Fallout 4, the successor to the award winning post-apocalyptic roleplaying shooter franchise, is an action packed adventure filled with ghastly foes and thought provoking quests. As seen in previous titles of the franchise the protagonist (The Sole Survivor) is given many choices throughout the game that play a significant role on the outcome of the storyline. With countless optional quests and a unique level-up system combined with a massive interactive map this game brings many hours of enjoyment for those willing to immerse themselves in the adventure.
Fallout 4 has undergone many improvements to the gameplay which include fighting optimizations, a new perk system, weapon modding, sprinting, legendary items and enemies, settlement workshops, and the addition of optional power armor suits. The controls have been slightly optimized from the previous titles adding in the ability to gun bash as well as throw projectiles while keeping your main weapon out. This is a huge improvement on having to switch to a grenade in lieu of a weapon. The gun bash in an excellent addition as well given the vast array of small enemies in the wastes. The hotkey feature has been expanded to allow three separate weapons for each directional input to minimize heavy use of the pipboy during battle. The ability to sprint has given an all new fast pace to trekking the wastes.
The new perk chart also known as S.P.E.C.I.A.L has undergone a complete change. This new perk system was introduced to break away from the level cap of previous titles as well as give the player the chance to obtain every perk despite what his/her main stats are. Character building has always been a finicky aspect to these games and this new system gives you a wider range of choices, and as you progress, the ability to take every perk you want with no repercussions. It is tricky to grasp for beginners but by no means a system that is hard to learn.
The map in fallout 4 is roughly the same size as fallout 3 but it is a lot more open. There are roughly the same amount of landmarks but you will notice that there are fewer gigantic buildings to explore. This is one of the few aspects to it that have been disappointing. There are countless quests to do, obstacles to overcome, and areas to explore but the lack of skyscrapers or giant cities was noticeable. Unlike its predecessors, in fallout 4 you can take control of settlements and enter a workshop and build your own buildings and shops. It is a very interactive system and is dependent on the amount of settlers you have. The ability to design, add generators and power lines, harvest crops, build defense structures and assign your settlers the way you see fit gives a whole new aspect of gameplay to Fallout.
In the last installment to this franchise, Fallout: New Vegas, Bethesda introduced a modding system for weaponry. From adding nails to a baseball bat to adding night-vision scopes to a hunting rifle, this system was a very well received addition. Bethesda has taken this several steps further in Fallout 4 giving the player the options to completely change every aspect of every weapon with a mind-blowing assortment of upgrades. The extra addition of legendary drop items (RNG Stats), dropped from a new string of random encounter legendary enemies, combined with the new weapon modding system gives a multitude of options on how you choose to fight. Fully customizable power armor suits are found throughout the game and greatly improve your damage threshold and carrying capacity. Unlike the other titles power armor is placed on a frame the character can use should he chose to wear it. These frames are powered by fusion cores you find frequently throughout the wastes. They are great for a challenging area but if you want to move around quickly or just explore these suits will hinder your movements.
Bethesda has given players a fresh new look into the series with plenty of new and creative additions. As with the predecessors, Fallout 4 will likely have 4 different DLC packs in the future, each giving plenty of new weapons and hardware as well as a new open world with unique quests. If compared to the previous installments of the franchise, Fallout 4 will hold its own as a great post-apocalyptic adventure. It keeps to the epic story driven gameplay of the Fallout world. It is a must play for Bethesda enthusiasts and a great game for even those who have never experienced this style of an RPG.
