Addressing the unforgiving and indiscriminate nature of war, the rampant consumerism of a capitalist society, and the long-term consequences of bigotry and greed, the Fallout series has never been one to pull punches. Despite this, the franchise has never shied away from absurdist humor, distinguishing itself from self-serious apocalyptic fiction and striving to balance whacky jokes with intense subjects, and becoming one of the few franchises to do so successfully. Fallout 3 is no exception.