Fallout New Vegas: The 24 Best Graphics Mods You Need To Install

Highlights

• Fallout: New Vegas, though aged visually, remains a fan favorite RPG with unique mechanics and superb quality.
• Modding community helps revive the game’s dated graphics, like with texture mods for weapons and armor.
• Enhanced lighting, bloom, and realism mods transform the game’s atmosphere for a more immersive experience.

Many fans would argue that Fallout: New Vegas is the best in the series. Released in 2010, the game has aged considerably in the intervening years. The fact that gamers keep coming back to it, again and again, is a testament to its superb overall quality. The RPG mechanics are one-of-a-kind, with the game combining the best of both the old-school Fallout games along with modern innovations to make for a brilliant role-playing experience that continues to be games/”>Obsidian Entertainment’s magnum opus to this day.

However, there’s no getting around the fact that visually, Fallout: New Vegas is a fossil. Luckily, as with most products associated with Bethesda and Obsidian, the modding community is quite active. With the right essential graphics mods in place, this game can be given a new lease on life. These mods should serve as the core of any player’s load order.

Updated on April 17, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Fallout: New Vegas is one of the greatest RPG games ever made, and it’s only a given that the hit release of the Fallout TV adaptation has compelled more people to check out this amazing series and its rich lore. While the other games in the series are pretty decent in their own right, most people would agree that New Vegas strikes a perfect balance between the rich writing of the original CRPGs and the open-world exploration of Bethesda’s take on the genre. That being said, New Vegas is a game that is showing its age a bit, and players should definitely download a few mods that improve the graphics if muddy textures and dated visuals are a dealbreaker for them.

24 WTH – Weapon Textures from Heaven

Downloads: 297,587

Texture mods are all the rage for Fallout: New Vegas and there’s no denying that some of the mods for the game that add new textures to the game can end up compromising the vanilla aesthetics of the game quite a bit. This can be quite immersion-breaking if players download weapon mod textures that make these armaments look completely different from the rest of the game and its art style.

Players who want to be careful about the visual mods they download for New Vegas can try this one out. The improved textures make every weapon look authentic and beautiful, with players having the option to choose alternate textures for mods that look different from their regular look if they wish.

23 Power Armor Visual Enhancement (PAVE)

Downloads: 276,251

Power Armor is one of the most iconic aspects of any Fallout game. While Fallout 4 may have arguably perfected the implementation of this massive armor in the game, this doesn’t mean that using Power Armor in New Vegas isn’t viable. As long as players have the training required to wear this armor, they can tank damage and absolutely decimate foes while wearing this powerful suit of armor.

However, even the biggest New Vegas fans have to agree that the look of the Power Armor is a bit too muddy, given the many years that have followed since the game’s release. With this simple mod, Power Armor gets a noticeable visual upgrade that is in line with the original design of this armor. It’s a simple yet great mod that players should use if they love using this powerful suit of armor in the game and want it to look as imposing as it feels.

22 Legacy Reborn Texture Pack

Downloads: 225,595

The landscape of New Vegas is pretty iconic in its own right, with the wasteland of the Mojave serving as the perfect backdrop for a Fallout setting that is as scintillating as it comes. That being said, players can always try and improve the landscape textures so that they don’t end up looking grating after the many hours they spend in the game.

The Legacy Reborn Texture Pack is a perfect fit here. It’s one of the newer texture mods to grace New Vegas, meaning that there shouldn’t be too many conflicts with other mods. Still, it’s a good idea to check the comments of the mod post and do some testing before going all out with one’s decision to download this mod and improve the landscape textures of New Vegas considerably.

21 Ultra-Luxe Interior Retexture

Downloads: 33,392

Interior lighting overhauls go far beyond general improvements. There’s also an abundance of lighting mods that focus on specific locations. Many of these mods are geared toward making the Strip look even more impressive, particularly on the inside.

One great example that’s hard not to mention is the Ultra-Luxe Interior Retexture mod. According to the inhabitants of the Strip, the Ultra-Luxe is arguably the most luxurious casino in New Vegas. This mod aims to capture that magnificence by upgrading the textures and their color scheme. It makes the casino look just as impressive as it’s described by the in-game inhabitants.

20 Audleys Misc. Textures

Downloads: 102,199

Even the most comprehensive of texture mods tend to miss a detail or two. Oftentimes, players are forced to install small, individual mods that retexture just a single object. It can all become a bit cumbersome, especially if one decides not to use a mod manager.

Audleys Misc. Textures is a highly useful mod that helps fill in some of the blanks without the need to hunt down individual retexture mods. The scope of the add-on is modest, but it’s very well-made and can save fans some extra time when giving the overall visuals an upgrade.

19 3D Rain

Downloads: 165,713

Rain in Fallout: New Vegas isn’t anything to write home about. Sure, it gets the job done, but that’s about it. The flat textures look horrid when viewed from certain angles, which can take away some of the atmosphere from the world for players who find immersion to be incredibly important in a video game.

For these players, the 3D Rain mod is the perfect solution to their problems. As the name of the mod suggests, players can now enjoy the rain weather effect without being taken aback by its low quality. Rain doesn’t look weird when players look upwards, which is a welcome change that isn’t too intrusive.

18 High-Resolution Water Fog

Downloads: 160,076

Aliasing is one of the worst things that can completely ruin a player’s visual immersion because of how intrusive it can be. The last thing anyone wants to see is jagged edges that make the game look worse than it should and old games like Fallout: New Vegas suffer from this the most. This is especially apparent when players see structures underwater, which can look rather jagged and poor.

This is where the High-Resolution Water Fog mod will prove to be a major help in every way. It fixes this issue, which shouldn’t crop up on most modern systems with decent hardware anyway. It may be a simple mod, but players who found this aliasing to be particularly grating will consider this mod a lifesaver for their eyes!

17 Lumen – Ambient Lighting

Downloads: 268,907

With the advent of ray-tracing, many people have realized just how much of an important role a game’s lighting plays to make its visuals stand out. This simple change has tweaked both new and existing games at a level that most people still can’t fathom. While it’s impossible right now to add ray-tracing to Fallout: New Vegas because of the game’s dated and unstable engine, there are still ways to make the game’s lighting stand out even more.

The Lumen – Ambient Lighting mod is a great example of what video game mods can do with minimal changes. The sheer improvement in the game’s atmosphere after downloading this mod is impressive and adds to the game world without being too intrusive. It’s a great, simple mod for Fallout: New Vegas fans who want to immerse themselves in this game’s world as much as possible.

16 High-Resolution Bloom

Downloads: 226,852

PC players love to tweak every aspect of the games they play, so it’s easy to see why any mod that lets them customize a particular graphical element would be coveted by fans. The High-Resolution Bloom mod not only increases the quality of the bloom that is present in this game but allows players to configure exactly how it functions as well.

Given how prominent of a role bloom plays in areas like New Vegas, it’s only a given that players would want the central city of this game to look as beautiful as possible. With this customized bloom setting, players can make this city pop out at night in the best way possible!

15 Moonlight

Downloads: 319,030

Sometimes, the simplest mods end up being the very best ones of the lot. Such is the case with the Moonlight mod, which changes the way light works at night so that shadows are cast in the right direction.

Given how much the Gamebyro Engine creaks and buckles under the weight of more resource-intensive mods, it’s easy to see why the Moonlight mod is such a breath of fresh air. It may not seem all that impressive, but any player who prioritizes immersion in their games will love what this mod brings to the table.

14 PipBoy 3000 HD Retexture

Downloads: 269,984

The PipBoy is perhaps the Fallout franchise’s most ubiquitous gadget. It serves as a menu for the player to organize their items, gear, and weapons. The all-important map of the Mojave Wasteland is also accessed through the PipBoy. Anything important is contained within this wrist-mounted tool.

As such, it’s likely the player will be pulling up their PipBoy every few minutes. The PipBoy 3000 HD Retexture mod, although small, is pretty important. Why look at the same ugly texture for hundreds of hours on end? The mod upgrades the gadget’s resolution, making it much crisper and easier on the eyes.

13 Vanilla HUD Remastered

Downloads: 330,845

Before getting into the meatier graphical enhancements, there’s a very simple add-on to install first. Players are no doubt familiar with New Vegas‘s HUD. When looking to upgrade the visuals of the game as a whole, it’s important not to neglect this small detail.

Vanilla HUD Remastered is an essential mod to have in one’s repertoire. It updates the HUD to either an HD or 4K resolution. The crispness of the details is such that once installed, it’s almost impossible to play the game without it.

12 Rudy ENB

Downloads: 789,887

ENBs are not graphics mods in and of themselves. They add and improve a game’s post-processing effects, heightening the visual fidelity of the graphics far beyond what was initially intended by the developers. ENBs tie all graphics mods together, making them look their very best.

A great choice for Fallout: New Vegas is Rudy ENB. It gives everything a stunning photorealistic quality to it without tanking one’s PC. When combined with the above mods Fallout: New Vegas will look amazing. It just might make you want to reinstall the game and experience it from a new (and sleeker) perspective.

11 Improved Robots Textures

Downloads: 923,473

Having human characters look their best is all well and good. But the inhabitants of the Fallout universe are varied. Robots are a common sight, coming in a diverse range of makes and models. They deserve to look the best they can too.

For a comprehensive all-in-one mod regarding robots, Improved Robots Textures is an excellent choice. From Sentry Bots to Mr. Handys and everything in between, this mod ensures all robots receive a much-needed makeover.

10 MGs Neat Clutter Retextures

Downloads: 1,305,685

Fallout: New Vegas is filled to the brim with clutter or otherwise useless junk. Nevertheless, it does serve a purpose. It reinforces the atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic world, one where civilization itself is brought back to its infancy.

Looking at these objects is a regular occurrence. Enhancing the look of the myriad junk items scattered about the environment shouldn’t be ignored. MGs Neat Clutter Retextures improves the graphical fidelity of over 200 objects, from globes to pencils and everything in between.

9 OJO BUENO Texture Pack

Downloads: 1,549,088

Yet another massive texture package, this one performs very well with the previous mod on this list. OJO BUENO is fairly customizable as it contains three different performance levels depending on the player’s PC. The highest quality textures require more VRAM when it comes to OJO BUENO.

The “High” setting is arguably the best choice. The textures will still look great without the “Ultra” setting. It’s best to strike a good balance between performance and quality, especially if the player intends to have a monster load order. It’s a must-have when shooting for maximum coverage with textures.

8 FNV Realistic Wasteland Lighting

Downloads: 1,697,706

Although it may not always seem like it, a game’s lighting has a substantial effect when it comes to graphics. Things like shadows and reflections enhance the atmosphere in small, but significant ways. Vanilla Fallout: New Vegas is lacking in this department.

FNV Realistic Wasteland Lighting aims to fix that problem. According to the mod page, it improves “lighting, weather, clouds, stars, the moon, and the overall look and feel of the wasteland.” Feeling as if the player is outdoors is the main aim of this mod.

7 Interior Lighting Overhaul

Downloads: 1,947,455

Improved lighting on the outside is all well and good, but the interior also requires similar treatment. As far as atmosphere is concerned, the argument can be made that lighting is even more important when it comes to interior locations.

Interior Lighting Overhaul is hands-down one of the best mods out there. Afternoon sunlight gleams through windows. Vaults are appropriately dark and creepy. When combined with the previous mod, Interior Lighting Overhaul properly accentuates the game’s already excellent atmosphere.

6 Enhanced Blood Textures

Downloads: 1,958,711

Let’s face it, Fallout: New Vegas is a pretty violent game. Enemies can be dispatched and decapitated in several gruesome ways. There’s even a perk called “Bloody Mess” that makes certain executions even more of a gory spectacle.

For fans looking for that added realism, improving the textures of the blood is essential. Enhanced Blood Textures is the quintessential mod that accomplishes this purpose. Blood spatter looks better than ever and certainly turns combat encounters into a more visceral performance.

5 Wasteland Flora Overhaul

Downloads: 2,930,651

The Wasteland Flora Overhaul mod does exactly what its name implies. It retouches a lot of the assets contained in the wilderness, specifically the foliage. The mod also possesses a couple of different customization options when it comes to upgrading the environment.

The main version of the mod, known as the “Fertile” setting, re-textures the vanilla models while also adding new ones for more variety. Older versions of the mod just enhance the vanilla textures without any new additions. No matter which settings are chosen the environment will see a marked improvement regardless.