Last week saw the release of one of the most highly anticipated video games of the year: “Fallout 4.” On its surface, “Fallout 4” is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game (RPG) where the player assumes the role of a cryogenically frozen survivor of a nuclear war. The player awakes into the world being changed into a vast wasteland full of radiation, danger, plot and intrigue. At its core, “Fallout 4” is an immersive experience that allows players to shape and interact a sandbox-style video game world dripping with atmosphere and dark humor. A sandbox-style game is an “open world” experience where a player can move freely through a virtual world as they please, rather than following a set path through levels (such as Call of Duty). Other popular sandboxes include “Elder Scrolls: Skyrim,” “Minecraft,” and “Grand Theft Auto.”
Courtesy of Feng Tien
One of the most captivating elements of the game is its environment. Post-nuclear apocalypse New England is a desolate wasteland of decaying buildings, mutated animals and radioactive goo piles. Yet at the same time, the world is teeming with cities, people to interact with and opportunities for the player to have fun. The world is colorful and creative, with interesting elements like an overenthusiastic Nuka Beer advertisement from the past juxtaposed to the decrepit surroundings. The wasteland features a wide variety of mutated animals, people, and monsters that may be friend or foe depending on your character.
Courtesy of Fallout Wiki
You can craft your character however you like. Want an intelligent, charismatic, lucky foxy lady who can talk her way out of anything? Or a buff, tough and agile fighter who can knock the pants off of anything in her path? Or a perceptive and intelligent man who can spot trouble from a mile away and determine a way around the potential scuffle? How you create your character can decide the rest of your experience.
Courtesy of Eurogamer
The creator, Bethesda Game Studios, cites “Fallout 4” as its most ambitious project yet. The game sports a sprawling map comprised of Boston and the surrounding area. Some notable improvements from the last game are gear customization, improved graphics and the ability to build settlements. There is never a shortage of anything to do. You can play the game for days and not even scratch the surface.
Courtesy of Geek
“I’ve waited about six to seven years for the “Fallout 3” sequel. I loved “Fallout 3,” and I think that this one took the same formula and improved upon it. I am not a huge fan of shooting games, but “Fallout 4” offers a lot more than that, such as character creation and interactive dialogue and environments. It’s a bit overwhelming with how much content it offers so far, but I think that that will become manageable the more I get into the game. I think they’ve simplified a lot of the RPG elements, so it’s easier to pick up if you’re new at this type of game.”
– Gerrit Van Lent, FSU Graduate Student
Speaking of character customization, the internet’s been ablaze with some quirky, creepy, and even super accurate renditions of some of our favorite characters. All images are courtesy of Kotaku.
Walter White – “Breaking Bad”
Vladimir Putin
Nigel Thornberry
Hulk Hogan (my personal favorite)
Harley Quinn