I wouldn't compare the classic Fallout titles to modern games as they are very different experiences. I also want to point out than you said "A very important question, is the combat good or clunky?" Thing is, Fallout 1 and 2 are NOT centered around combat like FO3 is. If you are worried more about the combat than anything else, chances are, you're playing the wrong game. FO1 and 2 focuses on character interaction and exploration, not wandering the wastes finding baddies to kick the shit out of. The combat isn't the most satisfying and it can be annoying when there are large numbers of NPCs waiting to take their turn. IMO, the game more than makes up for this flaw with the atmosphere. Not sure if atmosphere is important to you in games, but it is for me.
TLDR, if you like games that make you feel like part of the game world, give these two games a go. If you're looking at these titles cos you want to beat stuff up in a crapsack world, look elsewhere.
This is what a "modern" gamer might say about Fallout 1 and 2:
ZOMG!!! This game sucks, the graphics suck and looks like a 5 year old made them and it's 2D and the combat is slow and turn based like OMFG, this is 2015 now, turn based is so out dated. I play games to kill stuff not read, all this text makes my eyes bleed and there's nothing that tells you where to go to,except for that stupid pipboy thing that I have to read, reading sucks, I want a flashy blippy thing on the radar telling me where to go. Without a radar, knowing where to go is all confusing cos many places on the world map open up and you have to pay attention to dialog to know where to go and I don't want to to do that. They don't make games like this anymore because they're slow and ugly and hard and sucky, thank god gaming has improved since then.
I hope the above isn't you and that you will be able to appreciate these games for what they are. Regardless of what I (or anyone else) says though, you will only know if you like it if you try it out for yourself.
Post edited March 20, 2015 by IwubCheeze