As I've discussed before, there seems to be a something about fictional post-apocalyptic worlds that draw modern viewers in. Perhaps it's the notion of a world with limited technology. Maybe it's the idea of actual danger. These are two things that most of us reading MakeUseOf do not necessarily have to face, and with a post-apocalyptic world, we can view these possibilities at a safe distance.

Granted, there is nothing that can truly bring post-apocalyptia in a visual form quite like film. Post-apocalyptic films are like windows into a reality that isn't ours, but if disaster were to strike, it could very well be.

Nuka Break

Nuka Break is the first of three out of video game-based short films that you'll see here today. The film is totally set in the Fallout universe, and generally speaking, I believe it captures the essence of this world quite perfectly. Plot-wise, the film focuses on main character Twig as he searches wastelandified Eastern California in search for some refreshing Nuka Cola.

As far as sticking with the source material goes, Nuka Break may be one of the best films I've seen at doing so. It offers the equal amount of dark humor and grit that the original Fallout universe provides, and I wouldn't be surprised if we found Twig and his friends as NPCs in a future game. By the way, Nuka Break became a legit web-series, so the fun doesn't end here.

Breath

Breath is one of those avant-garde, emotional post-apocalyptic films that allows beauty to meet destruction in a powerful way. In essence, the production is comparable to The Road or even The Book of Eli, yet it lacks the violence that appeals to mainstream audiences. At the core, it's a simple story based on one man's methods of survival.

Granted, even in such living conditions, he has his hopes and dreams, and they tend to be focused on finding a certain "clean" paradise. There is an element of romance that is not found in most post-apocalyptic tales, but even still, the movie comes with a dose of subtle, physical world horrors. Despite the peaceful nature of the film, it would be terrifying to place yourself in the main character's shoes.

Escape From City 17

For those of you out there who are fans of the Half-Life universe, Escape From City 17 is a dream come true. Escape is a two-parter short created by the Purchase Brothers that dives into Gordon Freeman's world. Produced on a $500 budget (give or take), the film compares to and even exceeds the quality of some Hollywood films.

Basically, for the first part, we follow our two main characters as they escape City 17, fighting the Combine along the way which leads to the full spectrum of the adventure. Fun face about this video is that it got the Purchase brothers a nice trip to Valve's headquarters. (By the way, the famous crowbar does make a brutal appearance.)

Official S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Short Film

This is a nice video based on the material of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, and in it is some creative cinematography as well as a pretty nifty jet fly-over. Despite a couple of issues where the antagonists speak English and expose their hands while wearing radiation suits, it's a well-made film. However, I feel as though a lot of its methods could be easily duplicated.

Nevertheless, this is a good video, and it features some fun shots of the protagonist running around, masked up and gun ready. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to get out and make one of your own with your friends. As a matter of fact, if I can wrangle a few people I know into it, we may just do that.

Connected

It was a bit of a personal choice to write about this film, for Connected is one of my favorite short films of all time. I watched it a while back, and I still can't get it out of my head. When you watch this film, it's fine to appreciate the stunning photography, the out-of-this-world color, and even the production design. However, at the core, it's a tale of humanity that merely uses a post-apocalyptic setting as its vehicle.

Set in an era where oxygen is either unusable or non-existent, the world's inhabitants are forced to use machines to breathe. Granted, as you may be able to surmise, these machines tend to run out of air eventually, so in this environment, there is the question of what extent one would go to just to acquire one of these machines. Furthermore, there is the harder-hitting question of whether or not one would stand by his friend in such a time.

Conclusion

We recognize that post-apocalyptia is merely another creative way of looking at the future of the world, but let's think about this for just a second: in such a world there would be no instant communication, no new technological toys... no MakeUseOf. Granted, it's a scary thing to think about, and I believe it's nice to remind us of what we have by looking at this kind of content. Not to be a downer, but materialistically speaking, the world has some nifty stuff right now, and it would be a shame to lose it all.

What other post-apocalyptic films have you watched recently? What would be your first method of survival in a post-apocalyptic world?