Amazing game - poorly marketed. If you missed it, I can't blame you. However, even today, it is worth playing.
There are not many games out there that are worth replay. The games worth playing more than a decade after release number only two - and both are Fallout games. They are simply that good.
Fallout 2 is better than Fallout in my opinion, jaded though it may be by becoming addicted to the second game before playing the first. I cannot tell you how many times I've played the first few locations in the game. Closing my eyes, I can literally picture the entire Temple of Trials cave at the beginning - where all the traps are and where the scorpions and ants are waiting in ambush. I have played through it that many times. Enjoying it every time.
The only negatives to this game are the graphics (now more than a decade old) and... yeah, that's pretty much it.
If you are wondering about the story behind Fallout 3 or simply in the mood for a good, long lasting RPG experience, look no further... well, you could also look to the original Fallout.