Atomic kitsch in British: Fallout London or an overhyped mod in free fall (Editorial)

In the world of digital end-time disasters, the Fallout series has established itself as an iconic companion through the radiation-infested wasteland. But while Bethesda’s shining jewel has already reduced various American locations to rubble, a huge modification is now venturing into the heart of the old empire: Fallout London. A fascinating undertaking that, according to many a disappointed voice on the Internet, would probably have been better sunk in the Thames. But wait…

The start was already bumpier than the old London cobblestones, but that was probably more down to Bethesda, whose “next gen” update of Fallout 4 as a monetary tool to accompany the cinematic cross-marketing of the modding community was a stab in the digital heart. But the afflicted gamer who doesn’t want to give up his old saves and play both versions at the same time simply buys a GOTY edition from GOG for a penny and reinstalls Fallout London separately. That’s me.

But at a time when mods are often the lifeline for old games, Fallout London has done a great job of splitting the community into two camps: Those who have jumped on the hype bandwagon, and those who wonder if the train is even still on the tracks. The over-hyped mod promises a journey into the post-apocalyptic heart of London, but delivers a rollercoaster ride that is one thing above all else – a constant plunge into the depths. Or the desktop, which probably amounts to the same thing.

Constant crashes are unfortunately the order of the day in Fallout London. Unfortunately, I spent more time restarting the game on the first day than actually playing it. The eternal loading times are an additional punishment. Instead of immersing yourself in the immersive world of a post-apocalyptic London, you are constantly battling technical problems. The bugs and glitches that plague the game are more numerous than the rats in the London Underground.

Unfortunately, the developers have not even come close to meeting the expected standards. The backdrops often look loveless and flat, and the interactions with the environment are more reminiscent of an unfinished school project than a lovingly designed gaming experience and the textures… In the end, I guess you can sum it up by saying that the ‘Fallout’ in the title means that the game is constantly falling apart. The frustration is omnipresent, with crashes and freezes occurring so frequently that you could almost assume the developers had included them as a feature to convey the authentic feeling of despair in a post-apocalyptic world. All these bugs are like the pigeons in Trafalgar Square – everywhere and unwelcome.

To me, the hype surrounding Fallout London feels like a soap bubble promise that bursts at the first touch. I’ve lost a useless amount of time, and my nerves anyway. The community was lured in with big promises and elaborate trailers, only to be fobbed off with a beta version that causes more frustration than joy. Did I just write beta? Alpha! Fallout London had the potential to be a masterpiece, but instead we got an unfinished, crash-prone disaster.

For me, Fallout London is like fish and chips without the chips – a pile of dried up fish with no substance but a nasty aftertaste. While the setting seems enticing at first glance, you soon begin to realize that the stylized London is more like a post-apocalyptic tourist trap. London’s iconic landmarks do appear, but they often look more like lovelessly cobbled together backdrops from a bad West End production. I’d rather avoid such images. Okay, one will have to do, because it has nothing to do with the trailer:

The charm and black humor that the Fallout series is famous for is nowhere to be found here, by the way. Instead, we are confronted with a clumsy attempt to combine British humor and Fallout atmosphere. The result? A royal letdown, with the dialog in the game often sounding as if a group of Americans had been asked what they thought British English was like. Authenticity is a different matter, as are wit and story anyway. Monty would turn over in his grave even faster than my stomach at the next crash.

So Fallout London remains a cautionary tale that all that glitters is not gold. An over-hyped mod that not only fails to meet expectations, but actually crashes. It’s a shame about the wasted time and dashed hopes of players who were looking forward to an exciting journey into post-apocalyptic London. So we have no choice but to look at Fallout London with a bitter smile and hope that the next adventure in the wasteland will be another hit – perhaps this time with a little more chips and less fish.

Note
I bought Fallout 4 again as a GOTY from GOG. Then there were endless attempts to stabilize the game and at least survive the first metro ride without crashing. Whether it was installing the Buffout4 mod, which has already helped other cases to mitigate the worst, or optimized graphics settings up to the legendary “Weapon Debris”. Yes, it got less, but unfortunately not better. Permanent saving is the first civic duty, but it’s just no fun that way. I’m assuming that Bethesda knew in advance what kind of digital worming was in the mod and that’s why they kept their distance. And why am I writing all this today? I’m angry, that’s all. At myself, too, because I didn’t wait for the first reviews, but went ahead blindly. I’d like to spare you this disillusionment.