Absolute Masterpiece for its time.
The whole post-apocalyptic setting and landscape, reminiscent of the Mad Max films with biker punks, mutants and other incarnations of the wasteland make this game an intense, funny, political and cerebral experience.
Fallout 2's simplicity in how its interface and character control works is so amazing when you begin to realize that your given the bear minimum to survive and conquer the wasteland ahead of you.
You gain perks and traits which i think is an absolutely amazing system, KIND-OF true to life in a way since your creating a character here who is in the template of how you would survive in the given situation that Fallout 2 places before you.
The political aspect comes into play later in the game however you can kind of pick up on it through stories from the MANY NPCs in the game who give a lovely and not so lovely backdrop to the Fallout Universe, e.g why everything is the way it is etc.
I totally dismiss discussion on the game's graphics since the game kind of focuses more on a simplistic aspect of graphics here. Also because of restraints of game engines back when its made, they couldn't exactly make a full blown "Morrowind" type experience for you here, but still it looks Retro and i think thats pretty cool and suits the game so well.
The music reminds me of the music you hear in "Fist of the North Star" and sometimes in the X-Files. It sets the atmosphere so well, this constant loneliness you feel and that your are alone and have to fend for yourself i think is such an enticing aspect.
Weapon wise the game boasts alot of weapons of which can be customized. The combat system is also effective in the sense of its actually VERY satisfying blowing your enemies apart with a mini-gun or a roundhouse kick in some cases!!!
Combined with an excellent story-line, non-pretentious Adult humours wit, amazing atmospheric music and a feeling you just can not capture in any other video game, Fallout 2 is one of the games that will be in the top 10 of best games ever made of all time.
The fact that me and MANY people still play and buy this game today proves this.
A Masterpiece.