Wasteland 3

Wasteland 3 is inXile Entertainment’s 2020 party-based RPG, and the third entry in the series that helped pioneer the post-apocalyptic RPG genre decades before Fallout existed. You command a squad of Desert Rangers, lawmen and women trying to hold together what’s left of civilization, sent from the radioactive heat of the American Southwest into the frozen, brutal winter of Colorado to strike an alliance that might save their dying base back home.

It blends turn-based, XCOM-style tactical combat with genuinely reactive writing, dark humor, and a setting that leans into political satire and human depravity in equal measure. Base-building at your Ranger HQ, deep customization, and consequences that actually follow you through the story round out a game widely considered a major step up from its predecessor.

It landed a Best Role Playing Game nomination at The Game Awards 2020 and remains one of the most acclaimed CRPGs of that year.

Curious how it stacks up against the rest of the genre? See where it lands in our ranking of the best party-based RPG games you can play right now.

Is Wasteland 3 Worth It?

Yes, strongly. It holds an 85 on Metacritic with 97% of critic reviews landing positive, and outlets across the board praise it as a genuine improvement over Wasteland 2 in nearly every way. Critics consistently single out the turn-based tactical combat (frequently compared favorably to XCOM), sharp, dark-humored writing where even side quests feel like proper stories, and meaningful player choice that carries real consequences through the campaign.

The criticism that comes up repeatedly, and specifically, is technical: multiple reviewers flagged a genuinely buggy launch, mostly minor issues but some rare crashes, and online co-op in particular was called out as “really rough” at release. A few reviewers also found the main story merely average even while praising how well it was delivered, and some later user reviews describe the moment-to-moment gameplay growing repetitive over a long playthrough. None of this stopped it from earning a Game Awards nomination, and inXile patched many of the technical issues post-launch, but it’s worth knowing the reputation for rough edges at release, especially around co-op, before diving in.

Gameplay & Features

You build a squad of Rangers, mixing custom recruits with a cast of story companions, and work through Colorado’s frozen wasteland via turn-based tactical combat built around cover, positioning, and squad coordination. Skill checks and dialogue choices shape how quests resolve, and the game genuinely tracks the consequences of your decisions across the whole campaign, factions remember what you did to them.

Back at Ranger HQ, a base-building layer lets you recruit specialists, craft gear, and upgrade your operation between missions. Full online co-op lets a second player join your campaign, though as noted above, it launched rougher than the single-player experience.

• Turn-based tactical combat with genuine XCOM-style positioning and cover
• A custom squad of Rangers alongside a cast of story companions
• Ranger HQ base-building, recruiting specialists and crafting gear between missions
• Meaningful choice and consequence that genuinely tracks across the campaign
• Online co-op for a second player, though patches since launch have improved its stability

If you enjoy this style of tactical, choice-driven RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 are worth comparing against, different setting, similar tactical depth.

PC System Requirements

Wasteland 3 sits in the middle of the pack for hardware demands, more than the older Pillars of Eternity, but comfortably less than Baldur’s Gate 3.

It’s also officially supported on macOS and Linux, and playable on Steam Deck. Console players can find it on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

How to Buy & Play Wasteland 3

The base game is priced at $39.99, and it goes on sale fairly often, with third-party retailers like GOG occasionally offering it as low as $7-8 during major promotions.

• Buy Wasteland 3 on Steam, for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Also available on GOG, PlayStation, and Xbox.

After purchase, install through your chosen storefront. If you’re planning to play co-op, check for recent patch notes first, the experience has improved substantially since launch but is still worth confirming is in good shape before committing a friend’s evening to it. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Pillars of Eternity are two more tactical RPGs worth comparing against, and our full RPG catalog covers more options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wasteland 3 worth buying?
Yes, strongly, for fans of tactical RPGs. It’s a genuine improvement over Wasteland 2 in nearly every category, though it launched with real technical bugs and rough online co-op, both largely improved through post-launch patches.

Do I need to play Wasteland 2 first?
No, Wasteland 3 is accessible as a starting point even without prior series knowledge, though returning fans will catch additional references and continuity.

Is online co-op good?
It’s improved significantly since a rough launch. Multiple reviewers flagged co-op stability as a weak point in 2020, but ongoing patches have addressed much of that.

Is combat turn-based or real-time?
Fully turn-based, with tactical positioning and cover mechanics frequently compared to XCOM.

How long does it take to finish?
Around 40-50 hours for the main story and major side content, longer for full completion.

Who made Wasteland 3?
inXile Entertainment developed it, originally published by Deep Silver, with current storefront listings also crediting Xbox Game Studios following Microsoft’s 2018 acquisition of the studio. It released on August 28, 2020.