All Fallout games ranked: Which ones are the best?

With the release of the Amazon Prime Fallout show, many new fans have come to appreciate the zany post-apocalyptic world of this franchise. Fallout is one of the most iconic brands in the gaming world, spanning well over two decades and ten games. Naturally, for a newcomer, this franchise has a lot to chew into.

In this article, we will go through all the Fallout games - including all the spinoffs, and rank them in terms of merit as a 'Fallout' game. That means well they convey the sordid fallen world of Fallout, as well as how well they hold up today as a game.

The sole exception we are making for this otherwise comprehensive list is Fallout Pinball (2016). Currently available in Pinball FX3, this is purely a cash-grab spinoff - which is oddly a meta-commentary on the consumerism that Fallout often satirizes.

Not to be mistaken with the Fallout Tactics game with a near-identical name, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is a PS2-era top-down action game. This Jet-fueled fever dream of a game provides a uniquely interesting frame, complete with heavy metal riffs from Slipknot.

The quirky undertone is where the strong points end, as the overall linear narrative is not good enough to warrant a serious playthrough in 2024. The only interesting thing going on with the storyline is a cameo from Harold, an important character appearing in the first three games.

Released as a promotional tie-in game to drum up hype for Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter is considered the black sheep of the franchise. The concept itself just makes sense - a base management-simulation hybrid fits well into a Vault-Tec establishment, as do its statsmaxxing incentives.

Unfortunately, an otherwise serviceable idea falls apart due to some questionable design and