Here’s Why Some People Hate ‘Fallout 4’

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The Fallout franchise brought us a fantastic world of post-apocalyptic United States of America and stories of people trying to survive a world full of radiation and factions wanting to be powerful. Stories around the Wastelands of the United States are the most interesting parts of Fallout, and the likes of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas “sucked us in” with their powerful storytelling. When Fallout 4 came out, it presented us with new features that were novelties in the Fallout franchise, but some fans were not really happy about what Bethesda offered to their fans. In this article, we will discuss why some people hate Fallout 4.

  • Article Breakdown:
  • Fallout 4 was a more hated game than the other installments because it strayed away from the game aspects that made the Fallout franchise so good.
  • Fans didn’t appreciate removing the role-playing aspect of the game to support first-person shooting features, criticized the shallow and flat storyline, removed karma and reputation features, revamped the SPECIAL system, settlements, and more.
  • Fallout 4 was accused of moving away from the Fallout franchise, and fans hated it.

Why do fans dislike Fallout 4?

Poor graphics for a game that was released in 2015.

The biggest disappointment of Fallout 4 was the poor graphics, which was unacceptable for a triple-A game released in 2015. We are used to Bethesda releasing games full of bugs but eventually removing them with patches or updates. A simple patch, however, couldn’t remove the poor graphics, which the majority of fans were mad about.

If we compare Fallout 4 with other triple-A games released in 2015, Bethesda’s project looks outdated. Games like Witcher III, Metal Gear Solid V, Bloodborne, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, and Batman: Arkham Knight had superior graphics. It didn’t help that Todd Howard, director and executive producer of Bethesda, blatantly overhyped the game before its release – let’s just say Fallout 4 flopped hard when it comes to graphics.

The quality of the main story is lackluster, especially comparing it to Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.

What the Fallout franchise did consistently well is the development of its storyline. Each Fallout game had an interesting and unique plot that held players’ attention from the beginning to the end. When you combine the story with world-building, you get a special atmosphere during gameplay that makes the Fallout franchise stand out from the rest.

Memorable characters like Joshua Graham were in New Vegas, but Fallout 4 lacks in that aspect.

Fallout 3 had a linear storyline, but it was enjoyable. The Lone Wanderer was an appealing player character, and NPCs elevated the Fallout 3 storyline tenfold. Side quests were also exciting and entertaining, extending the already rich world of Fallout 3. New Vegas changed how role-playing games were conducted at the time – the story was impeccable.

Fallout: New Vegas is undoubtedly one of the best RPGs ever created because it gave players freedom that we rarely see in the games. Do you want your player character to be a female spy who only carries melee weapons and dislikes the NCR regime? Don’t worry; New Vegas allows you to be just that.

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The Courier is your character, and it’s your job as a player to create the whole story of the main protagonist. Fallout 4 fails in both cases. The game has linear storytelling like Fallout 3, but it’s shallow and restrictive, which is vastly different from what we experienced in previous games. Fallout 4 follows the story of Sole Survivors who go on their journey to save their son, Shaun.

Unfortunately, the plot’s mystery is revealed the moment Sole Survivor starts communicating with other NPCs – the mention of The Institution reveals a lot of the main plot. Frankly, companions are the most enjoyable part of the game, but even that cannot save the storyline that doesn’t pay off the game’s progress. Endings are also limited, which isn’t the point of Fallout games.

In conclusion, Fallout 4 is inferior to its predecessors regarding the story.

The role-playing aspect of Fallout 4 decreased significantly, which is the staple of the Fallout franchise.

We already mentioned the reason for removing the role-playing element of Fallout games. This issue is glaringly obvious, especially with adding settlements where a player needs to scavenge for materials and build them for NPCs who don’t have any identity. Now, that seems harsh, but one of the biggest strengths of Fallout was the unique NPCs with a purpose in the game. Usually, they give players character quests and expand the game’s lore.

Fewer NPCs means less interaction, and less interaction means less role-play which devalues the true Fallout gameplay. Fallout 3 and New Vegas are great in this aspect, making them better games than Fallout 4.

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Fallout 4 just isn’t “a true” Fallout game.

This brings us to the last reason – Fallout 4 isn’t a proper Fallout game. Again this seems a bit over the top, but Fallout 4 is “the least Fallout game” in the franchise. Fallout was always intended for players who value lore and story over the action sequences. Most Fallout fans will agree that Fallout story and gameplay peaked with Fallout: New Vegas.

Bethesda seems like they wanted to make Fallout accessible to a wider and new player base and, unfortunately, alienated the veteran players who have been playing Fallout games for years. Changes are great, but when they make sense – removing karma and reputation from the game made gameplay stale. Players didn’t feel the consequences of their foul actions like they did in the previous games. Revamping the SPECIAL system was detrimental to Fallout 4 because it became “grindy.”

The player character can be good at every skill if they try to collect experience and special items, which is the opposite of the Fallout games we know. In previous games, players could customize their characters uniquely by focusing on the strengths and weaknesses that will help or be detrimental on their journey across the Wasteland. For example, The Courier from New Vegas is a scientist who knows how to handle energy weapons, and those are the skills one is bumping up, not everything else.

Is Fallout 4 worth playing?

Despite all of the criticism Fallout 4 has received over the years, the game is playable, primarily because of the mods that the modding community regularly releases daily.

Fallout 4 is one of the most modded games today, and the modders are doing their best to make the game more enjoyable. Fallout 4 has some good sides, primarily the companions and side quests, which are more fun than the main ones. A good mod can easily fix poor graphics, and if you are looking for a good open-world sandbox, Fallout 4 is a solid game to play and enjoy.

Do you want to have the same companions as previous games? There is always a good mod available online. Furthermore, always look for a good bug-fixing mod that will remove most bugs and lags from the game, which is available for most Fallout games.

Fallout 4 can be a fun experience, mainly if you have never played the previous games. Fallout 4 is simply different from the rest of the franchise and steered away from what Fallout games are known for. However, this divergence brings a fresh perspective to the series, introducing new elements that can be exciting for both newcomers and long-time fans. The game’s focus on exploration and discovery and the extensive modding community ensure that Fallout 4 remains a worthwhile experience. So, whether you’re a series veteran or a first-time player, Fallout 4 offers a unique journey worth exploring. Just remember to keep an open mind and enjoy the wasteland!

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