Why do people argue that Fallout is not a serious game despite its dark humor?

Dark, Story-Driven Narrative
1

I often come across conversations where individuals assert that Fallout was never intended to be serious. This perplexes me since I’ve always perceived Fallout as a game that incorporates dark humor into its narrative.

From my experience with the earlier titles in the series, I recall a blend of serious themes surrounding a post-apocalyptic world intertwined with satirical and dark humor. The game managed to juxtapose grave subjects like nuclear conflict and survival with a comedic take on American culture and politics.

Could someone clarify what is meant by the assertion that Fallout is not serious? Are they focusing on certain entries in the franchise, or is this more about the series’ overall vibe? I’m eager to grasp if I overlooked anything regarding the intended tone of these games.

2

Yeah, they definitely blend humor with serious stuff. Fallout tackles heavy themes like war and survival but packages everything in satire. Some people probably only catch the jokes and completely miss the deeper meaning.

3

The wackier stuff in later games doesn’t help either. New Vegas had some pretty silly moments that made people forget about the serious undertones.

4

People get thrown off by the retrofuturistic look and weird stuff like the Mysterious Stranger or Wild Wasteland encounters. But that’s literally the point - it shows how absurd and tragic everything is. The comedy makes the serious moments hit harder. Classic Fallout always used humor to show how messed up the world became.