About the ending [Spoilers]

[blade12]

At the end of the game I could not help feeling that the logic/premise of the whole game is flawed.

You are escaping a bunker that is flooding with radiation because the air filters were non-functional; i.e., no filtering of the radiation present in the outside air to make it safe to breathe. So, obviously the outside air must still be laden with radiation. What's the point of bursting out of the bunker only to be breathing contaminated air?!

Or did I miss something?

[Miami Dan]

Radioactive dust and other sediment has slowly worked itself down through the air system throughout the years. The outside environment may currently be at safe levels, but that doesn't mean the bunker's air system can't or isn't contaminated. Plus, in one of the cutscenes the commissioner or someone else did say it would take about 20-30 years for the outside radiation levels to fall to non-fatal levels. Still, I would have just put the NBC suit back on and marched down to fix the air filteration system broken arm or not.

[Kapple]

The secondary air backup unit thingy was contaminated, when he fell over on the ladder he accidentally switched on the backup unit, thus filling the air with radiation.

[blade12]

Ah, now that sequence makes sense. Man, that's messed up. Since the radiation released was well past the red zones of the guages, I presume it was beyond the capabilities of the suit to absorb too. Thanks, that satisfies my question.

[Despiseusername]

such a suit isn't really meant for radiation exposure. its meant to keep out radioactive containments from being breathed in or getting on you. Breathing in radioactive dust, or getting it on your skin can be way worse then an exposure of background radiation. When the backup was switched on that just dumped a ton that contaiminated the whole place. Also without the filter system working the air would be getting toxic due to carbon monoxide buildup etc.

radiation exposure suits are heavy lead lined things that at most protect for thirity minutes. usually used for the core of a nuke power plant.

[acuraice]

u missed the fact that he could breathe bc there wasnt any nuclear bombs!! it was all a lie to keep them in the bunker.

[McBain23]

Originally posted by acuraice:

u missed the fact that he could breathe bc there wasnt any nuclear bombs!! it was all a lie to keep them in the bunker.

Ah this makes sense now. There was an attack though but it was with Anthrax, that right?

[Psyringe]

Yeah. He steps out of a bunker more than 30 years after bombs fell, why wouldn't he be able to breathe?

According to the in-game information, there were two attacks with nuclear weapons, and a third wave with Anthrax. And no, it couldn't have been "a lie", because they had radio equipment in the bunker, they would have picked up signals if civilization was still existent above ground.

Early estimates were that it would take 20-30 years before they can get out. This time has passed when the main story is taking place - we know this with certainty because we're on day 11,111 when the fuse burns through, so we are in the 31st year after the attack. So it's perfectly reasonable that he steps out into a world that is once again safe. (And yes, as others mentioned, the reason for the high radiation levels in the bunker was the switch to the contaminated backup ventilation system.)

[kris.aalst]

Also, we see plenty of trees and bushes healthy and abloom just outside the bunker. This wouldn't be the case if radiation levels outside the bunker would still be at dangerous levels.