Still like the game, even if it did not live up to expectations.
I’ve got such mixed feelings about Fallout 4. Yes, the story isn’t great but tbh I was never expecting it to be very good. This game does come from the same company that in Fallout 3 wouldn’t let you send Fawkes into the water purifier because by doing so you would break the story (sorry for spoilers on a 15 year old game).
Obviously where the game really shines is in the gun play/ combat and the gameplay loop. Those two factors alone make me want to replay FO4 every so often, however whenever I do, I always find myself inexorably drawn to settlement building, each time I do a replay I try to do as little of it as I can but still end up taking ages setting it all up.
I remember when I first completed Fallout 4, feeling underwhelmed by the story, I comforted myself by thinking “They spend ages working on the creation engine for this release, I’m sure that on the next game there will be more focus on the story”. welp, 8 years since the last (single player) Fallout so it looks like that ain’t happening anytime soon.
Ooof, I remember all too well. I don’t see myself being hyped for Fallout 5.
I had no real expectations going in and it’s still one of my favorite games.
I understand the criticism of Fallout 4 and generally agree but I don’t think the New Vegas comparison is a fair one.
New Vegas was built on top of Fallout 3 by Obsidian. It had the benefits of a complete game needing only a few engineering changes to accommodate it. Obsidian didn’t have to spend nearly the amount of effort on assets and engine changes that Bethesda did and could put nearly everything into world building.
The story and the roleplaying were boilerplate, not something you want in a series known for being rich in both. Could tell you about 5 minutes after the prologue who the main antagonist really was. It was the kind of twist Vince Russo would pull in the old WCW days. The heavy focus on crafting and the pain of having to defend places throughout the wasteland was also a big turnoff for me. Felt like a lot of busywork and fluff to pad the game out. I avoid and drop games that don’t feel like they respect my time.
All in all, it wasn’t a good game for me, but I’m glad some folks enjoyed it.
i loved the environmental storytelling in the game. I think that’s Bethesda’s best development quality. Being able to walk to pretty much any building and find at minimum a skeleton with some props and at most a whole-ass computer log with its own little narrative was just so much fun.
For all the quirks, the engine does a really good job at environmental story stuff.
Killed a raider last week that got stuck bent over on a fence?
Yup, still there.
Send a dude on a supply run to another settlement? Hell yea, they’re actually walking all the way there.
I’d give people with specific jobs a uniform, kind of.
Meanwhile, most games despawn dead enemies while you’re still actively looking at them.
It’s not the best Fallout but it’s a good sandbox.
