I probably play Fallout 4 the most just because it’s the newest, but I probably enjoy replaying Fallout 2 the most. It was my introduction to the series and it feels like it holds up even today. I’ve been getting a very similar fix lately with Underrail.
I’m excited for the Fallout 3 Remaster because I see myself enjoying that a lot more than Fallout 4 for scratching the post-Black Isle itch. Unmodded Fallout 4 just feels so empty to me.
I’d definitely give Fallout 1 a run first, it has its own charm, and I think sets you up to appreciate Fallout 2 a lot more. Fallout 2 is much, much larger.
Something important I didn’t mention is to take high agility. I usually go 9-10. It’s a difference of shooting once per turn and shooting 2-3 times per turn. Also, keep an eye out for dialogue above peoples’ heads, even your own character can make important remarks that are easy to miss.
When it comes to Fallout 2, potential pitfalls with character generation are that there are a lot of interesting followers, and a low charisma will lower the maximum amount you can have at a time. A low intelligence will change your dialogue for the entire game, although this is often very funny. Some perks have minimum SPECIAL requirements, so be careful dropping stats that don’t seem immediately helpful.
Another release I wouldn’t sleep on is Fallout Tactics. It’s a really fun and unique spin on the traditional Fallout gameplay and has a lot of its own flavor of soul packed into it.
I hate to recommend people away from pure, original experiences, but Fallout 1 and 2 are notoriously buggy even on the hardware they were designed for. So I’d at least consider looking into Fallout Fixt. If you end up playing Fallout 2, which I highly recommend as I put hundreds of hours into the game both decades ago and just recently, its equivalent mod is the Restoration Project and I really enjoyed it.
In-game, I recommend making your own character, and saving often and in different save slots. Fallout can be extremely punishing for trivial mistakes, or even if it just feels like being mean during a particular encounter. Also make sure to look through your settings - for example, I believe you can shorten enemy combat animations if you find the AI’s turn takes too long.
Luck does more than you’d expect. It’s worth investing in if you want a weirder time or more loot.
That’s fair, I liked New Vegas a lot more than 3. The factions were less pigeonholed and the story was more fun. I also enjoyed the return of content from the original series. I’d honestly be surprised if it didn’t also receive a remaster soon!