The Best ‘Fallout’ Quests Immerse Gamers in a Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland

Like every Bethesda Game, quests form a significant chunk of the Fallout gaming experience, tasking players with missions filled with tough decisions, moral conundrums, and hostile, leather-clad raiders around every corner.

While it takes a good amount of time and energy to navigate through these quests, these missions allow players to enjoy the post-apocalyptic wasteland in an immersive and atmospheric manner.

Whether assisting Ghouls in constructing a rocket ship or leveling an entire community with the aid of an atom bomb, these quests provide players with some of the most unforgettable missions in the realm of gaming, rivaling other hit RPGs like Skyrim, The Outer Worlds, and Horizon Zero Dawn.

The Power of the Atom (Fallout 3)

Every memorable Fallout mission revolves around one thing above all else: choice. Placing intrinsic value on players’ individual decisions, all great Fallout quests hinge on the specific choices of each gamer. With that in mind, few Fallout quests feature as important a decision as Fallout 3’s “The Power of the Atom.”

Placing the fate of an entire city in the player’s hands, “The Power of the Atom” sees the Lone Wanderer wandering down the most palpable crossroads of their gaming experience. Pondering the fate of Megaton and its numerous residents, few missions reveal the true nature of a player quite like “The Power of the Atom,” forcing gamers to choose between saving the city or dooming it to nuclear annihilation.

Come Fly With Me (Fallout: New Vegas)

Nope, not the catchy Frank Sinatra tune.

One of the major highlights of Fallout: New Vegas’ entire mission catalog, “Come Fly With Me” sees the Courier help the human and Ghoul residents of the Mojave rebuild a decrepit rocket ship set to launch the Ghouls into space.

Collecting ship parts, negotiating between the neighboring factions of Ghouls and humans, and doing whatever they can to aid in the Ghouls’ interstellar exodus, “Come Fly With Me” features nary a dull moment in any one of its exciting series of objectives. Not only that, but at the end of the day, how many games have players assisting a rocket launch into space?

Long Time Coming (Fallout 4)

If anyone ever needed proof of Nick Valentine’s value as a companion, try playing Fallout 4’s “Long Time Coming” through to completion. A satisfying companion quest in its own right, “Long Time Coming” also stands out as one of the most memorable missions in Fallout 4, if only for its affecting story and in-depth emotional nuance.

Assisting the Synth detective in tracking down the Ghoul gangster responsible for destroying the real Nick Valentine’s life, the Sole Survivor has a hand in helping Nick move past his traumatic memories, giving him the peace of mind necessary to move on. A cathartic mission in more ways than one, it also marks one of the few times in a Fallout game where players have an otherwise easy decision to make, rather than wallowing in crippling self-doubt about the morality of their decisions (see Fallout 3’s “Oasis” for one such example).

Agatha’s Song (Fallout 3)

Most Fallout missions spiral into agonizing moral dilemmas that leave players disgusted with their checkered internal ethics–sometimes to the point of struggling to look at themselves in the mirror. With Fallout 3’s “Agatha’s Song,” on the other hand, players have the opportunity to perform a genuine good deed, redeeming all of the other lose-lose decisions they’ve made prior.

In a satisfying change of pace for the Fallout games, “Agatha’s Song” adopts a minimalist story, which sees the Lone Wanderer searching for a lost violin on behalf of the geriatric musician, Agatha. Battling mutated bugs and rifling through long-abandoned vaults on their quest, “Agatha’s Song” has the potential to induce a state of heart-warming satisfaction once they’ve united Agatha with her cherished violin — an all too rare feeling when it comes to most Fallout quests.

Oasis (Fallout 3)

Fallout characters have a way of popping up from one game to the next, whether in the form of the Super Mutant sheriff, Marcus, or the series’ unofficial canine mascot, Dogmeat. As an extension of this trait, players may recognize Fallout 3’s suffering sentient tree, Harold, from the original Fallout game, as seen through the side quest, “Oasis.”

Borrowing its name from the reclusive community the Lone Wanderer has a chance to stumble upon, “Oasis” has players choose between euthanizing the morose Harold or allowing him to live on in an agonized physical state of perpetual pain. As one might expect, performing a coup de grace on a living creature involves some serious soul-searching, especially when it comes to someone as kind-hearted and sympathetic as poor old Harold.

The Replicated Man (Fallout 3)

Androids and robotic creatures form a significant population unto themselves in the Fallout canon, often serving as some of the most interesting individuals players can encounter in the bombed-out ruins of the wasteland. Case in point with Fallout 3’s “The Replicated Man,” a side-quest centered around a self-aware renegade android who has since disappeared.

Tracking the missing android’s movements, players face several choices when it comes to how to proceed with their investigation, allowing them to either aid the android’s creator in tracking the creature down or help it to escape to freedom. One part noir film and one part technothriller, the ensuing mission proves every bit as compelling as the narrative decisions presented in Fallout 3’s main storyline.

Reilly’s Rangers (Fallout 3)

Like all good things in life, it takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to complete Fallout 3’s “Reilly’s Rangers,” a side-quest that sees the Lone Wanderer tracking down the missing members of the titular group and reuniting them with their leader. By doing so, players will unlock several in-game features, each more unique (and valuable) than the last.

In particular, once they’ve completed “Reilly’s Rangers,” the surviving Rangers will reward players with their choice of a customized mini-gun or the resilient Ranger battle armor. In addition, the Lone Wanderer will then have access to both Butcher and Donovan’s services, allowing them to heal players’ wounds for free and repair their gear at a reduced cost.

Beyond the Beef (Fallout: New Vegas)

In a world filled with temperamental Super Mutants, murderous desert raiders, and merciless human traffickers, of course cannibals figure into a few Fallout games.

In the case of Fallout: New Vegas, said cannibals crop up in the mission “Beyond the Beef,” which sees the Courier trying to rescue a missing child from the clutches of a man-eating cult.

In typical Fallout fashion, however, “Beyond the Beef” has some trickier alternative routes players can take in its main story. Yes, they could rescue the child and pepper the cult in a hail of gunfire — or they could negotiate their way to freeing the boy, using their dexterous business acumen to find a replacement meal for the cult. No matter what they choose, “Beyond the Beef” illustrates just how much decisions matter in Fallout, tailoring each quest to the specific gameplay style of the player.

Nothin’ But a Hound Dog (Fallout: New Vegas)

It makes sense that, even following the end of the world, Elvis impersonators might still gravitate toward Las Vegas, carrying on the tradition of portraying the King of Rock and Roll in the bombed-out ruins of Sin City. If seeing a bunch of Elvis impersonators didn’t offer reason enough to complete New Vegas’s “Nothin’ But a Hound Dog,” though, the possible rewards from this quest make it a mission most people won’t want to miss.

Assisting the leader of the King’s School of Impersonation, the Courier aids the King in searching for a way to preserve the life of his faithful dog, Rex. Combing the Mojave for a way to keep Rex kicking, players will eventually transfer a healthier brain into the mind of the ailing canine, giving Rex a renewed boost of energy.

Once they’ve done so, the Courier has the chance to invite the cyborg dog with them on their adventures–because after all, who doesn’t want a robotic dog by their side as they wander the wasteland?

The Secret of Cabot House (Fallout 4)

One of the strangest and most enjoyable side-quests in the entire Fallout series yet, “The Secret of Cabot House” unfolds like some long-lost Hammer Horror film from the 1950s. Characterized by its campier premise and fascinating narrative twists and turns, players will no doubt find themselves captivated the moment they agree to help Jack Cabot in his odd quest.

In a story involving family secrets, immortality, telekinesis, and lost archaeological wonders, “The Secret of Cabot House” comes packed with off-the-wall creativity around every corner, making it one of the most unforgettable missions featured in Fallout 4.

Old World Blues (Fallout: New Vegas)

As the final quest of the New Vegas DLC add-on of the same name, “Old World Blues” sees the Courier navigating through the Forbidden Zone in search of their missing brain. Battling the mechanical Dr. Mobius and his sinister robo-scorpion, the player have all of their combat skills put to the test in this fan-favorite New Vegas quest.

Leaving plenty open to players’ individual determinations, “Old World Blues” ends the New Vegas add-on on a blissful high note. Decimating the Think Tank and putting an end to Dr. Klein’s villainous reign, few missions have the same satisfying payoff as Old World Blues’ grand finale.

The Silver Shroud (Fallout 4)

Imagine the endless possibilities that could come from accidentally stumbling upon a lore-accurate Batman costume. Using that simple premise as a narrative jumping-off point, “The Silver Shroud” gives players the chance to live out all their role-playing fantasies, stepping into the cowl of the pre-war crimefighter, the Silver Shroud.

As with most Fallout missions, “The Silver Shroud” gives players plenty of leeway in determining how far they’d like to take their role-playing experience, complete with some ham-fisted dialogue options straight out of a vintage Flash Gordon radio program. Hilarious, addictive, and never for a moment dull, “The Silver Shroud” delivers a healthy dose of pulpy action most players crave from Fallout.

The Second Battle of Hoover Dam (Fallout: New Vegas)

Numerous quest lines lead to the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, regardless of whether players choose to side with Caesar’s Legion, the New California Republic, or neither of the above. No matter which party they head into battle with, the Second Battle of Hoover Dam marks a pivotal mission in Fallout: New Vegas, featuring one of the most epic confrontations in the Fallout series to date.

Fighting for control of the historic structure, the Second Battle of Hoover Dam spells out a major turning point for the war between the NCR and the Legionnaires. Not only does the battle have profound implications for the two faction’s forces at Hoover Dam, but players will also notice the larger changes the battle has across the map, from the Fiends’ attack on the NCR at Camp McCarran to the widespread riots sweeping across New Vegas.

I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Fallout: New Vegas)

As most Fallout fans can attest, players can find the absolute best Fallout companion in the form of New Vegas’s Craig Boone. A skilled military sniper able to dispatch enemies from almost any distance, Boone also possesses a unique, heartbreaking backstory, as seen in “I Forgot to Remember to Forget.”

Detailing a decent portion of Boone’s background, his service in the NCR, and his ill-fated marriage to his blushing wife Carla, “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” sheds some critical light on Boone’s character, establishing him as one of the most notable (and useful) companions in the game. By assisting him in warding off Legion traffickers, players also aid Boone in gaining some semblance of moral redemption, not unlike Nick Valentine’s quest, “Long Time Coming,” in Fallout 4.

The Superhuman Gambit (Fallout 3)

A kitschier side-quest in Fallout 3, “The Superhuman Gambit” transposes the dated presentation of a ‘50s comic book into the grittier tone of the Capital Wasteland.

Wandering into the middle of a comical war between two deluded individuals who bill themselves as genuine comic book characters (the heroic Mechanist and the villainous AntAgonizer), “The Superhuman Gambit” sees the Lone Wanderer choosing between fact or fiction.

Listening to the annoyed concerns of the local town residents, players can either choose to play along with the duo’s game of cat and mouse or stop them in their tracks, bringing a harsh sense of reality to their imaginative role-playing adventures. As with most Fallout missions, the final decision rests on what players find most interesting in a Fallout experience — do they want to battle Silver Age comic villains or nip this deranged fantasy in the bud?