The visual effects in the Fallout show are not perfect, but a group of VFX artists have nothing but praise for the creativity and ingenuity that went into each shot. Following a group of characters desperately trying to survive in a nuclear wasteland, the show features expansive sets, creatively designed characters, and moving suits of armor with immense strength and power. Every member of Fallout‘s cast has their own quirk that makes them dangerous, but many also bring serious challenges for any VFX team.

In a YouTube video going into detail about different wastelands and apocalypses, the Corridor Crew explored the good and bad CGI in the Fallout show. Check it out below:

The Corridor Crew describes the accuracy of the nuclear blast, the bizarre appearance of the one-eyed Vault leader, how the Ghoul’s appearance was perfected by the VFX team, and the effects that went into the Brotherhood of Steel’s ship. They offer praise and criticism, while also going into detail about deliberate choices that the team must have made.

Fallout Doesn’t Need To Be Perfect

The Nuclear Apocalypse Isn’t Perfectly Done, But It Serves Its Purpose

Corridor Crew explained that nuclear blasts are very difficult for creators to get right. In Fallout, it involves extensive explosions, minute details in a broad shot that involves countless buildings falling apart. Getting those details perfect would be practically impossible, especially in a show that only has a short period of time to get through the actual nuclear blasts. The show’s place in the Fallout timeline is incredibly disordered, as it takes place both in 2296 and 2077. Because of that, there is very little time to focus on the 2077 apocalypse when the aftermath is far more central.

In the time provided, however, Fallout mostly gets it right. There are multiple things that Corridor Crew praised about the show’s CGI. They highlighted the size of the nuclear blasts and the shockwave as extremely accurate. They also celebrated the visual effects that went into the city’s destruction, as it features crumbling buildings and shattered windows. Still, the mushroom cloud itself is inaccurate, as it appears as soon as the flash does. In reality, there would be a significant delay before the mushroom cloud would appear on the horizon.

While getting those details right is admirable, it is not wholly necessary for the story. The nuclear blasts simply need to appear threatening. Extreme accuracy would simply take away from the story. If the Ghoul spent multiple minutes staring at the nuclear blast before the mushroom appeared in all the explosions, it would take time and a significant portion of the budget. Instead, the first blast was reasonably accurate, and the rest served to heighten the effect. While Fallout‘s VFX are not perfect, they work to emphasize the horror of the nuclear apocalypse.