Fallout 2 is set in a post-apocalyptic world. You play the Chosen One, the direct descendant of the Vault Dweller from the original Fallout. The village elders have selected you to wear the sacred Vault-suit and, in time, to ascend to the leadership of your people. To do so, you must prove your devotion to your people and journey out into the wastelands to find the G.E.C.K. - the Garden Eden Cration Kit, to turn the wasteland into in oasis so that your tribe will survive.

Fallout lets you travel the world, participating in numerous quests and developing your character's stats and inventory as you go. The scope of the game is amazing, containing many more areas and quests than the original. Fallout 2 also uses skill development instead of a traditional class system (S.P.E.C.I.A.L.-System, just like in Fallout 3), and you are free to play through the game in a number of ways.

It also has a lot of dark humour and infamous random encounters (ever wanted to see a star trek shuttle crashed in the desert? Here you will. Ever wanted a perk as "porn star"? Look no further). A pity that halfway through the programming interplay/black isle cut a lot of content but fear not:
For the buyers of this timeless classic i recommend the much appreciated "Fallout 2 Restoration Project", which will upgrade your experience (especially for the german clientel as children where cut out and are a major plot point for at least one quest) or could all these five star ratings lie?:
http://www.nma-fallout.com/resources/fallout-2-restoration-project-unofficial-expansion-windows-installer.10/
But keep in mind that this game is rally old an will crash a lot.