Beyond what the original reviews may have suggested, if you ask Fallout fans which title from the Bethesda era is the best, you'll discover that New Vegas fights for the top spot with a lot of strength. Many have asked for a direct sequel to that game, but at the same time there are projects like Fallout: New California, an unofficial prequel that has been in development for nine years and includes more than 14,000 lines of dialogue.
The first time I played Fallout 3, I didn't stop until I finished it. The same thing happened with Fallout: New Vegas. And Fallout 4... I'd be lying if I said my Steam clock exceeds nine hours. Despite mods and recommendations, the fourth installment of the series didn't have the same spark for me, and it will have to wait until the next opportunity. Over the months, I discovered I wasn't the only one stuck in that situation, and many fans responded by looking back... to New Vegas, to be more precise. Granted, that game's technical problems were brutal, and the folks at Obsidian took their time fixing them, but we eventually got a stable experience backed by a brilliant script. It's very unlikely that Bethesda will greenlight a continuation of New Vegas, and that vacuum brings us back to the fans, who have created Fallout: New California.
A Prequel Nine Years in the Making
Technically, it's not a sequel but a prequel to New Vegas, starting shortly before the original story. The developers have managed to create a plot that presents two very different paths for the main character coming from Vault 18, with more than 14,000 lines of dialogue, including voices. If Fallout: New California sounds familiar, it's because at first (October 2009 if I don't misremember) this project was known as Fallout: Project Brazil, meaning it has been in the oven for nearly a decade. Its latest build is beta 200, and although we can't download it yet, its creators say it can already be played and finished without major issues.
In addition to the two main quests, Fallout: New California has side missions, new companions, and a radio! The initial plan was for the mod to see the light before Fallout 4, but its release in November of that year changed everything. Personally, that doesn't make the project any less fabulous. The fact of having recorded new voices is impressive, and it often leads to the cancellation of other initiatives, such as "The Capital Wasteland Project," which sought to recreate Fallout 3 within Fallout 4. We'll be waiting.
You can check the official site for more information.
