Archrebel developer replays Fallout Tactics and concludes older games are superior
Ularis Badler, creator of tactical RPG Archrebel, shared his conclusions after returning to Fallout Tactics from 2001. On mission twelve, the developer stated:
I thought I'd get tired of it fast, since new games rarely hold me for even an hour. Turns out the problem isn't me getting older; it's that older games are just so much better. What a masterpiece of a game.
This opinion sparked a discussion about the quality of classic versus modern games.
Badler acknowledged Fallout Tactics' flaws – outdated UI and a bug with the right mouse button that causes units to shoot each other. However, he emphasized its strengths:
For those who want a pure tactics experience without relying heavily on RPG elements, I think it does the job quite well.
The developer highlighted the depth of mechanics – high charisma provides better recruits early on, perks are only available based on specific base stats, and understanding all systems on the first playthrough is impossible.
To be fair, Fallout Tactics received mixed reactions at release. Veterans remember the game won over audiences only with time, but initially it was a disappointment – it wasn't the Fallout everyone hoped for. Badler responded:
Everyone was expecting something closer to the previous Fallout games. And honestly, I'm glad it wasn't. It was rather nice being able to control my squad, for once.
Some fans of the original Fallout games call Tactics "the most generic and mid Fallout game to come out," but "superior compared to most of the modern garbage."
Interestingly, the Fallout Tactics experience directly influences Archrebel's development. For instance, the lack of tooltips infuriates Badler in any game, including Fallout, which is why he's putting tooltips everywhere in his tactics game.
As for newer games, Badler criticized Fallout 4, considering it an incredibly watered-down Fallout experience.
Meanwhile, Archrebel is in active development – Badler quit his main job in January to devote himself fully to the project and regularly shares progress updates.
