Which Fallout games should you play before watching Season 2 on Prime Video? A review of the wasteland

For new viewers who came to the series without ever setting foot in the radioactive land of video games, the question is inevitable: Do I need to play something before continuing watching? Which Fallout titles are really essential? And for veterans who want to refresh their memories or fill narrative gaps, the question is similar.

A short answer? No, you don’t need to play anything to enjoy the series. Showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, along with executive producer Todd Howard, have been emphatic that The Fallout series functions as a standalone experience, designed so that any viewer can immerse themselves without prior knowledge of the lore..

But – and here comes the detail that fans know well – the series is full of references, visual winks, easter eggs and narrative context that takes on a completely different weight if you understand the universe of the games. Every faction, every location, every character decision resonates more deeply when you know where it all comes from. And with season 2 entering the sacred territory of Fallout: New Vegasthe temptation to return (or discover for the first time) the interactive universe of the saga is stronger than ever.

Before getting into specific titles, It’s worth understanding what the gaming experience really brings.. The Prime Video series is not a direct adaptation of any game: is an original story set in the same universe, with new characters and a narrative that works as a continuation of the canon established by Bethesda. This means that the showrunners assume that certain concepts – like what Vault-Tec is, why ghouls exist, what the Brotherhood of Steel represents – are known, although they explain them superficially for neophytes.

The problem (or advantage, depending on how you look at it) is that Fallout as a franchise has almost 30 years of accumulated lore. The Great Nuclear War of 2077, the social experiments of Vault-Tec, the factions that emerged from the chaos, the economy based on bottle capsthe retro-futuristic technology of the 50s: All this is part of a complex narrative fabric that the series barely touches on the surface.

Games, on the other hand, immerse you completely in that worldthey force you to make impossible moral decisions, they make you witness the consequences of your actions on entire communities, and reveal -gradually- the darkest secrets of the corporations that orchestrated the apocalypse.

Play before (or after) watching the series too allows you to appreciate the level of obsessive detail that Prime Video put into the production. Every Pip-Boy, every power armor design, every Nuka-Cola, every ambient sound, every grotesque mutation: everything is taken directly from the games. Longtime fans immediately recognize a Radscorpion or a Deathclaw because they’ve faced them dozens of times. New viewers see them as generic monsters, without understanding that each creature has its own story within the wasteland ecosystem.

And finally, there’s the New Vegas factor. Season 2 delves into the franchise’s most iconic and debated territory, a city that represents multiple possible endings, warring factions, and ethical dilemmas with no easy answers.. The showrunners have confirmed that They will not canonize any specific ending of Fallout: New Vegasbut they will explore the consequences of 15 years of post-game conflict. For the fans who played, This is like coming home after years. For those who don’t, it’s simply another city in ruins without understanding that New Vegas, beyond being a city in a post-apocalyptic world, the place where the stakes were higher and the decisions were more complex.

Not all Fallout games are equally relevant to the series. Some are essential for their direct connection to the television narrative, others are valuable for establishing the fundamental lore, and some you simply don’t need to touch. if your goal is to enrich your experience with Prime Video.

Next, the games you should play to enrich your experience with Fallout season 2:

If you’re only going to play one Fallout title before the series, make it this one. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, The game is set in the year 2281, just 15 years before the series. Here you play a messenger in the middle of a proxy war between three factions: la New California Republic (NCR), Caesar’s Legion y Mr. Housethe enigmatic ruler of the city (played by Justin Theroux in the series).

Now, Why is this title essential? The series moves directly to iconic locations such as the Strip, Lucky 38 and Vault 21. Mr. House, architect of the city’s salvation, is fundamental to the plot of the second season. The game explores the study of power and brutal pragmatism. Playing it allows you to understand the factions’ perspectives on who “won” the conflict years agosomething that resonates directly with Prime Video’s narrative.

This installment defined the visual and mechanical identity of the saga in the 21st century. Set in Washington DC, follows an inhabitant of Vault 101 searching for his father.

Why is it important to play it if the events of the series are based on New Vegas? Fallout 3 establishes the visual language that the show adopted: the design of the Pip-Boys, the Brotherhood of Steel as a technocratic organization and the usual retro-futuristic aesthetic. Maximus, one of the protagonists of the series, belongs to the Brotherhood; Fallout 3 is the game that best explains the ideology, codes of honor and internal fractures of this faction. Furthermore, its dark and ruthless tone prepares the viewer for the rawness that Prime Video is willing to show.

Unlike the new generations, the old school (old school) grew up with another type of Fallout: Isometric turn-based RPGs that, although old, are the “bible” of the wasteland.

Now, Is it important to review these “relics”? If you are a fan of good stories, they are a must-see “trip.” Season 1 revealed the destruction of Shady Sands. This city is central to Fallout 1, representing the first serious attempt to rebuild civilization.. Seeing its origin in games adds a Devastating emotional weight to his loss in the series. Concepts such as the FEV (Forced Evolution Virus) that creates the Super Mutants and the dark satire that defines the franchise are also born here.

• Fallout 4 (2015): excellent game and very polished, but His story in Boston is independent of the events of the series.. It’s a great option if you want a modern version, but provides no direct context for New Vegas.
• Fallout 76 (2018): The multiplayer title has improved a lot, but Its lower narrative weight makes it dispensable to prepare for season 2.
• Fallout Tactics y Brotherhood of Steel They are historical curiosities for the most fanatical, but totally unnecessary for the television plot.

If you only care about following the story of Lucy, Maximus and The Ghoul, you can continue watching without touching a single game. Los showrunners They designed the series to work independentlyand they achieved it. But if you want each reference, each location, each character decision to take on a deeper meaning, if you want to understand why veterans explode with emotion when the New Vegas skyline appears or when Caesar’s Legion is mentioned, So yes: it’s worth playing.

Fallout as a franchise isn’t just about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s about the impossible decisions you make when there are no right answers.. It’s about how humanity rebuilds (or doesn’t) civilization from the ashes. It’s about facing the consequences of your actions, even when those consequences come decades later. And all of this is felt more intensely when you have experienced it firsthand, with control in hand, making the decisions that define who you are in the wilderness.

Season 2 is here. The Mojave Desert awaits. AND New Vegas, with all its decadent glamor and radioactive secrets, is ready to reveal why it’s the most dangerous—and fascinating—place in the Fallout universe.. The question is not whether you should play. The question is: How much do you want the experience to resonate when Lucy, Maximus and The Ghoul finally hit the Strip?