While Fallout 76 may have disappointed both reviewers and fans, that doesn’t diminish the importance of the Fallout franchise as a whole. The Fallout franchise offers a unique RPG experience that presents players with compelling moral dilemmas, similar to other popular games like BioShock and The Elder Scrolls.
Each game in the series follows a new protagonist as they venture out of the bunker into a radioactive wasteland set in post-apocalyptic America with a classic 1950s style. The Wasteland video game may have influenced these games, the Fallout series also inspired several films, some of which are mentioned here.
Tongue runner
The moral dilemma surrounding the robots in Blade Runner is echoed in the Fallout video games, although their settings are more classical than post-apocalyptic. In particular, Fallout 4 puts Synths – or Androids, as they were called in Fallout 3 – at the forefront. The protagonist of Fallout 4 is drawn into a conflict between two factions fueled by these robots, created by the Institute.
Even composite detective Nick Valentine evokes Blade Runner with his retro-noir style. Although film noir was more popular among 1940s films, it still had a significant influence on the culture of the early 1950s.
The postman
The two post-apocalyptic films starring Kevin Costner were very popular in the late 1990s. However, while the first film, Waterworld, has stood the test of time, the same cannot be said. happened with the second movie, The Postman. Fallout: New Vegas is also notable for its role as a mailman trapped between warring factions in a post-apocalyptic America.
Additionally, both The Postman and New Vegas have a dam that plays an important role. Furthermore, the Holnist gang in The Postman adheres to the same dictatorial principles as Caesar’s Legion in New Vegas.
Six-string samurai
The Fallout video games contain various allusions to popular culture, some more recognizable than others. For example, in Fallout: New Vegas, the game features the Samurai trophy from the movie Samurai Six Strings. While this reference may seem insignificant, it takes on greater significance when one considers the similarities between the two works in terms of story and setting. Both are set in an alternate America that has been devastated by nuclear war but still retains cultural elements of the 1950s.
Furthermore, the central characters in both works seek to reach Las Vegas while avoiding gangs and cannibals.
Eli’s book
Among the post-apocalyptic films released in the 2010s, The Book of Eli is rarely mentioned today and quickly faded from public memory. However, what caught many gamers’ attention at that time was that both the gameplay and the movie’s plot were identical to Condor 3.
This is mainly due to The Book of Eli’s pale color scheme, which resembles the graphics of Fallout 3. Additionally, both stories are about a man traveling through post-nuclear war America; however, they differ in motivation. The protagonist of Fallout 3 is searching for his father while the protagonist of The Book of Eli aims to deliver a book.
Surname! (1954)
It cannot be overstated that the Fallout game incorporates a lot of imagery from the 1950s, especially science fiction films like the 1954 classic “Them!” Set during the Cold War. The film depicts the story of a giant ant that mutated due to atomic radiation and posed a threat to the American people.
Although this concept seems absurd today, it originated from serious concerns about how atomic energy would impact the environment. Starting with Fallout 2, the series built on this idea by making giant ants natural enemies that the player character encounters in areas filled with nuclear waste.
The alley is cursed
In addition to giant ants, another mutant creature appearing in the game Fallout is the giant scorpion. These creatures, known as Radscorpions, originally appeared in the first Fallout game, with several subspecies appearing in its sequels. However, Fallout is not the first work of fiction to depict giant scorpions existing in a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland.
A relatively obscure film from the 1970s called Damnation Alley, based on a book by famous science fiction author Roger Zelazny, explores this concept. The plot revolves around a group of Air Force officers who travel across abandoned America in search of an elusive source of infection.
Fido
The success of Shaun of the Dead inspired other zombie comedies, such as Zombieland, which even got a sequel. However, some films like Fido do not receive the same level of recognition. Fido envisions a world in which zombies are tamed but does not specify when this takes place.
The film uses special collars to control the zombies’ natural cannibalistic urges — a similar idea to the bracelets in the recent Disney Channel movie “Zombie.” In Fallout, zombie-like ghouls play a major role and have similarities to the ghouls in Fido. Furthermore, both works share a 1950s aesthetic and depict post-war events.
Crazy Max 2: Street Fighter
If there is one movie that many people compare to the Fallout games, it is the Mad Max series. Starting with the 1979 film, these Australian post-apocalyptic films follow a titular villain wandering through a wasteland filled with gangs and cults. References to this series can also be found in the game Fallout; however, where the Fallout series may have its own style is in Mad Max 2: Road Warrior. For example, in the first Fallout game, there is a dog similar to the one Max had in The Road Warrior that the player character can befriend. Furthermore, Max’s iconic outfit and gun from that movie are obtainable items in the game.
A boy and his dog
While Mad Max may have popularized the post-apocalyptic genre in cinema, there were earlier films like The Boy and His Dog. This film is based on the novel by famous science fiction author Harlan Ellison and tells a coming-of-age story set in the 1970s.
However, there’s one twist in this classic story: It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where dogs have telepathic abilities. It’s easy to see how this affects games like Mad Max and Fallout. In fact, the dog in A Boy and His Dog is an optional companion whose nickname is “Dogmeat” used as an insult by the main characters.
Radioactive dreams
In the mid-1980s, the science fiction film Radioactive Dreams hit theaters and quickly became a cult favorite. What’s even more intriguing is how many aspects of this movie are shared with the Fallout video game series. One similarity between the two is that they both depict individuals trapped in fallout shelters and choosing to venture into a radioactive wasteland filled with mutants and gangs. The film’s main characters grew up in the 1950s, which is demonstrated by their love of mystery stories. Additionally, a supporting character can be seen wearing a device resembling a Pip-Boy.