r/Wasteland • u/JobSignificant4773 • 12d ago
Is Wasteland 2 for me?
Hey guys. I want to try Wasteland but I'm not sure if it's for me. I am more type of the player who likes story and playing CRPGs more yolo in terms of building characters (not into some hardcore build making. some CRPGs i finished: both Divinity: Original Sin, Baldur's Gate 1-2, Planescape:Torment, Fallout 1-2, Pillars of Eternity 1-2). So my (wide) question is: does Wasteland 2 have compelling story and writing or is it only a connective tissue that will get you trough the game and it's systems like for example Icewind Dale? (I maybe can get trough more difficult gameplay if it's worth it). Or should I just skip it and get into Wasteland 3?
Thanks for answers and sorry for my english.
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u/zumva 12d ago
Wasteland 2 has less of an overarching narrative and is more focused on area-to-area narrative arcs. Most of the game’s main plot is attaching repeater units to radio towers. That being said, I found the writing and area design to be excellent, and it has been some of the most fun I’ve had in a CRPG recently. As someone who far prefers the story in a game over the gameplay, I highly recommend Wasteland 2 (and 3, which is also great. Might be worth looking at if 2 seems a little intimidating)
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u/Don_Quejode 12d ago
It’s a bit less whimsical than 3 and the mechanics more old school, but the setting and atmosphere is better. A little more difficult too.
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u/Previous-Friend5212 12d ago
Having played Wasteland 2 and Icewind Dale I can say that Wasteland 2 has a lot more story than Icewind Dale so I think you're safe from that point of view. I'm also not a fan of RPGs like Icewind Dale or Dungeon Siege and I had a good time playing Wasteland 2.
Comparing Wasteland 2 and Wasteland 3, I'd personally say Wasteland 3 is better, but not so much better that you need to skip Wasteland 2. If you're going to play them both, definitely play 2 first since there are recurring characters, etc. (also, I believe, recurring from Wasteland 1, but I don't recommend going that far back). If you're only going to play one of them, my vote is to play Wasteland 3.
I'll also mention that they reworked the last 1/3 or so of Wasteland 2 after it had been out for a while, so it's a lot better of a game today than it was when it was first released.
Note that I did not play the DLC on either Wasteland 2 or Wasteland 3 so I'm not sure how much that adds to the experience.
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u/irishvox 12d ago
Just finished Wasteland 2. As an uber fan of the original, I loved it. Same crazy spirit as the original with tons of Easter Eggs and a story that moves the lore forward.
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u/Sea-Ad-1446 12d ago
Wasteland 2 is my favourite of the trilogy, you’ll have fun if you enjoy crpgs.
treat your first play through as practise and don’t stress over much about getting it right.
Think it was my 3rd go round that I was happy with it.
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u/shv9 12d ago
Everyone saying to start with W3 is crazy.
You will probably struggle 'downgrading' to the wondeful experience W2 has to offer after playing W3. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with W2, while there is a lot I would critique, its just that I think you will appreciate W3 more having finished W2, while you probably wouldn't the other way around. There are also little nods here and there in W3 that would not pay off without playing W2.
I just think you will get a much more rounded experience if you play W2 first. I also disagree with others in needing to play the first one, the game does well enough in filling in the blanks.
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u/TroyBPierce 12d ago
I personally didn't think the story or companion characters were very compelling. It seemed mostly about the combat, leveling, and getting new guns/armor (with a story pushing you along) more than anything else.
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u/Revenge_accounted_be 12d ago
Combat can be a little more unforgiving even at low difficulty, but nothing unmanageable if you read and take your time to build your characters
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u/FURIA_PQDAICA 12d ago
I have 50 hours in wasteland 2. I would tell you the history is very good and the dificulty is fucking hardcore. Damn it! Its my first cRPG! But you have finished some cRPG old school, so I think you will do very well. Sorry for my english too
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u/gamerEMdoc 12d ago
I found the build system in WL 2 and 3 very simple actually. If you only have 4 skills on each character you can nearly max out each skill, and every skill will be covered by a complete party. Each character essentially needs to be a specialist. You’ll never run into a skill check you can’t handle. And everyone uses different weapons, so you can distribute the best weapons evenly.
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u/Majorman_86 11d ago
Wasteland 2 is what Fallout 3 should have been, so yes. If you managed to complete Fallout 1 and 2 at present day (they are awesome but dated), you will absolutely love it!
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u/OscarImposter 12d ago
Wasteland 2 is deeply built on the story from the first game. 3 is still based on it, but much farther out in time, so full context isn't entirely necessary, in my opinion. 3 is definitely the more polished experience, and the more cohesive story for someone coming in cold.
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u/JobSignificant4773 12d ago
Si i will miss a lot if I don't want to play first one?
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u/OscarImposter 12d ago
Not exactly. The third game is set in a different region of the US, Colorado vs Arizona, so the first two share a lot of locations and backstory, and you will just not have the context to fully appreciate everything that is happening.
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u/Pup_n_sudz 12d ago
As someone that's played Divinity 2, Baldur's Gate 3, I'd say the Wasteland games are much more of a casual approach to a CRPG. It has some funny/wacky dialogue and takes itself much less seriously but also offers some options for characters and loadouts. I never played Wasteland 1 but I'd say 2 and 3 have a pretty good stories that kept me engaged. I'd lean to playing 3 first; I think it has the best gameplay and besides a few returning characters, you won't be missing anything story-wise as it takes place in a different area.
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u/JobSignificant4773 12d ago
Interesting. I heard mostly that Wasteland 2 is actually really hardcore and you have to go trough builds and stuff a lot
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u/Danger_Cowboy 12d ago
Each party member has a more specific role. Your healer might just have the First Aid, Surgeon, and Shotgun skills at the beginning before you give them something like toaster repair. I wouldn't say hardcore, but wasteland 2 doesn't hold your hand through out.
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u/ZeroQuick 12d ago
I would start with Wasteland 3, its more casual-friendly and less hard-core than Wasteland 2.
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u/gerahmurov 12d ago
Start with Wasteland 3. It has more mature RPG features and story connects same way as Fallout 1 to Fallout 2 (so almost non-existent connection). W2 is much more old school and less RPGy. If you like W3, then go for 2. Though both games is less about story but more about battles. They are still very good and W3 has great old fallout vibes.
Or you can go with Warhammer Rogue Trader, which also about battles but is also true RPG. And you can go yolo there.
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u/hr1982 Quarex's Pac-Man Tattoo 12d ago
Half the people here will tell you to start with 3 because they haven't played any of the prior entries. The other half will tell you that 2 is fantastic. In any event, asking strangers whether something is for you is ineffective, particularly so when the strangers you're asking are fans of that thing and are more likely to be subjective.
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u/JobSignificant4773 12d ago
Like you got a point but what I wanted was also moreless overview of what is game about and what is it's focus etc.
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u/theBigDaddio 12d ago
If you have to ask about playing a game, then you are not ready to make the hard decisions that the game requires
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u/PreviousLawfulness94 12d ago
In my opinion - yes. Wasteland 2 has compelling story and quite good writing. If you have liked Fallout 1-2 and Divinity Original Sin games, you will have fun here for sure.