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Each time someone mentions the turn-based post apocalyptic RPG “Fallout” (or its developers “Interplay” and “Bethesda”) I almost instantly begin to think about stats and numbers. Because as we all know –well, at least if you’re a fan of Fallout– pretty much everything in the “Fallout” universe consists of numbers, and this includes everything from the primary statistics (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Luck and Agility), hit points, experience points, action points to your chances of hitting your enemies.

Simply put – it’s all about math and numbers. However, there is actually one more factor that plays a huge role in all of this, and that would be Luck VS Reward. Yes, luck does indeed play an important role in the Fallout universe as Luck is one of the seven primary statistics in the SPECIAL character system. Here’s the thing – not only does luck improve your chances in landing a critical hit on your enemies (with the “Critical Chance” perk improving chances strike critical hits even further), it also affects your luck when it comes to gambling.

Wait – what is that you say? Gambling?!

Correct! Because there does Indeed exist gambling elements in the world of Fallout. As a matter of fact, gambling has been around since the good Ol’ days of the first Fallout series released in 1997. Even so, I still have to admit that I’m mostly familiar with gambling thanks to Fallout 2, because when I was a kid, I used to spend quite a lot of time at trying to win money and whatnot by dancing with lady luck.

It’s worth mentioning that it took a while before I got a grip of it though, because the first time that I played “Fallout 2” I had no where one could earn the most money by gambling (I wasted my time in the Den…). However, it didn’t take me long before I found my way to New Reno, and that’s where I started to earn some rather big bucks just by trying my luck at the Shark Club casino (it’s owned by Bishop crime family).

Feeling like a Euromillions jackpot winner, I used the money that I won from gambling to buy some new gear for my character. Then I started to explore more of the world map in Fallout 2, and while doing so.

I soon realized that luck does indeed work with or against you in the game, because luck also plays a part in the special random encounters that can show up throughout the game. I mean, you got plenty of the normal ones, but the special ones can be pure gold. For example, in one special random encounter, you have to cross a bridge, and the whole scene is a spoof of the “Monty python and the holy grail” movie. Then you got another one when you find a gigantic dead whale in the middle of the desert (if I’m not wrong now, that’s where you find a flower?).

Even so, my top five favourite special encounters is the following:

1. Café of Broken Dreams (this is where you meet Dogmeat, he can even join your team as well)
2. A crashed shuttle (if you like Star Trek, then you’re going to love this one for sure *no spoilers!*)
3. A Guardian Portal (this special encounter presents the player to a time-loop paradox, which is actually yet another Star Trek reference)
4. A herd of Brahmin (do you remember the secret cow level from Diablo 2? Well, this is the Fallout 2 version of that level. Well, with the slight difference that the cows are now suicide bombers)
5. King Arthur’s Knights (if you love the “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” movie just as much as I do, then you’re going to enjoy this special encounter for sure)

And with that said, I think it’s safe to say that there are very few games out there that uses luck in such a way as the Fallout series has done. So I hope to experience more of that matter in any of Bethesda’s future Fallout titles.

***Incorporation with multilotto.co.uk ***