Fallout is a video game saga that has always fascinated me. It is a series of titles that seems to harshly criticize capitalism on purpose, but the germ of its birth was in the mind of Brian Fargo, someone born into a privileged family who never lacked anything. Tim Cain carried forward the project based on what Fargo had done in Wasteland. The first Fallout was great because it was influenced by all the sarcasm of 80s and 90s fiction, among which stands out some The Simpsons at their best.
But, in my opinion, that rebellious anger of the saga has been diluted over time. In Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas there was already much less of it, but the truth is that their ugly graphics, brown tones, and even bugs made it unforgettable. I enjoyed Fallout 4 and also Fallout 76, but it was with these that I realized that Fallout had become something else. There was no longer a message to tell or a discourse to hear, just an open world to have fun in. I realized this while lying on the sand.
In September, I took advantage of the last days before my children’s classes started to go to the beach with them and my partner. I brought with me the book by Inés Alcolea ‘Las narrativas de las delicias’. The reading, very interesting, reflected a reflection on Fallout 4 that the author extracted from an earlier article written by Eva Cid.
Fallout 76
Fallout is becoming less and less like The Simpsons
The text discussed how little Fallout 4 delves into the first decision it asks you to make: to be a man or a woman. We read in the book: “while an apocalypse that generates this new world, in which you must fend for yourself, presents a story of liberation and empowerment for women, of taking on responsibilities for which, perhaps, she is not only unprepared, but may need to learn independently from her husband, for a man it means facing a new challenge and family desolation.”
Inés Alcolea, the author and also the author of the video game [SYSTEM], made me realize what the problem is that makes me like Fallout 4 much less than the originals. And it is that, now, the saga doesn’t take a stand. Not politically; which I can understand given the time we live in, but not even in terms of gender, identity, or anything else. And Fallout was great because it did take risks in releasing uncomfortable messages without any consideration.
Fallout 4
What is Fallout talking about today?
Look, I’m not saying that the first Fallout was an anarchist proclamation, but the truth is that it didn’t care whether it was or not. In reality, it was by chance, because the times called for it, because that was the way to make humor. As I have mentioned, the writer of the original was Tim Cain guided by the legacy of Wasteland, which was a text adventure that captured that fear of a third world war, the dropping of bombs, and all that unease, fear, and idleness that was manifested in productions like Terminator, Mad Max, and yes, even in The Simpsons.
The Fallout team has acknowledged making decisions about the game’s humor while watching The Simpsons
In fact, the Fallout team has acknowledged making decisions about the game’s humor while watching The Simpsons. Considering how acidic the early seasons of this series were, it is understood. Their fantastic original batches of episodes were a pure critique of the system; but in a very veiled way, with a lot of honesty and authenticity. Now The Simpsons almost have to look at the camera and ask for permission to be sarcastic, and then apologize.
Because in the 80s and 90s, this attitude was part of the era’s personality. Even the Super Mario Bros. movie was a criticism of fascism; a terrible movie, but great when viewed from this perspective. Its degree of cheekiness was very similar to that of the first Fallout and even the second, but that gradually faded. In Fallout 2, there is even a mission in which you can participate in the filming of a porn movie.
Fallout 2
Fallout 2 is a crazy game
In my opinion, this decline in the saga’s primitive essence has been especially exaggerated in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 due to crafting and resource management. In fact, it almost seems that the sarcasm that I miss so much has been replaced by these systems that, honestly, I have never liked.
It almost seems that the sarcasm that I miss so much has been replaced by these systems
To get an idea of how little the new installments of the saga want to recapture the spirit of before, just think of Preston Garvey and his Minutemen. Their motto in Fallout 4 is to protect people within minutes, so they are supposed to be the good guys, but the truth is that this paramilitary body existed in reality. Were they good?
The Minutemen groups were men capable of gathering in minutes to fight against Native Americans. Their mission was to ensure that the lands taken from those they called Indians did not return to their rightful owners. The Minutemen also recently organized to fight against immigration. In reality, it is an organization that doesn’t care about protecting anything, just ensuring what is stolen and eliminating what is different. But Fallout 4 whitewashes it, softens it, makes it sweet. And that has never been Fallout.
Fallout 4
Crafting has emerged as a replacement for the saga’s original message
Returning to what Inés pointed out in her book, and to what was commented on in this article, I understand that it may not be the time for political proclamations because it may not be of interest in terms of marketing; who knows. But it would have been a good time to build a sour, tough, and unpleasant discourse about what it means to be a man, woman, father, mother, person, immigrant, or native in a post-apocalyptic world. Because Fallout should be disturbing, and it has long stopped being so. If it doesn’t feel like being as disturbing as before, then do it with the issues that now sting.
In fact, and because of this, the identity of Fallout itself has also been transformed. Before, and here I also include Fallout 3 and our beloved New Vegas, the games were brown, green, and ugly. They spoke of what ended, but both Fallout 76 and Fallout 4 speak of hope, light, and new beginnings. It is in this tone and new message that crafting makes sense, and the reason why I dislike these playable systems so much. I don’t think it’s time yet to talk about rebuilding. The apocalypse is still roaring out there.
Fallout 76
Like The Simpsons, Fallout has always talked about something hard and complicated without apparently intending to. You can search for interviews of Tim Cain or Brian Fargo and never see the slightest intention of shaking the foundations of American politics. The uncomfortable topics they touched on were inherited from the movies and comics they liked, almost by chance. And that was great. It was an innocent and naive critique, and that’s why it was so cool.
It took me a long time to understand why I got off the Fallout bandwagon, and also to understand why modders insisted on returning to Fallout, Fallout 2, and the Fallout 3 that the Black Isle Studios team left unfinished. Although Fallout 4 is a good game, and Fallout 76 is full of things to do, I have never truly connected with them. And that’s why I discuss this in this article. Because they have lost their childish sarcasm, and that has made them lose the opportunity to tell meaningful stories. Maybe with Fallout 5.
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