Fallout, like many computer game franchises, has been adapted for the table top before, but in a more wargaming style. Fantasy Flight’s take on the setting is much more focused on a small, but imaginative board between the players, their characters, and a few cards and slides.
Designed by Andrew Fischer and Nathan Hajek, who designed Runewars and the Descent Lieutenant expansion, respectively, the game features a choice of five playable characters, with various levels of mutation. Taking on the role of those characters, players explore a hex-based wasteland laid out specifically for certain scenarios.
Players will gain influence with various factions, improve their character’s abilities through a leveling mechanic and garner equipment and weaponry throughout their travels. Combat is said to be handled through custom dice which pay homage to the “VATS” system from the games with body part specific attacks.
Alluding to some of the more moral choices from the games that inspired it, the Fallout board game has special event and encounter cards, which ask players how they wish to deal with a specific situation. Based on your choices, future cards will be changed, giving each decision weight and game-changing potential.
This is said to offer a high level of replayability to the game, making scenarios and settings different when played by different characters and with different players, while dice and shuffled cards add their own randomness to the experience. Fans of the Fallout games will recognize familiar characters from them, as well as certain settings and previous experiences within the franchise, which may give a slight advantage to players in certain encounters.
The Fallout board game is currently said to be going through the final stages of development, with a retail release planned in the coming months.
If you are not familiar with the modern world of board games, check out the Digital Trends’ list of the best board games we have been playing over the past couple of years.
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