The popularity of some genres shows that people are attracted to what scares them. Mostly because books, movies, TV series, and games help in understanding how people can fight their nightmares. Perhaps video games have a particular impact due to the possibility of identification with major or minor characters.
The post-apocalyptic genre confronts people with accepting the inevitable. It is a world that has changed after a nuclear war or some kind of disaster. It is a strange disease that reduces the population of the planet. It is a zombie apocalypse or the realm of artificial intelligence. It is a world in which people must learn to survive.
Sometimes such games are predictable and do not appeal to emotions. Learn to survive. The big dot. Sometimes such games turn the dot into a comma. The Fallout series became a saga-example of post-apocalyptic games due to the open world and ethical dilemmas in particular.
The first part of the game was developed by Black Isle Studios and released back in 1997 by Interplay Entertainment. The uniqueness of the game made it popular and gave its fans 8 new parts and 17 DLCs. Games are available on different platforms (from Windows to Playstation). One part, Fallout Shelter, is even available on iOS and Android.
A player can be overwhelmed with a game as a whole and its specifics in particular. Twenty-one years, the time between the first and the last part may have its lion share in confusion. This post will introduce readers to the universe of the game. Maybe, some readers will become new players. Definitely, the Fallout series deserves it.
First Shy Steps: What is Fallout and How to Understand It
What interests players who are new to the game? Obviously, how to play it. When it comes to series, a player needs to understand how to play the first part, and the next ones will become intuitively clear. How to play Fallout 1 tutorial will say everything you need to know to make the Fallout games beginner-friendly in particular. This article will make the game’s universe beginner-friendly on the whole.
. Setting
Fallout series combines history and alternate reality. Sometimes, a player may think that the creators wondered “what if” and put a possible scenario in the future setting. During the gameplay, one can notice the 1950s culture, a strange neighborhood of the first telephones and computers with almost perfect robots, and the Cold War paranoia.
Why “what if”? The nuclear arms race turned threats into reality in 2077, according to the game lore. The specificity is that the historical communist China and the USSR were preserved in the game past and future. However, it is for understanding the atmosphere since nothing has been the same since the Great War in 2077. Survivors have other concerns.
The USA has prudently built hundreds of shelters (spoiler: not all shelters are shelters). After the Great War, the USA became the Wasteland. Everyone and everything outside the shelters were exposed to radiation. As if that weren’t enough, biological weapons created super mutants.
People survive by bartering and create factions and new cities. The tragedy did not rally the survivors. On the contrary, it exposed vices (e.g., slave trade). A mutated, radiation-beaten, and twisted Fallout world welcomes a new player.
. The Plot
The events of the main parts (the last part is an exception) develop in chronological order starting from 2161. The exposition evolves from the simple mission. For example, in the original Fallout, the protagonist leaves the shelter to solve the water issue but then finds oneself participating in the fight for the sake of humanity. Sometimes, a player has to become a member of a powerful faction, the Brotherhood of Steel, and save fellow paladins.
. The Main Character
The gaming industry development allows players to choose not only the gender and race of their character but also to modify their appearance. One system that affects game processes remains unchanged. Players need to choose skills and perks they will develop and improve (e.g., strength and charisma). Dialogues and events development will depend on the allocated points.
. Gameplay
Fallout series with their open world, hundreds of NPC, and a lot of missions to develop a character suggest several options for gameplay. Sometimes, it can be a reason to replay a game. Thus, the player can:
- explore the world and learn the history and lore of the universe;
- devote oneself to side quests and meet many unique characters;
- stick to the main plot only.
As one can see, each player can choose the path according to their preferences, from a quick walkthrough to a detailed acquaintance with the world.
The Confident Exploration
The Fallout series evolves and adapts to the needs of nowadays players. In 2018, Bethesda Game Studios released a new (and the last as of now) part Fallout76. What makes it unique and worthy of mention? It is the first multiplayer game of this series. As a result, players can share their impressions and emotions from exploring the world with friends.
Apart from that, there was a spark of hope that players can play this game together with people across the world. Unfortunately, Fallout online has never been released because of a dispute between Interplay Entertainment and Bethesda Game Studios. However, who seeks will always find: some fans have created mods for Fallout 2, allowing online multiplayer walkthrough.
The Latest Find: Final Words
In fact, the game itself has nothing new to suggest for the post-apocalyptic genre. One can make this assumption from the general condition of the world. At the same time, the Fallout series has such a vast world and unique characters that it can be turned into a big book.
It’s possible to assume that the first Fallout brought a lot to the following games with the open world and a chance to have several endings. The special system of basic characteristics, attributes, skills, and perks has a significant impact on the game’s events. Similar can be seen in Divinity: Original Sin, for example. Some dialogue options are not available because a character does not have enough points in a certain attribute.
All in all, words are not enough to describe the game magic. The Fallout series must be in the collection of any player to learn its world firsthand.
