The first game was a funny, action-packed look at an art deco world rebuilding after a nuclear holocaust. The player could shape the character in his or her image, and even the smallest choices had consequences that affected the game world as a whole during play and determined the fates of several towns during the post-game epilogue.

It had everything: character development, great turn-based combat, good writing and a whole lotta replay value.

Interplay knows better than to mess too much with a good thing. The sequel to the first game (itself a semi-sequel to Wasteland), uses the same engine and familiar graphics, not to mention absolutely everything that made Fallout work: character development, great turn-based combat, good writing and a whole lotta replay value.

Fallout 2 takes place 80 years later. The player is a direct descendant of the Vault Dweller, who players will remember was exiled from Vault 13 after successfully defeating the Master and his mutant army. Our hero and some other folks from the vault founded a village in northwest California. Unfortunately, that village is now dying, but something called a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK) -- originally just an ad in the back of the first game’s manual -- might just save everyone.

So the player must venture forth into the wastes to find the GECK. Of course, what with all the mutated animals and generally evil folk around, finding it is easier said than done.

Much easier: Fallout 2 is much more difficult than its predecessor. Guns, while in large supply, are out of reach for a good long while. The world map is larger, too, meaning longer distances between cities and so more encounters with raiders, highwaymen, packs of wild dogs and the like.

As with the first game, there’s a much larger plot afoot that will decide the fate of the region and perhaps of humanity. That means visiting the rebuilt cities of north California, from farm villages to oases of civilization.

Each city is given its own flavor, from the virtuous-but-rotten Vault City to den of iniquity New Reno. Whether the player is being saintly, evil or somewhere between, plenty of people need things done, providing lots of opportunity for character level advancement. Best of all, the time limit from the first game has been removed, allowing more in-depth exploration.

There are also plenty of references to the first game, including a search for Vault 13 and meetings with descendants of some of the original characters.

Interaction with NPC party members is much more hands-on this time around. The player can have four or five friends along for the ride (and yes, auto travel has been added), and can control which weapons and armor they use and their fighting styles. Some NPCs even have special skills like Repair or First Aid, boosting the player’s own aptitude in that area.

Our biggest gripe is, surprisingly, the manual. Yes, it’s just as well-written as the original. But it opens with the Vault Dweller looking back on his travels (from Fallout). His story is a far bleaker version of the one we got after winning -- heck, we kept all the other characters alive. Was all that for naught? Eh, just ignore it and pretend your good deeds in Fallout were rewarded accordingly.

Parents: Fallout 2 is definitely an adult game, despite several built-in safeguards. The violence and language can be controlled, but there’s plenty of sex and drug use depicted. The player is often forced to decide whether to engage in these activities or find another way to complete certain missions. They aren’t glamorous -- as always in Fallout, chemical use leads to addiction -- but this might be a good chance to discuss the consequences of such actions with your favorite teen. (Anyone younger shouldn’t be playing Fallout 2, period.)