Ever since I saw this Stand out Show, I can’t get enough of it. The show was my introduction to its world, and the ending only inspired me to delve deeper into the worlds of the video games that inspired the show. Everything from the evils of Vault-Tec to the eccentric characters fascinated me. Of course, I’m not alone – the game series saw an influx of players following the series’ release – but not everyone can commit to playing the games. It can be a huge time investment and even require hundreds of mods to play. Luckily, I’ve found a great way to experience the games without actually playing them: watching clips on TikTok.
I can already hear the groans from experienced fans – that’s true! – as watching short videos about specific quests, locations or characters in no way replaces actually playing the game. But now I get to see a highlight reel from the people who put hundreds of hours into the game and get to know the series in a way tailored to the show’s viewers. For example, the video below shows an unexploded bomb Fallout 3is Megaton, discussing theories about who dropped the bombs first – which the series directly addresses.
Clips like the ones above allow me to learn more about the world as presented in the game series and can also provide additional information about the game’s story. Sure, I could read wikis about the game, but that’s just not as fun. In the clip below, we learn about a man who runs the radio – a role played by Fred Armisen in the series – and what happens if you kill the radio man in the game. (Spoiler: It’s funny.)
Even if I put time and effort into the games, it wouldn’t guarantee that I would be able to see everything I want in a perfect way. I could play, but I might not know how funny the outcome would be if I killed the radio host. In other examples, people were just really good at highlighting silly moments. The Clip below speaks about a mysterious cult that formed around them Gravitron theme park ride
People also just do hilarious stunts in the games that I wouldn’t have the time or patience for. Like this person who collects dozens of Protectors to defend against an invasion by the Brotherhood of Steel Fallout 4.
Before the show, I may have scrolled past these videos and TikTok’s algorithm may have taken that as a sign that I wasn’t interested in this content. However, now the show has given me just enough knowledge to put the big moments shown in the clips into context. The videos hit the point where I know enough to understand the clips and recognize certain cults or recurring characters, but I don’t know enough that none of it surprises me. All in all, it was a fun way to learn more about the games, and I’d recommend browsing around on TikTok if you want to scratch that Fallout itch.
