Fallout Shelter is one of those rare iOS games that players can become addicted to without that nagging feeling of guilt that comes along with most games on the platform. This is not a simplistic endless runner, nor is it a banal puzzle game. Fallout Shelter is an experience that is fun. After the brief tutorial and first fifteen to twenty minutes of gameplay, has far more depth than it has any right to. And no, I’m not talking about the fact that it took me fifteen minutes to realize how far down I could build my vault.
Anyways, the premise of Fallout Shelter is fairly simple, and reminiscent of games like Tiny Tower and of course Tiny Death Star. You build rooms, collect resources, and assign your dwellers to craft those resources. While on the surface it is that simple, its best moments are evocative of FTL: Faster Than Light. In order to make the game more interesting, Bethesda has added level up and special skills systems that make each dweller unique from the others. This, combined with the bonuses provided by the myriad of different outfits that can be scavenged, make room assignments a deep strategic decision.
Another mark in the game’s favor is the distinct lack of predatory micro-transactions. Had Todd Howard not mentioned that players had the ability to purchase lunchboxes at E3, I would not have known this option existed. The usual microtransactions of “pay to make production go faster” have been replaced with the Rush system. At any time, you can choose to “rush” production in a room. Potentially, this could cause a disaster – either a ratroach infestation that must be fought off, or a fire that must be put out. The likelihood of the success of a Rush is dependent on the stats of the dwellers within the room. And, while it is ultimately left up to chance the system is still an interesting one that thus far has added a level of suspense to the game.
Fallout Shelter also has numerous smaller systems that make the game more dynamic. The ability to breed dwellers offers up some interesting choices, as well as some genuinely funny dialogue. Furthermore, players can send dwellers to explore the Wasteland. This allows them to level up and gather key resources for the Vault, in addition to adding another layer of decision making to the game. There are also random events, such as raids and disasters, that mean players must always be prepared.
Unfortunately, there do come points where the game simply isn’t interesting. It does start to feel a tad repetitive, even with the multiple decision trees. Fortunately, these swaths of time don’t last forever, but I still have found myself losing interest from time to time. Another flaw is that at least in my experience is once you’re in a hole it’s nigh impossible to dig yourself out. Once something goes bad everything else begins to spiral out of control. This has prompted multiple abnormally long play sessions, where I ostensibly run damage control and often to no avail. The game lacks a true “catch-up” mechanic.
Finally, the game has an excellent sense of style. All of the dwellers as well as the vault itself are brought to life in the style of Pip-boy. The art style looks great; especially on a tablet. It’s both adorable and super quirky. Which is also true of the dialogue. There is actually some surprisingly clever writing for this game. The lines do start to repeat themselves fairly early on, but the game has gotten a couple chuckles out of me. In addition to being funny the dialogue also offers players a bit of a helping hand in decision making; with certain dwellers implying their needs and desires.
In conclusion, Fallout Shelter is the best short-time iOS game I have played in a while. It can be consumed in bite sized chunks, or in long playthroughs, if that suits your style. There’s definitely a lot to love in Fallout Shelter, despite its flaws. Eventually, it may grow completely stale, but until that point, there’s a ton of fun to be had in your vault.
