Fallout 2 is over two decades old, yet remains one of the best RPGs ever released. Branching questlines and a unique setting have let it stand the test of time and even triumph over more modern RPGs, flaws and all.
Some issues with Fallout 2, such as its incompatibility with modern systems, make it rather hard for gamers to try this classic out today. Thankfully, there are mods that focus on fixing these issues and some ambitious enough to iterate on the formula, going as far as making an entirely new game within the Fallout IP. While there aren’t nearly as many mods for Fallout 2 as there are for the franchise’s third and fourth installments, there are many awesome Fallout 2 mods that make the game more enjoyable.
15 sFall
Before you can begin modding Fallout 2, there are certain performance and compatibility patches that need to be installed for the game to run properly.
Fortunately, unlike any of Bethesda’s Fallout entries, you only need one mod. Download sFall, and most of the game’s issues go away. Engine fixes that cause crashes, and, more importantly, compatibility with modern operating systems are all here. The resolution of menus won’t be messed up, and the added functionality for modders allows for some rather ambitious mods to be developed by others.
14 SCAR (Skilldex Colour Aesthetic Redux)
A Fallout 2 mod that seems extremely minor yet actually helps out a ton in improving the moment-to-moment presentation of the title, SCAR is a great mod to have for anywho who is tired of looking at the rather drab Skilldex art in the original title.
By removing the monochromatic art of the base Skilldex, playing through Fallout 2 becomes much less grating due to the dated visuals of the game.
13 MGO - Minor Graphics Overhaul
It goes without saying that having a Fallout 2 graphics mod is pretty much a necessity for people who don’t want to be turned off by the ancient visuals of this otherwise stellar title.
One such mod that should be downloaded to overhaul the experience is the Minor Graphics Overhaul mod, which tones down the bleak art style of most assets in the game to make them look a little fresher and bearable over time.
12 SCP - Standard Crafting Panel
Perhaps the simplest mod to describe on this list, the Standard Crafting Panel mod for Fallout 2 does exactly what it sets out to do — it adds basic crafting elements to the game.
A bunch of new materials are also added to the game, which can be used in crafting stations to create a whole host of items that will aid the Chosen One in their quest.
11 PANDA - Basic Needs Mod
For players who wanted their copy of Fallout 2 to feel more like The Sims, PANDA — Personal All Needs Data Analyzer — is the perfect mod for them.
This mod adds a bunch of needs, such as hunger and thirst, to the game, turning Fallout 2 into a lite survival game and adding to the immersion of this brilliant title.
10 Fallout 2 Gangster Armor
The idea of roaming through a post-nuclear apocalyptic wasteland in some extremely cool-looking gangster armor might sound like a pipe dream, but Fallout 2 players who want to experience this for themselves can do so with the Gangster Armor mod.
You need to head to New Reno in order to get this armor and fulfill your fantasies of role-playing as a gangster in a post-apocalyptic world.
9 Fallout 2 High-Resolution Patch
Fallout 2 has certainly shown its age, containing some ugly textures and rather odd-looking sprites. Retexture mods do exist to fix this, however.
The High-Resolution patch does just that, increasing the visual fidelity of nearly everything contained in Fallout 2. Characters, environments, and enemies have all received a new coat of paint to make blasting them into pieces all the more enjoyable. It doesn’t touch any of the game’s amazing perks, but nearly everything else has been changed in some way for the better.
8 FRM Workshop
Since Fallout 2 can be a rather hard game to modify, there are tools out there to help ease the process. FRM Workshop allows users to create new critters and items.
Items can range from consumables items to random junk found in the environment. Critters can help give environments any feeling you wish, which can be extended further to allow for enemies. While this mod isn’t going to do anything on its own, the creative tools it provides can make for some awesome custom content for you to explore.
7 Custom Perks
Custom Perks is a unique mod that adds a few dozen perks into Fallout 2, allowing for new builds and playstyles. 14 of the 62 added perks are altered vanilla perks, but the genuine new ones are all unique.
Grappling enemies, being immune to knockdowns, and having passive night vision are all examples of perks you can expect in this mod. While the offerings don’t match some of the absurdly large mods from New Vegas, they do offer enough gameplay variety to make replaying areas more fun while not bloating menus with useless additions.
6 FO2 Starting Inventory
Fallout 2 starts you as a tribesperson armed with nothing more than a spear. Besides your fists, there is nothing more you can use to survive your first few days in the wasteland.
Luckily, FO2 Starting Inventory will intelligently grant more specialized starting equipment, based entirely on your stats. If you specialized in small guns in character creation, expect to start with a pistol and some ammunition. If you have a lot of points in unarmed, you’ll begin the game with a slightly better melee weapon. This makes leveling in FO2 less of a chore and more enjoyable.
5 FO2 Cheat Chest
Sometimes, it’s more fun to get items that interest you quickly than spending dozens of hours grinding through quests to earn them. FO2 Cheat Chest allows just that.
This mod adds numerous chests outside of the Arroyo starting temple. These chests contain nearly every item in Fallout 2, meaning you can experiment with builds and playstyles right from the get-go. If you install other mods and need to test new items, or if you simply want to use power armor through most of the game, FO2 Cheat Chest is the best mod you could possibly use.
4 Fallout 2: Weapons Redux
Ammunition types were not introduced in Fallout New Vegas. They have been in the Fallout series long before that, but their significance in Fallout 2 is lacking at best.
Fallout 2: Weapons Redux aims to make ammo types more impactful, and it also redoes damage so combat is significantly more lethal. Consequently, the game is a lot harder since NPCs receive these changes, as well. On the plus side, nearly every weapon in the game is viable for killing enemies now, including small guns and even melee.
3 FOnline 3
This is not a mod for Fallout 3 from Bethesda. Fallout 3: Van Buren was originally the 3rd Fallout fans would get from Black Isle, but the game never saw the light of day.
Multiplayer was to be included in this game, so modders took the multiplayer idea and retroactively added it to Fallout 2. FOnline 3 is an MMORPG, in essence. You can choose factions to play as and join the fight against other provinces and take resources. It is significantly different than any mod before it, but it offers a different kind of fun that Fallout 76 was trying to produce. Unlike Fallout 76, this mod does a much better job selling and executing on that idea.
2 Restoration Project
This is the most well-known Fallout 2 mod by a landslide. The Restoration Project aims to add content back that was cut in development, ranging from items to complete questlines.
Cut NPCs are included in most zones that will give Fallout veterans something new to do. New weapons and armor were also included to help spice up various builds people have come accustomed to. The mod even does some quality of life changes such as adding hotkeys for regrouping companions or forcing them to spread out.
1 Fallout 1.5: Resurrection
Fallout 1.5 is a mod for Fallout 2 that takes place in between the first and second games. You will get to explore new locations with new NPCs and items to find.
Surprisingly, this mod takes you east of NCR and New Mexico, resulting in the entire mod having new locations instead of reusing old ones. The story is intriguing, having you practically resurrect from the dead at the beginning — hence the name. Quests are well made, and the overall tone of this mod matches what Black Isle created over two decades ago.
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