‘Fallout 4’ lives up to 7-year hype

By: Cody Hood

Walking through the wastelands, more well-known as the Commonwealths, the Sole Survivor encounters a small Raider camp. He takes cover and pulls out his Power Fist, flexing his arm and charging. Reaching the camp, he finally begins swinging his weapon, resulting in each opponent falling over and perishing. Taking their possessions, he once again walks away, whistling for his trusted canine companion to return to him yet again on the journey for his son.

Fallout 4 is a role-playing game made by Bethesda Game Studios. It was released on Nov. 10 for $60. The game takes place in 2287, following the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, which will be named when the character is created. Bethesda had 12 million physical copies out on the market, preparing for the initial sales, which grossed $750 million in shipped sales.

The game initially takes place in Boston before the Great War, which is a massive nuclear disaster that decimated the world due to the lack of natural resources. The player controls a man or woman with a spouse and a child. They are told by a representative of the company Vault-Tec that a nuclear launch has been detected, in which the family will proceed to Vault 111, watching the bomb drop before concealment in safety within the vault. Inside, everybody there is tricked into cryosleep, and the protagonist awakens 210 years later after his or her spouse is killed and child taken. Once free of the cryogenic chamber, the player sets out on a journey to save the child and survive the Commonwealth.

The game has very solid gameplay, bringing what works from Fallout 3 and adding a little extra to the interface to make it easier to use. V.A.T.S. returns, an advanced targeting system that allows the player to select certain parts of the body for additional effects, such as shooting enemies in the leg to slow them down, or head shots for extra damage.

Weapons and armor are naturally found on enemies and in loot boxes, letting the player create his or her own arsenal. Building materials such as adhesive can also be found, which is used to upgrade and change weapons around to personalize them, creating the player’s own personal weapons to use.

Companions are found throughout the game, starting with a dog that the player will meet, which will have its name revealed by an old woman, the name being Dogmeat. Multiple other companions can be found, such as the Sole Survivor’s old robot butler, which has stayed loyal to its master throughout the years, hiding crippling loneliness by acting oblivious to the aftermath of the Great War.

The Fallout Radio returns once again, bringing back some favorites from Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. New music adds to the radio, offering some nice tunes to listen to while going on the journey. There are also broadcasters as well, with some offering nice commentary about the Commonwealth.

Fallout 4 is an excellent successor to its previous games, with positives and negatives. Most negatives will relate to story and roleplay immersion, so the typical player who just wants to play a good game will find those problems rather negligible.

Fallout 4 definitely lives up to the excitement surrounding it for seven years now, and it is a worthwhile purchase for any Fallout lover.

I’d give Fallout 4 a 92/100.

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