Top 10 Fallout Moments

What a quietly evocative opening. When commencing “Fallout 3”, the player is taken through the first nineteen years of their character's life – learning to walk, experiencing a birthday, and even taking a test. All the good times vanish, however, at age nineteen when Vault 101's Overseer gives the order to take control of the vault by force. You narrowly escape the Overseer's forces and exit the vault, only to be hit with blinding light from seeing the sun for the first time. As the light fades to reveal the ruined yet immense landscape ahead, there's a tangible sense of wonder and intrigue lingering on the horizon.

Talk about wanting out of a bad deal. Should players venture into the Ninth Circle bar housed in the Underground settlement, they may come upon the ghoul bouncer Charon. Employed by the bar owner Ahzrukhal, Charon is obliged to maintain his loyalty unless the player manages to obtain Charon's contract. Not only does Charon willingly join the player in this instance, he takes the opportunity to convey his … distaste for Ahzrukhal. Word of warning: don't cross moral lines in front of this guy.

The Mojave Wasteland can be an absolutely brutal place. Case in point: when the Courier, the player's character, approaches the town of Nipton, they are greeted with awe-inspiring carnage. Bodies are strung up on crucifixes and Nipton's buildings are in flames, with only a few citizens spared thanks to a lottery. The sense of horror at one's surroundings lingers as information about the Legion faction's ravaging of the town comes to light, making for a clear indication of what to expect.

We're somewhat surprised people don't discuss this one more. A special encounter in “Fallout 2”, the Guardian of Forever is an innocuous-looking rock formation that your character The Chosen One can find. Upon entering it, though, The Chosen One is transported back in time... to Vault 13, the starting point in the original “Fallout”. As The Chosen One goes about the task of destroying the vault's water chip, one thing becomes clear: we have set in motion the series' events with our own hands.

A final boss should be gratifying and conclusive, and this is no exception. At the end of “Fallout 2”, The Chosen One and company cross paths with Frank Horrigan, super mutant enforcer for the faction known as the Enclave. While the ensuing firefight is intense, it's Horrigan's demise that's of particular note; he not only falls in battle, but actually splits in half. Left barely alive, Frank has one last trick up his sleeve – activating the surrounding facility's self-destruct sequence. Now that's a bombastic climax.

Accept democracy or flee in terror, apparently. Late in “Fallout 3”, the Brotherhood of Steel is preparing to launch a full-scale attack on their foes The Enclave. In a bid to aid their efforts the Brotherhood decided to activate their secret weapon: the reprogrammed U.S. Army robot Liberty Prime. Armed with dual energy beams and throwable explosives, Liberty Prime marches across the Capital Wasteland in a truly magnificent display of force – complete with amusing propaganda-fuelled commentary.

True villainy is rarely as fascinating. As part of the main questline in 1997's “Fallout”, the player-controlled character The Vault Dweller must venture into an abandoned Vault-Tec prototype vault, battling mutants along the way. The Vault Dweller can eventually come face-to-face with the Master, leader of the mutant army. From his grotesque appearance to his multiple voices when speaking, the Master manages to be both bizarre and memorable... and that's before he discusses his plans to eradicate his foes.

While searching for their father James, the Lone Wanderer finds themself drawn to Vault 112. There, they are told James must be retrieved from a simulated reality – and it's here that Vault 112's dark secret comes to light. The virtual reality, Tranquillity Lane, serves as a prison for the vault's inhabitants, governed over and abused by the simulation's creator Stanislaus Braun. The resulting quest to obey Braun's commands – or disobey and liberate the people of Vault 112 – is one driven by player action, and remains unforgettable in its subtle horror.

Shoot for the stars, ye bold ghouls. At the end of the quest “Come Fly With Me”, the Courier is given control over the launch sequence for a ghoul-operated rocket. After retrieving some parts and listening to a rousing speech, the Courier bears witness to the ghouls climbing aboard their vessel. Seeing these oft-harassed beings preparing to travel to a new world, hopeful of a better future beyond Earth, is truly endearing. Of course, if you're the cruel sort, this can be cut short with some sabotage.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Hallucinations at Point Lookout
“Fallout 3” (2008)

James' Death
“Fallout 3” (2008)

Alien Spaceship Battle
“Fallout 3” (2008)

Arriving at the Pitt
“Fallout 3” (2008)

Meeting President Eden
“Fallout 3” (2008)

Meeting Button Gwinnett
“Fallout 3” (2008)

For many players, this is the iconic image going forward. An early quest in “Fallout 3” has the Lone Wanderer crossing paths with Mr. Burke, a man with a simple proposal: destroy the town of Megaton. Specifically, Burke offers the player the detonator linked to Megaton's landmark, an as-yet undetonated nuclear device. Should players take the man up on his offer, they are given a front row seat to the town's destruction... with the lingering mushroom cloud as a reminder that you just killed everyone in Megaton. Except for Moira, god dammit!

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite moment from the Fallout series? For more favorable Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.