Very few games come along like this one...and I mean that in a good way : )
At first I was a little skeptical on how this game would be, the graphics (nowadays) aren't really tip-top shape; but for when this came out (1997 I believe)...these graphics were about the best for this genre. Also, the turned-based system kinda' seemed weird to me. After playing it for a while though, I actually really liked the turned-based style...very surprised.
This game really shines in two areas: Character creation is very flexible in characteristics. Most RPG's limit your character to the main stats of strength, endurance, agility, and magic (magic is not in this game). This game, however, has strength, perception, endurance, agility, luck, intelligence, charisma...and if I left one out...sorry :p
It doesn' t stop there, your character starts off with two perks that you can choose (from around 10 or so) and you get to "tag" three special skills from a skill tree. The skill tree has TONS of different trades that WILL effect your games interaction, some drastic...some not so drastic, but still will effect it. Some tags include: Small guns, thief, melee, doctor, speech, barter, outdoorsmanship, sneak, repair, science, and quite a few more.
Every so many levels you will get an additional perk added on to the two you started with. These "level earned" perks are NOT the same as the ones you get to choose from when you start your character. There is no way I could EVER possibly list these perks by memory. Some perks lead to others to make your character a super machine such as a "slayer" or "sniper. Great choices!!
The storyline is great...takes place after a nuclear war has occurred and there is just scraps of civilization left. Some are good...some just looters and murderers. Your group of people have taken shelter in a vault (Vault 13) that was hidden in the mountains to survive the nuclear war. A "water chip" that produces/cleans water has broken and your community can not survive without it. Your job is to venture out into the "Wasteland" and retrieve a replacement for this water chip.
The second great thing about this game is the weapons...oh-gosh, the weapons!! There are soo freakin' many different items in this game that range from melee, to hand-to-hand, small guns, big guns, bombs, traps, armor, and a ton of different drugs...it's crazy. Different types of bullets for your gun Hollow-Points to Armor Piercing...just tons. Some guns make a mess out of your opponents...and I do mean a mess!! The mini-gun is one of my favs! I couldn't list all the crap in this game. Brass knuckles, cattle prods (that's right, CATTLE PRODS), tons of different knives, spears, .22 rifles, sniper rifles, .44 mags, .357's, smg's, rocket launchers, grenades, emp's, molotov cocktails, mines, plastic explosives, dynamite, laser rifles, mini-guns, you name it...sorry got carried away : ) You have to see it to believe it...keep in mind, this is from a 1997 view. There are still tons of weapons compared to todays games, but Fallout 2 actually added more weapons and Fallout Tactics a different variety (not as good in my opinion).
There is one thing I DO NOT like about this game: It does have a time limit!! You only have **** days to find the water chip before you game is over. I can't stress enough how much I HATE games with time limits, especially this one. Why soo much this one you ask? Because there is a whole freakin' map to explore that's why!! There are hidden places throughout the map and "Easter Eggs" to be found galore.
Try this game, it is awesome...I LOVED the ending (there are a couple of endings, depending on how you make it out to be...you'll know how to change it). I do think Fallout 2 is better...mainly because there is no time limit, but this is the start of it all...buy the freakin' game already :p