First Impression of Fallout 4

[Ilosar]

Super Mutants are hopelessly weak. I encountered 4 of them and gunned them down quite easily with my new weapon, an automatic 10mm pistol that consumes loads of ammo but kills things very fast with headshots.

On the other hand, I encountered a Deathclaw in the basement of an hospital, and that one wasn't a joke, killing me in one shot. It also refused to spawn unless I dropped down to its level. I killed it in the end by jumping on top of a cage that it couldn't reach, and in a rather surprising display of semi intelligence the beast retreated and hid in a corner waiting for me to come finish it off. I ended up short circuiting the ambush by dropping two bottlecap mines, but I was still pleased that it didn,t just stand there until I killed it.

The animations on the Deathclaws also look pretty sweet.

As for armor, I found some military fatigues that go well with my black beret and sunglasses.

 

[drawnacrol]

I was expecting most of the complaints being how it was unoriginal(BOS, mutants, raiders etc) but from most reviews in this thread this game sounds awful.

 

[dustbrother]

Hello from Finland everyone! New to this forum, fan of Fallout and Fallout 2, actually playded those games first time few years ago! (Makes me kinda sad, is there more RPG:s like this??)

Check out Arcanum, it's pretty much Fallout reskinned as a medieval/steampunk game. Same gamestyle, skill system, same developers. A bit more complex tho, takes way more for you to actually get it.

Wasteland 2 is also an option, obviously.
The other options would be cRPGS like Planescape Torment, Baldur's Gate, etc.

I was expecting most of the complaints being how it was unoriginal(BOS, mutants, raiders etc) but from most reviews in this thread this game sounds awful.

It's not awful, the gameplay is a HUGE leap from FO3 and NV, now it's actually fun to figth people and explore and discover shit in a 3D Fallout. My main gripe is with the story, the caracters, the setting and what they did to the RPG elements. That(for me) is what makes the game memorable or not, if I'll keep playing it or if I'm gonna stop in a day or two. If it doesn't matter for you, go for it.

 

[Monco]

So far I find it hard to find decent clothes to put underneath your armor parts. My fashion-conscious hipster dweller is not amused at all. So far only his military beret and shades really suit him.

Yeah for some reason, you're not allowed to wear armor over casual clothing, it's kind of weird, maybe it will be changed in a mod.

 

[randy Mc rupp]

So you can take off weapon mods of weapons you find (sometimes you have to spend a few components for the standard version) and reattach them to other weapons. Makes sense. What doesn't is that you can do it even if you lack the skill.

Found a surpressed gun for which you need to have the Perk Level 2 but you can mod away as you please you just can't build it from scratch.

So even that is just half assed.

 

[Dr Fallout]

So you can take off weapon mods of weapons you find (sometimes you have to spend a few components for the standard version) and reattach them to other weapons. Makes sense. What doesn't is that you can do it even if you lack the skill.

Found a surpressed gun for which you need to have the Perk Level 2 but you can mod away as you please you just can't build it from scratch.

So even that is just half assed.

Everything is half assed, I've yet to find something that isn't.

 

[Mr Fish]

The crafting system seems pretty bloated, is that half assed? If so, details please.

 

[Dr Fallout]

The crafting system seems pretty bloated, is that half assed? If so, details please.

Oh yes it is!

1. Making advanced plasma tech weaponry out of toys. Logic!

2. Changing a pistol to a sniper with minimum effort. Logic!

3. What Ruddy said.

4. Anything else?

 

[AgentBJ09]

Being knowledgeable about all these weapon mods within a second of encountering a workbench screams "half-assed" to me. The MC has been frozen for 210 years and we never see them try this in 2077 before they go into the vault. Details, Bethesda. Do you know them?

 

[Dr Fallout]

Being knowledgeable about all these weapon mods within a second of encountering a workbench screams "half-assed" to me. The MC has been frozen for 210 years and we never see them try this in 2077 before they go into the vault. Details, Bethesda. Do you know them?

Umm is that another word for cool?

 

[GlowHound]

It might be passable for the male PC to be able to do those things, because military.

But then the lawyer wife...

 

[Mr Fish]

The crafting system seems pretty bloated, is that half assed? If so, details please.

Oh yes it is!

1. Making advanced plasma tech weaponry out of toys. Logic!

2. Changing a pistol to a sniper with minimum effort. Logic!

3. What Ruddy said.

4. Anything else?

Wut....
How... Ok, look, I'm no gun expert here but doesn't sniper calibers need to be... Yknow... Not bullet calibers? How can a pistol change into a sniper rifle I.... What!?
And the plasma tech out of toys... I'm speechless. I really can't make a good comment on how dumb that is.

 

[AgentBJ09]

Being knowledgeable about all these weapon mods within a second of encountering a workbench screams "half-assed" to me. The MC has been frozen for 210 years and we never see them try this in 2077 before they go into the vault. Details, Bethesda. Do you know them?

Umm is that another word for cool?

A substitution of logic with cool in that sense of gameplay. Plus, settlement parts. You know so many of those as soon as you arrive at a workbench, and in both cases, Perks block you from accessing higher power/efficiency models. Versus, say, a blueprint for 250 caps or something.

 

[Dr Fallout]

It might be passable for the male PC to be able to do those things, because military.

But then the lawyer wife...

Even with the military, he shows good handling with weapons and armour. When I said at Sugarbombed that a military background is limiting they stated that their were tons of military jobs that didn't involve combat... but involved learning how to handle, mod and use weapons and power armour?

 

[AgentBJ09]

It might be passable for the male PC to be able to do those things, because military.But then the lawyer wife...

Possibly. Still, speaking as a writer, I would've had an instance well before the bombs fall of both characters putting a reflex sight on a neighbor's 10mm; his reasons could be paranoia, for his son/daughter, etc. Plus one of them saying where they should keep the mod blueprints just in case anything happens. Same with a handful of home building blueprints.

 

[Dr Fallout]

It might be passable for the male PC to be able to do those things, because military.But then the lawyer wife...

Possibly. Still, speaking as a writer, I would've had an instance well before the bombs fall of both characters putting a reflex sight on a neighbor's 10mm; his reasons could be paranoia, for his son/daughter, etc. Plus one of them saying where they should keep the mod blueprints just in case anything happens. Same with a handful of home building blueprints.

You know, to justify their crafting knowledge.

 

[AgentBJ09]

It might be passable for the male PC to be able to do those things, because military.But then the lawyer wife...

Possibly. Still, speaking as a writer, I would've had an instance well before the bombs fall of both characters putting a reflex sight on a neighbor's 10mm; his reasons could be paranoia, for his son/daughter, etc. Plus one of them saying where they should keep the mod blueprints just in case anything happens. Same with a handful of home building blueprints.

You know, to justify their crafting knowledge.

Bingo.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

To be honest, I am not really that impressed with the larger number of locations that are on the Fallout 4 map. Like in Fallout 3 a lot of locations are just 'there'. Many have no quest tied to them, no NPCs (other than enemies) to meet, its just feels like places to pick up crap.
The only place I found somewhat interesting is an old factory I just discovered.

Probably a lot of people love the customizing of guns and armors in the game, but me, well I feel a little thrown into the deep end here with all the options and combination.
Which arm or leg piece is superior than the other? How can they all be customized? Which options are the best.

It kind of interrupts playing the main game campaign as often after I visited a new place I need to go back to deliver everything I just found so I can sort through it and see what is the most useful.

As for the town building, I find it rather boring. It was interesting to find out how it works at first but then it became clear that apparently I am expected to rebuild all kinds of places, turning them self sufficient, set up economies.
It is great if you want to play Fallout Tycoon, but I am more in it for the adventuring.

I would have liked it if the player could instead appoint other people to do this building task if he or she does not feel like doing it themselves at the moment.
Personally I would rather have gone for the idea that the player would have to pick up or recruit skilled NPCs and send them along to the settlement(s), set up trade routes with trading houses for supplies, prospectors for materials and so on.
And depending on how well the player does these the settlement either becomes a slum, an industrial site, a place of high living standards and so on.

So far it feels that the dialogue system and interesting quests have been replaced with the options to customize just a lot of stuff. I can't say I am so happy with the switch.

 

[kelveen]

Ive been a long time lurker of this forum, and i enjoy reading this forum for its deep love of the Fallout Lore, its critical analysis of what constitute a great RPG game, and above all, how you guys feel about one of the great games i have played in my life.

Personally i hate Shooter games, and i never bought COD, Battlefield and the works. I had the grinding and reward element in all gameplay and i am absolutely gutted at what happened to this fallout series.

I am only in the 10th hour of this game, and it feels like i have wasted my time and money getting it. Its a great game on its own but oh my god.


1. New Environment: I think the setting in Boston is a step in the right direction without really breaking any significant canon/lore that is established in F1, 2 and NV. I dont classify F3 as a part of it. Sorry. I don't live in the states, and Boston is equally both captivating and engaging in its environment. The colors are a little bit more varied, maybe a sign the world looks like it is rebuilding. But a city that was close to the bombing, i cannot fathom how there is still ''life'' and there are no clear indications boston was a victim of a bombing. Just an after effect. Still, it looks great.

2. Characters: Bland as eating tofu. Some of the faces looks like they came from a wax museum. See pastor in diamond city as a clear example. Not even sure, if hes human or a ghoul. He just looks horrid. The lip sync are not even correct and i feel particularly disconnected.

3. Story: So i am looking around for my Son. Ok. Am i emotionally invested? Hell no. Even the emotional impact to go back to my home is found wanting. They could have probably invested in that. Some say the side quest has variety. Really? There has not been a quest where i dont have to spent on bullets to complete a quest and that is rubbish.

4. The path: This is where i am put off from the game.
4.1 F3 gets you to visit the capital wasteland, rivet city. Lets start with Capital wasteland. You are exploring the place and you need to escape from a heavily Mutant army fighting agaisnt the Brotherhood. Next in F4, you are getting to Diamond City, and again, having to avoid another army of Mutants. It seems so familiar. Rivet City in its own = Diamond City. The hood looks different, but underneath its the same trash. Could they have done something differently here? I was hoping for it. But no. It feels like a F3 game, all over again.

4.2 The incessent use of Mutants, Raiders who can populate the earth and Feral Ghouls. I am sick of shooting. I spent 8 hours fighting off raiders, and when i wanted a quest where i am interested in conversations, story lined quests, and i am again left out to another fetch and kill quest.

5. Mods: Ok, they are fun and i think its a good implementation. It is much easier, less clunky but oh my god, a character of ST 3 is not going to do much here. Still, this is a good element in a ''survival'' kind of game, and adds a dimension to tweak your guns and armor to specific conditions. The PA is also a nice touch, and logically makes sense that it needs to be powered.

I understand that the Fallout is not what is once was, but they have remove any semblance of any RPG elements and made it a story linear shooting quest game. They did everything OK, but nothing excellent. Complete shambles of what could be a great game. Even the use of Dogmeat is a rip off to pretend that old fallout lovers like myself will stick to the game. But no. I honestly want a refund.

Lastly, the story arc of the Syncs and Institute can be interesting, but ill be damned to go through all the mindless killing to get to that part and i am dead sure i will be sorely disappointed again.

Final Sentiments:
Bethesda probably improved on the game system though i cannot fathom why they stripped out the RPG core of the fallout series and the very little they have in F3. Even F3 has something. F4 has none of it. I should have changed my expectations when i bought F4, but now, moving forward, i am definately not getting any further game in future, since they are treating me like a child. Its insulting and demeaning, that there was no clarity on how the F4 would have been like.

 

[Dr Fallout]

A major problem is the amount of killing and limited passive quests. I prefer persuading a person to change a whole quest and repair an engine rather then look for someone who can then killing.