Wasteland 3came out on August 28th, 2020, reminding fans of the RPG franchise of everything that makes inXile Entertainment one of the finest studios for the genre. Given their intertwined history, one cannot help but compareWastelandtoFallout.The former is considered a spiritual predecessor to the latter, with both games originating at Interplay Productions.
Related:5 Things We Loved About Wasteland 3 (And 5 Things We Don’t)
While they both started out as RPGs of a similar vein, commonalities between the two these days are hard to spot besides the post-apocalyptic setting.Wastelanddoes some things spectacularly better thanFallout, whileFallouthas a few advantages of its own.
10Wasteland: More Consistent
Only threeWastelandgames exist so far, but they are all classics and have had the same lead designer, Brian Fargo, behind them.Fallout,on the other hand, has had several spin-offs water down the brand, most notableFallout 76. Additionally,Falloutis going through somewhat of an identity crisis, recently towing the line betweenopen-world RPG with a dynamic worldand a simpler dungeon crawler, whileWastelandknows exactly what it is and makes no apologies for it.
9Fallout: Shorter Introductions
Falloutgames waste no time getting the player into the world and letting them set out on their own. Even the older Interplay titles, as brutal as they were, had players exploring the barren wastes without a leash shortly after exiting the character creator.Wastelandgenerally takes more time, introducing players to the mechanics through a more extended opening. Considering these games' complexity, it is a necessary step.
8Wasteland: More Choices, More Consequences
Falloutused to be similar in this regard, but started shying away from this even inFallout 3, and such tough choices are almost completely absent inFallout 4.Wasteland 3still retains these brutal decisions where no answer ever feels truly right. Even seemingly righteous moves often have unforeseen consequences. The closest modernFalloutgets to this isFallout: New Vegas, a spin-off developed by Obsidian in 2010.
7Fallout: More Variety
Going through all theWastelandgames in a row would be a serious chore. The first game has not aged particularly well, though its historical significance is undeniable, and the third game improves on every aspect ofWasteland 2, making it difficult to go back to.
Related:10 Action RPGs To Play While Waiting For Fallout 5
Fallout, on the other hand, has three distinct styles: the isometric RPGs of the first two entries, theElder Scrolls-like RPG mechanicsofFallout 3andNew Vegas, and the more action-oriented, dungeon-exploringcombat ofFallout 4and76.
6Wasteland: Humor
Wasteland’sworld is particularly brutal. Despite this, it still manages to make players chuckle at its jokes, which range from pop culture references to satire.Fallout, for the most part, takes itself too seriously, especially in the games developed by Bethesda. A post-apocalypse is arguably nothing to joke about, but one needs a little levity to even out all the darkness and grit.
5Fallout: More Fleshed-Out Lore
By virtue of having more games and a more consistent release schedule,Fallout’s lore is more realized and interconnected thanWasteland’s.
Related:Fallout 3: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Lone Wanderer
The games so far cover more land around the country over a larger period of time.Wastelandhas only had three games, and while events from one impact the other and they all follow the Rangers, they have only covered the southwest, Los Angeles, and Colorado.
4Wasteland: Use Of Licensed Music
Fallouthas squandered a missed opportunity with its radio and use of licensed music.Fallout 3’sradio was a step in the right direction, but thenFallout 4recycled many of the same songs and did not push the concept forward.Wasteland 3made licensed music an essential part of the experience. For the project,InXile recruited Mary Ramos, music supervisor on most Quentin Tarantino films, to elevate the game’s atmosphere with covers of numerous licensed songs, including theme songs from popular sitcoms.
3Fallout: More Detailed Character Creator
Falloutonly lets players create a single avatar, but the options presented are plentiful and outdoWastelandby miles. One would thinkWastelandwould have more aesthetic choices because players are tasked with creating a whole party, but many of the characters end up looking the same. Fortunately, the variation comes with stats and abilities inWasteland’scharacter creator.
2Wasteland: Cooperative Play
Wasteland 3is playable with a friend from beginning to end. Friends can travel together and even split up and take on different quests simultaneously.Fallout’s multiplayer offering isFallout 76, which released amidst huge controversy and an infamously terrible launch. The developer has improved upon it since then, but it is still not up to the quality or depth ofWasteland 3’scooperative mode. Nothing is sacrificed in the franchise’s signature experience by going through it with a partner.
1Fallout: More Detailed World
TheFalloutgames are giant productions with a huge budget. This,along with now being in first-person, makes the world more visually detailed than anythingWastelandoffers. Of course, worldbuilding is more than just pretty environments, but in terms of graphical fidelity,FallouthasWastelandbeat. It also has a more recognizable aesthetic with the Vault-Tec art and designs populating much of the series' look and feel.
