At the heart of every good RPG sporting such an impressive array of destructive tools lies combat, and Fallout 2 is no exception. The combat system can make or break a game. In this case, it makes for a continually fun challenge. For instance, early in the game, it would be difficult to travel to San Francisco because the creatures you'll likely encounter can bite through flesh like cotton candy. This puts a little bit of focus into an otherwise completely non-linear game.
Most quests revolve around combat.
Occasionally a quest will be simpler, and involve only errand running. Sometimes a player's skills will come into play. A high speech skill can get you out of almost any situation, and the abilities to repair things or pick locks always come in handy. Combat itself takes place in a turn-based fashion. You can switch weapons, access inventory, use Stimpacks, reload ammo, run away, or do a number of other activities in combat using available Action Points.