Whether you like Amazon’s new Fallout show or not, it’s impossible to deny that it was extremely faithful to the source material from the games. From the darkly comedic dialogue and morally ambiguous characters to the retro-futuristic sets and prop design, everything on the show looks as if it’s been taken straight out of one of the games. For most fans, it’s as perfect a Fallout adaption as one could hope for
But still, there are some elements of the games that the show decided not to include. These aren’t necessarily things that needed to be included, but it would’ve been nice to see them portrayed in live-action. Fallout will inevitably get a second season, especially seeing the wholly positive reaction the first season has received. With that in mind, here are 5 things that were missing from the Fallout show…
V.A.T.S
V.A.T.S, or Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, play a big role in the Fallout franchise’s combat mechanics. First introduced in Fallout 3, this system lets you freeze time and individually pick where to target your enemy. Want to disarm them or destroy their weapon? Aim for their arms. Want to cripple them so they can’t chase you? Take out their legs. Or use up all your AP (action points) placing multiple shots on a target’s head and dealing as much damage as you can. Then watch as your attack is played out through varying slow-motion cinematic camera angles – John Woo style.
It’s definitely something that works better in a video game than in a series. I’m not too surprised that V.A.T.S isn’t showcased in the show, but it would’ve been nice to see one of the Vault dwellers refer to it. Seeing as you need a Pip-Boy to be able to utilize V.A.T.S, maybe we’ll see Lucy make use of it if (when) season 2 ever happens.
Robots!
The show isn’t technically missing robots. There is Snip-Snip, a Mister Handy who is intent on harvesting Lucy’s organs. Apart from him, and the occasional Mister Handy in the background during the flashbacks, not many robots appear on screen.
While the Mister Handy is the most recognizable robot in the Fallout universe, there are loads more that we’d love to see brought to life in the show. The deadly and agile assaultrons were a real pain to fight in Fallout 4, but they’d make for a cool scene in the show, as would the heavy, lumbering sentry bots. Snip-Snip was created using what seems to be mostly practical effects – seeing even larger and deadlier robots like this would be awesome. I, for one, would like to see Mr House’s securitrons from New Vegas make an appearance. That big TV screen face and monowheel design are some of the most well-known images in the franchise and would be a great visual in live-action. Not Yes Man though, I always hated him.
The Institute
Depending on your Fallout 4 ending, the Institute are either a) still operating and being run by the Sole Survivor or b) have been destroyed by the Sole Survivor with the help of an opposing faction. There isn’t a canon ending, so it would be hard for them to be included in the show. Yet Fallout 4 is set only nine years prior, making it possible for a reference or cameo from an Institute member or one of their synthetics.
If the Institute was canonically destroyed, there’s still a good chance that their synthetic spies would still be in hiding. And we know from Fallout 3’s “The Replicated Man” quest that they ventured further from the Commonwealth into the Wasteland. Who’s to say that didn’t make it to the New California Republic? The Institute are one of the most interesting factions in the Fallout universe. It would be a shame if they never got a mention on the show.
Super Mutants
Super Mutants are probably the most iconic villain in Fallout, so it was genuinely surprising that we didn’t get to see them make their live-action debut in the show. Unlike Snip-Snip, I can’t think of a viable way that these could be created using fully practical effects without looking cheap, but you’d think with all that money Amazon has they’d have the budget to at least show one in a short flashback or something.
These massive humanoid creatures are some of the most threatening enemies you can come across in the Wasteland (except for perhaps the infamous deathclaws). The mini-nuke-carrying suicide bombers from Fallout 4 are especially deadly. If they do decide to include super mutants, they should go all-out and use the massive, building-sized super mutant behemoth. I have no idea how they’d do it, but it would look good on screen.
Aliens
Despite being a post-apocalyptic setting heavily inspired by the Mad Max films, extraterrestrials do exist in the Fallout universe. These mysterious creatures are usually just easter eggs for the player to discover – typically giving them the powerful ray gun as a reward – but they appear in every entry in the series. When Fallout 3’s DLC “Mothership Zeta” was released in 2009, we got our first proper look at them, as the Lone Wanderer is zapped up to the eponymous mothership and has to fight their way out.
It’s definitely on the sillier side of the Fallout lore, yet that doesn’t mean we can’t have a small reference to it in the show. I mean, are aliens any more ridiculous than ghouls or giant cockroaches? Okay, maybe they are, but we could still have an easter egg confirming their existence. Perhaps we’ll see someone wielding a ray gun next season or a flying saucer spinning through the sky in the background of a scene. One can only hope.
If you want to read more about the new Fallout show, don’t forget to check out our review.
