Shacknews Top 10 Games of the Year 2020

#7 Game of the Year 2020 - Wasteland 3

Here's a simple fact. Short of an open-world sandbox, there is no game with a solid narrative or arrangement of mechanics that will allow you to be as flexible in how you approach it as Wasteland 3. This RPG is incredible in its freedom. Do you want to be the kind of duo that goes heavy on the lead and guns-a-blazin'? You can. Do you want to be a scientific computer genius, a lockpicking thief, master of explosives (both disarming and rearming), or a machine king of scrap, circuitry and all things robotic? You can. Do you want to talk your way out of any trouble that could possibly force you into a fight you don't want?... You get the idea.

Now couple that character freedom with an absolutely bonkers world of choice and consequence. Wasteland 3's narrative is a wild one and the choices you make at every step of the way ripple throughout its world in meaningful ways. Heck, there's routes to ending this game in just a few hours or making it last for many dozen depending on how you play it, and along the way, there will be plenty of radioactive creatures, gangs, and settlement leaders to test your Rangers' mettle. InXile had a lot of work to do to make a truly delicious follow-up in the Wasteland franchise, and arguably, Wasteland 3 is everything that ought to be.

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.