The best Fallout game by review score is Fallout 3, the 2008 game that took the series 3D and holds a 93 on Metacritic. But fans have a different pick: Fallout: New Vegas (84) is widely regarded as the series’ peak for its writing and choice, despite a lower score. This ranking follows critical consensus and flags where fans disagree.
Fallout is a tale of two eras — the isometric originals and the 3D Bethesda games — and, thanks to the hit TV series, more popular now than ever. Here is the full ranking.
93
Fallout 3, the highest Metacritic
New Vegas
The fans’ pick for the best of all
1997
The original that founded the series
2024
TV series that reignited the fanbase
The best Fallout games, ranked
The series ranked by Metacritic and critical consensus. Fan-favourite status is flagged where it diverges from critics.
#
Game
Year
Metacritic
1
Fallout 3
2008
93
2
Fallout 4
2015
87
3
Fallout 2
1998
86
4
Fallout: New Vegas
2010
84 (fan favourite)
5
Fallout
1997
Genre-founding classic
6
Fallout Tactics
2001
Spin-off strategy
7
Fallout Shelter
2015
The mobile hit
8
Fallout 76
2018
Rough launch, much improved
The top Fallout games by Metacritic — Fallout 3 leads, New Vegas is the fan pick.
Critics vs fans
No Fallout ranking is complete without the New Vegas caveat. By Metacritic, Fallout 3 (93) is the highest-rated, with Fallout 4 and Fallout 2 next. But ask the community and Fallout: New Vegas — developed by Obsidian in just 18 months and scored 84 — is almost universally named the best in the series, prized for its writing, factions and meaningful choices. It’s the clearest critic-versus-fan split in the franchise, so we’ve kept the ranking led by scores while flagging New Vegas as the fan pinnacle it’s become.
The essential Fallout games
Four games that define the wasteland.
☢️
Fallout 3
2008 · 93
The 3D reinvention — the highest-rated in the series
#1
🎰
Fallout: New Vegas
2010 · 84
The writing and choice masterpiece fans rate #1
Fan favourite
🏗️
Fallout 4
2015 · 87
The biggest, most action-focused entry, with base-building
Where you start depends on whether you want the classics or the modern games.
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The best entry points
Fallout 4 is the most accessible modern start; Fallout 3 is the highest-rated. If you care most about story and choice, jump straight to Fallout: New Vegas — the fan favourite. For the classics, Fallout 2 is the best of the original isometric games.
Best Fallout games FAQ
What is the best Fallout game?
By Metacritic, Fallout 3 at 93 is the highest-rated. But most fans name Fallout: New Vegas (84) as the best in the series for its writing and choices — the classic critic-versus-fan split.
Why do fans love New Vegas if its score is lower?
New Vegas, made by Obsidian, is celebrated for its deep writing, memorable factions and genuinely branching choices. Its 84 was partly hurt by a rough launch, but its reputation has only grown — it’s now widely called the best Fallout.
Which Fallout should I play first?
Fallout 4 for the most accessible modern start, Fallout 3 for the highest-rated, or Fallout: New Vegas if story and choice matter most. All three are self-contained, so you can start with any of them.
Do I need to play Fallout games in order?
No. Each game tells a standalone story in a different part of the post-apocalyptic US. There’s a shared world and lore, but you never need to have played earlier entries to follow a new one.
Is Fallout 76 worth playing now?
It launched poorly in 2018 but has been transformed by years of updates, including NPCs and major expansions. It’s now a solid online Fallout, though the single-player games remain the best starting points.
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