Falling For Fallout: A Post-Nuclear RPG Retrospective

RPGWatch has kicked up an article entitled "Falling For Fallout: A Post-Nuclear RPG Retrospective", in which they provide us with a historical overview of the classic CRPG.
Although they are essential to the success of any CRPG, it takes more than an engrossing storyline and engaging settings to make such a game truly (special) in the eyes and hearts of the CRPG community, and that's where Fallout's one of a kind SPECIAL character-creation system comes into play. SPECIAL is an acronym, indicative of the seven attributes used to describe Fallout characters: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Besides the attributes, the SPECIAL system also involves a long list of Skills (represented as percentages and any of which can be increased at anytime) and numerous Perks (which give the players the opportunity to actually bend the rules a bit). Exclusive to the Fallout series*, this system, coupled with Fallout's non-linear gameplay, consequential actions and multiple choice conversations, makes revisiting the wastelands not only an unlimited prospect, but a genuinely pleasurable one as well.