Fallout 4 Review

Written by: Ice Cold Tabasco

"...Fallout 4 is a great game. Not perfect, but great nonetheless."

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So here it is, purported to be the most ambitious title ever done by Bethesda Game Studios; a title that was hyped up to no end and awaited for over 7 years. Here we have Fallout 4.

Welcome Home.

Pros
+ Improved and all around solid gunplay
+ Engaging world, story and characters
+ Weapon, character and enemy variety
+ Beautiful Graphics and Aesthetic
+ Engaging main quest
+ Lots to do
+ Weapon Modding

Cons
- Brain Dead Companion AI
- Bugs and glitches, bugs bugs and glitches
- Performance Issues
- Enemy AI ineptitude
- Lack of Quest Variety

Fence Straddlers
-+ Streamlined Leveling System
-+ Companions 
-+ World Space
-+ Voiced Protagonist
-+ Ending
-+ Settlement Building

And 60 hours later, having played the game beginning to end, explored the vast expanse of the Commonwealth, got to know its inhabitants and their struggles, do I finally have a cohesive review on the “most ambitious endeavor ever taken by Bethesda”. Due to my lengthy opinions, I’ve taken liberty to splitting up this review into the Positives, Negatives and the Fence Straddlers (things that don't necessarily offer anything that diminishes or enhances the overall experience)

The Negatives

Performance leaves much to be desired. A title running on what is effectively a last gen engine fitted with some basic next gen eye candy, should NOT chug at below 30 fps on a 290X or any high end card for that matter. At often, though irregular intervals, the framerate dives from a solid 60 to the sub 30s. This is completely un-fucking acceptable. Coupled with the fact the game is littered with bugs and glitches, (though thankfully none are game breaking) these problems diminish the overall experience.

Even at the gameplay standpoint, Fallout 4, much like its predecessor, has rather inept enemy AI, making the late game combat laughable easy. No, not even late game combat is easy, combat itself is too easy (played on Normal), so for those who desire a real challenge, I recommend bumping up the difficulty to hard, or the highest for a better challenge. Companions aren't a great help either, as they serve mostly as the most inefficient bullet sponges in any game I have ever seen. Allies should aid you effectively in combat, a EARNED edge in combat; to not get constantly downed and collected quickly and stowed away lie baseball cards.

Questing hasn’t really diversified much from Fallout 3, matter of fact, I would say that the actual variety of quest available has actually taken a dive. We have these “go do XYZ” quests way more often than anything with some actual substance. How did no one see a problem here? A quantity over quality mentality, in the case of any basic RPG, is a VERY bad thing.

The Positives

Qualms stated, there is still a lot this game does right. Gunplay is MASSIVELY improved from its predecessor. Its tight, responsive, and coincides to the norm of what FPS mechanics are supposed to have nowadays. Sure it's not revolutionary, but it gets the job done and then some, considering what is was in Fallout 3. Especially with the EXTENSIVE weapon modding system, guns are variant and all have a satisfactory kick. Not even counting the numerous melee weapons in the game, Fallout 4 passes with flying colors when it comes to weapon variety.

The main story itself somehow manages to hold interest throughout, though it does wan a little toward the end, the characters you get involved and moral ambiguity of the different factions you can side with makes it seem real; well, as real as Fallout has ever been. I’ve always considered the New Vegas DLC Dead Money to have the best writing the series has EVER had to offer, and somehow Fallout 4 manages to live up to that high point. Trust me, it isn't the best story you’ll ever experience, but it hits all the right criteria for a fantastic and engaging plot. Coupled with the fact there is actually OTHER things to do in the world, and are startlingly numerous, this game will hold you hostage for quite awhile.

While questing lacks diversity, the characters you meet and the enemies you face are incredibly variant. Battle anything from synthetic humanoids, mobsters, super mutants, mercenaries, and deathclaws, which are all are fun to battle and have the chance to kick you ass if you're not properly prepared. At any location, you’ll almost never know what you're going to face, save the telltale signs of a super mutants subsistence.

Now, many have complained about the games graphics, as nowadays they expect to see every single pore on a character's face while a meticulously crafted explosion goes off in the background, all with that J.J. Abrams style lens flare. Personally, I think the game looks a HELLUVA lot better than 3 and New Vegas, even downright gorgeous at times. If you can play this game on Ultra, it is a real treat to see. Though, the overall look of the game is hindered by the a few bugbears, namely low res textures and the INSANELY demanding Shadow Distance setting. Still, it’s a good looking game, though not as good as other triple A titles out nowadays.

Fence Straddlers

-+ The leveling system is alright, it serves its purpose and provide sufficient reward for each level up, though is by no means more rewarding than its predecessors. Still, it gets the job done, not really adding much or taking much away.

-+ Companions are also rather banal, but they serve their purpose, but by no means do they accomplish their tasks with any sort of efficiency

-+While Boston is considerably smaller feeling, it is by no means a slouch when it comes to content. Regardless, its serves its purpose and is very reminiscent of Fallout 4

-+Having a voiced protagonist has been the most polarizing thing that has divided Fallout fans nearly in half. Honestly, it's a non issue, as this is likely to be the standard of the upcoming Fallout games. This is the start of a new trilogy, mark my words.

-+Ending was very meh for what the story itself was hyping up to no end. Could’ve used a bit more cleverness, as they apparently had plenty while writing the story

-+ Settlement building is largely throwaway and doesn't offer much to the game, nor does it hinder it. Its here and it's boring.

Verdict

All in all, Fallout 4 has, in my eyes, just BARELY lived up to the immense swaths of hype over the few months between June and November. While the positives outweigh the negatives, I feel if a little more effort was applied on Bethesda’s part, we could’ve had title that would mirror Fallout 3’s success, rather than merely being just a great game. While by no means better than 3 or even 2 for that matter, Fallout 4 is a great game. Not perfect, but great nonetheless.

General Score

 8.75

Near Fantastic

The Game and The Gamer: A Psuedo Analysis of the Game's and their Disciples

The Game and the Gamer

Written by: Ice Cold Tabasco

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Games, a concept that has been in play since the dawn of time, are the most unrecognized product of human ingenuity. To put the human body under a certain conduct to develop stratagem to achieve victory or some semblance of it; that is the core of what a Game is. Still to this day the traditional form of Games dominate the social space, though not completely by any means. Only was it when a man wanted to make a game you play simply with the twist of a knob or the push of a button would the Game be truly redefined. So it was, simply made as a construct by a bored physicist; wrought from a simple analog computer did the first  true Video Game come into form. From that oscilloscope and the efforts of a single man did the concept of a virtual means of attaining challenge and victory arose, and from this concept derived the booming Console Industry a few decades later.

Gamer, a term that is hotly debated by those who share a single trait in common, a nearly religious devotion to the virtual space. Gamers are a diverse lot with many defining traits to each consecutive flavor, but most who identify under the moniker usually call themselves Hardcore, as to announce their devotion to the medium. Even this particular group is split and divided by many invisible lines and barriers wrought by a single question: 

“What is a true Gamer?”

This single mantra can have banners raised and keyboards held at the ready, for forums flood with dissent and possibly the vitriol of both instigator and dedicated participant. Blind to their single connected factor, do that spit and flail with childish demeanor for their definition to hold true and high above the rest. It is a argument as faceted as a newly cut diamond, persistent and numerous. Will it have a victor? Only to eyes that are willing to see what they wish to see will witness a victor, within their distinct circle.

Why argue and not enjoy the product of the toiling few? True, Video Games are the one of the forms of media to have a moniker for its disciples; but is it necessary to fight for a definition? We all have enjoyed Video Games and see them from a myriad of different lights, so why not recognize that? Well, what is asked is not a simple request, as the human is stubborn, ignorant creature.


Perhaps it's in our nature to divide. It may be well to conquer.