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No amount of new media can re-write this history
I recently had the displeasure of re-experiencing Fallout 4, and while I wouldn't normally bother doing a write up for a game I actively dislike so far from its release, this one stuck with me. See, Fallout is very plainly a mediocre series in Bethesda's hands in general, and at the time of it's release, Fallout 4 was garnering so much hype, it was impossible to avoid. Bethesda's most recent major release, Skyrim, was such a massive success, it had millions begging the developer for another entry into the Fallout franchise - excitedly wondering how the developer could improve on their formula and breathe new life into the storied franchise.
Except they forgot to do that. Or maybe they didn't forget, and just chose not to, opting instead to pare back many of the mechanics and identifying features of past games in an attempt to capture the mass appeal Skyrim achieved. Releasing a full 7 years after Fallout 3 and 5 years after Fallout: New Vegas, it's shocking just how much lesser this entry feels as an RPG.
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Bethesda Game Studios Platform: Played on PC Availability: Released November 10, 2015 on PS4, XBOX One, and Windows PC. Next Gen update on April 25, 2024 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S |
Despite being physically massive, much of the world feels the same in all the worst ways. Characters are completely one-dimensional, and even the best companions are limited in their speaking and interaction. Samey combat and encounter design becomes a chore very early on, and with so few unique areas to engage with, the experience quickly becomes repetitive. Each apartment or factory feels like the last, often sharing the same or very similar layouts and enemies. Honestly, this game coming out in the same year as The Witcher 3 feels a bit disgusting. Bethesda has all of the resources and time in the world to get these things right! How did they miss the mark so badly?
I am going to put (perhaps too much of) the blame on the community surrounding Bethesda. Let me explain - since the early days, Bethesda has always suffered from broken, messy games. In many ways, the games were propped up by the vast world and unparalleled freedom the games offered. This lead to the community fixing the bugs or broken questlines through mods, and over time, Bethesda became reliant on this relationship. You can see it in action, as many of the same bugs from Skyrim exist in Fallout 4 and even still in Starfield. Bethesda is all too content to put together a shell of a game - sloughing off of old, broken bones - and throw their hands up, proclaiming, "the modders will fix it!" All too often, that modding community has been eager to answer the call and the games are paying the price to this day.
The final moments of fun the game was able to share.
It's not without some merits, however. Few games offer the freedom that Bethesda open world games do, and the character creator is pretty fun to mess with, even if it is a bit lacking by contemporary standards. However, they are no longer ahead of the curve, comparatively. They are no longer singular in this regard. All too often your reward for exploration or engaging with the game in less than straight-forward ways is not worth the trouble.
Every time I look back at the time I wasted on this game, I regret it. I really wanted this one to be good, or live up to the hype. I recently ran through Fallout: New Vegas again, and the difference in the depth of role-playing achievable is pretty staggering. The story-writing falls flat as well, but I don't think it's ever been a strong suit of the Bethesda brand. Coming off the excellent TV series, it feels a bit sad to have to trudge through this.
Choices in conversations are now 2 or 3 words, with the character going off on tangents at their whim.
All-in-all, Fallout 4 is a plodding, and often hopelessly bland experience. Clunky gunplay and pared-down role playing mechanics make this among Bethesda's worst offerings. It is an effort completely devoid of purpose or meaning - meant only to take from you. I hope that one day the series can be saved from Bethesda's cultish devotion to mediocrity, but I won't be getting my hopes up.
Verdict Fallout 4 remains Bethesda's weakest offering to date. A game filled with bugs nearly 15 years old, it rarely feels like more than a chore to play. Featuring some of the weakest story and character writing the company has ever released, it attempts to win the audience over with a massive map and endless checklists of things to do. Slavishly devoted to avoiding risks, it is a game without meaning or thought. The drowned out color palette is frankly representative of the experience as a whole - there's just not much going on here.  |
Image Credits: Taylor Rioux
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