Scratch two points in for Bethesda, as their other titanic franchise proved the Elder Scrolls template could apply to other series' too. Originally the product of Black Isle Studios, Bethesda dove into the Fallout lore with two feet, the resulting apocalyptic tale putting the franchise on the map in a big way, fleshing out your character's agency within - and best of all introducing everyone to the unbelievably satisfying V.A.T.S targeting system. Initially you'll think of it as a strange stop-start way to play, but over time as you take into account what particular weapons perform best in your custom-hero's hands, the percentages on which limbs and body parts will change. Suddenly you're faced with a hulking Super Mutant bearing down on your position - only for a well-placed shot to cripple their arm, dropping their weapon and opening them up to a flurry of followup shots. Over time it provides the right amount of allure to wander off the beaten path and embark on your own Walking Dead-style scavenging missions, fighting everything along the way and discovering what hidden niceties have been left behind by a humanity struggling to escape in time. To adequately describe the amount of content on offer in Fallout is an impossible task not unlike Morpheus selling The Matrix to Neo; "No one can be told what it is, you have to see it for yourself."
