New Fallout Game Is Strategy Sidetrip

When I heard about "Fallout: Tactics Brotherhood of Steel", I almost fell out of my chair.

Wow. I mean, wow.

The first thing I did after I picked myself up and recomposed myself sufficiently was to ask "why". Why not an RPG? Chris Taylor from the official website answers:

"Darn good question. Fallout Tactics is first and foremost is a strategy game. It has strong RPG elements, but it isn't Fallout 3. It doesn't have the extended dialogue, or the go-anywhere-do-anything freedom that the RPGs had. Not that those features aren't present to some extent, just the whole game has a different ratio of features."

With that said, I can't wait to get my grubby paws on this squad-based, third person tactical combat game complete with RPG character development and a mission-based story line.

Remember walking through the Brotherhood Of Steel fortress oohing and aahing? What I would give to be a member of this outfit, I had thought. The snazzy plasma weapons; the elusive power armour. Well, be careful what you wish for. Fallout: Tactics Brotherhood of Steel takes place in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of North America. The player controls the leader of a squad of Brotherhood of Steel warriors that travels east to track the mutant army.

There are 20 core missions in 6 stages and 18 side missions for extra experience and plot exposition. Missions are interwoven--completing one mission will affect other missions in that stage.

Players will have a choice of 30 recruits from which to assemble a 6 member squad. There are 9 player character types and 45 NPC types and critters, including Deathclaw.

Continuous turn-based preparation allows you to plan and register actions while the other player is acting. A new "dying" stage gives the other members of the squad a chance to revive their fallen comrade.

Environments including tribal villages, barren wastelands, fallen skyscrapers, raider strongholds, pre-war industrial ruins, robot factories, snow covered military installations and of course the ultra-cool Brotherhood of Steel fortresses. The time of day will affect gameplay as well.

Interplay promises that Fallout: Tactics will have the best pre-rendered graphics available in a game engine that uses turn-based tactics, with emphasis on a lesser number of units.

Players will be able to climb buildings and lie low, giving the character Line of Sight advantage. Vehicles, beside storing and carrying heavy equipment, repond differently to different drivers. The pilot, other passengers, and key points on the vehicles can be targetted.

In multiplayer mode, there is no serial or modem support, just TCP/IP, Mplayer and LAN. There are 8 multiplayer specific maps to choose from. A maximum of 18 players, controlling 36 squad members, can play.

Click here for screen shots.