Fallout?

I don't know if you've tried Dishonored, but that is one that would probably fit your wants. Or perhaps Wolfenstein.

 

You can totally start playing at three and not be lost. The plot of all the fallout games are self contained. They share a world, but each one has a new protagonist and a new story. I've only played the most recent three (Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Fallout 4), and I've never felt lost. As a matter of fact, if you prefer first person shooters I would definitely avoid the first two. All fallout games are RPGs, but the first two are top down ones, while the latter three are first person shooters. Fallout 4 is the best shooter of the three, I really like the combat in that one, it feels really natural. Three and New Vegas (they basically play the same) are better RPGs, but not as good shooters. Fallout three is probably my favorite of all of them, and in my opinion one of the best RPGs of all times, so if you have that already I would recommend starting there.

 

So I'll also try to clear up some of the confusion on the setting, since you seemed to be wondering about that. WARNING there will be some minor spoilers in there, but it's kind of impossible to avoid when talking about the setting for these games.
So the fallout series does not take place in the 50s, it actually takes place a few hundred years in the future. The universe that Fallout takes place in is an alternate timeline that diverged from ours some time in the late 40s or early 50s. The big differences is that the fallout universe never invented the microchip, so all their technology still relies on vacuum tubes, hence the bulky 50s look to everything electronic. They also kept a very conservative, 50s style culture, well into the twenty first century, which is why everything looks so retro. This includes cloths, music, building style, art style, etc. However, they did advance technologically, and before the war (more on that in a second) they had a lot of futuristic technology, like nuclear powered cars, laser guns, and robot butlers.
So i mentioned that they kept a lot of the 50s culture well into the twenty first century. This included a hatred of communism. In this timeline the Soviets still fell apart, but China took over from them, and became the US's new communist bogyman. This, and a major shortage of oil, lead to a war, starting some time in the 2070s (can't remember the timeline that well off the top of my head). Basically the US and China went to war over the last oil reserves in Alaska. China invaded the Alaska, the US counter invaded China. The war went on for awhile, then on October 27th 2077, someone launched a Nuclear warhead, and the world basically ended. Every country that had nukes launched them, and the world was reduced to an atomic waist land. This atomic exchange is called the Great War in the series.This is why everything is ruined, and the world is full of mutated monsters that you have to fight.
At this point your probably thinking, this all sounds horrible, how could there be people left to interact with after all that? Well people managed to survive by hiding in giant, underground fallout shelters called vaults. There are over 100 of them, spread across the US. They were built by a company called Vault-Tech (creative name I know) and the US government. Before the war it was claimed that they were to save people if the worst happened. But obviously, since the US government was involved, this was all a lie. The vaults were really horrible social experiments, I won't go into the specifics, because figuring out what the vaults you find scatters through the came world were for is part of the fun, but some were pretty fucked up. Basically most of the vaults failed, and the inhabitants died or had to leave, repopulating the waist land as they did.
Basically, the plot of most of the games (New Vegas is a bit different) is that you live in one of the few vaults that hasn't gone belly up. You need to leave for some reason, and do, finding yourself in the waist land outside. You battle your way through mutated monsters, crazy robots, irradiated zombies (they're called ghouls and some of them are cool people), crazy cultists, and raiders, till you finish your main quest. Along the way you'll find all kinds of equipment, everything from retro looking dresses and baseball bats to power armor and miniature nuke launchers (I'm not joking that's really a weapon in this game). The best bit is that, with a few minor exceptions, you can kill almost anyone loot almost anything. See a guy with a cool helmet? Kill him and it can be yours. Tired of getting killed by that Super Mutant with a mini gun? Kill him and you can loot it and use it to kill his friends. Basically they are great games, and if you are looking for something to try, and already have Fallout 3, I would definitely give it a shot.

 

Hey, I know Fallout 4 has a bad reputation among Fallout fans but give it a try. I've find it quite absorbing and interesting. Love the late 50s post-apocalyptic vibe.

 

I absolutely love the fallout games!!! Everything everyone has said above is correct and I personally think u should give them a try if u like first person shooters, role playing, and especially the aesthetic(the music is A+ lol) they're great and fun and every positive adjective I can think of lol

 

Fallout is a great game series. If you have a copy nearby I'd definitely recommend giving it a try and seeing for yourself.

 

I for one hate that the Fallout universe got stuck in the 1950's and always roleplay it that the protagonist, except the Sole Survivor, doesn't know about communism, or even the world outside the region their adventure takes them through until it comes up or something takes them somewhere else, like The Pitt, the Sierra Madre, or Far Harbor.

As I said, I hate that it got sot stuck in the 50's. We know of one industrialist, Robert Edwin House, and his RobCo.- how did he and creator of Nuka-Cola, John-Caleb Bradberton, yes, Bethesda did mashup the creators of Coke and Pepsi, and that universe's Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and other such people not think there had to be a better way and better designs? How did the greatest minds of the 20th and 21st centuries before the Great War get so complacent with some things while inventing truly amazing things like sentient robots and Power Armor at the same exact time? Don't get me wrong, as the seties has gone on, it's introduced us to many memorable characters, stories, quests, and gear, and I do love Fallout.

 

The style and look of everything in the Fallout universe is stuck 1950's because of one of the most fundamental part of the game's stories; the propaganda. Look at the posters, the articles on the terminals, the propaganda of the war and evils of Communism are everywhere.

Fallout 4 is the only one I have played and I enjoy it still. I keep finding things I missed in previous play throughs.

Dishonored was really good, but hard because I am not a big fan of stealth. Great story.

 

I love this game series and basically anything Bethesda touches.
Its open world so I prefer it to bio shock.
Definitely some horror aspects, like climbing around in a basement of a library, with Ghouls (Irradiated Zombies)sneaking around then jumping at you.

Its completely LGBT in its relationship options too, which is nice. Lots of roaming, exploring, adventuring, problem solving, first person shooting, RPG set up and Bethesda is amazing at the little details that make a world. Books and notes littered around with clues as to who lived or worked there before the war.

Beautiful games. Fallout 4 is epic.

 

I was introduced to Fallout 3 when it came out and have been hooked on the series ever since.

Fantastic games, brilliant soundtracks too.

 

I can't speak for the full series but I Love fallout 4 and have came back to it several times and would love to see new fallout with MMO or at least network capabilities. Picked up the Cold Harbor expansion pack as well and it's definitely money well spent.. I don't think I've ever seen as large an expansion pack on any game and the content is almost as good as the base game too!