April 20th 2024.
When it comes to adapting video games into TV shows or movies, it's always a bit of a gamble. Some people may argue that the original source material is always better, while others may find the adaptation to be a refreshing take on the story. One reader recently shared their thoughts on Amazon's adaptation of Fallout and how it compares to the game itself.
What caught my attention was the comparison to The Last of Us TV show and how many people, including myself, found it to be even better than the game in terms of dialogue and acting. This is quite impressive, considering that The Last of Us is already considered to be one of the best story-driven games of all time. However, when placed side by side with a high-quality TV show, the differences become quite noticeable.
It seems that no matter how hard a game tries, it can never quite match the quality of a traditional live action production. One possible reason for this is the length of games. While a movie is typically two hours long, video game writers have to stretch their scripts over much longer playtimes. For example, The Last of Us Part 2 can take up to 30 hours to complete. This makes it much harder to maintain the same level of quality and have a story that justifies such a long playtime.
Another challenge for video game adaptations is finding talented actors. It often feels like there are only a handful of actors in the gaming industry, with names like Troy Baker and Jennifer Hale appearing in countless titles. While they are certainly talented, they may not be top-tier actors. On the other hand, when game publishers do bring in well-known Hollywood actors, they may not always give their best performance. To them, video games may just be a quick and easy job between more prominent roles, and they may not take the script as seriously.
Despite the excellence of The Last of Us, the difference between the show and the game is not significant enough to turn people away from playing the game. However, this contrast is much more apparent in the Fallout TV show. This is because the Fallout games have notoriously poor storytelling, making the difference between the show and the games feel like night and day.
The Fallout TV show is accessible to anyone, even those who are not familiar with the games. However, the games themselves are typical Bethesda games, with an open world, extensive customization options, and lots of interactivity. Sadly, the one thing they lack is a compelling story that captures the players' attention. Even after playing Fallout 4 for 150 hours, I still couldn't tell you what the plot is. This seems to be a recurring issue with Bethesda games, as it could also be said about Oblivion and Skyrim.
It's a shame that Bethesda seems to be getting worse with their scripts as they release new games. The characters in Starfield are so forgettable that I can't even remember their names. And while Fallout 4 has slightly better characters, they are still lacking compared to other mediums. Some characters are dull, while others are just plain embarrassing, like the French robot who falls in love with you as soon as she gets a human body.
I can't deny that I enjoyed the missions involving Curie, but I wonder how it would play out in a TV show. The difference between what is considered "good enough" in video games and what is seen as childish or cringy in live action is quite significant. I'm sure every Fallout fan wishes that the games were as smart and funny as the TV show.
The closest the Fallout games have come to having a compelling story is with Fallout: New Vegas, which was not developed by Bethesda. And based on what we've seen from Starfield, I'm not sure if they will ever reach that level of storytelling.
It's ironic that for years, Hollywood looked down on video games and considered them low-effort cash-grabs. But now, as games have improved in terms of storytelling, it's clear how far behind they still are and how they may never catch up. It's a topic that makes you think, and I'm sure many gamers have their own opinions on the matter.
Thank you to reader Cranston for sharing their thoughts and sparking this discussion. It's always interesting to hear different perspectives on the world of gaming. If you have your own thoughts to share, please feel free to email, comment, or follow us on social media. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on all the latest gaming news and releases.
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