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Better Late Than Never Review: Fallout 4




This week we looked at a game that's a bit older then what we usually discuss. Even so, Fallout 4 is an impressive game that deserves some discussion. Also I wanted an excuse to play it again.

So how does the game compare so far after launch?  After all, this game had so much hype behind it words don't do it justice. At school, work, even the gym, people were talking about the new Fallout.

 Set about 10 years after the last numbered Fallout you play a vault dweller who was frozen in cryostasis inside their vault at the onset of the Great War. While trapped you witness the murder of your wife/husband and the kidnapping of your infant son. This sets off the main plot when you finally escape the vault and the game starts proper.

Many of the standard Fallout features return in this game such as companions, perks, and dialogue trees though all exist in a simplified, streamlined manner. New features abound, including a crafting/ base building system.

Let me take a minute and talk about the crafting system. In the last two fallout games junk littered the maps. Seemingly useful, most of it was just clutter. Atmospheric for certain, but it all really served no purpose.  Now the game sports an in depth settlement construction system that requires raw materials. Suddenly coffee cups become worth more than guns just for the ceramic. The amount of things you can build in your settlement is staggering and with time you can create your own city complete with power, shops, and people living there.

Other new features include a rework of power armor, no skill points, greatly expanded weapon customization, and of course new enemies and locations.

The game also takes place in and around a destroyed Boston. This was a choice I shrugged at when it was first announced but I was to find the location surprisingly varied and interesting. The normal terminals and audio logs that have become the standard for games add the the setting and from a visual standpoint the world seems more "lived in."

On the downside the crafting system is not terribly intuitive. Add to that the removal of skill points creates a weird feeling and a really bad build from how I first allocated my base stats.  The types and subtypes of guns can be confusing in your inventory. Finally the setup of the map and objective markers can sometimes take you through a camp or location your character is not ready for.

The good:
-a fun crafting system provides a use for the junk
-a simplification of features from previous games

The bad:
-simplification is a double edged sword.
-the standard Bethesda problems are present.

Fallout 4 is an impressive sequel. It does most things different from its predecessors but still manages to capture the unique feel of a retro-future apocalypse the series is known for.  More than Skyrim with guns, this game stands out in multiple ways.

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