The Underrated 81 Metacritic Game that Does Fallout Better than Bethesda (and is the Perfect Companion to Season 2 of the Amazon Prime Series)

The post-apocalyptic setting is a common trope of video games, and the Fallout franchise is perhaps the most iconic when it comes to a world existing after nuclear annihilation. While Bethesda’s series may be having a strong 2025, the future of Fallout in 2026 is still unknown without a new game on the horizon. For fans excited by Fallout Season 2 and wanting to experience a game with similar vibes without the distinctly Bethesda quirks, the Wasteland series may be ideal for them.

In particular, Wasteland 2 acts as the perfect jumping in point for Fallout fans wanting to try a different flavor of post-nuclear apocalypse RPG. Developed by inXile Entertainment and released back in 2013, Wasteland 2 serves as a crowd-funded sequel to the 1988 title Wasteland that predates the Fallout series almost 10 years earlier. Interestingly, the original developer of Wasteland, Interplay, would go on to create the Fallout series, and Fallout‘s original director, Brian Fargo, would go on to found inXile Entertainment, making Wasteland 2 a spiritual successor to the pre-Bethesda Fallout games.

Wasteland 2 also received an enhanced Director’s Cut edition in 2015.

Wasteland 2 is Like Classic Fallout for a Modern Audience

It’s no secret that the original Fallout games are difficult to get into in 2025, with clunky combat controls and often esoteric quest design that is a relic of 1997. While watching the Amazon Prime Fallout series may entice players to go back and check out these older titles, it’s understandable if players have a hard time getting into them. This makes Wasteland 2 the perfect alternative, as it takes some of the nostalgic elements of the 90s Fallout games and modernizes them for a more user-friendly experience.

The Top-Down Gameplay of Wasteland 2 Combines XCOM and the OG Fallout Games

Like Fallout and other modern RPGs, Wasteland 2 allows players to recruit party members for use in combat, including 4 player-created characters and 3 recruitable NPCs out of a possible 18 to form a full party of 7. Similar to Fallout‘s S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system for character stats, Wasteland 2‘s character creation includes stats for:

Coordination
Luck
Awareness
Strength
Speed
Intelligence
Charisma

This C.L.A.S.S.I.C. system also allows players to access certain skills, such as proficiency with a particular weapon type, locking picking, explosives, and field medic, among others. Combat plays out in a turn-based mode with players positioning their party members on a grid and utilizing limited Action Points to move closer to enemies, take cover, and use their weapons. This gives Wasteland 2 a more tactical isometric element akin to something like XCOM than the first-person gameplay of modern Fallout games.

Wasteland 2 is Perfect for Fans Burnt Out on Bethesda’s Fallout

Since the release of Fallout 3 in 2008, the series has almost exclusively been first-person FPS RPGs. While there have been some fantastic story-telling opportunities in the series since this time, especially with highly-regarded games like Fallout: New Vegas hitting the scene, some fans may want a different perspective on post-nuclear apocalypse life. This is where Wasteland 2 presents the perfect counterbalance to modern Fallout, and why the game is ideal for fans enjoying the Fallout TV series but looking for a new yet familiar experience.

The Setting of Wasteland 2 Makes it the Perfect Companion Game for Fallout Season 2

How to prepare for the second season of Fallout

The story of Wasteland 2 takes place in the desert of the Southwestern United States, with players first starting out in Arizona before eventually heading into California. Wasteland 2‘s background lore paints a similar picture to that of Fallout: a world destroyed by nuclear war between the US and Soviet Union in 1998, and nearly 100 years later, a faction of survivors in the Southwest known as the Desert Rangers have become a force dedicated to helping other survivors in the wasteland. While it’s no New Vegas, exploring the remnants of Arizona and California, uncovering the threat of AI technology and a crazed nuclear warhead-worshiping cult will feel very familiar to fans of Fallout.

The Wasteland Series Opens an Entirely New World to Explore

Wasteland 2 may be the best companion game for Fallout fans engrossed in the Amazon Prime show, but it’s not even the most recent entry in the Wasteland series. Wasteland 3 released back in 2020 and follows up on the events of its predecessor, only instead of the arid desert of Arizona, players will have to face the harsh snowy environments of a post-apocalyptic Colorado. Although gameplay is largely the same, the vibe of this game may clash with fans looking for a Fallout: New Vegas-type experience to complement the Amazon Prime show. However, for players who enjoy Wasteland 2, the perfect sequel is already waiting for them once they finish their playthrough.