, while the effectiveness of a 10mm pistol would be governed by the Small Guns skill.

Active skills may be selected and used on the player, non-player characters, and the environment to accomplish tasks. For example, a player may use First Aid to heal themselves or allies, or use Repair to fix a generator. Active skills can also contribute to the in-game dialogue. For example, someone with a high Science skill could talk to a scientist and get a better response out of them than if they had a low science skill.

Passive skills also contribute to the in-game dialogue, along with various other things throughout the game. However, they can't ever be selected and used as active skills can.

Books
Books found throughout the game world can improve Small Guns, First Aid, Science, Repair, and Outdoorsman skills, up to a maximum of 91% skill value; using a skill book after that will do nothing to raise the skill any further. Books are scarce early in the game, and the max cap can make books less useful later on. Vault City and San Francisco are good sources of books.

Tools and Lockpicks
Lockpicks can make it easier to open locks; note however that not all doors have the code script required for all lockpick types, and the bonus may vary. Normally +20-40%, it can range from +10-50%. Some skills can also be improved while having certain items equipped. (E.g. equipping a lock picks would improve lockpicking skills.) Stimulants can also temporarily boost a player's skills; however, they often have adverse effects such as addiction and withdrawal. As Skills grow higher in rating, they begin to cost more Skill Points to increase.

Traits and Perks
At character creation, the player may choose two optional traits. Traits are special character attributes, such as 'Skilled' (which drastically increases the player's skills, but adds an extra level before the player may choose each perk), or 'Jinxed' (enemies have a greater chance of critical attack failures, but so does the player). A Trait normally contains one beneficial effect and one detrimental effect, and are listed below the Perks section in the character sheet. Once a Trait is chosen, it is impossible to change, except by using the "Mutate" Perk which allows the player to change one Trait, but only once.

"Perks" are special elements of the leveling system. Every three levels (or every four if the player chose the "Skilled" Trait), the player is granted a perk of their choosing. Perks grant special effects, most of which are not obtainable via normal play in the game, such as letting the player take more actions per round. Unlike traits, most perks are purely beneficial—they are usually offset only by the infrequency of acquiring them.

Series connections
Fallout 2 features a much wider array of items, weapons, and armor than Fallout. Item prices were increased at stores. With the exception of Klamath, actions in one city will affect the state of another, and subquests will often require the player to go back and forth from location to location to kill enemies and deliver messages and items.

Skills start off at a lower rate than in the first game, and the maximum level of a skill was increased from 200% to 300%. After reaching 100%, a skill requires more than one skill point to increase, up to six skill points per 1% (2% if the skill is tagged) increase after 200%. The Unarmed skill added different types of Punches and Kicks depending on the player's Attributes and skill level. Several new Perks were added while most others were retained, allowing a greater degree of customization. The Friendly Foe perk of Fallout is now a default feature in Fallout 2.

Karma is accompanied by Reputation, and while Karma affects the player as a whole, Reputation affects how the player is received in a single town. While Karma is achieved by doing good things and killing villainous characters, Reputation grows based on how the player helps the city, usually by completing sub-quests. As in Fallout, good and evil characters react differently to players with different Karma. Also, the player can acquire certain titles such as Gigolo, Made Man, Slaver, based on their actions that also affect the game and how others react to them.

In Fallout 2, non-player characters are able to gain levels, equip armor, and be issued orders before and during combat, ranging from when to run away to when to heal themselves, as well as ordering them to holster their weapons. The non-player characters also possess distinct personalities and characteristics. Some non-player characters refuse to join the player if they have negative Karma or before a certain quest has been completed. There is a limit to the number of non-player characters a player can recruit, depending on the character's Charisma.

Music
The game soundtrack for Fallout 2 was composed by Mark Morgan, who also created the soundtrack of the first Fallout.

Reception
Fallout 2 received a Metacritic metascore of 86/100.

Behind the scenes
Fallout 2 is considered one of the earliest video games to allow same-sex marriage, and began the introduction of LGBT+ characters into the Fallout series, particularly Davin, Miria and Leslie Anne Bishop.

Videos
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