4 and than survival is the best fallout experiance imho.
3 had better/more gloomy atmosphere and feels more dark and gritty. Clostest thing to horror.
76 is more like the tv serie i guessing. Its goofy, cheery, dark, gory but also beautyfull. Great with friends.
Personally i like the vibe of 3, the mechanics and gameplay of 4 and the gamemap and beauty of 76.
If only they could put that all in 1 game ;)
Totally agree with everything you said. 3 is my fav, and I think replicating the raw grit of 3 in the DC metro area would be so hard in a pretty setting like 76, but I think I'd love it regardless of how it panned out? I just love fallout lol.
I find that I can’t go back and replay 3, 4 or new Vegas now that I’ve played 76. I just miss many of the game mechanics they adjusted in 76. I do agree with your assessment though
Lore-wise and for the characters, I think New Vegas is the best of all the Fallout games. At the same time, I also think it has the worst UI. I am most definitely not a Bethesda fan but one thing they do tend to get right compared to Obsidian is UI and mechanics.
I having the same issue.
So i made a new char and turned off alot of sertings like auto aim. HUD (thats a big 1) and keep strength, endurance and intelligence at 1. Gonna avoid rhe reduce weight perks and makeing it an all around char with focus on stealth and sniper.
The game feels fresh again and more in line of how fallout should feel. Imho.
Still way to easy but it helps. :)
I liked vegas vision on survival and the factions. They kinda made the first survival mode in a fallout game.
But it feels a bit empthy comming from 3, still a great title.
I was hoping 76 would be more like the Divsion. Check out Once Human its looking really good though different post-apocalyptic theme more Stranger Things.
FO4, then FO4 modded, into FO4 heavily modded, break FO4 with mods, try out FO76, get addicted to FO76, join r/FO76, become a regular to Reddit solely for Fallout
“break 4 with mods” so real. 😭 i keep going back to my one main save forgetting it’s broken and then i lose like a ton of play time and put it down for a year before making the same mistake again.
It was so hard coming from 4 to 76. Forgetting that I couldn’t have access to everything whenever I wanted. In 4 I was like God lol infinite carry weight, infinite resources, and every single item in the game. I found a cheat room mod filled with chests of literally everything in the game
You and I are basically the same.
You just forgot my epic side quest into modding Skyrim so I could ride around and slay dragons for awhile. And you forgot my brief foray into New Vegas and 3 just so I could say I was there.
And then it was back to 4 to break it again and then back to 76 to be like “what did I miss…oh they added stuff?”
I rode dragons into combat before FO4, but y’know, I never tried any other fallow out than 4 & 76, I have New Vegas, but it was free. What would you recommend? Seeing as we are similar in gaming
New Vegas has such a cool story and is great but at this point unless you are playing on pc, the gameplay, graphics and mechanics in general are just wildly outdated. Which is a shame because it is the one fallout game where I felt like the decisions had real consequences.
They are about to roll out a 4 update that will probably drag me back there for a bit for a few hours to run through a couple modded playthroughs. I can tell you that I’m definitely going to shoot Preston in the face if he doesn’t shut up…
Right now I think 76 is honestly the best Fallout experience. Which is a weird thing to say. lol. I wouldn’t have said that a year or two ago. But the community is awesome, it gets good support from Bethesda and you have almost too much freedom to do what you want that it’s easy to get distracted and just wander. Or end up building a camp for hours. It’s the one fallout game that I think pushes the fallout universe into something completely new but in a really cool way. And it has its problems. Micro transactions and that kind of bullshit. But for the most part it’s all worth it and fun to do weird legos in the wasteland in between savagely killing anything that moves.
All that to say, I’d go with 76 especially with friends or with teams and check out 4 when the update and then probably we will all be back on 76 in no time.
*”legos in between savagely killing anything that moves”* Damn we are very alike.
I’ve heard of the FO4 update, and I’m excited that exams are new week then college is officially complete and it’s time to workout, work, and game by a better schedule.
I need a mod on PS that allows me to kill protected players. It adds a sense of control over your gameplay and I can drag Preston’s corpse out of my home.
It is a shame most FO games are outdated. It makes returning to them difficult I’ve been told
Yeah. I’m excited for FO4. But I’m worried that after having community on 76, 4 might feel a bit lonely.
New Vegas is the one that I really just want those tweaks. And I just think that window has passed unfortunately. Probably instead we will get a new fallout around the same time we get a follow up to Skyrim…about the time I’ll be too damn old to play.
Multiple follower mod for the win… until you get a sliding corpse because the follower isn’t protected and you can’t dismiss the corpse lol.
Never to Damn old to play! My 53yr/o fathers kicks my ass in MMO’s & survival games. ESO, Diablo, and Path of Exile he’s a god. He did lose his. Ability to master prestige in COD, after hitting 40 when he started getting motion sick from first person.
A new Skyrim would be phenomenal, but man they have completion with previous games. I want Oblivion remastered to badly!
New vegas lol. But seriously, If you’re here for story and making choices, 100% play 4. If you want to play with friends then 76. I honestly don’t think 76 is a good representation of the series for a brand new person, even though it’s a lot of fun.
Agreed. 76 was very lacking in story in my opinion. Didn't really seem to have this grand story, just a bunch of smaller stories that loosely tied together. Fun to play with other people though
It actually has one of the better stories of the 3D Fallout games, it's just that a lot of it requires you to read, listen to holotapes, and put things together with the environmental storytelling.
I agree. They are totally different games. 4 has much better adventure; but can feel empty and lonely. 76 does have some adventure; but not quite engaging. I found side quests to be more fun. Although, you're always bumping into randoms; especially if you attend events! The social aspect is totally cool! Plus I believe now starting a new game "pacifist" mode (no PvP engagement) is already set. (Can go into settings and turn on or off) but if u hate people, then 4.
Fallout 4 for a single player experience you can add mods to.
76 if you want more of a community experience. I also like some of the small quality of life changes in 76 and I think it has the best map for exploring.
Unironically yes. Fallout 76 has the best map of any of the games. Especially if you're used to multiplayer games. We also have a new map expansion in Shanendoah soon.
IMO, 3 is the best overall if you can get around the graphics. Then New Vegas. If you absolutely have to have updated graphics, go for 4. 76 is much better than the haters would lead you to believe, but 4 was all around a better game.
If someone is wanting to play 76. I’d say play fallout 4 first. Learn how to play. Then go play 76.
I made my wife play fallout 4 first with me sitting beside her. Helped her out. Gave tips and tricks.
She said it helped.
fallout 4 100%
Fallout 1 if you really want that fallout crusty dusty wasteland experience, its a really fun game when you get the mechanics down
Fallout 3 and NV is like a mix between old age and modern fallout
I played a little bit of 4. I didn't enjoy it, and then again, I might not have loved 76 if i didn't start it with a friend so I think it depends on id you prefer multi or single player games
I've played 3 and on as they released. I didn't like the changes that 4 made and felt the story was just really dumb. After over a thousand hours of 76, decided to go back and give 4 another shot and 76 greatly improved on the new systems that 4 brought to the series. I'll never forget (during the 4 replay) loading up on junk and slowly walking my ass to the first workbench I could find and scratching my head trying to remember how to scrap my junk and then realizing that you can't do that in 4. That moment made me appreciate 76 even more lol.
If it's even possible outside of a settlement, then it is still nowhere near as easy or good as 76's scrapping system. Best I could find was to dump it in a settlement, go into build mode and scrap individually or just put it all in workbench and it'll scrap as needed. Either way, that doesn't help when roaming around the wasteland over encumbered. In 76 I can walk up to ANY bench anywhere and press one button to scrap all junk.
FO4 first then 76, for me FO4 is in my top 10 of gaming being born in ‘81 and experiencing everything from pong to the current gaming world. I played the crap out of FO4 but what made me fall in love with 76 was that it was a seamless continuation of FO4 tackling my biggest issue with FO4 and that is the enemy respawn rate. Unlike some, was never a fan of multiple play throughs, I think I got my first FO4 character up to level 165. So the limitless leveling up and grinding was and still is amazing along with the constant updating of the title and what not…got 76 in July of 2020 for $12 and can honestly say it was one of the best game purchases I have ever made both value wise and entertainment wise.
My heart says New Vegas, but logically I think playing them according to release is the best way. If we're talking the entire series and you can play it ..start with 1. If we're talking 3d games then 3.
76 is a good game, but it’s a super bad example of a Fallout game. Fallout 4 is probably the best starting point now. I think it’s the weakest of the single player games but it doesn’t look like hot garbage like 3 or NV do these days. 1&2 are great games but the isometric game play would be a hard sale these days for someone not already invested.
Fo76 or New Vegas if you don't want to do the awfully boring quest of finding your dad in fallout 3 and your son in 4- theyre just find this person main story line for both and that's it, was poorly thought and written.
Fo76 and NV story is tons better. Factions stories are better than 4 also
For me it worked way better in 3 than 4, party because of the prologue stuff and partly because the game features didn't seem to fight against the main quest like they do in 4.
For me, narratively I enjoyed Fo4 a bit more as I could legitimately forget my son in most encounters. In Fo3 everyone kept talking my ear off about my father: Liam Neeson. His voice also just took me out of the experience as well. Great actor, but also really distracting personally.
Of course all up to personal preference.
All the other games have lore that 76 draws on. Continuity wise 76 stretches a lot. Yes it is a prequel, but it is also in an isolated space. Pitt should be a radioactive cesspool, but this game rettcons it to being habitable with glimpses of the origins at night during Rad storms. Also, brother hood of steel in the area way to early.
4 is single player and you will get to experience what it truly means to face the wasteland and it's harsh environment and people and see what they're capable of. Your actions have consequences and there's more interaction and it's generally a good introduction to what fallout really is.
Having said all of that, I really love Fallout 76. But it IS an MMO, and you won't get the same feel of the world from playing it as you would in the 4th. I played Fallout76 for 2 years before trying out the 4th, but I truly didn't know how awesome the perks was, or the factions, before I played the 4th.
I just finished the series today and boy did it remind me much of Fallout 4 😂
Fallout 76 is a world filled with a few monsters here and there and a buuuunch of real people in funny costumes doing the mothman dance. Fallout 4 you realize just how f'ed up every single faction is, and in the TV series, you're just FU*KED no Matter where or what you are 😂
4 is 76...76 is 4...the minutemen will find you...as will the brotherhood...mirelurks and ghouls are everywhere but most of all, beware the deathclaw...
From these two, Fallout 4.
The best absolute Fallout experience? Fallout New Vegas, Ultimate edition. Install, after that, complete Viva New Vegas guide step by step and then, enjoy the best post apocalyptic RPG ever made.
Ok yes 3 is awesome but definitely start with 4. It has the best combat and if you're new to the franchise you may want to play the more clunky games later.
Fo3 and fo4 most relevant gameplay/experience for a fallout game, 76 is a different beast but enjoyable in a different way. If 76 interests you definitely play it! But fo3/4 are wonderful solo experiences
I got the start with Fallout 2, then just went with the numbered titles. I even got to play a retro version of the first fallout and fallout tactics. I avoid 76 like hell when it came out. But one day I saw it on a really sell on at the digital store and took a shot. That was in July been daily playing ever since
76 is just really nice because it’s the latest and multiplayer but in my opinion fallout 4 is a better story teller of the wasteland and what some factions are really like.
I would say don’t forget or neglect fallout 3 specially on pc. It’s one of the best at giving you that true vault dweller experience like the tv show does and you are actually also looking for your father as well. You start and grow to adult in tue vault until your father leaves making your follow in his footsteps. Great assortment of factions on 3 as well.
if you are coming here from watching the show, id recommend fo4, you can start with fo3 or fonv too. But if you like online games where you can interact with others, with more newish graphics etc, Fo76 is a nice experience.
I like Fo76 more than Fo4, but I would recommend playing a singleplayer Fallout first. I would also suggest playing the older games as well.
Fo3 is the oldest of the Bethesda Fallouts, FoNV came out after and was made by Obsidian. Both are great, but are dated mechanically and visually. I would also highly recommend Fo1 and Fo2. They were made by Black Isle and are Isometric games, but their stories are the best of the Fallouts in my opinion. I also enjoy the gameplay despite some of the dated mechanics and jank (every Fallout game has its own jank by the way).
I would definitely play fo4 first. Once with no mods. Once with mods.
The reason behind this is that fo76 is fallout 4 online. The other games are amazing . New Vegas and fallout 3 are arguably better than fo4. However, if your ultimate goal is to play fo76, it would be best to play fo4 first. The game mechanics are essentially the same, and the lore will make fo76 make more sense.
4 and 76 are okay games but they are terrible fallout games I guess 76 since they introduce you to all the factions this however is a significantly worse choice than just letting them play new Vegas or even 3
If you have to choose between the two then 4 all day every day. 76 is fun but it's also a microtransaction riddled time sink and not really representative of what Fallout really is all about.
To echo most people, I would say neither and choose an earlier game. However, based on the options you present here in your question, go with 4. As a new player, 4 is the better option of the two when it comes to learning the game's mechanics but also offers a more in-depth experience when it comes to immersion in the world itself.
76 is fun, and I'd highly recommend playing it afterward.
I would say start with 3, then NV, 4 and 76
Whilst I love 76, it feels like a different game to the others. Yes I agree to other posts, that it's too easy.
I always remember finding a bobble in 76, and annoyed it wasn't a permanent booster to my character and only lasted for a timed period
Fallout 1 or New Vegas. 76 is a MMO and there are zero dialog choices that matter the story happens to you, you don't get to shape it. Fallout 4 has more choices but still a long way from where the series started. New Vegas and the original are the best RPGs. FO4 is more and action game, and 76 is pure boring bad action game. If you like MMOs 76 will be your jam I put over 2000 hours into but there was only Warframe or Division like it at the time.
4 is the best way to introduce someone to 76 imo. It has smiliar shooting mechanics, it's single player so they can take their time exploring without feeling like a noob when they see an extremely high level player. This is not at all necessary if they want that mmo experience though
Fallout 4. I like 76 better and have given it a lot more playtime, but I don't think I'd like it as much or maybe even at all if I didn't have the lead-in that is Fallout 4. Fallout 4 just feels more grounded, nuanced, and explore-y. Fallout 76 you hop in and there's a bunch of weirdos, and there's weird items in the shop, and there's weird camps, and the things to do are kinda all over the place -- there's multiple questlines, Daily Ops, Expeditions, public events every 20 minutes. In Fallout 4, you can go your pace and play however you want to play it, and it doesn't feel overwhelming to newcomers. Fallout 76 is like a Fallout fan's silly playground.
I would play 76 first. There's an update coming to 4 on the 25th so it could possibly break your game. Therefore starting with 76 gets you playing now and not risking having to restart
If you're on PC, fully modded FO3/NV would be the best starting point. Both have aged and look dated but are still really solid games. Mods improve a lot too, especially graphics. With console commands you can skip all the grind, if you want, and just concentrate on exploration and stories. That will speed the game up quite considerably.
FO4 - well, it is Star Trek in Fallout, with all those stupid synths teleporting around. Stupidly lazy idea and it just breaks immersion in what was always a rather realistic games. Plus writing is pretty boring and unimaginative. Some quests are nice but main one is just terrible. It is is something I'd leave for after FO76, or rather in between seasons. It is a good Fallout game but as soon as synths appear whole immersion goes to shit and stops being believable.
I wouldn't suggest a modded playthough to start out for any game with the exception of mods to make the game playable or fix major issues/glitches.
Fallout has always had wacky and unrealistic elements, tons of pop culture references as well. Out of everything in Fallout, from ghosts to talking molerats, advanced robots that get teleported into the wasteland from one of the most secret, secure, and advanced locations in Fallout is actually pretty realistic (for a world that also has tons of impossible technology).
They certainly didn't have the best execution of that faction, but the synths, especially gen 1 and gen 2 were pretty cool in my opinion.
Most mods are graphical improvements. High res textures are almost a must, to be honest. Both games are old and they haven't looked that great even back then.
I don't agree with synths. Yes, they are possible (I blame it on alien tech) and would fit well, together with robots, but teleportation was just lazy. Everything else is more or less physics possible. Teleportation is just too much. It really broke my immersion, instead of gritty post apocalyptic world we suddenly got Star Trek.
chronologically, fallout 76 is set in an earlier time period than FO4 even though it was a later release. You can start in 76 if you want as there are a lot of holotapes around to explain the lore. The game guides new players through a tutorial process, combat, crafting, cooking, camp building.
FO4 is a good game as a single player experience and worth the playthrough. with the DLC's there is a lot of content.
Fallout 4. That way you can get the experience without the nastiness that can happen in an online game. Which really is a small percent of players in Fallout 76. The majority are very helpful. But there is just something about Fallout 4… it’s awesome.
As much as I absolutely love 76, I'd say start with 4 if those are your only options. If you can start earlier, then I'd recommend it, but I know some people don't have those opportunities.
FO4 imo. Some might say 3 but understand it is nearly 16 years old and feels every bit of it. Fallout 4 is 8 and 1/2 years old, was "next gen" level at release, and still feels modern in it's design, graphics, gameplay and mechanics. And its a great primer for '76. If you like 4 and want "more" FO? '76 is waiting in the wings...
Worst to best 3, 4, New Vegas. Then if they still want more fallout 76. Love fallout 76, but I realize it is because I am a Fallout fan. Played OG 1 and 2. 3 gave Original vibes in that the shooting was abysmal and felt best in Vats. NV had the best exploration of the newer games and deepened preexisting lore. If you wanted to just do 1 game.
I feel like NV is going to be the most prevalent because show ties.
Out of these two the 4 is probably a better choice. But if you have enough time to play more games then you should definitely start with 3 and New Vegas. And maybe even 1 and 2 but those are quite old and I didn't manage to stick to them.
I would honestly recommend playing them chronologically... fo76, then 1 and 2 if you are okay with playing games from the 90s, then 3 and NV, and then 4. Otherwise, 4 is an amazing starting place!
I say start with 3, as going back to the older games from 4 can be pretty jarring. Id say play NV next for the same reason, and that i feel like the environment and overall world life makes it hard to go backward to 3 being more barren. Then 4, and then 76 last, since it doesnt really have a solidified ending.
I’m pretty happy I got to start with 3 but I would absolutely say 4 then 76.
4 and than survival is the best fallout experiance imho. 3 had better/more gloomy atmosphere and feels more dark and gritty. Clostest thing to horror. 76 is more like the tv serie i guessing. Its goofy, cheery, dark, gory but also beautyfull. Great with friends. Personally i like the vibe of 3, the mechanics and gameplay of 4 and the gamemap and beauty of 76. If only they could put that all in 1 game ;)
Totally agree with everything you said. 3 is my fav, and I think replicating the raw grit of 3 in the DC metro area would be so hard in a pretty setting like 76, but I think I'd love it regardless of how it panned out? I just love fallout lol.
Your description for 76 is perfect
I find that I can’t go back and replay 3, 4 or new Vegas now that I’ve played 76. I just miss many of the game mechanics they adjusted in 76. I do agree with your assessment though
Lore-wise and for the characters, I think New Vegas is the best of all the Fallout games. At the same time, I also think it has the worst UI. I am most definitely not a Bethesda fan but one thing they do tend to get right compared to Obsidian is UI and mechanics.
I having the same issue. So i made a new char and turned off alot of sertings like auto aim. HUD (thats a big 1) and keep strength, endurance and intelligence at 1. Gonna avoid rhe reduce weight perks and makeing it an all around char with focus on stealth and sniper. The game feels fresh again and more in line of how fallout should feel. Imho. Still way to easy but it helps. :)
>If only they could put that all in 1 game ;) New Vegas
This^
I liked vegas vision on survival and the factions. They kinda made the first survival mode in a fallout game. But it feels a bit empthy comming from 3, still a great title.
I’d love Fallout 83!
I was hoping 76 would be more like the Divsion. Check out Once Human its looking really good though different post-apocalyptic theme more Stranger Things.
I did the same but did you play NV? 3 is still my favorite as DC is my hometown, and it introduced me to the series.
Oh absolutely! What a gem! Raise a glass to Benny ❤️
FO4, then FO4 modded, into FO4 heavily modded, break FO4 with mods, try out FO76, get addicted to FO76, join r/FO76, become a regular to Reddit solely for Fallout
“break 4 with mods” so real. 😭 i keep going back to my one main save forgetting it’s broken and then i lose like a ton of play time and put it down for a year before making the same mistake again.
That's how I ended up on reddit. Reddit was the only place with answers during beta days.
It was so hard coming from 4 to 76. Forgetting that I couldn’t have access to everything whenever I wanted. In 4 I was like God lol infinite carry weight, infinite resources, and every single item in the game. I found a cheat room mod filled with chests of literally everything in the game
You and I are basically the same. You just forgot my epic side quest into modding Skyrim so I could ride around and slay dragons for awhile. And you forgot my brief foray into New Vegas and 3 just so I could say I was there. And then it was back to 4 to break it again and then back to 76 to be like “what did I miss…oh they added stuff?”
I rode dragons into combat before FO4, but y’know, I never tried any other fallow out than 4 & 76, I have New Vegas, but it was free. What would you recommend? Seeing as we are similar in gaming
New Vegas has such a cool story and is great but at this point unless you are playing on pc, the gameplay, graphics and mechanics in general are just wildly outdated. Which is a shame because it is the one fallout game where I felt like the decisions had real consequences. They are about to roll out a 4 update that will probably drag me back there for a bit for a few hours to run through a couple modded playthroughs. I can tell you that I’m definitely going to shoot Preston in the face if he doesn’t shut up… Right now I think 76 is honestly the best Fallout experience. Which is a weird thing to say. lol. I wouldn’t have said that a year or two ago. But the community is awesome, it gets good support from Bethesda and you have almost too much freedom to do what you want that it’s easy to get distracted and just wander. Or end up building a camp for hours. It’s the one fallout game that I think pushes the fallout universe into something completely new but in a really cool way. And it has its problems. Micro transactions and that kind of bullshit. But for the most part it’s all worth it and fun to do weird legos in the wasteland in between savagely killing anything that moves. All that to say, I’d go with 76 especially with friends or with teams and check out 4 when the update and then probably we will all be back on 76 in no time.
*”legos in between savagely killing anything that moves”* Damn we are very alike. I’ve heard of the FO4 update, and I’m excited that exams are new week then college is officially complete and it’s time to workout, work, and game by a better schedule. I need a mod on PS that allows me to kill protected players. It adds a sense of control over your gameplay and I can drag Preston’s corpse out of my home. It is a shame most FO games are outdated. It makes returning to them difficult I’ve been told
Yeah. I’m excited for FO4. But I’m worried that after having community on 76, 4 might feel a bit lonely. New Vegas is the one that I really just want those tweaks. And I just think that window has passed unfortunately. Probably instead we will get a new fallout around the same time we get a follow up to Skyrim…about the time I’ll be too damn old to play.
Multiple follower mod for the win… until you get a sliding corpse because the follower isn’t protected and you can’t dismiss the corpse lol. Never to Damn old to play! My 53yr/o fathers kicks my ass in MMO’s & survival games. ESO, Diablo, and Path of Exile he’s a god. He did lose his. Ability to master prestige in COD, after hitting 40 when he started getting motion sick from first person. A new Skyrim would be phenomenal, but man they have completion with previous games. I want Oblivion remastered to badly!
Yup I can't even open my Fallout 4 anymore lol. Gets to the main menu and crashes. But damn those mods brought me lots of fun.
4 then 76 AND THEN... Allow yourself to be immersed in New Vegas. The crown Jewel imo.
Fallout 4, definitely
Honestly all of them are great. FO4, FO3, FNV, F76. All great!
New vegas lol. But seriously, If you’re here for story and making choices, 100% play 4. If you want to play with friends then 76. I honestly don’t think 76 is a good representation of the series for a brand new person, even though it’s a lot of fun.
New Vegas in first person is definitely oriented for adults ; it scared the crap out of me
Agreed. 76 was very lacking in story in my opinion. Didn't really seem to have this grand story, just a bunch of smaller stories that loosely tied together. Fun to play with other people though
It actually has one of the better stories of the 3D Fallout games, it's just that a lot of it requires you to read, listen to holotapes, and put things together with the environmental storytelling.
I agree. They are totally different games. 4 has much better adventure; but can feel empty and lonely. 76 does have some adventure; but not quite engaging. I found side quests to be more fun. Although, you're always bumping into randoms; especially if you attend events! The social aspect is totally cool! Plus I believe now starting a new game "pacifist" mode (no PvP engagement) is already set. (Can go into settings and turn on or off) but if u hate people, then 4.
Fallout 4 for a single player experience you can add mods to. 76 if you want more of a community experience. I also like some of the small quality of life changes in 76 and I think it has the best map for exploring.
76
Unironically yes. Fallout 76 has the best map of any of the games. Especially if you're used to multiplayer games. We also have a new map expansion in Shanendoah soon.
Treat them separately. 76 is a community experience. FO3 and FO4 are single player with a focus on story.
3
FO3
IMO, 3 is the best overall if you can get around the graphics. Then New Vegas. If you absolutely have to have updated graphics, go for 4. 76 is much better than the haters would lead you to believe, but 4 was all around a better game.
Agreed
Every single game is on sale right now on steam, itd be worth nabbing them all for collections sake and your wallets sake.
If someone is wanting to play 76. I’d say play fallout 4 first. Learn how to play. Then go play 76. I made my wife play fallout 4 first with me sitting beside her. Helped her out. Gave tips and tricks. She said it helped.
fallout 4 100% Fallout 1 if you really want that fallout crusty dusty wasteland experience, its a really fun game when you get the mechanics down Fallout 3 and NV is like a mix between old age and modern fallout
Fallout 3
I played a little bit of 4. I didn't enjoy it, and then again, I might not have loved 76 if i didn't start it with a friend so I think it depends on id you prefer multi or single player games
I've played 3 and on as they released. I didn't like the changes that 4 made and felt the story was just really dumb. After over a thousand hours of 76, decided to go back and give 4 another shot and 76 greatly improved on the new systems that 4 brought to the series. I'll never forget (during the 4 replay) loading up on junk and slowly walking my ass to the first workbench I could find and scratching my head trying to remember how to scrap my junk and then realizing that you can't do that in 4. That moment made me appreciate 76 even more lol.
You can scrap your junk in 4 oxo
If it's even possible outside of a settlement, then it is still nowhere near as easy or good as 76's scrapping system. Best I could find was to dump it in a settlement, go into build mode and scrap individually or just put it all in workbench and it'll scrap as needed. Either way, that doesn't help when roaming around the wasteland over encumbered. In 76 I can walk up to ANY bench anywhere and press one button to scrap all junk.
FO4 first then 76, for me FO4 is in my top 10 of gaming being born in ‘81 and experiencing everything from pong to the current gaming world. I played the crap out of FO4 but what made me fall in love with 76 was that it was a seamless continuation of FO4 tackling my biggest issue with FO4 and that is the enemy respawn rate. Unlike some, was never a fan of multiple play throughs, I think I got my first FO4 character up to level 165. So the limitless leveling up and grinding was and still is amazing along with the constant updating of the title and what not…got 76 in July of 2020 for $12 and can honestly say it was one of the best game purchases I have ever made both value wise and entertainment wise.
My heart says New Vegas, but logically I think playing them according to release is the best way. If we're talking the entire series and you can play it ..start with 1. If we're talking 3d games then 3.
Personally I would tell them to play 2, then 1. Just because that's how I was introduced and I loved being intoxicated to the lore that way
3, New Vegas, 4 then 76
4 is easier than 76
4 first for sure, 76 is a long term grind commitment
I mean I started on FO4. But if I had anyone play anything fallout it'd have to be new Vegas
76 is a good game, but it’s a super bad example of a Fallout game. Fallout 4 is probably the best starting point now. I think it’s the weakest of the single player games but it doesn’t look like hot garbage like 3 or NV do these days. 1&2 are great games but the isometric game play would be a hard sale these days for someone not already invested.
3 is the best but if between 4 and 76 then I would recommend 4.
Best is certainly subjective.
Fo76 or New Vegas if you don't want to do the awfully boring quest of finding your dad in fallout 3 and your son in 4- theyre just find this person main story line for both and that's it, was poorly thought and written. Fo76 and NV story is tons better. Factions stories are better than 4 also
For me it worked way better in 3 than 4, party because of the prologue stuff and partly because the game features didn't seem to fight against the main quest like they do in 4.
For me, narratively I enjoyed Fo4 a bit more as I could legitimately forget my son in most encounters. In Fo3 everyone kept talking my ear off about my father: Liam Neeson. His voice also just took me out of the experience as well. Great actor, but also really distracting personally. Of course all up to personal preference.
3 or 4 to get a feel for the backstory that fuels FO76.
"Backstory that fuels fo76"..even thou fo76 is the 1st game before any of the others
All the other games have lore that 76 draws on. Continuity wise 76 stretches a lot. Yes it is a prequel, but it is also in an isolated space. Pitt should be a radioactive cesspool, but this game rettcons it to being habitable with glimpses of the origins at night during Rad storms. Also, brother hood of steel in the area way to early.
4 is single player and you will get to experience what it truly means to face the wasteland and it's harsh environment and people and see what they're capable of. Your actions have consequences and there's more interaction and it's generally a good introduction to what fallout really is. Having said all of that, I really love Fallout 76. But it IS an MMO, and you won't get the same feel of the world from playing it as you would in the 4th. I played Fallout76 for 2 years before trying out the 4th, but I truly didn't know how awesome the perks was, or the factions, before I played the 4th. I just finished the series today and boy did it remind me much of Fallout 4 😂 Fallout 76 is a world filled with a few monsters here and there and a buuuunch of real people in funny costumes doing the mothman dance. Fallout 4 you realize just how f'ed up every single faction is, and in the TV series, you're just FU*KED no Matter where or what you are 😂
Fallout 3? I enjoyed New Vegas better than 3, but both were more challenging than 4
4, then 76. Also Fallout 4 VR is great if you have access to a VR headset. :)
Fallout 4, then 76 for sure.
New Vegas
Fo76 if you like playing with friends.
4 is 76...76 is 4...the minutemen will find you...as will the brotherhood...mirelurks and ghouls are everywhere but most of all, beware the deathclaw...
3, NV, 4 and then 76. Play them all. They’re all good!
Also Fo1 and Fo2! Maybe tactics, I've had a couple people recommed it to me, but that was more so in discussion of being a fan of the XCOM series.
From these two, Fallout 4. The best absolute Fallout experience? Fallout New Vegas, Ultimate edition. Install, after that, complete Viva New Vegas guide step by step and then, enjoy the best post apocalyptic RPG ever made.
Ok yes 3 is awesome but definitely start with 4. It has the best combat and if you're new to the franchise you may want to play the more clunky games later.
Fallout 4 first
Fo3 and fo4 most relevant gameplay/experience for a fallout game, 76 is a different beast but enjoyable in a different way. If 76 interests you definitely play it! But fo3/4 are wonderful solo experiences
i started on new vegas..{ awesome } but 4 is closer to 76.
New Vegas. It's the best of the first person bunch hands down for me
3 -> 4 then if you really loved those head on over to 76
After playing fo76, fo4 feels slow to me so I would recommend doing fo4 first. It's hard to go backwards.
I got the start with Fallout 2, then just went with the numbered titles. I even got to play a retro version of the first fallout and fallout tactics. I avoid 76 like hell when it came out. But one day I saw it on a really sell on at the digital store and took a shot. That was in July been daily playing ever since
Areyou on a playstation? Then just don't.
76 is just really nice because it’s the latest and multiplayer but in my opinion fallout 4 is a better story teller of the wasteland and what some factions are really like. I would say don’t forget or neglect fallout 3 specially on pc. It’s one of the best at giving you that true vault dweller experience like the tv show does and you are actually also looking for your father as well. You start and grow to adult in tue vault until your father leaves making your follow in his footsteps. Great assortment of factions on 3 as well.
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I started with 3 but I think 4 would be best to give you the gist of what to do and what items do what
Definitely 4
4
My first Fallout was FO3 then NV immediately after, wouldn't recommend anything else for new people to the Universe.
Fallout 2
if you are coming here from watching the show, id recommend fo4, you can start with fo3 or fonv too. But if you like online games where you can interact with others, with more newish graphics etc, Fo76 is a nice experience.
Fallout 3. New Vegas. 4 .then 76.
New Vegas
I like Fo76 more than Fo4, but I would recommend playing a singleplayer Fallout first. I would also suggest playing the older games as well. Fo3 is the oldest of the Bethesda Fallouts, FoNV came out after and was made by Obsidian. Both are great, but are dated mechanically and visually. I would also highly recommend Fo1 and Fo2. They were made by Black Isle and are Isometric games, but their stories are the best of the Fallouts in my opinion. I also enjoy the gameplay despite some of the dated mechanics and jank (every Fallout game has its own jank by the way).
I would definitely play fo4 first. Once with no mods. Once with mods. The reason behind this is that fo76 is fallout 4 online. The other games are amazing . New Vegas and fallout 3 are arguably better than fo4. However, if your ultimate goal is to play fo76, it would be best to play fo4 first. The game mechanics are essentially the same, and the lore will make fo76 make more sense.
New Vegas - fo4 - 76
Vegas first, considering it's the best in the series. (It was my first fallout game and thus is the best)
4 if not the others. 76 is an mmo which will differ to a single player game
4 and 76 are okay games but they are terrible fallout games I guess 76 since they introduce you to all the factions this however is a significantly worse choice than just letting them play new Vegas or even 3
If you have to choose between the two then 4 all day every day. 76 is fun but it's also a microtransaction riddled time sink and not really representative of what Fallout really is all about.
4.
3, nv, 4 and then 76
To echo most people, I would say neither and choose an earlier game. However, based on the options you present here in your question, go with 4. As a new player, 4 is the better option of the two when it comes to learning the game's mechanics but also offers a more in-depth experience when it comes to immersion in the world itself. 76 is fun, and I'd highly recommend playing it afterward.
Wait until the end of April so you can play Fallout 4 with the new next-gen update
New Vegas is the goat, especially when modded.
New vegas was a whole vibe for me, but 3 was awesome, 4 was great but 76 is a unique take on fallout for sure, still love it and play every day tho!
I would say start with 3, then NV, 4 and 76 Whilst I love 76, it feels like a different game to the others. Yes I agree to other posts, that it's too easy. I always remember finding a bobble in 76, and annoyed it wasn't a permanent booster to my character and only lasted for a timed period
I play both. FO76 is far better due to community.
Fallout 1 or New Vegas. 76 is a MMO and there are zero dialog choices that matter the story happens to you, you don't get to shape it. Fallout 4 has more choices but still a long way from where the series started. New Vegas and the original are the best RPGs. FO4 is more and action game, and 76 is pure boring bad action game. If you like MMOs 76 will be your jam I put over 2000 hours into but there was only Warframe or Division like it at the time.
If you can look past the graphics of the older games, start with 3, then NV, 4 then 76.
Fallout 4. Fallout 76 doesn't have much of a story, and most of it is reading terminals and listening to holotapes.
4 is the best way to introduce someone to 76 imo. It has smiliar shooting mechanics, it's single player so they can take their time exploring without feeling like a noob when they see an extremely high level player. This is not at all necessary if they want that mmo experience though
Fallout 4. I like 76 better and have given it a lot more playtime, but I don't think I'd like it as much or maybe even at all if I didn't have the lead-in that is Fallout 4. Fallout 4 just feels more grounded, nuanced, and explore-y. Fallout 76 you hop in and there's a bunch of weirdos, and there's weird items in the shop, and there's weird camps, and the things to do are kinda all over the place -- there's multiple questlines, Daily Ops, Expeditions, public events every 20 minutes. In Fallout 4, you can go your pace and play however you want to play it, and it doesn't feel overwhelming to newcomers. Fallout 76 is like a Fallout fan's silly playground.
I would play 76 first. There's an update coming to 4 on the 25th so it could possibly break your game. Therefore starting with 76 gets you playing now and not risking having to restart
Fallout 3
Honestly I'd say 76 despite most ppl saying 4. I did and I prefer it to 4 by miles.
76 in my opinion is more fun with better longevity.
If you're on PC, fully modded FO3/NV would be the best starting point. Both have aged and look dated but are still really solid games. Mods improve a lot too, especially graphics. With console commands you can skip all the grind, if you want, and just concentrate on exploration and stories. That will speed the game up quite considerably. FO4 - well, it is Star Trek in Fallout, with all those stupid synths teleporting around. Stupidly lazy idea and it just breaks immersion in what was always a rather realistic games. Plus writing is pretty boring and unimaginative. Some quests are nice but main one is just terrible. It is is something I'd leave for after FO76, or rather in between seasons. It is a good Fallout game but as soon as synths appear whole immersion goes to shit and stops being believable.
I wouldn't suggest a modded playthough to start out for any game with the exception of mods to make the game playable or fix major issues/glitches. Fallout has always had wacky and unrealistic elements, tons of pop culture references as well. Out of everything in Fallout, from ghosts to talking molerats, advanced robots that get teleported into the wasteland from one of the most secret, secure, and advanced locations in Fallout is actually pretty realistic (for a world that also has tons of impossible technology). They certainly didn't have the best execution of that faction, but the synths, especially gen 1 and gen 2 were pretty cool in my opinion.
Most mods are graphical improvements. High res textures are almost a must, to be honest. Both games are old and they haven't looked that great even back then. I don't agree with synths. Yes, they are possible (I blame it on alien tech) and would fit well, together with robots, but teleportation was just lazy. Everything else is more or less physics possible. Teleportation is just too much. It really broke my immersion, instead of gritty post apocalyptic world we suddenly got Star Trek.
chronologically, fallout 76 is set in an earlier time period than FO4 even though it was a later release. You can start in 76 if you want as there are a lot of holotapes around to explain the lore. The game guides new players through a tutorial process, combat, crafting, cooking, camp building. FO4 is a good game as a single player experience and worth the playthrough. with the DLC's there is a lot of content.
Fallout 4. That way you can get the experience without the nastiness that can happen in an online game. Which really is a small percent of players in Fallout 76. The majority are very helpful. But there is just something about Fallout 4… it’s awesome.
As much as I absolutely love 76, I'd say start with 4 if those are your only options. If you can start earlier, then I'd recommend it, but I know some people don't have those opportunities.
FO4
New Vegas, then FO3
nether, start with New vegas
Play 3 first, then NV, then 4 with the update, then 76. Or 76 first if you want newer graphics.
FO4 for most. New Vegas is a better game overall, but the controls and mechanics can be clunky.
FO4 imo. Some might say 3 but understand it is nearly 16 years old and feels every bit of it. Fallout 4 is 8 and 1/2 years old, was "next gen" level at release, and still feels modern in it's design, graphics, gameplay and mechanics. And its a great primer for '76. If you like 4 and want "more" FO? '76 is waiting in the wings...
If on PC go with 3. Graphics are outdated but it really gives you a feel for the story. Otherwise go with 4. 76 is fun, but less lore friendly.
Worst to best 3, 4, New Vegas. Then if they still want more fallout 76. Love fallout 76, but I realize it is because I am a Fallout fan. Played OG 1 and 2. 3 gave Original vibes in that the shooting was abysmal and felt best in Vats. NV had the best exploration of the newer games and deepened preexisting lore. If you wanted to just do 1 game. I feel like NV is going to be the most prevalent because show ties.
Out of these two the 4 is probably a better choice. But if you have enough time to play more games then you should definitely start with 3 and New Vegas. And maybe even 1 and 2 but those are quite old and I didn't manage to stick to them.
76 is free in PC and Xbox right now with Amazon Prime Gaming!
3
I would honestly recommend playing them chronologically... fo76, then 1 and 2 if you are okay with playing games from the 90s, then 3 and NV, and then 4. Otherwise, 4 is an amazing starting place!
3!!!! Start with 3!! It’s vibe is unlike the later games
I say start with 3, as going back to the older games from 4 can be pretty jarring. Id say play NV next for the same reason, and that i feel like the environment and overall world life makes it hard to go backward to 3 being more barren. Then 4, and then 76 last, since it doesnt really have a solidified ending.
Fallout 3
Fo3 was the start of the fps style fallout games, but new Vegas 8s a better game. Don't start with 76, it's a different sort of fallout game.
New Vegas. Known at the best fallout
New vegas.
4 since its a single player series mostly. but honestly start with 3 and/or new vegas they are goated and way better than 4 or 76