This video is a comprehensive and detailed retrospective of the Fallout franchise, spanning from its earliest installments to its more modern iterations. The creator, Noah Caldwell-Gervais, revisits and re-evaluates the games, discussing their unique settings, gameplay mechanics, narrative choices, and overall impact on his life and career as a content creator. He delves into the artistic and cultural influences that shaped the series, the evolution of its gameplay from isometric RPGs to first-person shooters, and critiques the strengths and weaknesses of each major title and its expansions.
The first section, "Intro," of the video discusses the creator's personal connection to the Fallout franchise. He reveals that his first long-form YouTube video, made ten years prior to this current video, was a retrospective on Fallout. He admits that the initial video wasn't very good but was successful enough to encourage him to continue making similar content. Fallout games have significantly influenced his life, guiding his decisions and shaping his engagement with discoveries. He notes that media that resonates with a person at the right time can become an integral part of them for life. The video then transitions to discussing the origins of the Fallout universe, specifically mentioning its unique sci-fi aesthetic that draws from the "Civil Defense era in American pop culture" and its deliberate anomaly among other RPGs of its time. The creator highlights two key influences: the 1982 documentary "The Atomic Cafe," which compiled media from the Cold War era to portray the meaning of the bomb to that generation, and the 1988 computer game "Wasteland," also by Interplay, which laid groundwork for the genre but lacked the mid-century aesthetic that defines Fallout.
The video then moves on to discuss Fallout 1, released in 1997 by Interplay and developed by Black Isle Studios. The creator emphasizes that Fallout was a deliberate anomaly in the RPG landscape, standing out with its post-apocalyptic adventure setting that drew its aesthetic from the ironic contrasts of the Civil Defense era in American pop culture from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. He highlights the "Duck and Cover" generation and references the documentary "The Atomic Cafe" as a key influence that "invented the entire mood on which the franchise would be built." The other parent of Fallout is identified as the 1988 computer game "Wasteland," also by Interplay. While acknowledging Wasteland's foundational role, the creator notes that Fallout's unique identity comes from its setting, which is rooted in the popular culture surrounding the bomb's introduction into American life. The video showcases the original Fallout introduction, emphasizing its effectiveness in setting the scene, and contrasts it with historical source material from "The Atomic Cafe" to better illustrate the franchise's unique creative footing. The creator then praises Fallout 1's introduction for its "remarkable First Impression in early gaming history," citing its unique setting, artful introduction, professional narration, and dramatic framework. He further elaborates on the game's narrative structure, beginning with the player's departure from Vault 13 to find a broken water chip, which sets up a "perfectly open-ended dramatic framework." The video notes Fallout 1's compact and focused design, its interconnected details, and its vivid world-building, while acknowledging that its interface and interactivity may feel dated. The creator expresses renewed appreciation for Fallout 1's artistry, careful construction, and its definition of a AAA RPG experience, stating it's "more Artful than I remember, more carefully constructed, more preen in defining what a AAA role playing experience is like." He contrasts its dense layering and complexity with modern RPGs' tendency towards maximalism and filler content, emphasizing Fallout 1's novelistic feel derived from thematic unification and its all-star voice cast for its time. The chapter concludes by discussing the Brotherhood of Steel, noting their iconic status and their portrayal in the first two games as distinct from later iterations. Their origins are traced back to a revulsion with unethical research and a desire to control technology, influenced by the novel "A Canticle for Leibowitz." The video then details the Brotherhood's formation from an officer named Maxon who discovered unethical human experimentation, leading to their exodus and establishment in the Lost Hills bunker. Their core philosophy revolves around controlling and limiting progress by hoarding technology due to its role in destroying the world, embodying an "amoral introversion." The discussion touches upon the Brotherhood's quest to retrieve evidence from the "glow," a highly irradiated military base, and how this optional content provides deep background lore for the FEV project and the mutant Master. The narrative progression through towns like Shady Sands, Junktown, The Hub, and the Boneyard is highlighted, showing how each settlement builds upon the player's understanding of the world and their agency within it. The creator criticizes certain aspects of Fallout 1's quest design and epilogues, noting some broken or non-existent endings, particularly in the Boneyard and for the Followers of the Apocalypse, with New Vegas later rectifying some of these issues. The video also highlights the game's early time limits, which add stakes and immersion, and how meticulous play could lead to better endings, contrasting this with modern games that tend to remove such pressures. Finally, the creator emphasizes the imaginative foundation of Fallout 1, suggesting much more of the world than it portrays, which is crucial for its immersive feel and serves as the basis for the later franchise.
Fallout 1, released in 1997 by Interplay and developed by Black Isle Studios, is presented as a deliberate anomaly in the RPG landscape. It carves out a unique identity with its post-apocalyptic adventure setting, drawing aesthetic inspiration from the ironic contrasts of mid-century American pop culture and the anxieties surrounding nuclear war, particularly from the "Civil Defense era." The game's mood is heavily influenced by the 1982 documentary "The Atomic Cafe" and the earlier computer game "Wasteland."
The introduction of Fallout 1 is lauded for its "remarkable First Impression in early gaming history," featuring a unique setting, artful introduction, professional narration, and a dramatic framework that immediately establishes an open-ended, immersive experience. The narrative begins with the player's departure from Vault 13 to address a critical water chip malfunction, setting a somber and pensive tone that is sustained throughout.
Fallout 1 is characterized by its compact and focused design, where details are interconnected to create a vivid world. While its interface and interactivity may feel dated by modern standards, its storytelling and thematic unification are considered exceptional, creating a surprisingly literary feel. The game also features an all-star voice cast for its era, contributing significantly to the atmosphere and overall impression of quality.
The Brotherhood of Steel, an iconic faction introduced in Fallout 1, is depicted as a quasi-medieval order dedicated to preserving and controlling advanced technology, born from a revulsion towards unchecked scientific progress. Their origins are tied to a military research facility and a desire to prevent the misuse of technology that led to the apocalypse. Their isolationist philosophy and control over power armor are highlighted.
The progression through settlements like Shady Sands, Junktown, The Hub, and the Boneyard is detailed, illustrating how each location builds upon the player's understanding of the world and their agency within it. The initial settlements ease the player into the setting with simpler concerns, while later locations introduce factional conflicts and more complex moral choices, gradually expanding the scope of the world and the player's influence.
However, certain aspects of Fallout 1's design are noted as less polished, including some broken or non-existent endings, particularly concerning the Boneyard and the Followers of the Apocalypse. The game's original time limits are seen as a positive element that increased immersion and stakes, a feature later games sometimes omitted. Ultimately, Fallout 1's strength lies in its imaginative foundation, suggesting a much larger world than directly portrayed, which allows for player interpretation and a deeply immersive experience.
