With the Release of Fallout 4's Next-Gen Update, It's Time To Give Fallout 4 Another Chance - IGN

The popularity of Fallout is on the rise. The recent success of the Fallout TV show has resulted in renewed interest in the eight-year-old Fallout 4, leading to increased sales. Fans are now creating art featuring the character Lucy MacLean, debating which game in the series is the best, trying out the original 1997 Interplay version, and even expressing on social media their desire to smooch a ghoul.

It seems like there's an abundance of excitement surrounding the Amazon series, but that's not all. Fallout 4 fans can now rejoice as the highly anticipated "next-gen update" for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC has arrived. The update, which was initially announced in 2022 and set for a 2023 release, offers a plethora of benefits. Console users can now experience enhanced performance and quality mode settings. Meanwhile, those using PCs can benefit from native ultrawide support and Steam Deck verification. Additionally, Bethesda's 2015 RPG now features a new faction quest line and much more.

"You will always be distracted by irrelevant matters"

Some of us still play Fallout 4, but many people think it's not as good as other games in the series. Some people didn't like that the main character talks, unlike in Skyrim. Others think that the story is too focused on finding your lost child. People prefer games like Elder Scrolls, where the main character is a blank slate. But, I think that Fallout 4 is a great game. The world is full of color and interesting characters. Bethesda did a great job!

In Fallout 3, the studio introduced us to the series with a lengthy opening sequence taking place in one of Vault-Tec's underground bunkers. However, in Fallout 4, the game begins in a typical middle-class suburban home on the day of the Great War. The devastation caused by the nuclear fire is shown through a carefully crafted environment. It's a place where you can have a peaceful morning coffee with your spouse, play with your baby in his crib, and even turn on the news despite knowing it may not be a good idea.

Similar to the Ghoul character played by Walton Goggins, the protagonist in Fallout 4 also has a connection to the past, specifically the tragic event in October 2077 where nuclear bombs were used to attack China and North America.

In the recent TV show, the Ghoul advised Lucy that she will always get distracted by irrelevant matters. However, if she accepts this fact and pauses her quest to locate her abducted baby, Shaun, Fallout 4 presents numerous opportunities for immersive role-play in an expansive open world. Essentially, allowing yourself to be sidetracked by trivialities is not just a minor aspect of the entertainment in Fallout 4; it constitutes the major attraction of the game. (By the way, your child is unharmed and without serious concern, making the pursuit less significant.)

Bethesda Game Studios has a unique approach to design where they incorporate numerous features and systems in their games and DLC. They provide players with a tutorial section to learn the basics, then release them into an open-world environment where they can explore in any direction. This has been a popular feature since Morrowind, and they've been successful in recreating this magic in Skyrim and Fallout 4. Although the player's objective is to save the world or find their missing loved one, there are countless other activities to do in the Commonwealth. It's not necessary to focus solely on completing the main objective.

It's important to note that in order to fully enjoy the game, it's recommended to have some of the downloadable content (DLC) installed. The main storyline in Fallout 4, which is similar to Starfield in this aspect, is not its strongest aspect. However, the Far Harbor expansion makes up for this weakness and improves the overall experience.

The Far Harbor game has a storyline where you act as a private investigator for Kenji and Rei Nakano. The couple is searching for their missing daughter, Kasumi, who sailed to an island in what was once Maine. Kasumi has a skill for fixing old electronics, an interest passed down by her deceased grandfather. After repairing an old radio, she encountered a group of synths, or artificially created humans, who were seeking refuge in the abandoned Acadia National Park after running away from the evil Institute in the Commonwealth. Kasumi suspected that she may be a synth, so she visited Acadia, which is led by DiMA, a character who has a history with Fallout 4's companion, Nick Valentine.

Hello Kind Hearts And Gentle Folks

While some people might argue that Bethesda Game Studios titles like Skyrim’s Dawnguard expansion or Starfield’s Sam Coe have strong companion characters, I tend to associate this more with BioWare or Larian games. Skyrim isn't really built around being rich in companion characters, which is why people don't necessarily return to titles like Morrowind or Fallout 3 for this reason. However, Fallout 4's companion characters are actually pretty amazing. I can't shake the memory of a review I read back in 2017 about Mass Effect: Andromeda and how the worlds weren't worth saving. When I read that, I immediately thought of the Commonwealth, Far Harbor, and the amazing cast of characters that Bethesda put together for Fallout 4.

The game Fallout 4 starts with a destroyed world and quickly gives the player tools to rebuild it. When players leave Vault 111, they head to Concord, Massachusetts, where a small group of people, including a man named Preston Garvey, are hiding in a history museum. The museum is full of artifacts from the Revolutionary War, and Garvey is one of the last members of the Minutemen, a group descended from the colonial militia of New England. Although they may seem too clean-cut for a paramilitary group, the Minutemen's genuine desire to help anyone in need adds a unique charm and replay value to Fallout 4, making them a defining addition to the game's lore.

If you enjoy aiding people who are facing difficulties in this particular game, then you will surely gain immense pleasure from Preston Garvey's presence. You may even develop feelings for him. While playing Fallout 4, you can form romantic attachments with most of your fellow travelers. However, some of these relationships may be more nuanced than others, depending on how they fit into the overall story. For example, interacting with Preston takes on greater significance in light of the settlement-building aspect of the game. In contrast, your interactions with Nick Valentine in Far Harbor or Piper Wright in Diamond City will provide additional insight into those storylines. Furthermore, your search for Shaun adds another layer to the narrative, which heightens the emotional investment you may feel while playing.

Piper is one of the best aspects of Fallout 4. She is a journalist who works alone and is determined to uncover the truth and stand up for what is right, even when the rest of the town ignores it. The narrative may seem simple, as it focuses on a corrupt city controlled by the evil Institute, but this angle is reminiscent of why the character Lois Lane from Superman is so beloved and admired. Piper's battle was significant in 2015, and it remains just as relevant today.

When you first play Fallout 4, you may not notice the small things that make the game enjoyable. For example, using the silenced Deliverer given by the Railroad to shoot a monster is cool. It feels great to use VATS and get a headshot. It's fun to collect fusion cores and use them to craft the perfect power armor. I enjoy planting a garden, rebuilding Sanctuary Hills, and trying to get the "Benevolent Leader" achievement. These activities may not be as important as those in other games like New Vegas, Super Mario 64, or Call of Duty. Yet, in my opinion, the more I do these things, the more enjoyable the game becomes. Despite its imperfections, Fallout 4 is a beautiful game overall.

I can still recall my initial (and most dreadful) time playing the game perfectly. It was back in November about eight years ago. During that time, I opted for the default husband character and altered his name to Alex. My primary goal was to locate my child in Diamond City. Ironic as it may seem, I wasn't a parent yet in real life during that period. But looking back, that was the most terrible way to approach the game. Fallout 4 is similar to Morrowind or Animal Crossing in that it is not an authored narrative where one strives to read until the end. Instead, it is a location that one visits periodically and inhabits.

If you're playing as a hero in Fallout 4, there are plenty of quests that need your attention. Whether you're hunting down criminals in a post-apocalyptic setting, freeing synths from captivity, visiting a theme park, or digging up hidden truths in someone's mind, there are many individuals in the Commonwealth and beyond that need your help and protection. These people are worth fighting for and preserving.

Alex James Kane composed the Boss Fight Books segment concerning Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. He's contributed to different newspapers, such as Fangoria magazine, IGN, Polygon, RogerEbert.com, and Variety. He resides in western-central Illinois.