Fallout Season 2 S01-05 Review

In recent years, a surprising number of high-quality video game adaptations have been released. Today, they are no longer considered low-budget films, as they were in the 2000s, when director Uwe Boll was actively involved. For example, Fallout has been adapted into a high-quality, high-budget series that even those unfamiliar with the original games might enjoy. Read our article to learn about the second season's launch.

The very first Fallout from 1997 was remembered for its dark and brutal world, hints of retrofuturism, and versatility — the same problems could be solved in completely different ways. The sequel skillfully developed the ideas of the original. It is still considered the best game in the series and one of the most striking representatives of the genre.

After a string of dubious projects in the vein of Brotherhood of Steel, publisher Interplay Entertainment sold the Fallout rights to Bethesda. The developers of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion reworked the original concept. The third installment in the series, instead of being an isometric RPG, became a hybrid of RPG and first-person shooter, with a tactical pause and an open world. This new concept was further developed in Fallout 4, which significantly simplified leveling but added high-quality shooting mechanics.

Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, turned out a little different. The team included former Black Isle Studios developers who worked on the first two games in the series. And it shows—the game combined contemporary gameplay with its signature humor and phenomenal freedom of action. The story told in New Vegas was continued in a series format. This is the focus of our article.

The Fallout series does not retell the main story, like the film adaptation of The Last of Us, but complements it. The script for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was similarly positioned. This time, the focus is on a Vault dweller, a ghoul with the habits of an evil cowboy, and a guy who stole the Brotherhood of Steel's power armor. Each of them has their own storyline, and they periodically intersect with each other as the narrative progresses. The events are accompanied by high-quality action and good jokes. Todd Howard himself served as a consultant to the showrunners. He confirmed that the series is canon for the universe, and its events will be reflected in the upcoming Fallout 5.

The first season clearly showed the influence of the fourth installment. Many elements of that game were carefully transferred to the film format. The armor design, the appearance of weapons, vehicles, and scenery, the signature jazz music, and even the bloody executions of enemies — all of this evokes memories of Fallout 4. This sets the series apart from other post-apocalyptic films like The Last of Us, Twisted Metal, or the cult classic The Road.

Judging by the comments, many fans, for some reason, were expecting a film adaptation of the original duology. It's not surprising that they were disappointed. But those viewers who were drawn to retrofuturistic America through Bethesda's games loved it. Personally, I, the author of these lines, love both the classic and modern visions of the series, so I really enjoyed the first season. It felt like it had potential that could be explored further.

The Fallout games spend little time in pre-war America. With the exception of a brief episode at the beginning of the fourth installment, everything is relegated to short stories in dialogue and diaries. The Amazon show explores this aspect of the story much better. We are shown the past lives of people who survived the apocalypse and are shown the technologies that were in active use before the nuclear bombs fell. Let's remember that the Fallout world is different from ours—microelectronics are poorly developed there, but nuclear energy is actively used for household purposes.

At the same time, there was also room for reflection. The game explores elements of our reality, such as the hunt for communist secret agents that was relevant in the 1950s or the perception of war as part of a business strategy for profit. The identity of Robert House, who partially protected Las Vegas from nuclear bombs, has also begun to be revealed. Overall, the episodes from the past feel like a pleasant addition to the main narrative.

The beginning of the second season is reminiscent of the first hours of Fallout: New Vegas, when the courier hasn't yet reached the city itself, but is simply wandering the Mojave Desert. Even the spirit of the series feels like a retrofuturistic Western. Moreover, the showrunners cite not only Obsidian's game but also genre classics like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo).

In terms of action scenes, Fallout is every bit as polished as a feature-length film. The slow-motion sequences and grenade launcher projectiles are not just random — they evoke the V.A.T.S. system in the later games. And the mention of a broken water chip is guaranteed to bring back memories of the original 1997 game. There are references to Megaton from the threequel, with its unexploded nuclear bomb, and to the boy in the refrigerator from Fallout 4. Even a nuclear explosion is shown, though not as spectacular as the one in Oppenheimer.

The shared journey of the kind but naive Lucy and the cynical Cooper is interestingly played out. Their different approaches to the same events lead to amusing dialogue and truly unexpected situations.

Much attention has been paid to the Brotherhood of Steel. This highly controversial organization, depicted as a gathering of noble knights in Fallout 3 and as technofascists in Fallout 4, is now on display. The series adds fuel to the fire, revealing new aspects of the activities of these fanatics of the past. With individual Brotherhood chapters scattered across the former United States, rivalry, a reluctance to share resources, and, potentially, a power struggle arises.

The storyline of a fourth key character, Vault Tec employee Hank MacLean, Lucy's father, is gradually emerging. He was played by Kyle MacLachlan, best known for his role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks. The first episodes feature a curious Chekhov's gun, which will surely go off in the future.

Attention is also paid to the new Vaults. As a reminder, in the Fallout world, the bunkers that supposedly offered refuge from the effects of nuclear war were actually laboratories where the limits of human nature were tested. Those who managed to find refuge within their walls during the alarm found themselves as guinea pigs. However, experiments were conducted before the war as well, for example, mind control, which turns a person into a puppet.

Otherwise, this is a logical continuation of the series, filmed at roughly the same level. The second season won't change the attitudes of those who didn't like the Fallout adaptation. But if you were drawn to the story of Lucy and Cooper Howard, you'll thoroughly enjoy the new episodes.

The third episode focused heavily on Caesar's Legion. This militant organization from Fallout: New Vegas draws heavily on ancient Roman and, to some extent, early medieval traditions. It features both the trappings of the Augustan empire, such as its ostentatious armor, and the brutality typical of that era, including crucifixion. The faction's weapons, camp, and command structure are entirely consistent with the game's canon. It's worth noting that one of the commanders is played by Macaulay Culkin, who you're likely familiar with as Kevin McCallister from Home Alone. The character is instantly recognizable, even though the actor is over forty years old. Looking at him, it's simply impossible to hold back a smile.

We are shown the fate of the Legion, the New California Republic, and individual characters after the New Vegas storyline. Essentially, the version of events depicted in the series is now recognized as the only true one.

Also worth noting is the small community, which consists almost entirely of children. It could be considered a reference to the settlement of Little Lamplight from Fallout 3. However, here this theme is intertwined with the issue of intelligent ghouls, which was also well explored in the third installment of the series.

The story of Maximus of the Brotherhood of Steel has been further developed. Moreover, the writers play with viewers' expectations and add truly unexpected twists with far-reaching consequences. He faces a choice between respect for his new ally, the code, and his own morality.

The fourth episode focused on events from previous episodes. Specifically, we saw the fighting in Alaska, known as Operation Anchorage, when China attempted to seize that part of the United States. In the games, the clash with Chinese forces was reenacted in Fallout 3's first story expansion. We were also shown that early on, power armor was unstable and could fail at the most crucial moment, leading to tragic consequences for the soldiers wearing it.

There were also references to New Vegas. For example, the main characters encounter the remnants of the Kings gang, whose members dress like Elvis Presley. However, fans of the 2010 game may be disappointed with the way the writers treated the Strip, one of the city's most beautiful areas.

We were also shown how buffout addiction works. These substances give heroes a temporary advantage in combat, but they must be consumed repeatedly or withdrawal symptoms set in. The parallels with real-world drugs are obvious.

Vaults, which remain operational even many years after a nuclear war, periodically face resource shortages. But people's attitudes toward the crisis vary greatly. Some try to conserve and manage their resources wisely, while others act as if nothing is happening and actively waste precious water. As a result, even in isolated societies, conflicts arise and opportunities for blackmail open up. However, the Vaults still remain a relatively safe place — the main concern for most of its inhabitants is getting lost in the hallways and spending a long time searching for their way back to their room.

Episode five focused heavily on Robert House, one of the key characters in Fallout: New Vegas. The arrival of the Las Vegas boss was hinted at in the first season's finale, but he wasn't fully explored as a character until midway through the second season. The city itself, still a densely populated settlement, is also shown.

Lucy and Howard's relationship has developed in an interesting way. The plot twist surrounding it may seem unexpected, but it explains a lot about the characters' behavior. However, there remains a risk that it will ultimately boil down to triviality, so it's too early to draw conclusions.

The flashbacks contrast Robert Howard before the atomic war with his character many years after the bombs fell. The Man in Black from Westworld is instantly reminiscent. Its creators, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, are also producers of the Fallout series.

By episode five, Lucy's transformation is evident. The harsh conditions of the wasteland gradually erode her initial naivety and desire to follow the rules of the manual.

The showrunners continue to delight fans with pleasant references. Those who played the third game will surely smile at the mention of Galactic News. Also worth mentioning is the power knuckles, familiar from the original 1997 game. However, its design is more reminiscent of the weapon of the same name from Fallout 4.

We'll update this material as new episodes are released.

Have you already watched the second season of Fallout? Or are you not interested at all? Share your thoughts in the comments!