Fallout is nowadays a well known franchise, mainly thanks to Bethesda who bought the licence and made fallout 3.
Fallout Tactics is a very different game from their numbered counterparts, while fallout 1 and 2 are turn-based RPGs, tactics is a tactical squad game with RPG elements and runs on what seems to be a variation of the fallout 1 and 2 game engine.
The story is not the most exciting thing that I've heard of but it gives you an excuse to do the missions and it serves the purpose well without breaking the appeal, I just wouldn't consider it cannon because of many things that don't fit in the fallout universe.
The game plays well for the role it poses, but I think one would be better served with jagged alliance for example.
I loved fallout 1 and 2, and I bought this thinking that it would be at least half as engaging, my mistake, In fact I felt bored while playing the game and just because the game ins't broken it deserves a 3/5, but it fails as a fallout game, and fails as a good squad game.(I feel disappointed by this game as I felt by hellgate London).