Wasteland
Post-nuclear party
Interplay's Wasteland created the post-apocalyptic RPG template that would later inspire Fallout, featuring party-based combat and a persistent, reactive world.
Wasteland dropped a party of Desert Rangers into post-nuclear Arizona with minimal guidance and maximum consequence. The world remembered your actions—destroyed buildings stayed destroyed, killed NPCs stayed dead. Combat was tactical and lethal. The game established the post-apocalyptic RPG template that Interplay would later refine into Fallout.
Fast facts
- Developer: Interplay.
- Director: Brian Fargo.
- Designers: Alan Pavlish, Michael A. Stackpole.
- Setting: post-nuclear American Southwest.
- System: skill-based, no classes.
- Legacy: spiritual predecessor to Fallout.
Persistent world
Innovation through consequence:
- State saves to disk: changes permanent.
- NPC death: killed characters stayed dead.
- Destroyed locations: no respawning.
- Multiple solutions: problems had various approaches.
The Fallout connection
From Wasteland to Fallout:
- Interplay: same company, shared staff.
- Themes: post-nuclear survival, dark humour.
- Design philosophy: player freedom, consequence.
- Spiritual sequel: Fallout couldn’t use Wasteland name.