Fallout 4 Reviews
In the early hours of the game, I was conflicted as to how the game matched up against its immediate predecessor, Obsidian's New Vegas (which I consider better than Fallout 3, and might have been my favorite game of the last generation). It did not seem to have as grand of a narrative scale, nor the same breadth of choices to make. Instead, the game is more of a personal journey. But Bethesda has done a great job of weaving that story so that the choices you make impact both your character and the Commonwealth, even if it's not as obvious as purifying water or taking control of Hoover Dam. At the same time, the base game has seen a variety of changes that may be more divisive, and the execution is nowhere near as smooth as is expected. Nevertheless, Fallout 4 is a great game that deserves the attention it has received.
Its individual moments might not always stand on their own, but it's amazing that something with Fallout 4's scope and magnitude remains as bewitching as this game does. Bethesda's formula is overly familiar by this point, but from a story perspective these games exploit the freedom afforded by the medium more than almost any other notable examples. Fallout 4 is built on mystery and discovery. We can charge through the main storyline as quickly as we'd like, but the true power of this game comes from exploring at our own pace, uncovering its secrets in no certain order and at no set time. Unlike a book or a movie, we can follow a specific subplot as far as we'd like before switching over to another one. We can jump between stories as we see fit, focusing on what interests us the most while ignoring whatever bores us. We can bend the story around our own preferences and desires, at least to a point. This world might be dead and emotionally sterile, and this apocalypse might be just like every other one we've ever seen, but its stories can still surprise, and that's something you can't say about most games.
Fallout 4 is the game that fans of this saga were waiting for. Or, if you prefer, Fallout 4 is exactly what we expected: a title bigger, more beautiful, more varied than Fallout 3, capable of offering a level of freedom and customization never seen in a Bethesda game.
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Fallout 4 is impossible not to recommend.
Fallout 4 is a big game and I mean a BIG game on the XBox One which means don't expect to knock this game over in just a couple of sittings or over the weekend because you could easily spend in access of 100 hours playing and exploring this game, particularly with the ability to craft items and even your base.
Fallout 4 easily prevails over its technical issues and subjective design flaws. It's a never-ending stream of superb experiences that keeps you engaged and coming back for more.
Very Good, but doesn't set the world on fire
You can praise them for all the wonder and beauty they have created, then damn them for the illogical or irrational design choices they make elsewhere, but it is yet another diamond in the rough from Bethesda.
Fallout 4 is an amazing game that I doubt anyone will be disappointed by, but it's not unique. And I still prefer New Vegas.
Despite its technical shortcomings, Fallout 4 is still a delight to play, and serves as a reminder of what an experienced team like Bethesda can accomplish with their expansive open worlds. Those looking to lose days, weeks, perhaps even months of their time to a game will find more than enough here to keep them satisfied.
Fortunately, it's been some time since the last Bethesda title. Were Fallout an annual franchise like Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty, this stagnation in the core gameplay would have worn out its welcome by now. Overall, Fallout 4 still impresses with its trademark RPG mechanics and smartly-designed world, where exploration never feels like time wasted and players are consistently rewarded for lateral thinking and meticulous investigating. The war on videogames is ever changing, however, and Fallout will need to bring more toys to the battle next time or risk rotting in the wasteland.
The same loveable Fallout formula far outweighs bugs and directionless new systems.
Fallout 4's setting and conceit are strong as ever, but it feels quite a bit less daring and honed than its predecessor.
The open-world/sandbox RPG genre that Bethesda helped create has moved on and done some amazing things. It's even spread into and influenced other genres like action-adventure and MMORPG-shooter. My hype to see how Bethesda would interpret all these innovations and incorporate them into the Fallout setting turned to disappointment when I stumbled through a game that features the same poorly-implemented combat and all the same old Gamebryo engine annoyances and glitches we've been dealing with for years. Fallout 4 will provide some good old-fashioned fun for players who are looking for a prettier Fallout 3 (now with Minecraft!), but it could have and should have been much, much better than that.
A (mega)ton of adventure awaits those who have the hours to fully experience Fallout 4's beautifully devastated wasteland. Best of all, players will be able to experience it however they wish thanks to near infinite gameplay options.
Fallout 4 is a massive game. Simple as that. There's so much to do and I feel like not enough time to do it in. Granted, there is no character "max level" preventing me from unlocking all the perks once I do complete the main story.
This is not the Fallout that I remember, but it is more of the type of game I would play compared to Fallout 3. The much improved gunplay trumps the lack of RPG elements and mild graphical issues within the game. The game has very mixed reviews from player to player, so I'll just say this: If you think of the game as just an RPG Shooter you will love this game. If you think of it as a sequel to Fallout 3, you will be disappointed.
With the suffocating burden of rehabilitating the Wastelands, the unique weapons and armor now cheapened to random drops (not to mention the removal of Confirmed Bachelor/Cherchez Le Femme) I no longer feel myself in a universe I once called home.
The problem with Fallout 4 is not that it doesn't live up to its hype, but that it doesn't live up to the Fallout name