Yesterday Amazon put together a pre-screening of today’s trailer for the Fallout series that will premiere on Prime Video on April 11th, 2024. Fallout is quickly approaching the 30-year mark of lore and the beloved setting has captivated gamers and instilled a curiosity of post-apocalyptic mayhem that never seems to get old. The trailer, to my surprise, exceeded expectations, but it also reignited my passion for the ongoing anarchy that broods within Fallout 76.
“I think you have to come into this trying to make the show that you want to make, and trusting that as fans of the game, we would find the pieces that were essential to us about the games and try to do the best version of those that we can.” Executive producer and Director Jonathan Nolan said when asked how he plans to please fans whilst appealing to a wider audience. Because of that, the trailer instigates a feeling that Vault Dwellers everywhere are familiar with – the unbridled adventure of stepping into the wasteland for the first time.
When the blinding light of the sun broke through the rolling vault door, as a jumpsuit-equipped vault dweller stood steadfast, anxiously anticipating the horrors they may face, it encapsulated a moment that has iconically played out dramatically for gamers since Fallout 3. After nearly 3 decades of wasteland experience, it’s easy to take such a monumental moment for granted, but the implications weren’t lost on the central character Lucy, played by actress Ella Purnell.
“Lucy is a Vault Dweller, and what excited me about playing her was that she is so innocent and so naïve and obviously very privileged as well,” she began. “It was exciting for me to start in that place. You know, she’s essentially a newborn baby. She hasn’t had any real-life experiences. All she knows is what she was taught and what she’s read in books that she has in the vault.”
Although Lucy’s origins are a massive departure from allocating your S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats, there’s a lot of nostalgia built up behind her words. The world of Fallout has always allowed for the outrageous to be possible, whether you’re fist fighting a Yao Guai or arguing with a malfunctioning Mr. Handy. The trailer depicted these moments in authentic detail, despite the entirety of the storyline taking a stark departure from the current games by expanding Fallout’s lore locale to Los Angeles. Fallout players have all felt the fresh excitement of being a “newborn” wasteland baby.
Luckily, the shift in the story also means that we get to follow Lucy and her Brotherhood of Steel counterpart Maximus, played by Aaron Moten, on a completely new journey. This story plays out not too far from the timeline in Fallout 4 and throughout the player character’s progression in Fallout 3, which grants numerous opportunities for potential easter eggs from the overarching Fallout narratives, despite the novel location change. In a way you could consider this as a completely cinematic Fallout game, as Bethesda’s Todd Howard has wholeheartedly greenlit this project with his blessing.
“When I first talked to Jonah (Jonathan Nolan), I mean, honestly, it was like someone I had known for a long time, you know, (he) obviously played the games a ton, and his approach, right from the get-go, was in sync with what I was thinking.” Todd said. “Look, this is a creative endeavor, and having partners that you trust and can really bring something new to it, make it authentic, the world of Fallout.”
Authentic is the key word here. The authenticity of the world depicted in the trailer may not be a one for one emulation of the Fallout games we’re used to, but there are enough pieces there to encourage me to look for that authenticity. The Dogmeat of Fallout 4 may not exist here, but a lovable German Shepherd companion has graciously crossed Lucy’s path in the trailer. As Lucy cautiously walks through a sea of junked cars, it may not be Gorge Junkyard in Fallout 76 but it certainly has that authenticity that it could be. And who could dismiss Walton Goggins depiction of a Ghoul Bounty Hunter, which isn’t exactly Raul from Fallout: New Vegas, but his gunslinging prowess could have you fooled.
As I ponder just how deep some of these genuine similarities recur in the upcoming series, the longing to return to my own adventure in Fallout 76 has grown. As one of the few games that I’ve consistently returned to over the years, it has been easy to forget my humble beginnings as a know-nothing vault dweller now that I’m a heavily mutated minigun wielding junkie in fully enhanced power armor.
Yet here I am, logging back into Fallout 76. Not for a particular update, necessarily, though I have yet to fully experience the Atlantic City update. Instead, I just want to experience the game again through Lucy’s bewilderment. I’d like to remember that feeling when an accidental encounter with a Deathclaw was something to fear instead of seeing it as just another piece of walking Deathclaw meat. Besides, if it ever happens that I get bored of my rerolled character, it never hurts to have another pack mule.
It's still too early to unequivocally state that the new series will be the stimpak we need to hold us over until Fallout 5 officially announces, (despite the creators of the TV series stating Fallout could be considered a non-interactive Fallout 5) I can at least say my hype is high for the upcoming series. If for no other reason, than to dive more deeply into my current Fallout obession. Fallout will release all episodes of the first season on Amazon Prime on April 11th.
