Thursday, September 15, 2016

Fallout 4 is Missing the Plot: A Video Game Review

Developer: Bethesda Softworks.

Director: Todd Howard.

Writers: Emil Pagliarulo, Ferret Baudoin, Brian Chapin, Matt Daniels and many more.

Bethesda Softworks released Fallout 4, a sequel to Fallout: New Vegas (2010), almost a year ago (Dec. '15), on the PS4. Most die-hard gamers have already decided if this title is for them. However, this player has a few thoughts on this apocalyptic title. This large sandbox styled game puts you in the role of the protagonist as you try to find your kidnapped son. The story does not develop much from here, despite a large ten person writing team. Between the starting point and finding Shaun, there are hundreds of irradiated monsters to be eviscerated. But, the game's combat system is not user friendly. As well, NPC companions act more like enemies. They are always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fallout 4 is a beautiful game, but it lacks a story driven narrative, to compel gamers to continue playing.

The main plot has already been summed up above. Fallout 4 is very story-lite. Your main quest is to find Shaun. Yet, the kidnappers have a headstart, of possibly a hundred years or more. As the protagonist, you have been cryogenically frozen, just before a nuclear attack. With Shaun being stolen, you are unable to do anything, from your cryogenic chamber. Your wife also suffers at the hands of the kidnappers. Once released, you must track down these ne'er-do-wells. You will also be tasked with helping the Minutemen, a group of rag-tag survivors, who want to unify the Commonwealth and make it safer. With few clues on Shaun's whereabouts, you will be forced to become an altruist as you help settler after settler. This player grew tired of all the helpfulness, after awhile. Instead, he set about creating the ultimate home, in the wasteland (strobe-light included).

This player enjoyed the digital NPCs the least. Players can utilize a dog, or other characters to help them in combat. They will also work as your personal mule and store all of your extra loot. The NPCs, during combat, will also: crowd your line of fire, block entrances and exits, sit passively as mutants murder you, or hug your shoulder so tightly that you cannot back up nor move forward. With friends like these, who needs enemies? It would have been helpful if you could outfit NPCs with guns and gear. This way, they could assault the hundreds of murderers, in the wasteland, a little more effectively. As they are now, your digital teammates will hinder you at almost every turn.

The combat system has not improved much since Fallout: New Vegas. And, if this gaming fan could sum up the fighting quality in one word, it would be - awkward! The V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) system is back. The V.A.T.S. allows players to use Action Points to target various parts of the enemy. From legs to arms, you can choose which gets hit first. However, Action Points do not replenish very quickly, especially while you are at lower character levels. As you wait for your APs to fill up, you have to use a very difficult to-see reticule to hit the various mutants and raiders. Neon green on forest green is not a great choice. As well, all of the debris, in the environment, hinders your every movement. It often feels as though one is fighting within a barbed wire fence. And, do not even get this reviewer started on the very crippled throwing system, involving grenades and molotov cocktails. Almost always, they fall right in front of your feet, setting at least one gamer, on fire, dozens of time. It would be helpful if your character could throw farther than a six year old. As it is, Fallout 4's fighting system is a very uninspiring and unrealistic experience.

Fallout 4 is a beautiful game, filled with all kinds of dire scenarios. This player has sunk over a dozen hours into this outing. Still, this is not story driven action. Therefore, the motivation to keep murdering your 300th raider fades away. Most raiders are not even dubious as they do their best to survive in an irradiated landscape. It could easily be argued that the player is 100 times more gruesome. Outside of the lackluster story, the combat system is beyond frustrating and often annoying. The V.A.T.S. system is consistently a let down, unless you can knock off an opponent's leg or two, quickly. Your companions might be fighting for the other side as their actions hinder almost all of your movement. Bethesda is this gamer's favourite gaming studio, but Fallout 4 is not this player's favourite game. Instead, Fallout 4 is more an exercise in frustration tolerance.

Overall: 7.25 out of 10 (an absolutely huge game with dozens and dozens of missions, NPCs vary in complexity of characterizations and offer something in the way of subplots).

*a reader has given me a tip on how to equip NPCs - with weapons and armour, making combat a bit better.

**this gamer has also learned that you can change your aiming reticule colour in the Settings menu, under HUD Display.


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