Fallout 4 - Reviews

(4.5)

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10.11.2015

The long anticipated wait is finally over, and it was certainly worth it. Bethesda's titanic successor to its famed Fallout series has simultaneously dwarfed it's predecessors whilst setting a new bar for RPG entirely. Everything Fallout 3 had, Fallout 4 does better. We now get a moment to enjoy the creature comforts of the pre-war era before being thrown into the hostile wasteland that spans across the Commonwealth. Characters and NPCs have been given more depth, with quests tied into them like fabric strands weaving in and out. The politics of things takes hold across multiple cities; the lone wanderer, after emerging from Vault 111,finds him/herself in the midst of conspiracies and brimming-to-the-edge diplomatic stand offs in a world that once seemed so familiar, but has now evolved and taken a generational leap forward. 200 years after the Great War and civilisation finds itself fighting for themselves, their allies and against those they deem to be Synth. Multiple faction groups are vying for your support. The Brotherhood makes a return too, along with the greed and desire for power and ownership over the very bane of humanity and it's existence, bringing a political tug-of-war into the foray. Because war, war never changes.'Atom Bomb Beauty.'The colour palate has gone full-blown Picasso; Boston's famous landmarks which survived the Great War somewhat form a pleasing kaleidoscope of blue hues and greys against greenery in the backdrop horticulture and red shades of accompanying surround architecture. It's beauty is only paralleled and married with the hostility and malevolence that lurks amongst the landscape, human and non-human, breathing fresh life into a world so incredibly fantastical yet plausible, intriguing and utterly engrossing. Vault doors boast murky blue and yellow paintwork as they groan at being rocked aside, radiated fires from cars aggravated by gunshots bloom up into more vigorous and fluid flames that set the night sky alight. The weather now carries its own personality; there are crisp cold skies of whistling wind and sunlight diffraction between dead maple trees one day, and foggy sinister afternoons bringing in dangerous radiation clouds from the southwest the day after. The Creation Kit Engine now allows for more realistic game environments and textures; distant map sections no longer have to wait to be approached before loading the details. Objects have greater designs, from the broken neon signs of the Red Rocket to the steady irradiated streams under bridges. The heavy thunderous sounds of Autumn muffle and nullify upon stepping into a partially ruined house. It's attention to these details we often forget that actually we begin to notice and appreciate. It adds more realism, it makes it all feel more authentic. Everything in the game is essentially given character.'Fallout 3 on Steroids'One would think every notable and symbolic element of Fallout 3 which has been brought forward into its successor packs a much mightier punch. The combat feels meaner and beefier; gone are the days of feeling like your ambush on a group of ghouls is nothing more than target practice against stick-figure tin cans that seemed to hover over changing levels of ground and texture with their arms sticking out in one direction. Now they stake out and detect the player in more terrifying mannerisms, launching themselves with much greater speed and knocking aside nearby obstacles after descending quietly from mezzanine platforms. Even mole rats burst up from the ground and decorate the screen in dancing flails of blood trails and gore chunks as the controller vibrates frantically during a critical execution. NPC dynamic movements feel more genuine and authentic. Mr Handy robot variants maneuver with greater fluidity. One would think Raiders (to think, of all people) would have suddenly taken IQ tests, as now they pick up the weapons of their fellow leaders before launching aggressive assaults with miniguns on the player. The infamous traps that no doubt had us cursing them in Fallout 3 (remember the shotgun traps, frag grenade drops and battering raps attached to ceilings?) are all, and more, placed in every possible crevice they could think of as a trespassing entry to their fortification. They lurk behind doors and pounce at the right moment. Build a beautifully architectured settlement, and be sure they'll come running with guns to swipe what you have. There are now expanded tiers of famous enemies, notching the difficulty up and reminding the player of the continued need for survival at every stage. You are not King Of The Hill anymore. Develop a sturdy pipe pistol with improved rate of fire to take down the gunners, and the Yao Gai's will remind you to switch your endurance skill up. Fail an advanced speech challenge, and watch the faction descend upon you with rifles. The CND factor (condition) for apparel and weapons have been disregarded, presumably to allow for more practical and easier weapon modifications. Said weapons can now be renamed to a suited fitting of choice. Want to really feel like the King Of The Hill after all? Better get that Fat Man boosted to the max, and show the Raider Scums whose boss.'Those Dear Hearts and Gentle People'The famous iconography of leading a blazing trail of destruction amongst the psychopaths of Andale to Butcher Pete blaring through from Galaxy News Radio, and roaming the desolate wastes of downtown D.C. in the evening to the Ink Spots' Maybe was a testament to Bethesda's ability to pull the pre-War American cultural symbolism right into the post-apocalyptic new age 200 years on. These paralleled each other with bleak dark humour in fashion little other RPGs could do, and of course, we see these particulars return in Fallout 4. Agatha's Radio Station from Fallout 3 inspires the Classical Radio in Fallout 4, if that tickles your fancy.'Do You Know What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?'Fallout works under the premise of not simply throwing everything to the player at once. This is about continued improvement and progression, reaping continual rewards along the way. For every short length double shotgun, there's a modification to make it a sawn-off. For every armour shop within a settlement, there's an emporium twice the size. Want to be near-indestructible? One rank of the Commando Perk will not suffice. How to obtain these if you already can't? You work towards them. You assign appropriate perks. You distribute skills. You prioritise. The level cap has been scrapped. There is no hard end. The Commonwealth and all that it offers is for the taking, if you're prepared and willing enough. Rack up those experience points, strategically designate resources and manipulate the inhabitants to your advantage. Know your character, develop a bond with them and let the grow and flourish into the legacy you want engraved into Boston's post-war lineage.'The Chinks In The T-51b'Unfortunately, every greatness has its weakness, and Bethesda's are their notorious bugs and glitches which have haunted their RPG behemoths for years (no pun intended.) Make no mistake about it, there are probably numerous that have slipped through the cracks of their department's painstaking debugging process over these seven years, and they show, leading me to warn you of the possibility of AI glitches, frame rate drops, building collapses to black netherworlds and total game freezing. The day one patch hopes to iron out some of these kinks (which I implore you to install prior to the game), but please bear this one in mind before you go heads-first deep into the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Be patient however, as Bethesda has promised continued free updates and patches, so this isn't set in stone.'Sign Up Now, And Prepare For The Future.'But aside from that, a standing ovation is deserving here, for Bethesda have ultimately developed an industry-changing behemoth. This is the product of seven years in the making. And it has certainly paid off. As one reviewer so aptly put it, we're looking at a true classic in the making, screaming Game Of The Year already. They promised us a next generation of role-playing gaming and they have delivered. So grab an Ice Cold Nuka Cola and a Salisbury Steak, settle into your couch my fellow vault dweller, grab your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Guide, and welcome home.(This review will be updated and amended accordingly in time.)

10.11.2015

***Updated***Having managed to acquire a copy of this a few days earlier than its official release date, (It's handy having a good friend who works at Tesco Direct) I have been playing this now almost non stop since I bought it.This review is simply an indication of my experience with a game I have been waiting for, since I completed Fallout 3 and New Vegas many years ago.The beginning:When you first start Fallout 4, and after the brief cut scenes setting up the games story, you are taken to a character customization set up. This lets you build your character from scratch, you get to either randomize your playable Avatar with pre made statistics if you'd rather just jump straight into the game,or you can take great care by changing your characters every attribute from the style and colour of thier hair, sex type, facial features, body type and build etc but whoever you build in this area, you are stuck with for the rest of the game so spend a little time in this section to get your character just the way you want it.Play style and your dog:Once the game re-starts, you can choose to play it in either first or third person. First person means you play the game through the characters eyes and only see your hands or guns and third person means you see you character on screen from a distance a bit similar to the Tomb Raider games. (I prefer the third person myself). Anyway, after the set up cut scenes, and without spoiling anything, you are teamed up with a German shepherd dog who will be your companion throughout the game. I thought at first, I'd have to keep protecting him but it soon becomes clear that your canine buddy can not be harmed as you can, so he's more of a handy tool than anything and you can train him to sniff out supplies and fetch things you can't be bothered to yourself. However, sometimes I just prefer to play on my own, so there's a handy option where you can tell your canine companion to stay and he'll stop following you around.The game itself is a vast open world apocalyptic RPG (and I say this lightly, make no mistake, this game is HUGE). It is set in the city of Boston hundreds of years after a nuclear war has devastated the planet, after the initial build up to the games story, you exit an underground vault as the only survivor and into the apocalyptic setting of the now destroyed city of Boston. From here on in, it is entirely up to you, how you play out the game.I have so far been collecting junk from all over the place that I can then use to build weapons, chemicals and armor. at the time of writing, I have only done the first couple of story missions, as I have found so much to do in the scavenging and side quests that, my game time has been filled with nothing but exploration. I am immersed in a world that I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.V.A.T.S and upgrades:The V.A.T.S combat system returns here with an easier and more satisfying edge than in precious installments. The V.A.T.S system lets you slow down time mid combat, to take aim at your enemies weak points and pick them off in cinematic style. This can get really gory and messy but it's a heck of a lot of fun to do. In fact, the whole combat system is a lot easier and less clunky than it was in Fallout 3 and New Vegas, it's a far more satisfying experience.The upgrade system also returns which has been one of Bethesda studios finest attributes in thier open world games. You get to regularly upgrade your characters skills and attributes just for playing the game, doing combat and completing quests and missions. You are then rewarded with perks which allow you to choose how to upgrade your character throughout the game. Do you want to be a walking tank capable of withstanding vast amounts of damage and dealing devastating attacks on enemies, or do you prefer the more mundane approach and want your character to be a good talker and be able to extract information from in game characters and gain big discounts from stores and shops, you decide. You do start out as quite a weak and fragile character but as you continue to play and upgrade, you get tougher and more resilient and it is a massively rewarding experience .PipBoy:The pip boy in this game is quite similar to the ones in the rest of the Fallout franchise but there are lots of improvements, not only can you track your maps, items and inventory but you can now play mini computer games as a side step from the main game, these are quite simple yet still an entertaining diversion from the open world adventure. The menu screens are now animated and so enhance your Pip boy into more than just a simple options menu screen.My thoughts:I think I have covered a fair amount of the landscape in the game and I am still finding side quests in the areas I have already explored, this really is a huge open world to explore in. Everytime I want to push that little bit further out into the world, I find tons of interests and side missions to do that keep me from leaving the area I am in. It really is diverse and jam packed with content. The graphics are some of the best I have experienced on the PS4 for an open world game, the detail in the scenery especially, is mind blowing and I say this with all restraint. The sound, speech and overall feel of the game are beyond anything I have experienced thus far on the console. I am not the worlds biggest Bethesda fan and have in the past had some real rants at them for releasing games like Skyrim and Fallout New Vegas, which were fantastic games but riddled with bugs and glitches. But so far, I have only experienced a few minor frame rate drops in Fallout 4 and the few bugs there are, are no where near as bad as some people would have you believe, the game up to press has been almost flawless and Bethesda do seem to have really done thier homework on it this time around.I am completely hooked and addicted to this game to the point that I am almost forgetting to eat or drink, I have come off for an hour to write this review and to make myself a few sandwiches and a drink to last me the next 12 hours (although I do feel I may need to partake in a spot of sleep at some point as well), addictive just isn't a strong enough word.To cut a long story short, if you enjoyed any of the 2 previous Fallout games, any of the Farcry or Mass effect franchise or The Elder scrolls 4 or 5 (despite the many bugs they had) then this one is going to blow you away. It's HUGE, it's an improvement over all of Bethesdas past games in every way and it has to some extent, restored my faith in a company I had really had enough of just 12 months ago.It really is, without doubt, the most significant and mindblowing experience I have had on the PS4 since I bought it. It's a game I can see lasting me for a good 6 months and £39.99 is a snip. Sure it has a few minor bugs here and there but nothing game breaking and the dog companion can become a pain in the rear at times but this one is simply dealt with, as you can just tell him to stay and he'll stop following you around. I could sit here and nit pick all day but seriously, the pros outweigh the cons in this game so heavily that the cons are barely worth talking about.If you are not familiar with any of the games I have mentioned above then this is not a game you can simply pick up and play, there are many layers to the games narrations and controls, so it will take you a bit of time to pick everything up as a first time player but it is definitely a game worth the effort. If you are familiar with the titles I have mentioned (Farcry, Fallout, Elder Scrolls etc) then you'll pick this up in a breath.9/10 so far, huge open world exploration game with tons of side content to get your teeth into, it really is proving to be an awesome experience. I'm absolutely blown away by what I have played thus far and am really enjoying it.

26.11.2015

Fallout 4, developed by Bethesda, is another game in the long lasting series of Fallout, set in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality world. Hardly making its way out of the 70’s, Fallout is set within 2077, with robots energy weapons and nuclear powered cards being an everyday occurrence, but with a lacking of colour TVs. This split world has always had a great appeal to the gaming audience, from the catchy old style music to the way the characters portray themselves. Released almost 7 years after the last numbered release and 5 years after the Obsidian developed New Vegas, Fallout 4 seeks to put Fallout into the current gen of consoles with better graphics,gameplay and advanced mechanics.StoryThe Fallout world is set after the Third World War, which pretty much turned most of the world into a post-apocalyptic retro-future, full of Radioactive Ghouls that plague the lands as well as radiated water supplies. This time the game is set within Boston, Massachusetts, a part of the map known as The Commonwealth.Like most other Fallout Games you start the game off inside your very own Vault, though in a slight turn you get to start just a little bit before you enter the Vault closest to you. Living back in 2077, you will get to look at everyday life for the average Joe, looking inside houses, neighbourhoods and how people held themselves “back in the day”. It adds a nice touch and really adds more of a background to the game and the lore, being able to see how life used to be.From the old time of 2077 we are frozen inside Vault 111, another experiment which is what most Vaults were made for, experimentation on human life, society and how they react to certain stimuli, way of life etc. Waking up in the year 2287, 210 years after nuclear war, we find ourselves in a run down and devoid of life Vault. Our Son Shaun has been kidnapped and our mission is clear, leave Vault 111, enter post-apocalyptic Boston and find our Son. Get your “X to Shaun” fingers ready.It’s hard to put a length on the story itself, due to the random occurrences during travel, the route you will take and how many quests along the way you will complete. If you do nothing but the story missions it will go by pretty quickly in comparison, with answers almost 2 hours into the story. I spent over 30 hours exploring and completing side quests before going to the first major city, with several missions in my log left to do. It could take you 36 hours to complete the story, or 8, it can even take less than an hour as we’ve seen with previous releases and the speed runs dedicated to them.GameplayMoving away from the “slower” style of gameplay, Fallout 4 takes some nods from other First-Person Shooter games, shifting to a much faster paced game. Bringing in grenade weapons, quick stimpaks, more options for buffs, Iron-Man style power armour, Fallout 4 sets itself up even more as a “FPS” than ever before. Swapping out Gun Condition for a plethora of modifications and special weapons, what you take into a fight can be extremely different then another player.Through playing the game you will gain XP, caps (The currency), weapons, armour and junk, either through fighting, scavenging or completing quests. Levelling up with XP gives you a stat point to put into your S.P.E.C.I.A.L skills, the abilities of the game determining strength, intelligence and the like. You could instead use that point and learn a perk, allowing you to access harder locks and terminals or simply increasing your carry weight.Weapons and Armour are drastically changed from previous releases, going for more of a Borderlands style to how they are made. Each weapon has different slots on them for mods, like barrels, clips and attachments, with each gun coming with some randomly chosen ones. You can of course scrap them for metal and parts, allowing you to make your own mods, but the best weapons are from legendary enemies, dropping Starred equipment with boosts to stats, defences and damage.Junk, the holy junk, varies from pots and pans to pencils and watches, collect everything you see as if you were practicing for the part of Gollum. Anything you pick up can be scrapped for parts, like steel, wood, screws etc. These components are then used to make modes for weapons and armour as well as being used in construction for base buildings, defences, lights etc. If you play the game enough you will come to learn how much junk will be filling your pockets, that of your companions and workbenches in your settlements.Speaking of settlements, in a flash/mobile/browser style of gameplay you can now create structures in villages, put up electric circuits for lighting and turrets as well as even set up a quaint little bar. Clear out a village and you will “own” it, allowing you to build inside its area of control, set up trade routes as well as place down trading stations. Settlements give a nice break between crossing the Commonwealth and killing most of its inhabitants. These setups will also make junk and generate caps for you whilst you’re out.Overall thoughts and feelingsMusic wasn’t always a highlight of Fallout games, being more of an atmospheric game with sounds and music being left for events and entering new places more than anything. If you’re hearing music it’s more of a reward or to show you how important the current situation is. When music is played it is definitely fitting for the time, mostly action packed with some slow tracks for travel. A lot of the music in the game comes from radio transmissions, playing 3rd party tracks of yesteryear.While 4 has changed a lot from 3 it is still very much a Fallout game, the atmosphere, people and game are all very similar. Gameplay is smoother and more engaging, making part harder while simplifying others. You can still get lost in the lore and side quests, especially with the random draws you get when travelling, you might be asked to go to a mall to get an item or to clear out ghouls, whereas another player is told to go somewhere completely different. With Oblivion I did every side event before heading to the Abbey, you can do pretty much the same with Fallout 4, though it should be different every time you decide to playthrough it.Like any Open World game, Fallout 4 has its fair share of bugs and glitches, most Bethesda games that come out are full of them. It is always going to be a problem due to the size of the map and how much is inside of it, but thankfully there aren’t too many game breaking bugs, however I am forever haunted by the Roof Dwellers. Loading a past save can fix most bugs, while others sort themselves out in time.Fallout 4 gets a 5/5, even at its base it is packed full of content, with DLCs to come and mod support allowing players to add their own stories, equipment and more to the game. It has evolved from its past 2 games but in a way that is just “different”, neither good nor bad it appeals to a different kind of audience whilst giving something to old fans and new fans alike. Base building draws on the Minecraft/Sim lovers while gunplay is more edged towards FPS, with the lore, world as well as some of the gameplay resembling Fallout in all its glory.

23.11.2015

I've sunk 45 hours into the game thus far, It's such a good game, but the longer you play it, the more you feel every aspect is only surface deep. I find myself getting more frustrated at the things I can't do, instead of appreciating the things I can. Perhaps I'm spoilt by the Open world games out there. Grand theft Auto, Farcry, Witcher even Bethesda's own Skyrim. Bottom line is I'm playing a game I enjoy and is fun. But it could be better and with the aforementioned examples, it's clear there is no reason for it not to be better!Pro'sBuilding Settlements: My absolute favourite aspect of the game. I can discover new settlements, be it in a city, farm, island you name it, and make it my own!Putting down buildings, power supplies, resources, furniture you name it the list goes on. I particular like what ever you leave lying on the floor/shelf/whatever, stays where you leave it. Opens up the creativity you can personally add in, beyond the standard building options. You want a room full of Brahmin skulls and chains... why not?Settlers: Once you have built your settlement and placed your very own, recruitment radio antenna down. Settlers start wandering in wide eyed and happy to help. Unaware of my impending plans to work them in the fields, or have them man(woman) my shops. You can give them any weapon (as long as you also supply the ammo) and place them in any outfit/armor (Apart from a power suit). You can also move them around your settlements or set up trade routes.Raids: Once you have a settlement and it's all going swimmingly, raiders will attack. You can install turrets, manned guard towers and a few different traps in preparation. I personally have fended off super mutants, gunners, a swarm of bloat flies and a behemoth. These appear to be completely random, I've not really seen any pattern to where or when they attack. Still it adds to immersion, of those settlements being mine.Questing: I've followed a few quest lines that have interested me, I guess that is, in itself, something to congratulate. I'm able thus far just to do the quests I want to do, and this hasn't in any way hindered my levelling up or progressing. There are some quirky amusing and engrossing stories to follow through, I particularly like the subtle things hidden. You read an old terminal find an old holo tape or see a note written on the wall, you can just follow the clues and discover hidden stories and items etc. I quite like that.Gunplay/VATS: I hated VATS on the last fallout, It never seemed to hit anything and it slowed down the feel of combat. This time It's not as bad, it slows down time but doesn't just pause everything. I confess to much preferring to treat it like cod, I strafe and run and jump about blasting people with a shotgun and throwing flurries of grenades. It feels very fluid at least with guns (having not tried the melee weapons... Don't bring a knife to a gunfight). and I must say watching a nuke launcher fire, in slow motion on VATS is just visually spectacular.Open world/Exploration: It's a pretty and impressive world to travel through, it feels alive and I particularly like walking through wasteland cities and hearing gunshots in the distance as groups of mutants and raiders and ghouls slog it out amongst themselves. It helps create the illusion you aren't alone. Graphically the landscapes and scenery probably are the strongest points. Full of things to do and see.Con'sBuilding Settlements: Firstly I'd like more structures to build. Secondly I want to be able to scrap everything on the plot of land and have the option to fix up structures left behind. What use is a fallen down house, slap bang in the middle of my settlement, that I can't scrap or repair! fences,walls,floors you name it can be hell, trying to neatly snap them together the OCD in me does not like that. Gravity and structural strength don't exist, you can build a house in the sky and leave it floating... Can't decide if like that or not.Settlers: Your settlers are all named "Settler" it takes away from immersion when the 200 people across 25+ settlements all have the same name. If they couldn't be bothered to name them at least allow us too. There are a maybe a handful of settlers with actual names, this feels like the red shirts in star trek, you know settler isn't going to make it... Also let us customise them just as we can ourselves, allow us to build a hairdresser/plastic surgeon and pay to scrub and alter our settlers. In short I want more customisation!Raids: So raids are fun but too random, I would like to see a better system in place, perhaps similar to shadow of mordor nemesis sysyem. ie; You kill a nest of nearby Super Mutants, they declare war on those settlements near them. You can then have protracted territorial wars with various factions. This would then have me think twice about messing with certain groups of baddies, concerned for my nearby settlements. Result.. more immersion.Questing: So whilst some quests are fun some are insanely repetitive, I'm looking at you Minutemen. It becomes quickly apparent some quests are infinitely repeatable, looping the same few goals. Such as: rescue a settler taken hostage/clear out a nest of baddies threatening settlement. The first few times it's fun, but as you become aware it's a constant loop, with no actual change to your game, you turn off to it.Talking to NPCS: More dialogue please, more in depth. You have either a male or female character and she/he says the same 3 things to a vendor every time you speak to them. Also when it displays your options of things you can say. It will just lay it out " Sarcastic/Agree/Disagree " etc whilst what you actually say, is unknown until you say it. I really hate that. It becomes clear If I press X to all conversations I'll agree to whatever is said and so I have no need to immerse myself, or get engrossed into certain stories.Vehicles: They're everywhere! Why can't I get in and drive them?Open World/Exploration: The world is big... It could be bigger, I've explored every corner a little sooner then I would have liked.Load times: Get 20 settlements and try quick travelling to all 20... Load times become a joke.Graphics: Could be better, other games have shown this, they aren't the worse but in particular, peoples faces, bad lipsyncing etc. are pretty awful and definitely subtract from the experience.

3.10.2016

92 hours.It’s a bit late for me to be submitting a Fallout 4 review. If you haven't played it yet, you've most likely either seen some positive reviews by long time Fallout advocates, or some slightly negative reviews by bemused 'next gen' journalists disappointed by the lack of a generational jump by Bethesda.If you need to be convinced as to how good this game is, let me tell you this. Every 1 of my 92 hours was filled with either joy, dread, sorrow, guilt, confusion, fear or love. This is Bethesda's greatest game yet, and whilst Metacritic has it at a high 84, I feel allot of the reviewers wouldn't have invested the time I have in seeing so much of the Wasteland,and experiencing the story before submitting a review. If they had, allot of the games graphical shortcomings would have been totally overlooked, as this is a Rad Roach feast of a game!GAMPLAY : Allot has been said about Fallouts mix of RPG and FPS. Fallout 4 (FO4) gets the mix perfectly right here. This is an action RPG and it doesn't apologise for it either. FPS mechanics are solid and enjoyable. In previous Fallouts I always felt the FPS element was tacked on, particularly in Fallout 3 where they first shifted to this viewpoint. It almost felt like changing the camera angle in a driving game, rather than being a fully-fledged FPS. Bethesda called on the big guns for this game and brought in expertise from Bungie to tighten the FPS mechanics up, and it really shows. The entire game can be played in FPS, without having to use VATS, the turn based action system synonymous with the fallout franchise. This is refreshing as RPGs from other companies have started to move towards a more story driven, action based engine. Mass Effect is a perfect example of a franchise that gets the balance just right, whilst retaining a level of depth required to be an RPG. Whilst hard-core RPG fans may disagree with this approach, I think the industry is better for it and frankly I'm relieved to see Bethesda move in this direction also. Small point to note here, the inventory system (Pip boy) is a visual joy to behold, but a ball ache to use. For future Fallouts, I hope Bethesda put substance before style as they have for the rest of the game.GRAPHICS : Speaking of style, it leads me perfectly onto graphics. The visual style is basically unchanged from Fallout 3 / NV. Everything looks drab, dirty and is lacking a certain sheen…and that’s ok. It’s a post-apocalyptic landscape, and the visual style is appropriate for its setting. Bethesda has decided to expand their colour palette for FO4, which avoids the endless brown seen in previous FO’s. Most impressive is the level of detail adorning Boston’s Commonwealth. Not once did I get the impression that Bethesda used any procedural generation (cough..), and instead this entire city feels hand crafted. It feels like a labour of love for Bethesda. I was most impressed with its draw distance, particularly in sections where you are high above the city. Overall, the graphics are stylised and not ground breaking. You get the feeling, early on in the game, that Bethesda are squeezing the last few drops of juice out of an engine that they have had allot of success out of. Frankly, they made the right choice, but I believe that they got lucky. Had they not had such compelling story (more on this later) or provided patches and fixes in the early few months post launch, the reaction to a ‘previous gen’ looking FO could have been far worse.SOUND: If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, I always like to point out the sound quality in video games. An area this is hardly mentioned in mainstream reviews and a developers efforts always go un noticed. Fallout 4 is an incredible example of gaming audio. Firstly, the voice acting is the best it’s ever been. Believable and different. This is not Skyrim. Whilst Skyrim is an excellent game, I couldn’t help shift the feeling 3 hours in that I was speaking to generic NPC male 1, or typical NPC female 2. Fallout 4 does an incredible job of masking this issue with accents and voice acting that adds to the atmosphere. Secondly, the music. I am addicted to wondering the Commonwealth wasteland whilst tuned into the in game Diamond City radio. The station provides a small playlist of 40’s / 50’s swing and jazz that provides a tongue in cheek take on the apocalypse. Honestly, I don’t think there has ever been a game that I’ve looked forward to playing simply because of the music. Shooting down a few raiders or zombies to the soundtrack of Ella Fitzgerald or Bing Crosby is a gaming experience I’ll never forget.STORY: No spoilers here. Fallout 4 provides one of the most compelling, engaging and thought felt campaigns of any game I’ve played. You’re on a mission to find a long lost loved one and the game plays out in 3 acts that simply blew me away. The story alone could take you 10 or so hours to complete, but Bethesda has once again struck a perfect balance between side mission and core mission structure. Side missions don’t waver too far from your core objectives and lead you to find various factions within the game that demand your loyalty. The great news is that you have the choice to join all of them. The difference, and what makes Fallout 4 one of my greatest all time games, is that the choice they present is no longer an RPG cliché. Every mission and engagement in FO4 presents you with choice, and often this choice can lead to better loot, money or outcomes. But sometimes it also leads to betrayal or murder. Never has a game affected me so much based on the people and factions I betrayed in this game out of choice. The choice was never in return for more money or loot, it was a story driven outcome. This is why FO4 remains Bethesda’s greatest game yet.I miss the wasteland. Its interesting corners, its jiving soundtrack, its thoughtful detail and its engaging characters. I feel bad for the choices I made, and also amazed that a video game (primarily designed to be fun) can be so emotive. Some would argue that technological advances in graphics and sound are making gaming environments more believable. I think it’s more to do with how Bethesda has built this word. It’s not graphically impressive, it’s not a technological next gen jump. Instead, Fallout 4 is a master class in action RPG storytelling, immersing you in its believable world because its makes you care.

12.11.2015

I'm new to the Fallout franchise so bear that in mind through this review - I can't say what this offers over and above the previous games. But as a newcomer I think that, so far, this is a brilliant game. Certainly it's worth pointing out that the story doesn't require that you know or played the previous games.The game is big - not only in terms of its open-world geography, but in the sheer diversity and scale of things that can be done. There's a few early sections where they're a little linear while you have to get the story going, but they're very cleverly done, even from the character creation - done in the bathroom mirror! They're rarely cut scenes - rather you are actually playing,but you are pretty much forced down a single route (despite being given the impression of choice) - but that's just so they can set the scene. Once you finish what you might call the prologue, you very quickly are granted the freedom to do what you like, and indeed the post-apocalyptic world is huge with plenty to explore - though obviously wandering into too advanced an area too soon can be hazardous to your undeveloped health. There are many locations (and enemies) in the open world, and then you also have what's like a specific little "dungeon" type locale behind a closed door, usually inhabited by gangs of a certain enemy type; the map reflects which of these you've already cleared (though after 24 hours, you can go back and find more enemies which is great if you've really enjoyed a particular assault).As you progress and do certain things (e.g. completing missions or killing enemies), your XP (experience) bar increases, allowing you to regularly level-up and add a level to your attributes, or if your relevant base level permits, an enhanced "perk" ability..Fighting is proving to be great fun, and you can decide between doing it first-person or third-person perspective. There are many ways to approach a fight, and the massive and varied arsenal of weapons, as well as skills/perks, gives you some sense of the different tactics you could use. For example you might sneak around and take out enemies without them even seeing you, or you might choose to snipe from distance - or you might just want to dispense with the sneaking around and just go toe-to-toe with the enemy (Han Solo would approve). You can also enhance your fighting by using "V.A.T.S.", which is basically a cross between a targeting system and "bullet time". Using this effectively gives you amazing ability to change the tide of battle, taking out enemies with precision shots, and giving you a quick cinematic clip. On occasion, however, you can't help but feel V.A.T.S. is actually less capable, especially at medium to long range.Where you hit the enemy is tactically significant too. You can aim to disarm them, or prevent their advance (or escape) by shooting them in the leg. Shooting their arm clean off is gory but satisfying.Graphics wise it's very good. From the top of a hill I can look out and see the lights and skylines of towns in the distance and if I want to, I can walk all the way to them. The day/night cycle works brilliantly, and you also get varied weather which include storms and fog. Many people are saying the graphics aren't as good as they could be and maybe that's true; however given the world size and all the things that do actually need to be rendered (like aforementioned enemy with arm blown off), I think it's pretty damn good.Is the game perfect? Well, here's a list of the negatives as I see them.Load times are just on the verge of being frustrating.There are a few minor bugs, such as objects popping into mid air (seeing a two-headed cow apparate 100ft in the air then drop to the ground was an interesting moment the other day). I've seen other physics-defying occasions such as when you scrap a table and the things on it continue to hover - doesn't happen every time, but it does happen. I have also been able to plant melons in mid air - but who complains about floating melons?Your NPC companions don't always follow you through dungeons correctly and sometimes get left behind. But they can be annoyingly dumb in battle anyway, wandering into your line-of-sight with complete disregard for their safety or your sniping.There seems to be regular disagreement between the game and myself about whether a Molotov cocktail I throw will hit the tree by my head or not. Melee fighting is also messy - although you are taught the block-and-melee mechanic early, because it's hard to judge distance and the movement of your enemy, it's really more cumbersome than it should be (especially if you're getting attacked by multiple enemies who lunge at you).Some of the voice acting is pretty bad. Preston Garvey is emotionless and wooden, while Paladin Danse sounds so much like Buzz Lightyear it's uncanny - and comes with the same amount of cheese (which is exactly right for a Disney Pixar cartoon, but did they really intend to go so OTT in a serious RPG?).There are flaws with build mode: placing structure pieces on contoured ground can be predictably problematic, with floors and doors on hillsides needing a bit of thought, but you would think wire fencing would have been a bit more flexible - as it stands it's virtually unusable (though as yet I've never been attacked so I don't know if it would be anything more than decorative anyway). Meanwhile managing settlers (i.e. assigning them to specific work) is sloppy - try to work out the one person who's not doing something, select them, run across your settlement to the item you want to assign them to, etc...I had a real dilemma here about whether to knock off a star - I decided to because despite the brilliant fun I have playing the game overall, these silly imperfections do occasionally cause you to growl a little.It's still early days, I'm learning all the time, but so far this is an incredibly immersive game. If you like exploring, fighting and building - and doing all these things your own way - you will love this game.

10.11.2015

This review is subject to change as I progress, I have my fingers (and toes) crossed that it will be for the better.Edit - Unlike in Fallout 3, aiming at legs can and does blow them clean off, leaving ghouls etc. crawling at a snails pace, instead of just crippling them so they run at you slower. Meaning you can go against a mob of 6 ferals, blow all of their legs off and then calmly walk around them, executing them with shots to the head. Just for that feature, I'm adding another star on.Edit 2 - Getting power armour early, although it rendered power armour totally underwhelming at the time, has turned out to not be such a disappointment after all. I'm not even looking for power cores to power it up any more,as I'm having more fun looting dead enemies for special armour (armour that has stars next to the name in the inventory). I'm sure I'll start loving the power armour again later on, when I get to apply some really good upgrades/mods to it, so I see what they did there, and how they've made it more interesting, but it still kind of niggles at me that the new system has made the armour training from FO3 completely nonsensical. Legendary enemies are also appearing frequently now, and they drop some awesome loot, another bonus. This is very nearly shaping up to get 5 stars from me.As a massive, massive Fallout fan, and general Bethesda fangirl, I've been mega-hyped about this since announcement, Fallout 3 is my all time favourite game, and Fallout Tactics and New Vegas get played again on occasion. I got the Pipboy edition F04 from GAME (exclusivity hogging rip-off merchants) and so as to not wait until the next day for delivery, I even preordered a digital download from Xbox marketplace so I could play it dead on midnight. So far, there's been more disappointments than positives.The towns are great. Big, lots of interesting people in them, I like Goodneigbor is a fun place to visit, with some good quests. I liked the Memory pods, they reminded me of Tranquillity Lane from FO3. So far I'm yet to meet any really stick-out quirky NPCs, like Moira Brown from Megaton, but I'm sure there will be some eventually. Maybe it's just the nostalgia factor of 3 holding me back from truly enjoying it, I find myself constantly comparing.The first negative thing you notice is the graphics, but that was expected really, as the first announcement trailer and E3 demo showed them for what they were, although they do seem slightly worse than that on console (to be expected) the frame rates keep dropping, and the usual graphical glitches like half of your arm disappearing though your gun etc. But I can forgive that.The next disappointment for me has been the story so far. In Fallout 3 you spend a good few hours in the vault at first, before you get to the wasteland, and when you do get to that defining moment when you get to the end of the tunnel and crack that wooden door open, there was a sense of amazement and wonder. Well, there's nothing like that here, you're in the vault for all of 5 minutes, before you're in the wasteland, so no sense of awe, they seemed more interested in getting you to the wastes and geared up as fast as possible. In 3, you're going to spend a lot of time at low levels with pretty terrible weapons that are few and far between, and armour was hard to come by too. But here, in 4, almost straight away you get power armour and a minigun, then energy weapons and high powered shotguns come in a limitless amount to your level 5, straight-outta-tha-vault noob???? Kind of contradicts the training for power armour from FO3, and it also strips it of any value. In 3, when you get it, it was a real sense of achievement - Not here though.The dog is more or less forced on you, I know Dogmeat from 3 has a loyal fanbase, but I was always more of a lone wanderer. But now I feel like I have to keep it with me, and more often than not he gets in the way, although he can't be killed, which is ridiculous. Every now and them I fire a few shotgun blasts into his face for a laugh.You can't change your accent, or your babies name and gender. So it doesn't matter where you're from or what your kid (if you have one in real life) is called, in the game you're stuck with an American accent, and a son called Sean - and before anybody says "But you have to have an American accent, it's set in Boston" , the main character doesn't have a Boston accent, in fact, not many NPC's do either??!! So unlike in 3, we have a very specific story thrown on us, it was easier to pretend it was you when the character didn't speak and no children or siblings were given. Anyway, that's another thing that can be forgiven if the story makes up for it.The building a camp system is good, although a little complicated to get used to, you need to find specific materials like wood, lead etc and have the right amount to make the structures. I haven't gotten used to it that well, but from what I can see, it does seem a lot more limited in what you can actually build than they made out.It also seems like you're having your hand held for you by the NPCs, from the minute you leave the vault, you're guided to different high level factions straight away, who will do a lot of the fighting in some early stages for you, and who give you weaponry that in 3, you wouldn't have got until you were half way through the campaign. I liked the struggle and grind of 3, this seems more aimed towards impatient ADHD teenagers who are more into the FPS elements than RPG.But having said all that, the story is good so far, even though it's pretty easy for a seasoned franchise player, it does feel like you're jumping into the middle of a Fallout game , highly levelled up. But that does have me kind of looking forward to what's to come later on, when I actually am levelled up highly.But so far, to me, it's no Fallout 3.

20.11.2015

The game is exactly what you would expect if you have played previous Fallout games and Elderscrolls, its rough edged perfection. I say rough edged perfection because while the game is huge, with hundreds of choices and opportunities and a vast open world to explore, it does have a few bugs here and there. The bugs however just add to the charm, watching a powerful legendary enemy beyond my level get stuck in a wall, allowing me to kill it without it posing me any threat = hilarious. People who have played previous games will understand what i mean and agree that it takes very little away from the game itself.The positives for the game are as ive mentioned the huge vastness of it.You can spend days exploring and still not have found everything, this makes for a long term play which may put some people off, if it wasn't for the fantastic save system that allows you to save wherever you are and whenever you want. Effectively allowing you to put down and pick up where you left off according to your time schedule.The new weapon mods are amazing allowing so much flexibility when it comes to creating the perfect gun for your style of gaming, if you want stealth add a silencer, if you want accuracy add a scope its all fantastic and so far every weapon I have come across in the game has been open for mods including Missile Launchers, Mini Guns and the portable nuclear bomb launcher The Fat Boy. Also all armour can be modified to suit your needs or bring added protection/ stats to your character when needed. This includes the Power Armour which is a personal favourite of mine. If your bring your power armour to a craft station not only can you modify it and upgrade it you can also give it paint jobs to create a really unique suit of armour.The missions are fun, engaging and varied, from purging areas of enemies, to detective work, recon missions, providing medical help, retrieving important items, mass murder or saving the day its all here and all up to you exactly what you want to do and how you want to do it. Characters are rich and loveable.. or hate-able depending on how they're talking to you.Companions... ill start with positives for companions. The amount of companions available is astounding nearly every settlement ive visited has offered one or two people interested in joining me on my explorations, most companions also come with their very own exclusive side missions that will become available as you befriend them, and offer chances for romance. You can also choose a variety of different dogs as your companion as well, after the bog standard Dogmeat companion you get at the beginning you can find traders that will sell you different dogsCombat is just as fun as ever VATS continues to come in handy when you need to slow things down to have a think. Each bullet that you fire really feels like its hitting something, we must be sick individuals to enjoy watching a mans head explode in a shower of eyes, bone and blood.NegativesCompanions... are so irritating, currently at the time of this review they have a huge knack for standing in door ways preventing you from progressing, and this usually happens when im mid combat and trying to make a tactical retreat to get behind cover, instead with their help im forced out in the open and shot to pieces, ive also been trapped in a corner by them and then helpfully been beaten to a pulp by a passing Super Mutant. This is a regular occurrence and I now find my self using my companion as live bait, using commands to send them far way from me and watching them absorb gunfire while I pick off the attackers. The other point is I usually like to play the stealth game sneaking up on my enemies and striking from the shadows to get some critical damage.. my companions however seem to have a different idea and run around firing their noisy gun and shouting which then raises my enemies awareness and I am discovered. Ruining my hard work. Same with sniping several times i have lined up a shot patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity and my handy companion will walk right in front of my scope just as im in the perfect position or just as im firing meaning they then get a bullet in the head themselves and im no longer hidden as enemies hear the shot. Finally companions and grenades, if you throw a grenade and your companion decides to dive in front of it, the grenade will then rebound and usually land by your feet blowing you to pieces. This is all quite funny the first time it happens, not so funny the tenth.NPC communication. Im a little disappointed that we only have four conversation choices now with NPCs in previous games you could get a wealth of knowledge and information out of people, how ever in this game now a lot seems to be said and I don't get much opportunity to be rude or insult someone, which is a shame. For people that don't really like extended reading and talking this could be seen as a positive.This few negatives do not out weigh the positives, companions are optional and NPCs are that important. I would 100% recommend this game and I cant wait to see what the DLC has to add in the future.

15.11.2015

Fallout 4 does so much right, just like Bethesda always have done. They create beautifully vast and intricate worlds realistically filled with countless exploration points that keep you roaming and shopping at every chest for hours. Fallout 4 is no different, the map is smaller than skyrim, but it suits the pacing and density of the game much better this way, and exploration has never been so key due to loot being so rewarding even with bobble heads that upgrade your S.P.E.C.I.A.L points and endless junk that innovatively can be used from anything like building a house to upgrading power armour and guns. Gunplay is smooth and reactive,VATS has been suitably nerved but still fun and the new S.P.E.C.I.A.L system makes combat customisable a lot like skyrim did (Melee builds, stealth builds, sniper builds etc.), creating a damn good warrant for a replay if ever I've seen one.It also does a fantastic job of having the "local leader" mini game which means you can either get very creative and have fun messing about to make your house, or work hard to cram as many beds into a room as possible to reach a quota of residents needs for beds. The more hard core side of this mitigates has you juggling supply roots between settlements and economically manipulating market places for your own benefit to "rebuild the wasteland". Its either Sims or a very complex and engaging settlement expansion simulator and can be incredibly fun, if your into that sort of thing.Bugs are there. But do I care? No, its an open world. The only open world games that get perfect polish anymore are rockstar's as ubisoft keeps churning out buggy crap each year and there were some in the witcher too and that didn't take anything away from the experience. Bugs just make me mildly chucked not scream in outrage like many reviewers are doing at the moment, anyway they'll get patch in a matter of weeks.Power armour is now stupid and pointless due to the new fusion core system making them only usable if you have a fusion core that runs out incredibly quickly unless you have the second highest intelligence perk. It really grinds my gears as it means that the whole power armour bit of the game (upgrading an what not) and the sheer awesomeness these things are, are limited to a single perk at the highest end of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L tree. Either that or your spend hours looking for the damn cores just for what feels like 15-20 minutes of the power armour which (while awesome) feels like a rush to DO something while you have it. This is argued that its balanced due to the power armour being given to you early on in the game and additionally being very [over] powerful, I'd rather work hard to get the power armour later and then have it less powerful then use it for a very minute time.The main gripe I have with this game is its lack of character, fallout 3 was harsh and unforgiving, fallout new vegas was satirical and cynical while still keeping gritty but fallout 4 is neither, but nothing new or original. You see glimpses of fallout 3's character around and about and a couple of fallout new vegas' charms like a quest in which you save a man who was attempting to teach super mutants who talk like cavemen, Shakespeare with hilarious repercussions. However it doesn't stick with either of them and doesn't try to create some thing new and exciting and at times keeps to very RPG clichés. Additionally I found very few truly unique and interesting characters which was a shame. This doesn't mean many quests don't shine and factions (that are more prevalent) aren't still exciting to find and join and betray and some very interesting ending mechanics that I'm not going to spoil. Also the purely spectacular setting is still not ruined in this and truly marvellous to experience, especially if for the first time.The soundtrack and music on the radio are spectacular (BONGO BONGO BONGO) and tie in as ever with the setting and atmosphere.Despite having its shortcomings fallout 4 excels in all the places you would expect from a Bethesda game and does it right, is it perfect? No. But even skyrim, which is my favourite Bethesda title, had monumental mistakes that added to its character. But in all its one of the few games that'll have you stuck to the screen or months and I love it. If you have a next gen console and/or a PC buy this game, like right now.Oh and one more thing. Never, EVER get hyped for a game. Hype makes a game meet a certain standard, if it reaches that standard, great! But if it doesn't, even slightly, then your not going to enjoy it as much. If your not expecting then when it does it blows your mind.

6.12.2015

War, war never changes. As Ron Perlman said at the start of his iconic narration to Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas. This game has had players foaming at the mouth with an almost frightening zeal since this game was announced at E3 '15, with its' promises of total freedom, play the game YOUR way and the usual £10 slogans that PR departments for game publishers use these days. To be honest, I wasn't sold on the settlement building mechanic and it did whiff of the old "trying too hard" cliche. Saying that, I have to say Fallout 4 - though over marketed - is a great interactive software experience.As far as gameplay is concerned,there's not much to get excited about seeing as it's still carrying on the familiar post nuclear war setting and several set pieces are still there as in Vault-Tec, Brotherhood of Steel, a few nods towards previous plots from the Fallout series and so on. The VATS mechanic has been changed to slowdown time in battle situations as opposed to an extra pause button. Also, critical hit damage is left up to the player to execute and not through random chance. A well done is deserved to the dev team for giving the game a proper weather system as contrasted to constant grey sky in Fallout 3 and constant sunny, desert sky in New Vegas. The story seems to have taken a few pointers from Blade Runner with the whole "Self determination is not a malfunction" emphasis when it comes to dealing with various factions in the game such as the Railroad and the mysterious Institute. There are a few factions vying fro control of the Commonwealth and the story branches out depending on what actions you take when siding with a particular faction. The Minutemen want to help build a democratic society, The Brotherhood want to to take over the Institute and The Institute wants to treat the wasteland as a big science experiment. All of these elements do put together an immersive experience. The weapon modification and crafting mechanic was a good addition and I would spend over an hour at weapon benches crafting and upgrading weapons. Yet, there are flaws that do stand out.In previous Fallout games one the key mechanics was the Karma System. Where you would earn good or bad karma depending on your actions. This mechanic has been remodeled around the reactions of your companions. This does get annoying after a while when a companion loved it when I picked locks but hated me when I hacked computers. Another companion hated me for finding an experimental cure for the FEV, but loved it when I was mowing down super mutants with a minigun. The settlement building system only really comes into play when following a certain faction's story and does seem a little counter productive. I' want a grand sweeping survival adventure, NOT mess about building houses for 3 hours where people moan at you for not building them a dream house. In the end I was just breaking down houses for the materials I need to craft guns. Where is the skill point system?? When you level up in Fallout 4, there are no skill points. Instead there is the "Perk Tree" where you pick perks depending on how high your SPECIAL attributes are. Bethesda calls this "streamlining" I call it an attempt to improve something that didn't need improving. Also, it doesn't help to break old habits when you're carrying around 4 types of the same weapon, weighing you down and wondering how do you repair things? I biggest gripe about this game is that you can tell it was built on the Skyrim engine because there are glitches and bugs by the bucket load! Doors don't work after a companion has gone through one, the dialogue tree doesn't load at times and after killing enemies in combat their corpses at times sink into the ground. Maybe Bethesda will patch these things up in the future.FINAL WORD; As with Skyrim, you get the impression of what Bethesda has given with the right hand they have equally taken away with the left. If you can overlook the flaws in programming, the odd glitch every now and again and the impression that the changes have slightly alienated the hard-core fans of the series, what Bethesda have delivered is a great example of what an RPG should be. Imaginative and compelling it'll have you coming back for multiple play-throughs. War never changes...

16.11.2015

So here’s my round-up!GAMEPLAY- There are a few differences to the gameplay mechanics. Repairing weapons has been removed which makes life a lot easier; radiation now affects your HP making it a lot more dangerous; the HUD display is a lot simpler and in my opinion takes up less space on screen. After about 60 hours of playing, I've encountered 1 freeze (after 14 hours of gameplay) and only a few instances of frame drops, and I've not had any delayed loading in of textures.The graphics have been heavily debated within the gaming community, but I think the game looks beautiful. The new colour scheme works wonders in bringing the world to life, as does the” dynamic lighting” system.Some of the cinematic character animations, like the lip synching, need some work, but its not a massive issue.The combat system has been tightened up a lot, the system feeling a lot more fluid and far less clunky. The update to VATS (ie, it doesn't freeze gameplay) is something I really liked and it certainly added another element of realism. The bad guys and monsters are more varied and some a bigger and far scarier- I have heard rumour of a deathclaw that can camouflage itself, God help us all!COMPANIONS- The are about 12 potential companions in total, and they are far more engaging than in previous games (though I've never had a problem with Fallout's companions). They play a more active role by your side, chirping into conversations you have with other people in the wasteland; and my personal favourite offering to carry some items for you when you're overencumbered.MAIN STORY- Don't worry, I'm not going to spoil anything! I will say that this is the most emotive storyline I've experienced in any Fallout game, I really felt for the protagonist. There are more factions in this game than previous titles and I've found it really difficult to pick a side, I keep debating it who to ally with even when I'm not playing.There are plenty of side quests too, which have always been a key element to Fallout games. You have the normal side quests as with the previous games, but you also have the radiant side quests (like those in Skyrim) that pretty much ensure you'll never run out of things to do.VOICED PROTAGONIST & DIALOGUE OPTIONS- I was dubious at first, but I think it adds another element of immersion and feels more natural than the method used in previous games. The dialogue itself is unobtrusive and the voice work by Courtney Taylor and Brain T Delaney (female and male protagonist respectively) is strong, who give the right level of emotion in their performances while keeping their tone quite neutral throughout.The new dialogue system is simpler and in some ways more restrictive, but I do quite like it. The options give you a brief idea of what you character is going to say, but its enough and its far easier on the eye than scrolling through lines of text. One pointer though, a higher level charisma and luck will be of benefit to most.CRAFTING- The new crafting system is awesome, there are so many ways to personalise your weapons, armour and settlements. Even unique items are customisable! The settlement building function is great fun, and isn’t compulsory You'll inadvertently sink hours into making your home, that much I promise. Plus there are lots of places throughout the wasteland that you can set up home.Overall, this game is incredible, it really is. A masterpiece in my eyes. I'm a massive fan of the previous Fallout console games (Fallout 3 being my favourite) and have been so excited about the release of 4 since the now- fabled E3 press conference. Bethesda have certainly upped their game significantly with this release, improving on many aspects of the previous titles as well as adding a couple of new ones. Yes there are a few bugs and glitches to be found, but its such a big game and they haven't really affected me so I can look past them. I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive at first because of the hype, but I honestly think the game delivers. It may not be the reinvention that Fallout 3 was on its predecessors, but it builds nicely on its foundation. 10/10!

29.11.2015

It's simple to say that the amount of hype surrounding Fallout 4 was off the charts, with many people declaring it to be game of the year as soon as it was announced. And upon the back of New Vegas and Fallout 3 it was easy to see why.Fallout 4 takes place this time in the Boston Commonwealth and its a far cry from the Mohave Desert and the Capitol Wasteland, gone are the networks of subways (to an extent) and deserts and instead we have a much more complete mix of a world map, with areas of forestry, deserted land while also the busy areas of the inner downtown boston. However the map to me didn't actually feel all much bigger, while previous games had huge areas of nothing setting the tone of desolation,this wasn't the case in Fallout 4 and I very rarely felt alone, be it one of the many companions that join you in your quest from the get go or most areas hold a huge amount of assorted characters, be they allies, raiders, mutants or even monsters.You step into the shoes of the Sole Survivor, a man on the quest to find his missing Son, and of course along the way you immediately ignore the main quest and explore the Commonwealth, helping or hindering people as you go along before coming into contact with one of the many factions and ultimately deciding the fate of those around you. We lose the Karma system from previous games ultimately having you feel that no matter what you do, you are never really that bad. Despite the actions of those around you. This both works for and against the games strengths, ultimately there are 'four' endings however only really two of them are actually different in content and I couldn't help but feel disappointed when I'd finished them due to the lack of clearing up what happened to the world and leaving it as an open question. Good if you want to continue your character however personally I felt the story to be unfinished, no doubt able to purchase as a premium as DLCGameplay wise I felt Fallout 4 took a step back, gone is the feeling that this is an open world RPG but more of a Shooter with Missions and Various perks, it still feels like Fallout we all know and love but it does also feel that its a step back. I felt at times too that I had explored too much, as most missions simply bring you back to locations you've already cleared out with enemies respawning (or not, and you'll simply run through the mission.) of course there are plenty of missions, some of which are very amusing and fun, Other missions are unfortunately padding which is usually go to an area and clear it/collect something. These get annoying and repetitive very quickly.Soundwise the music is very atmospheric and fits right in, the are numerous radio stations that have a difference of music for you to listen to, however with such a big game be prepared to hear the same things over and over again. Voices are expertly done and really advance a lot of the characters.Fallout 4 is a nice game, and one of the best on the Current Gen systems so far. However I personally felt it didn't do it any better than New Vegas or Fallout 3. While this review has only scratched the surface it feels the game excels in certain areas however not nearly as fun in others. The length is going to set you around 80-100 hours to do EVERYTHING in a single playthrough which isn't anything to sniff at. (Although Bethesda did claim it was 400 hours and still finding new things. Dunno what they been doing for 300 hours) I also want to quickly bring up the point of glitches. Unlike 3, NV and Skyrim Fallout 4 actually works out of the box! Not nearly as glitchy however towards end game I did find a huge amount of slowdown, and entering/exiting the commonwealth eventually becomes a chore and one of the factors that made the game feel tedious towards the end. I also found one of the missions glitched so bad I had to go down a route I didn't want to just to complete it.If you loved Fallout 3 and New Vegas expect more of the same from this one. It holds a lot of content and is fun when it wants to be.

6.4.2016

Having settled down last night after work to play Fallout 4 for the first time I thought I would pen a review of my first thoughts which I will update as time goes on.Firstly, a bit of background. I've never played any Fallout game before so coming into this as a complete novice (as I'm sure some more of you are!) that's partly the reason why I thought I should post a review, to help other new guys out a bit at the start!If you are on the edge of buying this game but are unsure as you have never played Fallout before, I can assure you, you will have fun playing this game. It's the first game on PS4 that I have genuinely sat down on the sofa and been gripped in one spot for hours,I can tell already it's been a good investment!My tips for survival in a post apocalyptic wasteland as a Fallout 4 New Guy:1. Pick up everything that looks useful - this will seem like a no brainer to anyone who has played these games before but not to me at the start - 'Why would I want to carry around this lamp or that fan, or that empty can?!' ... Well my friend, the reason is the crafting system in F4. These useless items get broken down into components you then use to make new weapons and armour, or upgrade your current set, which is INCREDIBLY useful!2. Learn the basics of the perk system before assigning your first SPECIAL points - the perk system is quite massive and for a new player you really need to look it up online before you commit to a build with your first points.. it will take a long time to change that if you want to later down the line! I would suggest you either go and watch a YouTube video on them or read a few guides as I'm not going to go into detail in this review.. it would take too long and I am not knowledgeable enough yet to be any use!3. The main missions are not your only goal - there is so much to do in F4 that doesn't even involve the main missions, side missions, crafting, exploring, it's all there for you to go any have a look at! You may (like me) find it more benficial at the start of your F4 career to just go and explore and learn the basics like the VATS system before tackling the main story at all.4. Explore - this is not meant as a 'explore the whole world' but more a 'explore your local surroundings', go in that building, loot it for all it's worth and then move on to the next one. This is especially true of the starting locations as there is quite a lot to find and all the equipment and ammo you can grab here will help you out! Seriously, search around - there are so many slightly hidden bits for you to find - which is really testament to the game designers!Those are my tips for now, as I said, I'll update it as we go.-- UPDATE --After spending another two evenings wandering around I have picked up a few more pearls to share with my fellow new guys:1. Take everything useful... but deposit it frequently: This one is linked to my earlier tip really, make sure you make full use of fast travel (on the Pip Boy map) and your workbenches wherever you call home to store all the stuff you find. All the workbenches (in one town) are linked so you can use the materials deposited for all crafting, be that weapons or armour. It really is worth taking the time out to dump your junk or you could end up (like I have) with the best bit of loot yet taking you over the limit in the middle of nowhere!2. V.A.T.S for enemy location - I now extensively use VATS when I am in unfamiliar places to scout ahead, even if you can't see enemies on the screen or haven't noticed them, VATS will pick them up. This gives you a vital head start and the chance of a sneak attack, (or a run and hide!). This has saved my life twice so far with mines and am forever grateful!I'll keep updating as time goes on if I find anything else worth sharing!

11.11.2015

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