Official Guide to Fallout

One of the great role-playing games of the decade, Interplay's Fallout is a single-character game with Diablo-style graphics and classic RPG (role-playing game) gameplay. With the 1998 E3 conference debut of Fallout 2, this game is right back in the spotlight. If you're just picking up the game for the first time--or even if you're giving it another go--this exceptionally well-written book will come in handy. The book offers varying degrees of guidance, so that it doesn't automatically give away any secrets you'd rather learn on your own. You can read a complete, quick-and-dirty walk-through of the entire game, skim the less-specific hints for each location and quest, or dive into a more literary description of the game: a well-written diary that walks you through every step of the way.

As you might expect, the book offers a complete listing of the game's objects, locations, and characters. The screen shots help to illustrate key points while the great illustrations help to set that mixed 1950s/postapocalyptic mood. To cap things off, humorous and helpful tips from "Ol' Slim," the old-time adventurer, are scattered throughout the book. --Michael Ryan