Jan 28, 2016 4 min read

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On November 10, Bethesda Softworks, developers of the “Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout” series, released “Fallout 4,” a new entry into their premiere apocalyptic action role-playing series for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Though expectations for the studio were high following the success of their previous titles, “Fallout 4” easily lives up to the hype – despite its handful of prominent flaws.

The “Fallout” universe is centered on an alternate timeline where humanity embraced nuclear energy after World War II and used it to fuel an unparalleled wave of consumerism. Eventually, however, resource shortages led to a devastating nuclear war that rendered most of the modern world a wasteland, and humanity is forced to recover from the disaster using what little remains.

“Fallout 4” takes place over 200 years after this cataclysm and follows the player-controlled protagonist known as the “Sole Survivor,” who managed to escape into a specialized fallout shelter known as a “Vault” before the bombs fell. Following an extended period of cryogenic stasis, players discover that their son, Shaun, has been kidnapped, and set out to find the perpetrators in ruins of today’s Boston, Mass.

This setting is one of the areas where the game truly excels. Though the irreversibly-irradiated environments are far from believable at face value, the remnants of Massachusetts – now known simply as “The Commonwealth” – feel unmistakably familiar, and the connections “Fallout” makes to our world are jarring and intriguing. For instance, present-day landmarks, like Fenway Park and Boston’s Old State House, have become stable settlements and shanty towns, while military bases, run-down breweries and long-abandoned automobile plants now house ruthless gangs and criminals. Bethesda expertly blurs the line between reality and fantasy and easily conveys the bleak atmosphere of the Commonwealth as a result, which complements the already-impressive gameplay.

The bulk of “Fallout 4” is a first-person shooter, with a heavy emphasis on elements similar to those in role-playing games, like “Final Fantasy.” Players employ a variety of ranged and melee weapons as they fight off hordes of raiders and mutants, and are able to fully customize their abilities as they gain experience and upgrade their “S.P.E.C.I.A.L.” stats, which alter various attributes such as strength, agility and charisma. The extensive weapon and armor modification systems and variety of combat perks adds a great deal of replay value for those who like to experiment with different play styles.

The Commonwealth is enormous and its locations are diverse, each promising a new assortment of items, quests and companions; crisscrossing the desolate landscape in search of rewards is incredibly addictive. Best of all, players are free to explore any part of this expansive sandbox at any time, so each person’s experience with the game will be unique. As with Bethesda’s other offerings, the sheer scope of the game, in conjunction with solid mechanics, create an enthralling experience that is difficult to put down.

Without a doubt, the defining strength of “Fallout 4” is this sense of immersion – unfortunately, the game contains a handful of faults that detract from it somewhat. For instance, though the world’s many characters are, for the most part, entertaining and well-developed, dialogue with them is extremely limited. Conversations are bland and static, and it is painfully obvious that most choices made by the player during these interactions have little to no impact on the overall outcome of events. In addition, the entire game is bogged down by excessive loading screens, which eat up far more time than necessary and break up even the most engaging missions.

Finally, special mention must be given to a major side quest that involves creating and maintaining settlements throughout the Commonwealth. Though building structures and managing resources is a decent distraction for a while, babysitting the settlers that populate the old Fort Independence or dot the parking lot of a long-abandoned drive-in eventually becomes a chore. Thankfully, like most everything in “Fallout 4,” this aspect can be ignored, but it plays a large role in many other objectives and may be off-putting to those that like to enjoy everything a game has to offer.

Despite its issues, “Fallout 4” has an unshakably strong foundation: its core gameplay is solid, its world’s history is thought-provoking and its environments are varied and atmospheric. Technical imperfections, boring conversations and tedious side quests may hamper the game for some, but overall, “Fallout 4” is an immersive, interesting and – most importantly – fun experience that is sure to keep action and role-playing fans alike hooked.

By Alex York

Senior, Commonwealth Connections