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Fallout Shelter

Fallout Shelter works best when played as a mobile game- get too addicted to it, and its lack of endgame, and shallowness of mechanics make themselves apparent, and start to create problems.
Fallout Shelter Game Cover
69%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
monetization, stability
71% User Score Based on 10,000 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchAndroidPlaystation 5Playstation 4XboxSteam DeckiPhoneWindowsPlayStationXbox Series X|SPCTabletCloudPhoneXbox OneiPadMobile Platform
Fallout Shelter Game Cover

About

Fallout Shelter is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing game with post-apocalyptic and science fiction themes. It was developed by Bethesda Game Studios and was released on March 29, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Fallout Shelter puts you in control of a state-of-the-art underground Vault.

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71%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,000 reviews
story255 positive mentions
monetization608 negative mentions

  • Engaging gameplay with a mix of resource management and quests.
  • Fun and charming graphics that capture the Fallout aesthetic.
  • No forced ads; optional ads provide rewards without interrupting gameplay.
  • Frequent crashes and loading issues, especially after updates.
  • Difficult controls for moving dwellers and managing resources.
  • Repetitive gameplay and lack of new content after reaching a certain point.
  • story
    1,257 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of "Fallout Shelter" is generally well-received, with players enjoying the quests and the humorous dialogue that adds depth to the gameplay. However, many users express frustration with the repetitive nature of quests and the lack of a central narrative, leading to a sense of stagnation once the initial content is completed. Additionally, technical issues such as crashes and bugs during quests detract from the overall experience, prompting requests for more varied and engaging storylines and quest options.

    • “The quest system unlocked through the overseer's office is by far the most fun feature of this game.”
    • “The quests are fun, and the items are very close to the items in the main Fallout games.”
    • “The quests have added a whole new experience and life to the game.”
    • “The quests are very templated and repetitive.”
    • “There's a skeleton of a story in some quest lines; they really should've beefed up quest scenarios and stories.”
    • “The quests are boring; it's just a different location fighting pretty much the same enemies.”
  • monetization
    889 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the optional nature of ads that provide rewards without being intrusive. While some users find the in-app purchases and ad timers frustrating, especially when they experience glitches that extend wait times excessively, others commend the game for allowing progression without mandatory spending. Overall, the game is seen as relatively fair in its monetization approach, offering a balance between free play and optional enhancements through ads and purchases.

    • “Another plus, probably the easiest mobile game to avoid microtransactions.”
    • “There are in-app purchases, but you can easily play the game without spending a cent.”
    • “In-app purchases are totally optional and you can still enjoy the game a lot without buying anything.”
    • “I have to wait for 402 hours to watch an ads to get rewards.”
    • “The only unfortunate thing is the microtransactions but I would rather have those instead of an ad every 5 seconds, so good job!”
    • “I had a great time with this game for over a year and updated today just to be greeted with the slap in the face that is a disgusting amount of ads while rushing a room, getting the mysterious (as I call him now) salesman and now you can't use speedups on wasteland returners, absolutely disgusting to do this so late in the game's life cycle.”
  • gameplay
    563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Fallout Shelter is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, intuitive controls, and the ability to manage resources and dwellers effectively. Players appreciate the blend of active and idle gameplay, though some express frustration with repetitive quests and the reliance on microtransactions for faster progress. While the game offers a fun and addictive experience, many users desire more content updates and improvements to combat mechanics to enhance overall enjoyment.

    • “Great gameplay, challenging enough to keep you on your toes, intuitive enough to not become complicated, and more than enough content to keep you hooked.”
    • “It's fun, incredibly multifaceted gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and interactive enough to stay busy.”
    • “After installing the overseer's office, the helpful hint remains (tap the wasteland to open the wasteland quest log) preventing further gameplay.”
    • “Garbage game, with garbage mechanics, (talking about a random chance for radscorpion attacks) can't wait for this to be well designed.”
    • “The gameplay isn't the most exciting in the world, but that's only to be expected from a simple mobile game.”
  • graphics
    396 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charm and aesthetic appeal, with many users highlighting the smooth animations and vibrant art style that align well with the Fallout universe. While some reviews noted that the graphics are not top-tier compared to console standards, they are considered impressive for a mobile game, contributing to an engaging and visually pleasing experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, enhancing the gameplay and enjoyment of the game.

    • “The graphics are smooth and run fantastically.”
    • “The artistic visuals of the game are very pleasing and aren't heavy on one's eyes.”
    • “The graphics are great, very retro.”
    • “It's a good game, but the graphics suck so much, even for a mobile game, and especially coming from such a big game studio.”
    • “The controls could have been explained better and the graphics were pretty bad (although it is a mobile game so I guess that's to be expected).”
    • “I just can't believe that after months and months, graphics have not been fixed.”
  • stability
    390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes and crashes, particularly during loading screens and after updates. Many players have attempted troubleshooting steps, such as reinstalling the app and clearing cache, but these efforts have often proven ineffective, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state is marred by significant stability issues that hinder gameplay.

    • “It runs great and it doesn't slow down as much as other games trying to get you to spend money.”
    • “No bugs in the program or game; it runs great with 6 floors of rooms. I have fun with this nuclear vault sim, and you will too.”
    • “Awesome game, no glitches that I've found; just check in daily at least and you're good.”
    • “It either completely freezes or just crashes and closes.”
    • “After playing for about 3 weeks and spending a lot of time into it, the game began to experience glitches and now I can no longer get past the loading screen, which is frozen, without the game closing itself out.”
    • “The game constantly freezes and crashes, making it impossible to play.”
  • grinding
    97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that the game features a significant amount of grinding, which can be both rewarding and tedious. Players appreciate the fun and engaging aspects of resource management and character progression, but many express frustration with repetitive tasks, slow gameplay, and the need for micro-management, particularly in later stages. Suggestions for quality-of-life improvements, such as auto-quest features and better inventory management, are common, highlighting a desire for a more streamlined experience.

    • “Not too grindy.”
    • “And unlike Elder Scrolls: Blades, it's not pay-to-play and not too grindy.”
    • “The way to acquire them is not tedious and almost always fun.”
    • “Very grindy, but then so are all the Fallout games.”
    • “The beginning progression is enjoyable, but at a certain point, gaining dwellers and decent loot becomes a bit too rare, and later rewards and vault maintenance become kind of tedious and boring.”
    • “It quickly runs out of novelty and becomes a grindfest for the sake of grinding.”
  • humor
    87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players appreciating its witty dialogue, funny animations, and clever nods to the Fallout universe. While some interactions with NPCs lack depth, the overall comedic tone and quirky scenarios keep the gameplay enjoyable and engaging. Players find the humor to be a significant draw, enhancing the game's charm and making it a fun experience for fans of the franchise.

    • “Incredibly fun game, a wide variety of nods to the game series (obviously) and some funny interactions between the characters themselves.”
    • “The game is fun, with lots of witty and somewhat cynical humor.”
    • “The quests are fun, managing the vault is challenging yet humorous; if you love Fallout 4, you'll love this game, simple as that.”
  • music
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with many players expressing a desire for the inclusion of classic Fallout tracks and a more robust radio feature. While some appreciate the existing sound effects and nostalgic atmosphere, others find the current music options lacking and suggest improvements, such as the ability to customize or add personal music. Overall, the game's sound design is generally well-received, but players are eager for more variety and connection to the beloved Fallout franchise.

    • “The music and sound effects match the graphics.”
    • “Its backgrounds and music bring the wasteland to life.”
    • “Music, sound effects, and overall theme has that nostalgic Fallout vibe.”
    • “Game boots up, I press 'enter vault', the music stops, game freezes and crashes.”
    • “It doesn't make any sense to me why we can build a radio station in our vault, but not play any music on it.”
    • “Three stars because there is no option to get rid of or lower the music of Bottle and Cappy visiting.”
  • optimization
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization for modern Android devices has received mixed reviews. While some users report smooth performance on older phones and commend the game's graphics, many express frustration with the lack of full-screen support and performance issues on newer models, suggesting that optimization options are needed. Additionally, there are complaints about the game consuming excessive phone resources when running in the background, impacting overall device performance.

    • “It runs smoothly on older phones as well (I have a Samsung S6) without overheating it at all.”
    • “One of the more polished games I've played, especially on 1.5GB of RAM; it runs smoothly and looks good.”
    • “It's optimized well and perfect for phones.”
    • “I'm on a Samsung S22 Ultra; this game shouldn't have performance issues on this phone, or really any modern phone given the age of the game.”
    • “I love the game, but I hate the lack of optimization it is receiving for newer Android devices and OS systems.”
    • “Loved the game, a really good Fallout experience like none other, but the game eats up your phone's performance like crazy, not when you're in-game but when you do anything and the game keeps running in the background.”
  • emotional
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a mix of nostalgia and emotional investment in the game, particularly in relation to its connection to the Fallout series. While some find the experience emotionally taxing and engaging, others are frustrated by technical issues that detract from their enjoyment. Overall, the game evokes strong feelings, both positive and negative, highlighting its potential for deeper emotional engagement if technical improvements are made.

    • “I also loved how this game made me feel nostalgic for the other Fallout games, and I think it captures the vibes of Fallout in a more cartoony fashion.”
    • “The game is emotionally and mentally taxing and requires someone who could work through all the challenges.”
    • “Fallout Shelter is an emotional and spiritual journey outclassing all that came before it.”
  • replayability
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate its fun mechanics and engaging design that encourage returning to the game, others feel it lacks depth after initial playthroughs, leading to diminished replay value. Some users highlight the absence of intrusive ads as a positive factor enhancing playability, while others note that after a certain point, the game becomes repetitive. Ultimately, it offers decent replay value for casual enjoyment, but may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.

    • “Fun, addicting game with excellent graphics and replayability.”
    • “By far the most fair and replayable game on the market!”
    • “Clever design, decent replayability, and most importantly the ads rarely are just plastered in your face.”
    • “Fairly high quality, but after two hours of play, it's out of new things to show you, and replay value is nil.”
    • “My main one is the lack of replayability after you do everything.”
    • “The biggest flaw I have with a game like this is replayability; although grindy at times, I still enjoy coming back and working on progressing my shelter and dwellers.”
  • atmosphere
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its strong resemblance to the Fallout series, capturing a post-apocalyptic mood that resonates with players. Reviewers appreciate the design, humor, and immersive elements that enhance the overall experience, making it a compelling environment to engage with. Many express a desire for deeper connections to the Fallout universe, particularly through music and additional content.

    • “The atmosphere in the game is highly reminiscent of the Fallout series and wonderfully mastered.”
    • “The design, the dialogues with this typical sense of humor from Bethesda, and the PC versions let you feel the doomsday atmosphere.”
    • “This game has a very special atmosphere and mood; it really makes you dedicate to the game (in a good way).”
    • “That's the Fallout atmosphere I wish this game had.”
    • “The design, the dialogues with this typical sense of humor from Bethesda and the PC versions let you feel the doomsday atmosphere.”
    • “I only wish for another, more deep, Fallout idle game for the old players who don't have the same time to play as before, but still want to feel the wasteland atmosphere.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is perceived as underwhelming, with some players noting a lack of depth in the system. However, others appreciate the individual character progression, particularly in the context of a post-apocalyptic setting, allowing for a more relatable and realistic growth experience.

    • “Even the special system and character development seem lackluster.”
    • “Good post-apocalypse base building game with individual character development.”
    • “So that I can follow real-life character development.”
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268h Median play time
3820h Average play time
17h Main story
90h Completionist
24-2546h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Fallout Shelter is a survival role playing game with post-apocalyptic and science fiction themes.

Fallout Shelter is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 17 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 90 hours to finish. On average players spend around 3820 hours playing Fallout Shelter.

Fallout Shelter was released on March 29, 2017.

Fallout Shelter was developed by Bethesda Game Studios.

Fallout Shelter has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its monetization.

Fallout Shelter is a single player game with multiplayer support.

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