Fallout fans propose game set in first year after nuclear war
A Fallout series fan known as CretaceousClock brought up for community discussion the concept of Fallout Zero – a game set during the Great War and the first year of the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Similar ideas have surfaced before, but over time, especially considering the development of the Fallout TV series, these concepts gain more nuance. However, not everyone supports attempting to portray Fallout in a setting uncharacteristic for the series.
The main criticism of the concept concerns limited enemy variety – while the game could work as a solid linear adventure, it would disappoint much of the fanbase. The "assortment" of opponents was severely limited back then. Immediately after the bombs fell, there would be no ghouls, super mutants, or other mutated creatures that define the series' atmosphere. Enemies would be restricted to other surviving humans fighting over resources.
Besides, we already have Fallout 76, which takes place 25 years after the bombs and was originally conceived as a demonstration of wasteland recovery after some time. However, there is a difference – 76 shows the world rebuilding, whereas a game about the first year would demonstrate civilization's transformation into wasteland.
Among the suggestions is a creative solution to the enemy problem – nearly every character encountered would be hostile. Neighbors would fight to the death over clean water or rad-x, survivors would turn into feral ghouls in real time, and government facilities with experiments could release unique mutants.
Scientists, guards and researchers around all sorts of crazy chemicals, exposed to the blast and possibly infected with FEV – what kinds of mutants would emerge?
However, the question of lore integrity remains. Especially since Bethesda already received criticism for canon changes in Fallout 76 and the TV series. Moreover, if events unfold immediately after the bombs, most survivors are still hiding in bunkers and vaults. There would be no society on the surface. After all, a significant portion of the wasteland population descends from vault dwellers who emerged to the surface.
Still, there are alternative options. For example, a roguelike where you have a little time before the war starts to gather supplies, hide anywhere from nuclear explosions, then survive as long as possible before death. When the character dies, the game switches and lets you play as someone else.
How would you imagine a Fallout game that takes place right after the bombs dropped?
