Ah, Fallout 4. Bethesda’s magnum opus that had every post-apocalyptic fan salivating at the prospect of another wasteland adventure. Let me just start by saying that I’m no stranger to the Fallout series. I’ve spent countless hours wandering the pixelated wastelands of Fallout 1 and 2, and I was genuinely blown away by Fallout 3. Hell, I even have a soft spot for the janky glory of New Vegas.
So, when Fallout 4 was announced, I was more excited than a radroach at an irradiated buffet. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly turned into a mixed bag of “this is fun” and “what the actual fuck, Bethesda?”
The Good: A Looter Shooter Paradise
Let’s start with the good, because there is some good to be found in this radioactive shitpile. If you’re looking for a decent open world shooter that has loot, Fallout 4 delivers in spades. The Commonwealth is vast and filled with all sorts of goodies to scavenge.
Guns, ammo, armor, and enough junk to make your inner hoarder weep with joy. The gunplay is solid, a huge improvement over Fallout 3’s clunky mechanics. Shooting feels satisfying, and the addition of customizable weapons and armor adds a layer of depth that kept me tinkering for hours.
The crafting system, while overwhelming at first, became one of my favorite aspects of the game. Turning a rusty old pipe into a death-dealing machine was immensely satisfying. And building settlements? Don’t even get me started. I lost more hours than I care to admit constructing my own little post-apocalyptic Sanctuary, and that was before I even started on the mods. Sure, the settlers are dumber than a bag of hammers and need constant babysitting, but hey, it’s all part of the Bethesda charm, right?
The Bad: A Role-Playing Disaster
Now, let’s dive into the radioactive sludge of disappointment. Fallout 4, as an RPG, is about as satisfying as a brahmin steak left out in the sun. Remember the rich dialogue options and complex character interactions from Fallout 1 and 2?
Yeah, kiss those goodbye.
Fallout 4’s dialogue system is like a dumbed-down version of Mass Effect, with your choices boiling down to “yes,” “no,” “sarcastic yes,” and “yes but with a side of guilt.” It’s infuriatingly simplistic, and it sucks the life out of what should have been meaningful conversations. It sucks that they give you a voiced character, but the emotion in those dialogue lines is missing.
And the story? Let’s talk about the story. Your kid gets kidnapped, and you’re on a mission to find him. Sounds compelling, right? Wrong. The plot twists are about as predictable as a pre-war soap opera. The Institute, the big bad of the game, is more laughable than menacing. Their grand plan to replace people with synths is so convoluted and poorly explained that I found myself questioning why I even cared.
The real kicker is the lack of real choice. Fallout 4 presents the illusion of choice, but in reality, your decisions have about as much impact as a BB gun against a deathclaw. Want to join a faction? Sure, but don’t expect any real consequences. The factions are all painfully one-dimensional, and their quests are mostly a series of fetch tasks and mindless killing sprees. It’s like Bethesda took everything that made Fallout’s world feel alive and dynamic and threw it in the trash.
The Ugly: Character Development and Perks
Character development, another hallmark of the Fallout series, is another area where Fallout 4 drops the ball. The perk system is an unholy mess. Gone are the days of carefully planning out your character’s build with SPECIAL stats and skill points. Now, it’s all about perks. Want to be a master hacker and lockpicker? Better start grinding those fucking levels. The system feels more like a grindy MMO than a thoughtfully crafted RPG.
And the companions? Don’t even get me started on the companions. Sure, they’re more fleshed out than in previous games, and they have their own little side quests, but most of them are as annoying as a pack of feral ghouls. Preston Garvey with his never-ending list of settlements that need your help is the worst offender. I swear, if I hear “another settlement needs your help” one more time, I’m going to scream.
The Redemption: Open World and Exploration
Despite all its flaws, there is something to be said about Fallout 4’s open world. The Commonwealth is a beautifully crafted wasteland, full of interesting locations and hidden secrets. Exploring this world is where Fallout 4 truly shines. Stumbling upon an abandoned building, uncovering the tragic story of its former inhabitants through scattered notes and terminal entries, is where the game captures some of that old Fallout magic.
The environmental storytelling is top-notch. Each location tells a story, and it’s these small moments that kept me hooked. The world feels alive (or as alive as a post-apocalyptic wasteland can feel), and it’s clear that a lot of love and attention went into crafting it. The random encounters, the weird little side quests, and the sheer variety of locations make exploration a joy.
The Verdict: Fun, but Fundamentally Flawed
So, what’s the final verdict on Fallout 4? As a looter shooter, it’s no Borderlands, but I still think it’s a solid entry. The gunplay is satisfying, the crafting is addictive, and the world is a blast to explore. If you approach it as a mindless shooter with some cool RPG elements, you’re going to have a good time. But as a role-playing game? It’s a hot mess.
Fallout 4 is like that friend who promises they’ve changed, that they’ve got their shit together, but then they still show up drunk to your party and throw up on your couch. You want to love them, you really do, but they keep letting you down. The dialogue system is an insult to the intelligence of Fallout fans, the story is a predictable snooze-fest, and the lack of meaningful choices strips the game of its soul.
In the end, Fallout 4 is a fun game to lose yourself in for a few hours, scavenging for loot and building settlements. Just don’t go in expecting the rich, nuanced role-playing experience of Fallout 1 and 2, or the immersive storytelling of Fallout 3 and New Vegas. It’s like Bethesda took a long, hard look at Skyrim’s success and decided to strip Fallout of everything that made it unique and shove it into a Skyrim-shaped box.
Despite my many grievances, I still find myself booting up Fallout 4 from time to time. There’s something undeniably compelling about its world, even if the RPG elements are more superficial than a RadAway ad. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or maybe it’s the simple joy of mindlessly blowing away raiders with a heavily modded laser rifle. Whatever the reason, Fallout 4 has its hooks in me, and I can’t entirely shake them off.
So, should you play Fallout 4? If you’re a die-hard Fallout fan hoping for the next great RPG, temper your expectations. But if you’re looking for a decent looter shooter set in a well-crafted post-apocalyptic world, give it a shot. Just be prepared for some disappointment along the way.
And Bethesda, if you’re listening, please, for the love of all that is holy, get your shit together for the next Fallout game, no matter how long it takes. We deserve better.
~ Rita 🖤