44. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
What it’s about: New Vegas sees us take on the role of The Courier after he’s ambushed by the villainous Benny. But, Benny is a small part of the story as you become embroiled in a political conflict involving the NCR, Caesar’s Legion, and Mr House, all vying for control over the Mojave Desert, and whoever you choose to side with will determine the future of the wasteland.
Why we like it: To be only given 18 months to design, write, and code a Triple-A game and to be heralded as the best entry for its franchise is a miracle, which is what makes Fallout: New Vegas so unique. It refused to approach the wasteland the way its predecessors (and eventual follow-ups) did, offering some of the most morally complex writing that challenged personal beliefs, gameplay that never babied you, and showed the harsh realities of the apocalypse, with a map packed with so much charm in its design.
