Sci-fi and fantasy games often feature expansive worlds that are populated by numbers of creatures that are not human. Some may be more humanoid than others, but overall is one of the hallmarks of the genres. Meeting unique individuals hailing from distinct cultures is one of the biggest draws of adventures like these. That being said, most games in the genres including Star Wars and Fallout tend to rely heavily on using human protagonists. Star Wars in particular seems especially guilty of this trend, but both stand out in the way humans tend to take center stage.
Star Wars has one of the largest universes in modern media. Dozens of different planets have been explored over the decades of films, television series, books, comics, and of course video games. Naturally, this has led to a staggering amount of alien races either shown or sometimes merely mentioned. There are the more well-known cultures like the Twi'leks and the Jawas down to some like the Arthurians that have only been explored in references. This is why it's so interesting that many of its best games like Fallen Order seem to rely on human characters like Cal Kestis.
Why So Many Star Wars Focus on Human Characters Like Cal Kestis
The obvious part of the answer is simply that it's easier for players to identify with a human protagonist. This is a common trope throughout games and films that are set in more fantastical worlds. Having the grounding element of a human protagonist allows for players to experience the out-of-this-world elements through a more relatable lens. This can go a long way in helping Star Wars games appeal to a wider swath of fans that may have a harder time suspending disbelief, or like to see a version of themselves in the characters they control.
While this approach works well in newer IPs, the reasons behind it can kind of fall apart with something so well-known as the Star Wars universe. Even the protagonists like Cal Kestis from Fallen Order are acutely familiar with the various non-human denizens of the various worlds. So the reactionary element is somewhat muted in that context but still works well when exploring new locales. Cal's initial reaction to exploring the ancient crypts of Dathomir comes to mind. It's also worth noting that while many of the aliens throughout Star Wars can be reduced to "humans but a different color" to a degree. Ahsoka Tano is a good example of a character that most fans would easily adapt to as a protagonist despite her not being a normal human.
While games with custom characters like The Old Republic allow for players to create heroes and villains of different alien races, there's a key similarity between all of them. Mechanics in video games are half of the equation when creating something palatable, and every playable race in The Old Republic is bipedal and similarly shaped. Developing the separate mechanics for a Jedi protagonist with multiple arms for example could be difficult, although a playable Grievous in Battlefront 2 stands as an example to the contrary. While there are nearly innumerable Star Wars worlds full of possible heroes, keeping the story and mechanics closer to the human base seems to work best for many Star Wars stories like Fallen Order and KOTOR.
Fallout and Its Reliance On Human Heroes
Fallout on the other hand doesn't have quite as many non-human choices for potential protagonists. The series is known for its retrofuturistic atmosphere and expansive game worlds and has always focused on human characters. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of other options, though. Fallout's Super Mutants, Ghouls, and various types of robotic creatures could all offer interesting perspectives on the war that never changes. But similar themes are at work as to why humans have been the only player option with only a couple of exceptions.
Fallout Tactics, released back in 2001, allowed for players to take control of different types of wasteland wanderers in its tactical combat. That spin-off however was declared non-canon by Bethesda so humanoids like the Beastlords from the game aren't likely to appear anytime soon. The same logic is at work in Fallout. The mainline games all focus on a human character emerging from one of the various Vaults out into the forever-mutated world. Exploring the various locations throughout the Fallout series is handled through the lens of a relatively normal human being exposed to the strange new version of Earth that's emerged in the aftermath of 2077's nuclear war.
That being said, Fallout isn't new by any stretch of the word either. Star Wars obviously is the better-known property, but Fallout has a huge fanbase that is very familiar with its overall lore and has explored every inch of the wastes they've been given. This means that exploring the series through new eyes could be interesting, but would offer its own challenges. Fallout has long been one of the staples of the open-world genre, so making too many changes to the formula could prove a bad move. Getting to travel the wastelands as one of the powerful Super Mutants is a good example.
Playing as a Super Mutant could put an interesting spin on the Fallout formula. It could be satisfying to take control of the physically powerful Mutants, and getting a closer look at whatever strange culture they've developed between each other could be interesting. But those same positives could quickly turn negative. Mechanically, it could be hard to balance out the experience of Fallout when starting off as a creature twice as large as a normal human, and often with half the intelligence. And while exploring Super Mutant culture might be engaging for a time, it could be more difficult to work a Super Mutant character into the more heroic roles the protagonists usually take.
A large hallmark of what's made Fallout fun for players has been the choices. Fans are largely free to interact with the world as they see fit, with varying levels of consequence. But choosing to stick with human protagonists for the series just makes sense for the stories it has told thus far. It may be time for game franchises like Fallout and Star Wars to look towards exploring non-human heroes in their games, but that will come with a new set of challenges for the two franchises.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 is rumored to be in development.