Right now, Fallout 5 remains a mystery. Bethesda’s next chapter in the beloved post-apocalyptic saga is still far from making its grand entrance. However, the excitement surrounding the successful live-action adaptation on Amazon Prime has fueled hopes for this new installment. While concrete details are scarce at the moment, it’s thrilling to ponder the innovations that await fans once the game eventually hits the shelves.
Recently, Bethesda treated us to Starfield, an adventurous dive into sci-fi. The game transports players into space, yet intriguingly, you’ll discover no humanoid aliens there. Instead, only local fauna classified as alien life emerges across diverse planets. This approach provides an interesting spin on what constitutes extraterrestrial life. But for those eager to face more recognizable adversaries, this absence might feel like a missed opportunity. Considering the history that the Fallout series has with Zetans, the humanoid aliens that have popped up throughout its games, incorporating them might enrich Fallout 5’s storyline.
The rumors indicate that Zetans may play a pivotal role in the next Fallout installment. Diving into the archives, these aliens seeped into the franchise once Bethesda took the reins with Fallout 3. Since then, they’ve appeared in New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76 eventually carving their place within the saga. The latter even flaunts a Zetan-centric event, ‘Invaders From Beyond,’ celebrated in Appalachia annually.
Taking a look back, Fallout’s inaugural game featured a UFO crash site complete with skeletons appearing quite alien, though differing from the now-familiar Zetan form. Moving forward into Fallout 5, giving Zetans a more prominent role could indeed be quite exciting. They’ve typically been more of a side plot in the grand lore of Fallout, though their character adds depth and whimsical sci-fi vibes to the harsh wasteland backdrop.
In Fallout 3, the Mothership Zeta add-on brought to light the aliens’ long journey of interacting with humans, even before The Great War—a disclosure vividly presented with characters like Toshiro Kago, a feudal samurai now living aboard their ship. Zetans once again mark their presence in Fallout 76’s lore, fueling urban legends like the Flatwoods Monster.
What’s the potential for these extraterrestrial beings in Fallout 5? The game could venture deeper than ever before. Instead of relegating them to mere add-ons or events, a full-blown Zetan storyline could shake things up considerably. Imagine a campaign where managing or warding off an alien invasion becomes the crux of the experience. Whether they act as central antagonists or simply create havoc that players must fend off, there’s ample room for innovation.
As for now, Bethesda’s plans remain enigmatic, and Fallout 5’s direction is still hazy. Yet, after Starfield’s curious omission of alien characters, the comeback of the Zetans could certainly ramp up the excitement. Time will be the ultimate teller, but it’s fun to speculate what the Fallout universe has in store for us next.
