After becoming one of Prime Video’s most successful shows ever, you may be missing Fallout already, but one critically acclaimed adaptation is the perfect alternative. Having made a big splash during its premiere in April 2024, Fallout went on to achieve incredible viewership numbers and became a flagship show for the streaming service. Its incredible story and performances helped it become one of 2024’s best TV shows, and with season 2 confirmed, I can’t wait for its return. However, despite its promising production update, Fallout‘s next season doesn’t have a release date, but there are other options in the meantime.

While Prime Video’s Secret Level looks promising following Fallout‘s success, one gaming adaptation is set to return before Amazon’s next project, and it already has great reviews. After releasing in 2021, the show is finally set to have a follow-up season, and the series is every bit as good as Fallout, if not better. While I loved Amazon’s adaptation of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic franchise, Netflix also managed to nail one popular video game franchise’s transition to TV, and for anyone who hasn’t already seen this fantastic series, now is the perfect time to watch while waiting for Fallout‘s return.

You Should Watch Netflix’s Arcane If You Liked Prime Video’s Fallout

Arcane Expertly Brings Its Video Game World To Life While Delivering A Dramatic Story, Just Like Fallout

Arcane‘s highly-rated story and top-tier animation masterfully bring the League of Legends universe to TV, and it’s a great option if you’re a fan of Fallout. Like Prime Video’s hit series, Netflix’s Arcane honors its source material while telling a gripping and dramatic story that is hard not to get invested in. While it’s a little darker than Fallout, the story is just as compelling, and the characters get plenty of detailed development. Ella Purnell’s performance as Lucy MacLean was one of Fallout‘s highlights, and she’s every bit as brilliant in Arcane, where she plays Jinx.

Although season 1 was great, Jinx and Vi’s heartbreaking Arcane story will be even bigger in season 2, making now the perfect time to catch up with the show. I was skeptical going into it – especially having no prior knowledge of League of Legends – but the series blew me away and is easily one of the best projects I’ve watched in the past few years. It contains plenty of the aspects that made Fallout so good, such as great world-building and fascinating character relationships, but it also has its own unique qualities, and I can’t recommend Arcane enough.

How Ella Purnell’s Lucy Is Different From Her Arcane Character

Lucy MacLean Is Much More Kind-Hearted Than Arcane’s Jinx

Both Lucy and Jinx are incredibly well-written characters, but they’re also very different. Their backstories aren’t too dissimilar, as Lucy was an innocent vault dweller who had to become more ruthless to survive outside the vault while Jinx was an innocent child at the start of Arcane, but she became unhinged after suffering great loss. However, their roles in each show are the complete opposite, with Lucy highlighting a character maintaining her kind nature and morality in the face of a brutal world, whereas Jinx is the product of trauma and adversity, which creates a dark and twisted antagonist.

Although the wasteland does transform Lucy in Fallout, she still holds onto the core characteristics that make her the real hero of the story, and it’s hard not to root for her. While I am still worried she could head down a darker path in season 2, Purnell’s Fallout character is much more optimistic and hopeful compared to her Arcane role. Jinx’s story is tragic and having lost her father figure and feeling resented by her sister, it’s easy to see why she became so damaged, making it easy to sympathize with her despite playing a more villainous part.

Lucy is the ultimate underdog who resembles the good still left in Fallout ‘s dangerous wasteland, and Jinx epitomizes how lost and broken someone can become in Arcane ‘s unforgiving world.

Despite all the damage she’s caused, particularly during Arcane season 1’s ending, it’s impossible not to care about Jinx, making her impending battle with Vi all the more emotional. I absolutely love both of Purnell’s characters and the actress does a great job of showing her range with each one. Lucy is the ultimate underdog who resembles the good still left in Fallout‘s dangerous wasteland, and Jinx epitomizes how lost and broken someone can become in Arcane‘s unforgiving world, showcasing just how different yet compelling both characters are.

Arcane And Fallout Are Among The Best Video Game Adaptations Ever Made

Both Shows Set The Standard For Video Game Adaptations

Video game adaptations are becoming increasingly common in modern media, but Arcane and Fallout are two of the best ever made. Both shows do a tremendous job of telling fresh, unique stories without retconning or undermining the games they are based on. While League of Legends has in-game lore, there is no official story, meaning Arcane used that freedom to tell a thrilling story full of passion and care for the source material. Fallout has numerous stories, but there is almost unlimited potential in the gaming world, which helped make Prime Video’s show stand out so much.

It used items and enemies from the games while introducing completely new characters who all fit into the franchise’s wider lore. Other shows like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Castlevania have also excelled in similar ways, while The Last of Us flourished by being a faithful retelling of its source material. However, Arcane and Fallout are still right at the top of the list when it comes to video game adaptations as they are full of quality alongside great decision-making, and with both having second seasons in the works, they may cement themselves as the best of all time.