Fallout Shelter Review

Fallout Shelter is a free game that blows other "freemium" games out of the water. You are an overseer, and it is your job to manage a vault successfully to keep its inhabitants not only alive but happy as well. Its a simulation/management game that surprisingly does not beg you to keep returning to it, but it is so well put together that the want to play outweighs the need. Players assume a omniscient perspective where they can see every layer of their growing vault all at once. A variety of rooms can be built, making strategy key. Three key components are necessary to keep the vault going strong: Water, Electricity, and Food. Without these, your vault "dwellers" will perish, and without dwellers, you can not make a steady supply to keep them alive. Steady production is necessary, and dwellers can be put to work effectively based on their S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats. For instance, someone with a high Strength stat works best in an an Electricity based room, upping production times. Dwellers can be obtained via random appearance, in lunch boxes (more on those soon), or by breeding. The game is deep on many levels, much more than I expected. The offspring not only grow up over time, but share similar stats to there parents. Keeping all the dwellers happy by having steady supplies and giving them the correct jobs adds to the overall vault happiness, increasing production and offering bonuses on your daily grade.

Players consistently have 3 objectives to complete, offering rewards of caps (money) and lunch boxes. The aforementioned lunch boxes are the monetization aspect of the game. The essential serve as card packs, offering four random items to receive ranging from rare dwellers and weapons to extra supplies. By no means do you need to buy these, and that is awesome considering the monetization schemes many free to play games on the market have in place. Its not all peaches and cream managing a vault however.  Raiders and death claws can attack your vault, stealing supplies and killing your people. Rushing production can also cause hazardous scenarios like fires and rad roach infestations. Successful rushing leads to bonus caps and productions, and arming your dwellers with weapons is the best way to stop physical threats. Weapons as well as outfits are best earned by sending a dweller out into the wasteland to explore. Much like in the actual game, these explorers find many supplies and danger while on their trip. The more stimpacks and radaways you give them (which can be made in the vault) the longer their travels can be. This is the best way to earn items while not playing. Unlike many simulation games on the mobile market, Fallout Shelter does not force you to play. Your vault will not fall apart if you do not check it consistently. Supplies do not drain completely while you are away, but production and explorers stay active. This game is a perfect mobile rendition of the universe, and hopefully future updates add to the already deep and rich experience that is Fallout Shelter.

9/10

By Edwin Velez

You can download Fallout Shelter for free right here.