I Think It’s About Time We Realize Fallout 4 Wasn’t That Bad

First impressions are the most important, whether when meeting someone or playing a game. Most games can’t recover their reputation after tarnishing it at launch, with the only exceptions being games like Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky. However, one game I think didn’t deserve to be bashed as it did is Fallout 4.

The fourth main game in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic game series came out in 2015 to critical criticism from all ends. Whether it be for the “lack of freedom” or qualms about the story, Bethesda fans worldwide dunked on Fallout 4 upon its release. With almost an entire decade since it came out, I think it’s time we admit it wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be.

A Vibrant World You Can Get Lost In

What I love the most about Fallout 4 is how vibrant and full of life the game’s world is. The game’s world is consistently Fallout at its best; nitty, gritty, and apocalyptic, but you can always find a shred of hope around every corner.

Unlike previous entries in the series, Fallout 4 doesn’t revolve around the bombs going off. The bombs are still important to the story, of course, as it wouldn’t be a Fallout game without them, but there’s so much more to do. The game introduces multiple ongoing conflicts and then says do what you want.

Fallout 4 is so good
byu/Bannana_Cheese inFallout

From coming across sentient robots that haven’t seen a flicker of life in years to finding hints of what happened to other vault-dwellers. The world of Fallout 4 has so much to discover, and there’s no rush to do anything.

The best part? We can play a part in making the world just a little bit better. By building settlements, providing people with electricity, discovering running water, and housing people who only know the post-apocalyptic world they find themselves in, Fallout 4 is the only main game to let players leave such a positive mark on the world and I love it.

The Best Fallout Combat Yet

Let’s talk about my favorite element of the fourth main Fallout game; the combat. Previous Fallout games were fun, sure, but the combat was dreadful. I had to use the V.A.T.S aiming system constantly just to hit accurate headshots and I’d still miss sometimes. However, Fallout 4 plays like a true first-person shooter.

The gunplay is extremely responsive, and it’s fairly easy to adapt to it. The recoil is easier to control, and movement, in general, feels fluid. Thanks to it, I could roam the wastelands just having some mindless fun while I shot and looted my way through every area I could.

I think Fallout 4 has the best combat in any Bethesda game. Skyrim comes close, while The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 are held back by their MMO-like features. However, I don’t think any Bethesda game has beaten the seamless and fluid combat Fallout 4 introduced. Of course, I hope The Elder Scrolls 6 changes this, but who knows when that game is coming out.

It’s Fallout 4, Not Fallout New Vegas 4

While players had many critiques about Fallout 4, almost all had one thing in common. They were based on players comparing it to arguably the most beloved entry in the series, Fallout New Vegas.

2010’s Fallout New Vegas is loved by players worldwide, mostly thanks to its gripping story that still holds up today and in-depth character building. Players see it as a more hardcore RPG that has you think about what build path you want for your character, lest you find yourself stuck in some areas. However, who decided that New Vegas is how a Fallout game should be?

Yes, RPG mechanics take a backseat in Fallout 4 and players have more freedom with their character building. But isn’t that what Skyrim did by deviating from Oblivion and Morrowind’s class systems to let players build a master-of-all-trades character? The amount of love New Vegas gets directly relates to how much hate Fallout 4 gets because many fans want another New Vegas.

While Bethesda dropped the ball with Fallout 4’s next-gen upgrade, it’s still a treat to revisit. If you played it back when it was first released, I strongly urge you to give it another chance. Who knows, it might click with you this time.