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.
The game, released by Bethesda in 2008, turns its gaze to the nuclear-ravaged American East Coast and features many call-backs to the cult classic Fallout RPGs that launched the series. Along with the trademark humor, the S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats, and Enclave, Brahmin make a return – the two-headed mutant offspring of the American Brahman. Used throughout the wasteland for carrying goods and providing milk and meat, 14 years after Fallout 3’s release, players have rediscovered a use for them.
On the Fallout 3 subreddit, user jakowe94 posted a video showing Fallout 3's Lone Wanderer sneaking up to some Brahmin before activating them, tipping them over onto their side. The video shows the characteristic clunkiness of Fallout as the ragdoll physics take over, and the Brahmin jumps into the air, limbs jostling, mooing loudly as it topples over. The human animation is equally awkward as shown when jokowe enters third person and the Lone Wanderer stiffly sticks out their arms, barely making contact with the beast before it flies off to the side
User jokowe94 asks how, after ‘hundreds of hours,’ they could not know cow tipping was present in-game. Commenters go on to empathize with jokowe’s comment, stating that they too didn’t realize the Lone Wanderer could do this until many hours in when they tried to see what happens when they pickpocket a Brahmin.
They also commiserate the lack of cow tipping in Fallout 4, released in 2015. Despite the huge leap in graphical fidelity between the Fallout sequels, as well as the improvements to combat and exploration, this small inclusion highlights one of the many things missing from Fallout 4.
In a game series as gloomy as Fallout’s can be, a little laugh goes a long way into making the game a more memorable experience. This is what previous Fallout games have mastered so well - why they’re revered as dark comic classics - and what Fallout 4 and its successors could do to learn. Long-running gags are part of the series’ DNA, all the more so if they take even longer to find.
Fallout 3 is available now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.