Series adaptations of video games are starting to appear more and more often on streaming services. After “The Last of Us” or “Twisted Metal”, it’s time for another cult series – “Fallout”. Is the TV series version of the game any good?
Fallout – description of the plot of the series
Photo Amazon / press materials
The “Fallout” series is not a direct adaptation of any part of the game series, but a completely new story set in the “Fallout” universe, which can be considered an informal sequel to the game “Fallout 4”, although as I wrote earlier with a plot not directly related to the one known from the games. The action takes place over 200 years after the nuclear war, when the world became one large post-nuclear wasteland.
The main character of the “Fallout” series is Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), inhabiting one of the Vaults where for generations people hid from the effects of radiation outside. When Lucy’s father (Kyle MacLachlan) is kidnapped and taken outside the Vault, the girl sets off on a journey through the Wasteland to find him. During his travels in the Wastes, he meets Maximus, a member of the Brotherhood of Steel (Aaron Moten), a bounty hunter known as Ghoul (Walton Goggins) and lots of other very strange inhabitants of the outside world.
Fallout – war never changes
Photo Prime Video / YouTube, screenshot
The fundamental problem I have with the Fallout series is the same one I have with most video game adaptations. The experience of transferring a story game to the big or small screen will almost always be a worse, poorer experience. Of course, I understand Hollywood’s need to adapt a relatively new medium in which fascinating stories have begun to emerge, but video games are not the same as books, comics, or even old movies. When adapting a book or comic book into a film/series, we transfer still pictures or letters from the pages to an almost real form, we set it all in motion, images and characters from our imagination appear almost as if they were alive before our eyes. That’s why so many book and comic book adaptations are popular.
The problem with film adaptations of new games
Video games, however, are a completely different story. Especially modern video games, created over the last 15 years, in many cases resemble movies themselves, and even more (due to their length) series. Both in terms of plot issues and scene direction, framing and the like. I’ll go further, many role-playing games offer a lot to their audiences these days better and more engaging experiences than many series or movies due to the key element of the game, which is interaction. For about a dozen years, a large number of video games have been simply interactive films/series.
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Photo Amazon / press materials
Why am I writing about this? Because as I mentioned above, I believe that adaptations of video games, especially role-playing games and relatively new ones with good graphics, make no sense. Sure, we have a good example of the series “The Last of Us”, I admit, very successful, in fact it is the best adaptation of this game series that can be created and it will probably go down in history as the best video game adaptation of all time. But even if it is a great series, interactive gameplay on a PC or console is simply a better, more complete and more emotional experience.
I see potential in adapting very old games, where the graphics were primitive by today’s standards and the gameplay was poor. and then the film adaptation can actually bring something new. Adaptations of games without an overly developed plot, focused on pure gameplay, such as sports, arcade or platform games, also make sense, as long as someone is able to add an interesting scenario to them (which is not that simple and obvious). Role-playing games, on the other hand, make no sense in the film and series version. And this feeling accompanied me all the time while watching the series “Fallout”.
Trailer serial Fallout.
Everything seems fine, but…
It seems that everything is in its place here. We see familiar locations, costumes, gadgets, objects, posters, creatures. We have an entire fascinating world presented by the game’s creators, which is a kind of alternative and retrofuturistic vision based on technology from the 1950s., but further developed for over 200 years in the post-apocalyptic era. Injuries can be cured very quickly if you use a Stimpak, RadAway drugs eliminate radiation sickness, and Pip-Boy is always present in our heroine’s actions. Just like it happened in games.
Most importantly, the show retains the series’ signature mix of absurdity, black humor (although most of it wasn’t to my taste) and violence. Just somehow that’s it it doesn’t evoke any emotions in me. Probably because the last part of the series at the moment, “Fallout 4” (not counting the failed project that was “Fallout 76”), although it is of its age, was graphically a decent enough production that looking at the entire set design in the series It didn’t look much different to me than seeing her in the game version.
It is one thing when an iconic gadget or game character is a blurry pixel and the live-action series shows it to us in all its glory, but it is another thing when the same “artifacts” or game locations are generated in a quality not far from photorealism. (although, of course, “Fallout 4” is not a game that is two steps away from photorealism, but it is closer than further). Too For me, the Fallout series was a lost cause from the very beginning.
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With respect for the game series, but not very exciting
Of course, I appreciate the efforts of the creators not to stray away from the poetics and themes known from games. The series is made with respect to the source material, and it is also clear that the creators made an effort to learn about these games and they do not treat “Fallout” only as a popular brand on which they can cynically capitalize and milk whatever they can without taking into account how closely it is consistent with the original.
Photo Amazon / press materials
Moreover, the authors found room in this story for numerous social comments relating to the what is currently happening in the real world. Especially considering that the specter of nuclear war and perhaps even an apocalypse similar to the one seen in the first episode (one of the best scenes of the entire season) has once again entered the global discourse, and although they are doubtful, they cannot be ruled out.
These aspects of “Fallout” in the series version work well, not to say correctly, only Unfortunately, apart from the safely positive reception, I would lie that I was absolutely carried away by this production. Apart from elements containing dark humor, the Amazon series does not differ much from other post-apocalyptic series, and if you have played the “Fallout” games, everything will be even less interesting for you.
The plot is a bit disappointing
The “Fallout” series disappointed me primarily because of the plot. It’s not bad, just like the whole series is okay, but it’s not enough for me. I wasn’t able to get involved in any of the threads, The characters’ motivations didn’t engage me too much, most of the plot twists were painfully predictable, and when there were some that I didn’t expect (most of them in the finale), they didn’t surprise me at all.
Photo Amazon / press materials
I also have a problem with the main character of the series “Fallout”. Ella Parnell plays her very well and does her best to make the stubborn and talented, but also naive and innocent Lucy MacLane the focal point around which the rest of the series focuses, but too often she is a punching bag for the barbaric world around her. Watching Lucy learn the same lesson over and over again loses its impact after a while and leaves the show unable to fully define the character for me, beyond her main and rather simple goal of finding her kidnapped father. The rest of the main and side characters, although colorful, did not impress me with anything special or profound.
Fallout review summary
Ella Purnell as Lucy. Photo Amazon / press materials
All in all, the “Fallout” series is not an easy nut to crack for me. I have listed the problems I have with it above, it is by no means a production that I will remember for years and to which I intend to ever return. On the other hand, the whole thing is so competent that excellently created visually (although there were moments and sequences that came off a bit cheap and artificial for some reason), well acted and written enough that I am not able to say that it is a bad series and that I do not recommend watching it.
Personally, I didn’t find anything fresh or interesting in it. I treat it as an informal sequel (or spin-off) to a series of games that, however, engaged me much more. Still, after decades of terrible video game adaptations on the big and small screen, it would be a sin not to give the show’s creators credit At least from the formal point of view, “Fallout” cannot be faulted. The sets, costumes, the general atmosphere of the presented world, the cultivation of satirical elements and those containing black humor are there as if taken straight from the games. There are also moments in the series when you can see a plot structure similar to the RPG mission system from the game. I really appreciate these elements in this respect Amazon’s production also ranks high for me when it comes to video game adaptations.
Kyle MacLachlan as Oversight Hank. Photo Amazon / press materials
Unfortunately, the whole thing did not convince me at all when it comes to the plot and its characters, and these are the key elements of every series, regardless of its genre. Plus, I’ll repeat myself, the “Fallout” games gave me everything I got in the series plus the ability to interact with the environment, which means much greater involvement in the story and action.
However, there is a chance that even if you are a fan of games, you will find something in the “Fallout” series that will make you have a lot of fun. And you will definitely have fun if you don’t know the game series, because even though the flavors and references to games contained in “Fallout” will then be incomprehensible to you, you will certainly be delighted with the original world presented. Especially if you don’t often come across post-apocalyptic series.
Opening photo: Amazon / press materials
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