Fallout 2’s Latest Mod Let’s You Play the Original Isometric Fallout 3 [IGN]

Fallout fans yearning for the days when the series was an isometric RPG can once again revisit that gameplay style thanks to this new fan-made project that revives the original vision for Fallout 3 by Black Isle.

Spotted by GamesRadar, Fallout Yesterday is a Fallout 2 mod that allows players to play the Fallout 3 that might have been. If you are unfamiliar with Van Buren, it was the codename for the third mainline installment in the Fallout series. Set in the year 2253 in the American Southwest, Van Buren would have players controlling a prison while trying to evade robotic prison guards.

Fallout Yesterday’s Nexus Mods page notes that the mod includes a slew of new content to flesh out what Van Buren might have been. Some changes added to this mod include new items, weapons, traits and perks, and companions, to name a few.

Van Buren would ultimately be canceled in late 2003, with Bethesda Softworks acquiring the Fallout IP after Interplay went bankrupt. Bethesda would continue to make Fallout games, including a third mainline installment released in 2008, which would be a major pivot for the franchise, keeping the game in the RPG genre but pivoting from isometric, turn-based combat to action RPG with the option to switch between first or third-person perspectives.

Last month, Fallout creator Tim Cain broke his silence on the canceled Fallout project, revealing that an unidentified VP at Interplay asked him to play a prototype of Van Buren. “I don’t think they can get it done, so I’m just going to cancel it. But if you look over it and give me an estimate, there’s a chance I wouldn’t cancel it,” the executive told Cain.

The Fallout creator spent two hours playing the build and questioned the development team. Cain revealed that he ultimately told the VP he was “convinced” the game could be shipped in 18 months. That, however, proved too long and costly for Interplay.

The breakout success of Prime Video’s Fallout TV show has boosted interest in all things Fallout, including the classic PC originals. Bethesda development chief Todd Howard recently ruled out remakes of Fallout 1 and 2, saying some of their charm has to do with the fact they remain firmly rooted in the old-school PC role-playing game era of the mid-to-late 90s.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.