Fallout New Vegas is one of the most beloved RPGs of all time for many reasons. From the more classic Fallout setting to the character building that allows for so much more roleplay and immersion, to the janky yet still fun combat, and the interesting writing and characters across the world make it all worth it.
No RPG is complete without quests of all sorts. These are those little bite-sized pieces you’ll never forget. And with a world as varied as Fallout New Vegas, it’s no surprise it has some of the most memorable quests and stories, not just in Fallout history but in gaming history as a whole. So, here are some of the best it has to offer.
10/10 Ghost Town Gunfight
Starting quests in RPGs don’t always have the best reputation, often being slow, full of tutorials, and overall an experience of “waiting for the real game to start,” but New Vegas flips that on its head with Ghost Town Gunfight. This quest offers a simple premise: You’ve woken up in a small town, and before you hit the road, you find that a gang is about to descend on it, and you have to choose a side and fight.
The appeal of Ghost Town Gunfight comes in how every bit of preparation serves as a tutorial for a new aspect of gameplay (with tutorials being only optional!) and allows a player to already see the strengths of their build. Another thing it perfectly introduces is the level of choice in New Vegas, as not only do you have many choices for how to prepare, but you can also choose to betray the town and start a reign of terror, whichever you prefer.
9/10 Arizona Killer
One of the reasons Fallout New Vegas is still so beloved is the amount of freedom it gives to players in its quests. Even if there isn’t much choice in the outcomes, players get to find unique ways to solve problems, and Arizona Killer is a shining example of this. Arizona Killer is part of the Legion quest line and gives a simple goal: Kill the NCR president.
The fun of the quest comes in just how many ways there are to accomplish this simple goal. The quest accommodates plenty of different options, from more basic combat to more out-there solutions, such as planting C4 in a soldier’s helmet, making the vertibird crash into the dam, or making the anti-air cannon fire on them. If you want a taste of Hitman in the Fallout Universe, Arizona Killer is a great quest.
8/10 Ring-a-Ding-Ding
New Vegas’s main quest line in the first half of the game is a wild goose chase across Nevada in search of one of the most easily hateable characters in the game: Benny, the man who shot you. And when you finally reach New Vegas, it’s time to decide how things turn out.
Ring-a-Ding-Ding serves as an excellent confrontation as it’s not a gimme victory like the game tries to convince; you’ll need brains to get Benny. If you try to go the direct way, it’s likely Benny will trick you into an ambush and escape. But smart players can get their revenge in full by either using Benny’s vices against him or his poor choice of company in order to get close enough to take justice. Whether the quest ends as a crowning moment of revenge or a terrible mistake, Ring-a-Ding-Ding is certainly a memorable showdown.
7/10 Come Fly With Me
Some quests that don’t have too much to offer in terms of gameplay can easily make up for it in terms of story and spectacle, such as with one of the most memorable quests in the game, Come Fly With Me. Early in the game, you’ll find yourself pushed towards REPCONN and be met with an interesting sight, a cult of ghouls trying to take the rockets into space for a ritual.
While the quest itself mostly consists of just taking out nightkin and feral ghouls in the basement, it’s the little touches that make this quest so memorable. From the strange talk of the “Great Beyond” to the one human who is convinced they’re a ghoul (and might sabotage the mission if he finds out), or the reward of a goofy-looking space suit, it’s a good laugh to remember.
6/10 Old School Ghoul
One of the smaller things that makes New Vegas so special is how much of it can be missed. It’s impossible to see everything your first time through, and that especially applies to companion quests such as Raul. As one of the harder-to-find companions, Raul doesn’t get as much attention as Boone or Rex.
Raul has one of the most interesting stories out of any of the companions, as we see him grapple with settling down or returning to the way of the gun as you travel across the wasteland and listen to people. It’s a very calming quest, and the stories Raul has to tell are just fascinating to listen to. Raul is one of the most complex companions in the series, and this quest shows that off in all its glory.
5/10 I Could Make You Care
The Brotherhood of Steel gets nowhere near the spotlight in New Vegas as they get in the Bethesda titles, but while they may only be a side-faction here, they still get moments to shine bright such as in I Could Make You Care. This quest comes from Veronica, a scribe for the Brotherhood of Steel when she finally snaps after seeing several things in her journey and is determined to change her people.
The quest sees you trying to convince the Brotherhood to grow and change by showing new technology of your choice, journeying across the wasteland, and meeting fun characters to do so. But no matter what one does, you cannot convince the Brotherhood, and it leaves Veronica with an important choice of whether to stay or leave. The quest offers a fascinating insight into both Veronica, who is already one of the best companions, and the more dogmatic western Brotherhood, leaving the player with a bittersweet conclusion.
4/10 For Auld Sang Lyne
For Auld Sang Lyne is one of the most well-hidden quests in the game, yet a fan favorite as it sees the return of one of the oldest factions in Fallout: The Enclave. Coming from Arcade Gannon, after you’ve earned his trust through your choices, he’ll finally reveal that he was actually born into the Enclave and knows remnants who may be able to assist in the fight.
The quest sees the player travel all over the wasteland to meet these new crazy characters and convince them to come back together. It’s a fun ride the whole way through and gives plenty of insight into Arcade. Plus, the quest gives the player great rewards such as Enclave armor and help to the NCR in the battle (Or towards Caesar if you feel like stabbing Arcade in the back).
3/10 Beyond the Beef
Beyond the Beef is probably one of the most famous quests in all of gaming for how it exemplifies player choice and the moral nuances of New Vegas. This quest is found later in-game at the Ultra-Luxe Casino when you learn of someone having gone missing, only to discover in your investigation that the casino’s tribe is reverting to cannibalism.
Beyond the Beef shines in player choice as once you discover the truth of the White Glove Society, you have plenty of choices on how to handle them. You can kill the hostage and frame someone else, offer your own companion as a meal, kill them all to stop this madness, or find a way to change the White Gloves for the better. Beyond the Beef offers so many ways to finish the quest, and it’s a joy to revisit for that reason.
2/10 Old World Blues
No, this entry is not counting the entire Old World Blues DLC; it’s just a case of sadly confusing names. But even then, Old World Blues acts as an incredible finale to New Vegas’ most memorable DLC, filled with the same oddball humor, out-there concepts, and surprisingly nuanced character writing the expansion is known for.
This quest sees the player finally going off to recover their brain from the supposedly evil Dr. Mobius, fighting through rad-scorpions and arguing with their own brain only to realize they’ve been duped and Think Tank are the true monstrous scientists, leaving the player to decide how to handle these oddballs. The quest uses the player’s expectation for a wild and meaningless plot to deliver a really great plot twist and satisfying conclusion for the Big MT.
1/10 The Battle for Hoover Dam
No matter what route you take through the Mojave, all paths lead to Hoover Dam for the final fight. Whether you find yourself defending the NCR, tearing through with the Legion, springing House’s trap, or being the one-man army in a two-front war, the battle for the dam provides a fantastic final fight to bring together all the major factions.
One of the main problems with other final quests is that they really only reflect the main story and not everything else you’ve done around the world. But Hoover Dam makes sure you feel the consequences as so many optional quests can get you to help in the fight from the Boomers or Enclave, and your choice of whom to side with heavily affects the quest. And as a cherry on top of this finale, the ending slides make sure that everything comes together in an ending to call your own, with every faction, companion, and quest helping to shape New Vegas’s fate. It’s an ending to remember.
