Forget armageddon, this is hell
The MODUS Files review
Rating – 
The Fallout franchise of late has really taken off. What was once the domain of gaming nerds crossed over with the big budget open world RPG games on the next gen consoles. Then with the success of the Netflix show, things were surely looking up. Somewhere in amongst all this, we have The MODUS Files that promises to expand on the latest Fallout setting, Fallout 76.
So make sure you have your pip-boy and your supply of nuka-cola. Grab a handful of caps, and let’s leave the safety of the vault and see what’s out there in the big, wide world.
So what’s it about?
The MODUS Files is a post-apocalyptic audiodrama set in the world of Fallout 76. It follows the lives of childhood friends Valeria and Lilith, two inhabitants of a vault who make their way across the scorched and irradiated wasteland, and find their lives seemingly inextricably linked.
Valeria, the daughter of ex government agents is a great student, exceptional athlete and all round badass. She leaves the vault with her parents to try and head to a government vault in Appalachia. Even the families extensive training in the vault falls short when encountering the horrors of the wasteland though, and they need to rely on their ingenuity to try and make the journey.
Lilith is the opposite. Quiet and strange, and the daughter of a scientist. She harbours many a dark secret, not all of which are immediately apparent, and not all of which are her fault. Nature, not nurture and all that. Just like in the Fallout games, the series follows them from childhood to adulthood before throwing them into an unfriendly world.
Who knows what the future holds as they separately make their way to the fabled Enclave. Is it even still there? And even if it is, what condition is it in?
Is it any good?
No.
The sound levels are all over the place. I guess that this only occurs because each part was emailed over separately and stitched together afterwards. Despite this, there must really be no excuse for not even attempting a final mix. This isn’t really noticeable in the first episode, because it’s literally just a narration. I could almost forgive this, seeing as it was originally released in 2020 when everyone was forbidden from gathering together. To have each character recorded at a different quality and volume level really makes for a jarring experience.
However it soon reaches new levels when one of the characters’ voices goes from loud to quiet in the same sentence. The first line uttered is super loud, and after that there’s some weird kind of volume limiter that really goes to town. It has to be heard to be believed. It also sounds like this particular voice actor recorded his part with a mobile phone and was somewhere where he couldn’t shout too loudly. This has the odd result of him almost whispering loudly to try and make it sound like shouting during the more dramatic events.
The aforementioned narration during episode one should be commended for reading whole chunks of text in one take. Unfortunately that means that all those flubbed lines get left in. Seriously. Record more than one take!
Lilith has such an annoying voice that I grind my teeth to splintered nubs whenever she’s giving her pseudo psychotic monologues. There are plenty of annoying characters here, don’t get me wrong, but my god. Imagine a cross between Marvin from the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy TV series crossed with Fenella Fielding from Carry On Screaming and you’re getting close.
I’m not sure if the episodes are written by different people either. Or maybe it’s one writer who can churn out exposition, but finds actual dialogue difficult and relies on hideously cheesy tropes.
Final thoughts
I was really disappointed with this series. There could have been a great show hiding here, but I can’t find it. I will of course listen to ten episodes. I’m currently on episode six (plus bonus episodes) and it’s a real test of patience.
There is a reason I have never really got into any fan fiction*. I always had the sneaking suspicion that you could get away with substandard writing if you geared it towards a niche enough pop culture IP. Now, I may be wrong. As I said, I avoid fanfic and unfortunately this podcast isn’t going to change my mind. There is a way to write fiction like this that will appeal to fans of the IP as well as newcomers. This isn’t it.
Look, as I always say, this is just my opinion. There are many popular podcasts that I didn’t like, and I won’t give a high score just because everyone else does. If you are desperate for some Fallout fanfic, then check this out. You might like it. I didn’t. There is a reason it’s my first ever one brain rating.
You can get The MODUS Files here (should you want to):
For more great reviews, I recommend GreatPods
*With the exception of the early Battletech fiction, which is really great. And if you are interested, check out the brilliant Of Mechs And Men podcast