Games that explore a post-apocalyptic world are nothing new, but Fallout has maintained its spot as one of the most notable franchises in the genre. With its blend of retro 50s-inspired imagery and compelling lore, Fallout boasts a truly unique identity that’s incredibly quick to spot. That’s not an easy thing to do, as many post-apocalyptic stories can start to feel and look the same after a while. Finding that special aesthetic and story spark is integral, and Tides of Tomorrow may have just done that.
There are a lot of gameplay features in Tides of Tomorrow that have been used as a selling point in its marketing. One of the main aspects that sets Tides of Tomorrow apart from other post-apocalyptic games is that it embraces asynchronous multiplayer. The choices made by other players can directly affect another’s playthrough, connecting everyone in a unique way that isn’t an outright multiplayer experience. It also knows how to create a unique version of the apocalypse. Where Fallout embraces wastelands, Tides of Tomorrow‘s post-apocalyptic vision is drowning in a never-ending ocean.
Tides of Tomorrow Review Roundup
Reviews for Tides of Tomorrow, an asynchronous first-person multiplayer adventure game, are officially out now.
Wastelands Are Staple Post-Apocalyptic Settings, But Fallout Brings Its Own Special Flair
Every mainline Fallout game is based in a new location, and this is what makes each wasteland feel fresh. Barren wastelands are a really common trope in these kinds of stories. The outskirts of the different Fallout wastelands can feel really similar at times, but the communities that spring up in random pockets are what give them true personality. New Vegas feels way different from The Commonwealth, and this applies to every state. Whether it’s the Appalachian wasteland or the Capital Wasteland, Fallout makes sure that its surviving communities showcase how each wasteland stands on its own.
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Once these communities are left, though, it’s lifeless terrain for miles. The Appalachian mountains are filled with cryptids like Fallout 76‘s Mothman, and running into a Deathclaw and quickly getting torn to pieces is pretty much a guarantee in every game. Fallout‘s wastelands are a reminder that even though humanity is still surviving, death is all around. That’s actually something Amazon’s live-action Fallout TV series has done a great job at demonstrating. It doesn’t matter how well-equipped someone is for the wasteland. There is always going to be something or someone who is bigger and stronger. Even if it isn’t a person or a monster, radiation sickness and running out of supplies are just as detrimental.
Fallout Season 3 is expected to begin filming next month and is taking the story to Colorado. When it comes to the games, Bethesda has yet to reveal when Fallout 5 is expected to come out.
Fighting for resources is all anyone can do. Fallout‘s Great War made almost everything scarce, and it leads people into really desperate situations. This post-apocalyptic franchise showcases what happens to society when there aren’t enough resources to go around, but Tides of Tomorrow takes the opposite approach.
Tides of Tomorrow is All About What Happens When There is Too Much of One Resource
Fallout shows just how bad not having enough water can be, but Tides of Tomorrow also showcases just how dangerous having too much water is. For those who have seen the Kevin Costner film Waterworld, Tides of Tomorrow‘s premise will sound pretty familiar. The game is set on a planet called Elynd, and it has been completely overrun by water. This makes life on Elynd incredibly difficult, and Tides of Tomorrow uses this water-drenched world to tell an environmentally conscious story that drives home the horrors of mass flooding. Some of the best post-apocalyptic games of the past few years have found ways to use their environments and lore to mirror real-world issues, and Tides of Tomorrow has found its own way to present a cautionary tale.
As unique as Tides of Tomorrow is, there are the few glaring similarities to Waterworld that keep it familiar. However, Tides of Tomorrow‘s story throws another real-life problem into the mix to make its world more compelling. Not only does the game explore themes of mass flooding and global warming, but it also doesn’t shy away from the growing fear of microplastics.
If having to live in a world overrun by water wasn’t bad enough, there are tons of microplastics in that water that have given rise to Plastemia. What makes the disease so horrible is that it eventually overtakes a person’s body and turns them into plastic. Even worse, Plastemia isn’t able to be fully cured. Inhaling a substance called Ozen helps treat those who are infected, but it only prolongs the inevitable. This easily makes Plastemia one of the worst in-game diseases of the past few years. The constant threat of being infected by an incurable sickness is reminiscent of games like The Last of Us and its Cordyceps infection or Dying Light‘s Harran Virus.
Avoiding the zombie route is a refreshing move, too. Tides of Tomorrow could have easily taken note of some of the best zombies games of the past few years and plopped them into a water-based setting, but Plastemia gives the world a more unique edge. Exploring post-apocalyptic worlds that forego zombies and nuclear blasts shows just how diverse this genre can actually be. Another game that has done this incredibly well is Death Stranding. Hideo Kojima’s ravaged world isn’t barren, but the Timefall rain that rapidly ages people presents a unique challenge for the characters living in this world.
Tides of Tomorrow Makes Post-Apocalyptic Storytelling Feel Fresh Again
Creating a new version of wasteland is not an easy task. Tides of Tomorrow and games like Death Stranding are great examples of how much more there is to explore in post-apocalyptic storytelling. These kinds of stories will hopefully open the door to more unique ideas like Plastemia and Timefall. This doesn’t diminish Fallout‘s nuclear themes, though. Diving into what happens to society after a nuclear blast is always going to be compelling. It’s just exciting to see a new vision of what happens when society is forced to fight against nature.
