Fallout 4

Today was the first Bethesda sale after I got my new computer, so it was the first day I played Fallout 4. Here's my first impressions:

- The graphics are incredible. The light is unbelievable. I love how there is so much crud and detail everywhere - it's the best game I've seen in terms of making things in the world look like they are of the world.

- I like the large amount of history at the moment of the Great War. Lots of computer entries. Lots of skeletons giving stories, both sad and bizarre.

- I really, really hate the dialog system. I never feel like I'm doing anything or learning anything. Having to hear your side of the conversation slows things down a lot. My character doesn't have any sense of character. And I keep accidentally activating the top dialog choice when I move towards people (not that the choices mean much).

- The story so far is terrible. First, being given direction by someone that sees the future is up there with "it was all a dream" as the worst story mechanic. And why am I given power armor before I even find my first bobby pin? I don't understand this world - why haven't the people I saved told me about it?

- I hate the pipboy. I hate the animated cartoons everywhere. I hate the perk system. I hate the dancing gunsight. I hate the in-world computer interface. They overcomplicated so many things for no reason.

 

I have 600 hours in Fallout: New Vegas, and I just passed that in Fallout 4. The thing is, they mean totally different things. I finished New Vegas countless times but I haven't even finished the story of Fallout 4 once. I'm just really into building settlements, getting raw materials for the settlements, and using mods, most of which are for improving settlements. I'm able to destroy more old stuff, build more new stuff, and build better quality stuff. All the settlers are housed in proper houses with toilet facilities, and each given their own private room and high-quality bed. Each settlement has it's own unique flourishes, whether to suit bumpy terrain or small size or other limitation. I have a building straddling the piers in Egret Tours Marina and it looks awesome.

And things don't just look better when you do this, it runs better. If you have a bar kiosk in a settlement, the settlers just stand around it in the evening. When you make a large market and populate it with tables and chairs, you get something that actually looks like people relaxing after a day's work.


So I'm indifferent towards Fallout: Find Your Son and I really like Fallout: Be the Mayor.