Highlights

• Fallout 2 remains a classic RPG, but mods like sFall and PANDA enhance gameplay for modern systems and add survival elements.
• From Explorer to Cheat Chest, mods like FO2 Starting Inventory offer unique ways to customize gameplay experiences in Fallout 2.
• Restoration Project adds cut content to Fallout 2, while FOnline 3 offers an MMORPG experience within the beloved franchise.

Fallout 2 is over two decades old, yet remains one of the best RPGs ever released. Branching questlines and a unique setting have let it stand the test of time and even triumph over more modern RPGs, flaws and all.

Some issues with Fallout 2, such as its incompatibility with modern systems, make it rather hard for gamers to try this classic out today. Thankfully, some mods focus on fixing these issues, and some are ambitious enough to iterate on the formula, going as far as making an entirely new game within the Fallout IP. While there aren't nearly as many mods for Fallout 2 as there are for the franchise's third and fourth installments, there are many awesome Fallout 2 mods that make the game more enjoyable.

Updated on April 23, 2024, by William Quick: With the release of the Fallout TV series, which has been receiving a relatively positive response, there's been renewed interest in the game series that started it all. However, the original Fallout games are so old that you may struggle to run them on modern machines. They're also noted for being isometric turn-based strategy games, with Fallout starting you out as a Vault Dweller and Fallout 2 as a Wastelander. A lot was improved in the sequel, and here are some mods that can improve it further.

9 Explorer

See And Get Everything Instantly

The Fallout series was one of the first big-name PC RPGs that put more emphasis on creating and detailing your own character. Fallout 2 expanded on the system established in the previous game but still forced you to slowly comb over every part of the game in hopes of getting and finding interesting things.

For the person on the go, there's the Explorer mod by PercivalCrump. This is an in-game editor that allows you to change every single aspect of your character and the game. You can give yourself whatever items and stats you want and reveal every special thing about the map. With this in play, you can have a fun time dominating the game.

8 Companion Expansion

Meet More Folks For The Adventure

A very special aspect of the Fallout series that we always look forward to is the number of companions that we'll be able to recruit for our adventure. Dogmeat will always be a favorite because they're a dog, but Fallout 2 throws some pretty cool companions at you... But what if there were more?

This can be answered by installing the Companion Expansion mod by Goat_Boy. It's a separate piece related to the Restoration Project and gives you up to nine companions to recruit, including three brand-new ones. You can team up with gang leaders, bodyguards, and brawlers just looking for opportunities to fight, and there are plenty of those in the wasteland.

7 Expert Pack Rat

Let Nothing Weigh You Down

The bane of any meticulous RPG player is wanting to carry everything that isn't nailed down and the game punishing you for having too much stuff. Being over-encumbered is one of the worst feelings in Fallout since it prevents you from enjoying the game at a smooth and fast pace. Just know that it doesn't have to be this way.

That's because we have the Expert Pack Rat mod brought to us by Telda. By adding this to your game, the Pack Rat perk will get an extreme boost that will prevent you from ever being weighed down by all the weapons, items, and garbage that you decide to pick up. At that point, all you have to worry about is inventory management.

6 sFall

Smooth Running And Processing

Before you can begin modding Fallout 2, certain performance and compatibility patches need to be installed for the game to run properly.

Fortunately, unlike any of Bethesda's Fallout entries, you only need one mod. Download sFall, and most of the game's issues go away. Engine fixes that cause crashes and, more importantly, compatibility with modern operating systems are all here. The resolution of menus won't be messed up, and the added functionality for modders allows for some rather ambitious mods to be developed by others.

5 PANDA - Basic Needs Mod

Add A Bigger Survival Slant

If you ever wanted your copy of Fallout 2 to feel more like The Sims, PANDA — Personal All Needs Data Analyzer — is the perfect mod for you.

This mod adds a lot of needs, such as hunger and thirst, to the game, turning Fallout 2 into a light survival game and adding to the immersion of this brilliant title.

4 FO2 Starting Inventory

Start Off Strong

Fallout 2 starts you as a tribal person armed with nothing more than a spear. Besides your fists, there is nothing more you can use to survive your first few days in the wasteland.

Luckily, the FO2 Starting Inventory will intelligently grant more specialized starting equipment based entirely on your stats. If you specialize in small guns in character creation, expect to start with a pistol and some ammunition. If you have a lot of points unarmed, you'll begin the game with a slightly better melee weapon. This makes leveling in FO2 less of a chore and more enjoyable.

3 FO2 Cheat Chest

A Magic Box Of Goodies

Sometimes, it's more fun to get items that interest you quickly than spending dozens of hours grinding through quests to earn them. FO2 Cheat Chest allows just that.

This mod adds numerous chests outside the Arroyo starting temple. These chests contain nearly every item in Fallout 2, meaning you can experiment with builds and playstyles right from the get-go. If you install other mods and need to test new items, or if you simply want to use power armor through most of the game, FO2 Cheat Chest is the best mod you could use.

2 FOnline 3

Play Online With Other Survivors

This is not a mod for Fallout 3 by Bethesda. Fallout 3: Van Buren was originally the 3rd Fallout fans would get from Black Isle, but the game never saw the light of day.

Multiplayer was to be included in this game, so modders took the multiplayer idea and retroactively added it to Fallout 2. FOnline 3 is an MMORPG, in essence. You can choose factions to play as and join the fight against other provinces and take resources. It is significantly different from any mod before it, but it offers a different kind of fun than Fallout 76 was trying to produce. Unlike Fallout 76, this mod does a much better job selling and executing that idea.

1 Restoration Project

Revitalizing Fallout 2

This is the most well-known Fallout 2 mod by a landslide. The Restoration Project aims to add content that was cut in development, ranging from items to complete questlines.

Cut NPCs are included in most zones, which will give Fallout veterans something new to do. New weapons and armor were also included to help spice up various builds people have become accustomed to. The mod even makes some quality-of-life changes, such as adding hotkeys for regrouping companions or forcing them to spread out.