A few decades ago the masses believed video games were a waste of time for lackadaisical youths to pacify themselves while ignoring their responsibilities as both kids and young adults. As more and more people started understanding the benefits of gaming so too did the perception of what a video game is and, most importantly, the benefits gaming can bestow on a person’s life changed. Hi, my name is James Bullock and I am a gamer who has spent the better part of his existence testing the laws of physics, exploring the vastness of a world ruined, and been a champion inside various arenas courtesy of digitized worlds both driven by reality and created through pure unbelievable ingenuity unlike anything seen by human eyes. And as a gamer I’ve discovered something else video games provide: life lessons. Today I examine one of the most revolutionary franchises of the past two decades in regards to player choice, “Fallout.”
The Power of One
It’s incredibly easy to demean the chances of someone influencing a group of powerful people, let alone a generation. But there have been so many instances where the cultural zeitgeist has been shifted by charismatic showmen, revolutionary thinkers, and people who simply believe in whatever they’re doing while working harder than anyone else to achieve their goals – the tales of video games perfectly reflect those truths. While the overall theme of “Fallout” games has always been surviving through the post-apocalypse with as much ammunition, uncontaminated food, and caps to one’s name that’s more than necessary, the route to get to the point where the sole/lone/traveling/courier survivor is a one-person army sees gamers discovering something else: the ability of one can affect the entire world (or at least certain areas of a particular section of the country).
One of the best examples of the concept that one person can change the world as we know it occurs in “Fallout: New Vegas”. As the Courier, the player takes control of a character that moves away from simply gaining revenge to being a pawn in a power struggle that he eventually controls. Depending on how the player plans out their allegiances with factions such as Caesar’s Legion, the New California Republic, or even a self-aware robot, the Courier’s actions up & down the Mojave Wasteland entirely affects the west coast where the Hoover Dam becomes a grand source of power & control with the Courier being credited for any success the faction gained. Fast-forward five years later and a tale similar to the one occurring in “New Vegas” is told in “Fallout 4”. The “Sole Survivor” in “Fallout 4” suffers a horrific fate where his family is gunned down & kidnapped; putting him on a path of destruction toward the person responsible for the death of his wife & the taking of his son. Midway through the game, the player must start making crucial decisions that result in different endings including the Survivor destroying a faction responsible for getting back on his feet while the powers behind the scenes reveals themselves as the people responsible for dictating the next generation. Never ignore the power of one person as that individual can truly change the world as we know it … even if they’re rocking a pink Mohawk and matching thong.
Mini-Lesson: Dog is Man’s Best Friend … so are Super Mutants, and Even Jet-Powered Robots.
One of the best aspects of any recent “Fallout” game is the ability to have companions by the side of the survivor. While everyone automatically everyone mentions Dogmeat as that go-to companion, the “Fallout” franchise has featured tremendous seconds all sporting specific battle styles to complement the player’s as well as incredible one-liners aplenty. The good natured super mutant Fawkes, retired raider Jericho, sharpshooting Boone, the quick-witted Piper, and everyone’s favorite mission giver Preston Garvey all have their places in the “Fallout” lore while providing incredible backup in the heat of battle. One is truly the loneliest number – so make sure you have a pal by your side even if all that person wants to do is smash things.
Have you learned any major life lessons from playing the “Fallout” franchise or any video game for that matter? Leave them in the comments below and, as always, thanks for reading.
