The long-running Fallout series has fed our desire for action and story-telling for decades. It’s thrown us in to a rich post-apocalyptic world filled with its own lore that really makes for immersive RPG experience. There so many fantastic entries in the franchise that have offered us hours upon hours of adventuring. With so much freedom to explore, interesting characters to meet, and endless quests to complete, life after an apocalypse sure takes on you one unforgettable ride. The bittersweet feeling of coming to the end of a Fallout game can leave you wistfully wishing for more games that offer you a similar experience. Thankfully there’s a whole selection of games like Fallout out there that might just fill that Vault-shaped hole in your life. Whether it be similar themes, settings, or gameplay elements, there’s a lot of great offerings for you to get stuck into when you’re ready to take a break from all the rads, and hang up your vault suit for a while.
Skyrim
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
The obvious go-to choice if you’re after something similar to the Fallout experience is undoubtedly Skyrim. Also made by Bethesda, the Elder Scrolls series is like a fantasy medieval-esque take on the Fallout open-world formula, and it has a lot of similar combat and RPG elements that will make you feel right at home. As the legendary figure known as the Dragonborn, you’re thrown into an epic adventure throughout the lands of Tamriel to put a stop to the dragons who have started resurrecting back to life and returning to the skies. With civil strife, expansive areas to explore, secrets to uncover, and endless quests and stories to work through, you’ll sink just as many hours into it as you did in Fallout. Skyrim also has its own rich lore, and its lush green world and star speckled skies can be a nice break from the bleak, radiated Wastelands. Instead of super mutants, ghouls, and, Deathclaws, you’ll face bears, dragurs, and, of course, plenty of dragons. Oh, and the sweet rolls are lot more appetising in Elder Scrolls with no rads to speak of. Yummy.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Available on: PS4
Guerrilla's unique take on the post-apocalypse in Horizon Zero Dawn is far less bleak than the various Wasteland settings you traverse through in Fallout, but it still has just as much intrigue, lore, and steller story-telling to tuck into. The gorgeous vistas are inhabited by advanced machines that look like all manner of prehistoric creatures. You play as Aloy, a machine hunter who sets out to uncover her true origin and unravel the secrets that litter the landscapes. Just like in Fallout where you encounter different inhabitants in settlements around the world, you’ll meet many tribes and encampments filled with interesting characters and side quests. And if you’re a fan of exploration, you’ll enjoy exploring the snowy peaks and grassy fields, and diving into the Cauldrons which are not a million miles away from opening up a vault you’ve yet to explore. The combat is a little different, but you can modify your weapons and take different tactical approaches to best the robot dinosaurs.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
After another incredibly detailed open-world? You can’t go wrong with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Epic in scale and impeccably designed, Geralt of Rivia’s adventures in its own unique fantasy setting is sure to fill the Fallout-shaped hole in your life. While the world is a lot less grim than the Wastelands, many aspects of the world are still quite harsh. There’s plenty of murder, brutality and betrayal to bear witness to in the shoes of monster slayer, Geralt. You’re tasked with tracking down your ward who is also be perused by the nefarious WIld Hunt. What begins as tracking mission spins into a grand adventure that’s much bigger than Geralt could have ever imagined. Just as there are plenty of nasty creatures lurking around in Fallout’s dilapidated world, the world of Witcher is inhabited by lots of horrible fantastical monsters that roam the lands looking for their next victim. Along with its stellar DLCs, now’s a better time than ever to spend some time with white-haired sword-wielding wolf.
Metro: Last Light
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Metro: Last Light has a much darker, unforgiving take on the post-apocalyptic theme, with radiation and horrifying mutants to contend with. While it’s a linear FPS and not an open-world RPG, those who played the survival mode in Fallout 4 or the hardcore mode In Fallout: New Vegas might enjoy trying to survive the brutal apocalyptic setting in Moscow. Last Light pushes survival to the extremes. Resources are scarce, and a bunker which might hold the key to survival is being fought over by warring factions. You certainly won’t find any peace here. Just as a vault was the safe haven for those seeking shelter from nuclear bombs in Fallout, taking shelter in the underground tunnels in Last Light is the key to your survival. The Wastelands may be dangerous, but it's nothing compared mutant-infested Moscow. If you're going to go for this one, the Redux version polishes and refines the original release for current consoles. It's also worth noting you can pick up the Metro: Redux collection, which will includes Last Light Redux and the game that came before it: Metro 2033.
Of course, you could also check out Metro Exodus too.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Available on: Xbox One, PS4
The Mojave desert in Fallout: New Vegas isn’t a million miles away from the world you’ll gallop across in Red Dead Redemption 2. While it’s not set after any kind of apocalypse, exploring the wild west promises to deliver a lot of adventures as outlaw Arthur Morgan, who’s part of the Van Der Linde gang. In its massive open-world, you’ll have a lot of opportunities to go off the beaten track and play out your journey however you want. With exploration, numerous activities that play out like mini-games, side quests, and a pretty engrossing main story-line, this is another time-stealer that will keep you occupied and then some. There’s also lots of slow-mo shooting opportunities, so if you love using your VATS, you might get a kick out of the gun-slinging Dead Eye action. When you’ve had your fill of Nuka-Cola and you’re ready for a taste of something different - like some good old fashioned saloon whiskey - you can grab your best cowboy hat and saddle up for a different kind of adventure.
BioShock
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
It’s doesn’t have an open-world, but the retro-futuristic aesthetic of Rapture feels very similar to the style of the Fallout series. As an FPS with RPG elements, some aspects of game-play will feel quite similar, and it also has a story-driven narrative that will keep you hooked throughout. Set in 1960s, you play as Jack, a passenger aboard a plane that crashes into the Atlantic ocean. After finding your way to a lighthouse, you stumble upon a way to reach the underwater city of Rapture. Guided by a voice on a radio, you try to make your way to safety through the dystopian city, which is filled with genetically altered inhabitants known as Splicers. It is a more linear experience than what you’re used to in Fallout, but it’s worth checking out for its enjoyable combat mechanics and fantastic story-line.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4 (coming soon to Nintendo Switch)
If you’re a fan of the classic Fallout games like 1 and 2, or Fallout Tactics, Mutant Year Zero is a post-apocalyptic turn-based strategy RPG you’re sure to enjoy. The world as we know has ended and humans are out of the picture. Now Earth is inhabited by mutated humanoids and animals who have to scavenge and find loot to survive. Stories tell of a place known as Eden that will offer salvation in a hellish world. And so you set off with your ragtag band of mutants to find this legendary Eden...or, well, meet your eventual end. With a blend of turn-based tactical combat and real-time stealth, you navigate through abandoned cities and desolate highways to find what you need to survive. Filled with humour in a pretty bleak version of the planet we call home, The Bearded Ladies’ strategy number takes you on one entertaining ride. Oh, and it features a mutant duck. That’s important to note.
Mad Max
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Mad Max is another open-world adventure that takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting. While it’s story might be a little thin on the ground, and the voice acting isn’t nearly as good as that of Fallout 4, the desert wastelands set the scene for some very fun vehicular combat. The combat mechanics differ to that of Fallout and consist of fight sequences where have to hit the counters in time, as well as putting a focus on smashing and crashing your car in mad highway clashes with enemy groups throughout the many regions. You can still get your exploration fix in this wasteland, though. The expansive landscapes are there for you to drive through and explore at your leisure, and as you upgrade your vehicle, weapons and bases, traversing the dusty roads becomes even more of a riot.
The Last of Us
Available on: PS4
Anyone who’s after another immersive experience should look to Naughty Dog’s stellar post-apocalyptic world, which will fill your story-driven adventuring needs to the brim. The Last of Us might be more linear in structure, but it’s detailed world makes it feel just as impactful and the narrative will keep you engrossed throughout. Set 20 years after a fungal-based pandemic hits, you follow the story of Joel and Ellie who try to survive in a world that was torn apart and changed forever. The fungus, which can be seen throughout the world, infects the human brain and essentially turns them into ghoul-like zombies. With fantastic combat that sees you use all kinds of different weapons and put your stealth tactics to the test, this is no-brainer if Fallout left you hungry for another absorbing story in a desolate world with a whole host of interesting, fleshed out characters.
Far Cry 5
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
As one of the series most recent entries, Far Cry 5's huge open-world offers endless places to explore, locations to discover, collectibles to find, and side quests to complete. Set in the fictional Hope County in Montana, the main story centres around the Project at Eden’s Gate, a cult that has taken over the county with the help of their leader Joseph Seed. As a deputy Sheriff who finds themselves stuck in the county, you work with the many factions that make up the area to try and break the county away from the cult’s grasp. You can recruit companions you meet throughout to help you during a dicey gun fight - not unlike the companions in Fallout 4, expect you can't form relationships with them. There's even bobble heads littered around the map for you to collect, but they don't give you better stats like the vault boys do. Still, they are bears that stand on cheeseburgers, so they're still worth it.
Want more Fallout 4 goodness? Why not check out our pick of the best Fallout 4 settlements, and marvel at their creativity?
