By far the best video game-to-TV adaption, ever!
I’ve loved Fallout since 2009, when I first happened upon Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360 at my local Blockbuster (this magical place full of games and movies we all hung out at on Friday evenings), back in the day when I was at university in Southampon.
I hadn’t heard about Fallout before, but I was intrigued by the bad-ass looking soldier on the cover and I didn’t have to think twice about bringing it home once I read the back cover:
“Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington D.C.”
It sounded incredible – and as soon as I started playing it I was hooked! Not long after came Fallout: New Vegas, an even more amazing game, though I remember I struggled a bit to get into it.
But I was hooked. I wanted more Fallout in my life, and though I went back and tried playing Fallout 1 & 2 I never got into them like 3 and New Vegas. I played those games to death, over and over. There was just something about being able to wander around in this desolate, god-forsaken world, full of ruins, dangers and death around every corner that kept a hold of me. Being able to carve your own path, to live your own adventure while simultaneously trying to just survive a little bit longer was incredible.
Safe to say, I jumped at the chance to play Fallout 4 once that came out—honestly, it’s probably one of my most played games ever—but it just wasn’t enough. I wanted more.
So I went looking for books. I love reading tie-in books, from Warcraft, to Halo, to Warhammer. I never read one I didn’t like (that I can remember), I just love how they expand on these incredible universes I’ve been running around and having fun in, how they tell new, deeper stories, and shed light on the small, finer things I might otherwise have missed.
Unfortunately, there are no Fallout novels. Not a single one—not any I’ve managed to find at least. Sure, there are tons of end of the world books and I’m sure many of them are great (one that I really love is The Passage by Justin Cronin), but I wanted Fallout books! I wanted to read about the places I’d been in those games, wanted to get to know characters I’ve met, and relive the adventures I’d had.
But unfortunately, there are no books. Which is why I was very excited to hear that a TV series was being made, a few years back. It also worried me. There are a lot of bad shows and movies based on great books. The Passage, which I mentioned above was adapted a few years ago. It lasted for one season before it was cancelled, and I’ve never even tried watching it. Then there’s the infamous Warcraft movie from a few years back, which while cool, is… well, a disaster. Honestly, they would have been better off giving Blizzard’s cinematic department a shot at making it. There are a handful of Halo adaptions now, and while they’re not awful, they’re not great either. That’s the problem with bad adaptions. They tend to leave a sour taste in your mouth.
So, I was worried. Would the Fallout show flop? Would they aim too high, miss all the important parts and make something that just didn’t sit right with us who love the games?
Well, I’m happy to say my worries were unfounded, because the show is amazing. Incredible, actually. The attention to detail, the art, the costumes, the weapons, the enemies—they’re all perfect. And the story is incredible too! Sure, it mixes a bit from here and there across the different games, but it’s put together in a way that makes the whole universe come alive! It’s fantastic.
Even my wife loves the show, though she’s never played the games. She’s a gamer alright, but she prefers games we can play together or worlds she can explore with others. Big single player adventures where it’s just you, alone against the environment has never swayed her.
But watching season 1 caught her interest and now that we’ve just finished season 2 she’s hooked. She kept asking me about the little details, the places we saw and the factions that tore through the wasteland on all their various quests, and by now, she’s so invested she’s actually contemplating getting into the games, because she too wants more. And sadly, there are no books.
I really wish there were. I don’t think I’ve ever longed for a book more than with Fallout. I only hope that maybe the success of the show and the soaring interest in the games makes Bethesda realize they can earn more bank and hire a skilled science-fiction fantasy writer. Because I would love that.
For now at least, we have the show, and in case you hadn’t picked up on it yet it’s absolutely incredible. Highly recommended to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic, steampunky wasteland stuff. Oh, and the games too, if you’re into that. They’re awesome.
Let’s just hope someone finds the time to produce some tie-in novels. Because that would be perfect.
As always, please check out all my books and stories below. If you’re into psychological horror, crime thrillers, or science-fiction and fantasy, you’ve come to the right place! Bye for now!
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