Wasteland 2

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,104 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Wasteland 2 Game Cover
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In "Wasteland 2: Director's Cut," players lead a team of Rangers in a post-apocalyptic America, making strategic decisions and engaging in tactical combat to survive. With enhanced graphics, new voice-acted dialogue, and a redesigned user interface, this version offers an improved experience over the original. The game features a large, open world with multiple factions, and player choices significantly impact the story's outcome.

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,104 reviews
story683 positive mentions
stability217 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with meaningful choices and consequences.
  • Deep character customization and diverse skill sets.
  • Tactical turn-based combat that rewards strategic planning.
  • Frequent bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay.
  • Poorly balanced skills and weapon types, leading to frustrating encounters.
  • Tedious inventory management and slow pacing in certain areas.
  • story2,361 mentions

    The story in Wasteland 2 is a complex tapestry of choices and consequences set in a post-apocalyptic world, drawing players into a narrative filled with dark humor and moral ambiguity. While the main storyline is engaging, many players find the side quests and character interactions to be equally compelling, offering multiple resolutions and paths that enhance replayability. However, the game is marred by bugs and quest design issues that can disrupt the flow of the narrative, leading to frustration for some players.

    • “The story during the gameplay sets it apart from different games, allowing the player to determine different courses of action that they can choose to take.”
    • “The visuals are very plastic, and some of the quality of life changes are locked away in the director's cut, but if you can get past that, the story is amazing. The game does a great job of demonstrating that you need to do more than the minimum to help the people you're protecting, and the finale is the best I've ever seen in a game like this, coming full circle in the message of the story while also making the player hesitate to accept the positive outcome because it risks the lives of people they saved before.”
    • “The story is engaging and well-written, with numerous impactful decisions and alternative paths to victory, allowing for different party builds or roleplaying experiences.”
    • “What I can no longer do is ignore the glaring issues with Wasteland 2, that completely shatter any hope of the storyline justifying the constant frustration and discomfort of the game's UI, RNG, and overall lack of polish.”
    • “The story is chopped down to small portions, and while surely, it's about making some actions unknowingly and taking the responsibility for the outcome, it's usually a choice between a normal scenario and a rotten one.”
    • “The quests are boring and a lot of the moral quandaries and normal choices that exist in the game are either extremely clear cut or they don't matter at all.”
  • gameplay1,014 mentions

    The gameplay of Wasteland 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its turn-based combat and deep RPG mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Fallout 1 and 2. However, criticisms often focus on its clunky mechanics, reliance on RNG for skill checks, and a lack of modern quality-of-life features, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While the game offers a rich narrative and extensive character customization, some players find the overall gameplay to be tedious and outdated, suggesting that it may appeal more to nostalgic fans of the genre than to newcomers seeking a polished experience.

    • “The gameplay is fantastic, the dialogue jumps back and forth between nauseatingly depressing, insanely hilarious, and nonsensical drivel.”
    • “The gameplay is very open and the story is flexible.”
    • “The gameplay is rich and complex, with a great amount of difficulty, and does almost zero hand-holding.”
    • “Everything feels really flat and linear - both story and gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay and combat is very rudimentary and not very engaging, the story is basic and very predictable, with no real twists or anything notable.”
    • “The gameplay is a regression to 20 years ago (with updated graphics).”
  • graphics780 mentions

    The graphics of Wasteland 2 have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are functional but not particularly impressive, often likening them to older titles like Fallout 1 and 2. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find it fitting for the game's post-apocalyptic setting, others criticize the visuals as outdated and lacking polish, with issues such as low-resolution textures and repetitive character models. Overall, while the graphics may not be a strong selling point, many players feel that the engaging gameplay and rich storytelling compensate for the visual shortcomings.

    • “Wasteland 2 has good graphical and sound design, which is key for immersion in this post-apocalyptic RPG world.”
    • “The graphics are solid.”
    • “The graphics are very nice for a 3/4 perspective on a modern PC.”
    • “The graphics are incredibly bland, by which I mean that they were made by people that just don't have any sense of style whatsoever.”
    • “The graphics are weak and the camera sucks pretty much.”
    • “The graphics could be a lot better for a modern game.”
  • humor320 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of dark, quirky, and often absurd elements, reminiscent of classic titles like Fallout, with many players appreciating its clever writing and cultural references. While some found the humor to be juvenile or forced, others enjoyed the blend of serious themes with comedic moments, resulting in a unique and engaging experience. Overall, the game is noted for its rich atmosphere and the ability to elicit both laughter and reflection through its narrative and character interactions.

    • “The game mechanics make me feel like playing the old Fallout, which has wonderful world-building and a story that is a bit weird but has some funny and serious moments.”
    • “Rich with atmosphere, story, and witty humor.”
    • “The sense of humor is absolutely fantastic; it's never completely overbearing or annoying, and it doesn't get in the way of the more heartbreaking moments.”
    • “Not only is a goat doing a Wilhelm scream or finding a Furby, water chip (or any number of the vast selection of wasted computer space) not funny or original, it's downright insulting once you get into the deep and dirty of this game's infinite library of pop-culture and video game references.”
    • “One last thing, I seem not to share the same humor as the devs. Implementing a loading tip '...heavy and expensive as my ex-wife' is not funny, just childish and annoying.”
    • “The designs, visuals, and fonts are ugly and less inspired than those from Fallout 1. The jokes are not funny, and making 'in your face' fun of other games implying yours is better is like the Uwe Boll tier of cheapness.”
  • stability230 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting a plethora of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players have noted improvements following patches, many still encounter game-breaking bugs, particularly in later stages, leading to frustration and frequent reloads. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with stability issues that overshadow its potential enjoyment.

    • “The game seems to run fast and largely bug free.”
    • “The game plays very well and for me it was glitch and bug free.”
    • “18 hours on record with nothing but bug free smooth gameplay.”
    • “This half-breed between XCOM and Fallout could have been more than an excellent game were it not so terribly buggy to the point that mechanics, side quests, NPCs, etc. just don't work properly to be able to actually enjoy the game for what it was meant to be.”
    • “Buggy enough to be completely unplayable once you get to the Los Angeles areas.”
    • “The director's cut is still a buggy game; the recent patch changed some major bugs, but there are still plenty left as well as the Unity memory leak.”
  • atmosphere199 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gritty portrayal of a post-apocalyptic world, reminiscent of classic titles like Fallout. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music, sound design, and detailed environments that enhance the storytelling and emotional engagement. While some critiques mention graphical limitations, the overall consensus is that the game successfully captures a rich, atmospheric experience filled with humor and depth.

    • “The atmosphere, the music, the ambient noise... it sets a tone that is its own.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible and it is a nice challenge, especially since I am sadly somewhat of a noob to this style so am still learning the mechanics.”
    • “The dark atmosphere reminds me particularly of Fallout, which was inspired by Wasteland.”
    • “It lacks the atmosphere and immersion of Fallout 1, 2, Arcanum, and Atom RPG.”
    • “After about two hours, the lack of atmosphere, debatable story, and uninspired pseudo-western apocalyptic setting (snoresville) made me uninstall.”
    • “The graphical fidelity is something that struck me almost straight away and remains the elephant in the room the entire time; it's incredibly jarring and blows away immersion from the outset, the lack of atmosphere in the game is truly disappointing considering it's a game that would have benefitted exponentially from some sense of environmental depth.”
  • music158 mentions

    The music in the game, composed by Mark Morgan, is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the post-apocalyptic setting, drawing comparisons to the iconic soundtracks of the original Fallout games. While many players appreciate the immersive and fitting nature of the soundtrack, some note that it can become repetitive over extended playtime, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall memorability. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting and ambient effects, contributes significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere.

    • “The music is fantastic and fits the setting, with different tracks for different areas.”
    • “Mark Morgan's terrific original soundtrack is included, which is quite a treat for video game music lovers like myself.”
    • “The atmosphere, music, and storyline in this game are awesome!”
    • “The soundtrack can get a bit repetitive; it became more like background noise after about 40 hours in.”
    • “The music is what you’d expect from a post-apocalyptic themed game; it can be dreadful, but it adds to the charm and immersion of the game.”
    • “The music is very fitting for the most part, but it lacks variety and can become monotonous.”
  • grinding137 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with many players noting repetitive tasks, slow movement, and cumbersome inventory management. While some appreciate the depth of character progression and the variety of skills, the overall sentiment is that the gameplay often feels like a chore rather than an engaging experience, leading to a lack of enjoyment. Despite some redeeming qualities, the grinding nature of missions and combat significantly detracts from the overall fun.

    • “The game is tedious and boring as hell.”
    • “I gave it every chance I could, but the game is a tedious chore.”
    • “The combat is interesting at times but grows tedious.”
  • replayability115 mentions

    Overall, the game exhibits a high level of replayability, with many players praising its branching storylines, diverse character customization, and meaningful choices that significantly impact gameplay. While some reviews note limitations in replay value due to linear quests or lack of content, the majority highlight the potential for multiple playthroughs and varied experiences, often estimating hundreds of hours of gameplay. Players appreciate the depth and consequences of their decisions, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy exploring different narrative paths.

    • “This is a wide open world with many different choices that do have consequences, but you are able to save the game and change your choices if you wish, so the game has replayability as well.”
    • “The game is very big on making tough choices to drive the plot development, which helps drive the great replay value.”
    • “Wasteland 2 is definitely worth buying if you like making choices with many outcomes, a long-lasting experience with tons of replayability, and RPG elements.”
    • “No replay value whatsoever.”
    • “I know that's meant for replayability, but let's face it, this game is only good enough for one playthrough and that's it.”
    • “Alas, it has almost no replayability, due to the quests being quite limited and the storyline only going down one path.”
  • optimization72 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, stuttering, and crashes even on capable hardware. While some users noted occasional improvements and stability, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, requiring adjustments to graphical settings and often leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Many players expressed hope for future patches to address these optimization problems.

    • “Character creation has a lot of flexibility, but there is a very clear way to optimize it, and that optimization is almost necessary because of how many skills you need.”
    • “Even with the few lumps it has, it is very polished, rock solid stable, and seems optimized well for multicore CPUs and multi-GPU setups.”
    • “Wasteland plays like an updated version of the old Fallout games, but with polish and optimized for today's PCs.”
    • “One huge pitfall (that required me to restart the campaign a few hours in) is that your starting stat configuration is hugely important and you really have no idea how to invest your points starting out, so there's a 0% probability your squad will be properly optimized your first run through unless you use a guide.”
    • “Not to mention the terrible optimization - my PC can handle the new Total War games on the highest graphics settings with no FPS loss and yet this game is still choppy as all hell if you switch the shadows on.”
    • “The game is unoptimized, a quarter of the skills are either not implemented or don't work correctly, there are bugs galore, the UI is a wreck, and it's only a small chunk of the final game.”
  • character development72 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and the variety of skills and perks available, while others criticize it for being overly complex or lacking meaningful impact on gameplay. Many players appreciate the nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic RPGs, but express disappointment in the limited customization options and the sometimes punishing nature of the development system. Overall, while there are strong elements of character growth and decision-making, the execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in balancing and clarity.

    • “Fantastic story, great character development!”
    • “Character development is excellent, with all skills and abilities being useful (some a little more than others).”
    • “Ridiculously in-depth character development, with fantastic customization.”
    • “Miss chances just don't belong in a game like this - especially not if they are tied this closely to character development in the form of skill points which are rare and spread out.”
    • “Unfortunately, after that it becomes evident that character development is quite limited in Wasteland 2.”
    • “Too much sloppy work on character development (like there are only a few of your party members on whom you can customize pants, jacket, and hat) many of them got just preset appearance.”
  • emotional40 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to evoke nostalgia and heartfelt moments, while others criticize the lack of character attachment and emotional depth in the storytelling. The soundtrack is noted for enhancing the emotional experience, but many feel that the writing and character interactions fall short, leading to a disconnection from the narrative. Overall, while there are moments of emotional engagement, the game's execution often leaves players feeling uninvolved or underwhelmed.

    • “10/10 would navigate this emotional and explosive minefield again.”
    • “The sense of humor is absolutely fantastic; it's never completely overbearing or annoying and it doesn't get in the way of the more heartbreaking moments. You will absolutely find yourself laughing out loud from time to time, but you will also find yourself possibly tearing up at other moments.”
    • “From the moment I entered the world of Wasteland 2, I felt emotionally engaged in so many ways and learned what kind of people live here.”
    • “Boring storyline, boring characters, clichés all over the place, nothing really new.”
    • “Good gameplay, but a boring story.”
    • “Well, I've been playing this game for a while. It has a lot of potential, but as it is now, the story is very boring. I feel like it's trying to be a survival game, but it's not at all. The story is dull, and while the combat is good, it could be better. The leveling up system feels ineffective, and my character, despite being level 30, struggles to hit anything. The game needs a flashier beginning, better combat, and more focus on the characters.”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of ads, microtransactions, and DLC, which many players find refreshing in an industry often criticized for monetization tactics. Instead of exploiting players for additional revenue, the developers focus on delivering a complete experience, which some players humorously note is a rarity today. However, there are mixed feelings, as some players express frustration over the game's difficulty and length, suggesting that the absence of monetization may not appeal to everyone.

    • “No ads, no freemium game manipulation, no Microsoft/EA/Bethesda fake AAA title rope-a-dope rip-off.”
    • “No stupid microtransactions or DLC, just free stuff.”
    • “In the days where prerelease games are advertising DLC to push the price of games up and over the $100 mark, it made for a good laugh.”
    • “Clearly a cash grab with a hidden objective to try to set a precedent that the price of Kickstarter should apply to sales once that is over, including logic that is childish.”
    • “It has all of the trappings of a great CRPG, and its design harkens back to a time when developers saw a game as an outlet for their vision, rather than a monetization vehicle to help boost quarterly sales.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Wasteland 2

Play time

53hMedian play time
57hAverage play time
41hMain story
100hCompletionist
20-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 108 analyzed playthroughs

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