The Average Gamer

Oftentimes, I like to wonder how our world would be different today if history hadn’t played out the way it has. I find it to be a fun way to get lost in thought and see what sort of wacky and fun alternative timelines I can think up. There are some good movies, TV shows, and even video games that like to play around with these ideas too. What would our world look like if the microchip had never been invented, or what would happen if nuclear energy became the norm and not fossil fuels? What would happen to the world if total nuclear annihilation happened? Would humanity find a way to survive, or would we simply cease to exist? These are the questions that Fallout has presented to millions of people through video games and now a TV series.

The world of Fallout is very different from the reality we live in today. It isn’t exactly clear when the two timelines diverge, but a few key things play out differently that change the course of history drastically. Some key points are that microchips were never invented, nuclear power became the norm, America never outgrew the 1950’s aesthetic, and resource wars plague Earth. These resource wars finally come to an end in October 2077, when the nukes finally drop.

Most of the world was not prepared for this reality. However, one company named Vault-Tec based their entire business around the hope of a nuclear war. Vault-Tec, as the name implies, created "Vaults," a type of doomsday bunker whose stated goal was to ensure the survival of humanity. They built hundreds of these vaults all across America. However, their goals were not as pure as they made them out to be. Only 17 of the hundreds of vaults were built to preserve humanity, while the rest were made to test experiments on unwilling test subjects. Some experiments were benevolent, while others served sinister purposes.

The majority of the stories we are presented with in Fallout take place hundreds of years after the bombs drop and place you in the shoes of a “Vault Dweller." Vault Dweller is the title given to the residents of Vault-Tec’s Vaults. Most of the Vault Dwellers you play as come from one of the few Vaults that were not part of the experiments. Leaving the safety of a Vault and wandering into the Wasteland is a jarring experience for most characters. The wasteland is a landscape of destroyed buildings, mutated animals, and bands of raiders. It may sound like a bleak world to explore, but it is a world full of stories that are eager to tell themselves.

Fallout truly has some of the best writing in any medium. Some of the stories are more serious, presenting you with moral dilemmas, while others are laugh-out-loud hilarious. Whether it’s the story of a package courier facing the dangers of the Mojave Desert on their quest for revenge or helping the leader of a gang of Elvis impersonators get back his robot dog (yes, this is a real scenario you are presented with), the writing will keep you entertained and wondering what comes next. There is a good balance between serious stories and absurd ones.

Since the release of Amazon’s Fallout TV series, there has been a lot of renewed interest in the games. Whether you are new to Fallout or a megafan like myself, now is a great time to explore the wasteland. There are stories to be heard, mysteries to solve, and adventures to be had. If you haven’t yet, I strongly recommend you watch the Amazon series. It is a great way to be introduced to Fallout, and if you find yourself wanting more, there are always six video games you can try. So get out there and start exploring, you never know what you may find out there in the wasteland.

Marshall is a Fallout megafan. Have you played Fallout? Email Marshall at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram @averagegamer.