First off, my gripes. I love the idea of a real-time tactical simulation game. While Fallout Tactics makes a good attempt at pulling this off, it comes off cumbersome and hard to control. The fact of the matter is that it is fairly hard to control 6 indivudual characters at the same time. Instead, I found myself using just one or two characters at a time while the rest of my "team" covered my advance team from flanking manuevers instead of pushing forward as a team to take and secure the objective. The problems with their real-time combat becomes even more apparent in multiplayer games where players who go for just one super-character tend to dominate those with teams. After all, if you can only order your characters as a group or as individuals, then it is much more difficult to effectively set up ambushes. What I think would have made this game better is if they had implimented some sort of pause button (as seen in Baldur's Gate), whereby you could pause the game when you were trying to spring that ambush instead of watching as the potential target slips through your fingers because you are having a hard time issuing the correct orders to all of your people in time.

The other main problem I had with the game was that the firepower needed to win the later missions tended to force players into using the big MGs, energy weapons, and power armor. While this can be enjoyable, it is also harder to sneak up next to a guy with your trusty ripper and have a chance at killing him before he or his neighboor turns you into swiss cheese with their gatling gun. I think this would not be as big a deal if the real-time aspect did not have the problem I already discussed. A solution that I think would work would be to have a longer time where the enemy forces were regular humans, and instead of beefing up their weapons/armor, make it a little more difficult for the player in the missions.

The vehicles in the game, although nice, were a big dissapointment for me. First off, they can only be driven in the mission where you get them. Instead of this you are allowed to fight with them in the random encounters as you travel to and from missions. I was really put off by this since I REALLY wanted to have some convoy assault missions (assaulting a convoy and defending one-and no, I don't count the Humvee mission as a convoy mission). I did, however, enjoy running around in my Humvee running over Deathclaws. You see, when you run over something, it becomes pinned beneath the vehicle. Since your melee weapons can attack anything near or under your vehicle....well, just imagine this vibrating humvee with the legs of a Deathclaw sticking out from under the hood as you hear this chainsaw sound. It almost looks and sounds like the humvee is eating the Deathclaw. Better than the experience is the fact that you don't use up any of that expensive ammo.

The good parts:
-A good storyline
-Well done missions
-Character development and skill progression
-Squad-based, real-time action with the ability to change to turn-based gaming in the option menu available in-game
-Decent graphics
-Sticks to the Fallout universe and its quirks

Bottom line: if you like real-time squad-based action games, this is a good bet for you. If you liked Fallout 1 or 2, and don't mind the lack of a dedicated RPG, this is a good game for you. If you are looking for Fallout 3, you might want to pass on this one.

"Superb", Fallout Tactics is a great, great game. I loved Fallout and Fallout 2 (as well as their early predecessor, Wasteland) but I was leery of this game because of reports it lacked the intricate plot of the first few games. While that is technically true, in the sense that your main character is not necessarily the focal point, the game is just as complex and challenging. You simply need to recast your focus as leading a squad rather than being an individual. In the earlier games you could recruit NPCs, in this game, you finally get to run them. Your main character matters only in the sense that if they die, they game ends. Otherwise for all practical purposes you have 6+ main characters; you level them up, pick their various stats and perks, and control them. No longer need you fret that your NPC will randomly start using grenades in a hallway or gun down your other NPCs in an attempt to shoot something beyond them (this can still happen, but it'll be your fault). This makes Tactics a real draw to me, because now you can develop 6 or more (you can swap characters in and out of your squad at bases, so you can really have as many characters as you want) different characters at the same time, rather than one game at a time with the earlier Fallouts.

The missions are mostly fighting, but not entirely.. there are often NPCs to talk to, items to recover, things and people to protect, and other objectives. The Fallout games were 75% talking and bartering, 25% fighting, while these are 75% fighting, 25% talking and bartering. And Tactics is still obviously grounded in the same warped sense of humor as the others; the many random encounters are hilarious, and the comments people make even while fighting can be both grotesque and hilarious at the same time (one raider I shot in the leg to slow down his retreat started stumbling along while mumbling "...bone so white..").

Fallout Tactics is probably most accurately described as Post-Apocalypse XCom, because most of the time you're on missions with your squad. I loved XCom too, but Tactics has better graphics, more interactive environments, a much wider array of skills and equipment, and that scathing sense of humor. It also has many vehicles you can use in missions and travel around the world map in, including armored Hummers and army tanks. Here are just some of the many different tactics you can employ:

1) Make a character crawl on their stomach in Sneak mode past a pair of sentries to put a proximity mine on a bridge to blow up reinforcements when the fight actually starts.
2) Fire away merrily from inside your speeding hummer, running over anyone who gets in the way.
3) Target attacks at victims' eyes or legs or other body areas for increased damage or status effects from broken limbs, dropped weapons, etc.
4) Lob grenades over walls or into doorways while shooting in through windows.
5) Sneak up on sleeping enemies and use pointy knives or spears to avoid alerting the entire camp.
6) Dodge from tree to tree in a city park trading fire with people on the roofs, in nearby buildings, or running around in the streets.
7) Perform combat first aid with field packs and doctor's bags while ducking incoming sniper fire.
8) Use your Repair skills and tool kits to repair your damage tank or robot PC.
9) Play as mutants, robots, ghouls, or even deathclaws in addition to humans.

In short, you can do almost anything..the game rewards curiosity and experimentation. If you liked the Fallout games, you'll like this one. If you haven't, this is a great introduction.

"Fallout Meets Jagged Alliance", Have you played Jagged Alliance 1 or 2? If not do so NOW! Fallout Tactics is not some standard RPG. Rather it is a squad based tactical RPG whereby you create, equip, and level up your squad of grunts as you play. This game uses the SPECIAL system and simply rocks, it is a true hybrid.

"Fallout Does It Again", Fallout and Fallout 2 are some of the absolute best RPGs ever made. The reason I think so is the fact that they're set in a world that we've all thought about one time or another; a world that has been almost wiped clean of human life by some kind of disaster, and how mankind has to struggle to stay alive. Not only was the setting nice, but the game itself had an element of almost complete freedom; you could say what you wanted to, and go wherever you wanted. You didn't have to complete quests in a certain order, and some you didn't even have to bother with altogether. You could be the bad guy instead of the good guy.

So when Fallout Tactics: BOS came out, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on it. I wasn't let down. All the excitement of the first two titles, featuring improved graphics, animation effects, and a new assortment of weapons. The freedom element isn't like it was in the previous two, but you can still wander about the wastelands looking to pick a fight.

You get to customize a team of up to six operatives, the first being your main character (which you can customize yourself). Each will have strengths and weaknesses in certain areas, but it's good to have a well-rounded team. You'll battle raiders, super mutants, Beastlords, deathclaws, and many other tough enemies. You'll need to pick open locked doors, disarm explosive devices, administer medical attention, and even steal items from the unsuspecting. Plus, they've added vehicles to your outdoor combat, giving you a bit of protection against the heavier weapons (like M60's and rocket launchers).

Excellent strategy game. Lots of fun, and fits perfectly in the Fallout universe. If you get a chance, grab a copy of this. You have to experience it to believe it.