Fallout 4, for all of its flaws, got a lot right. Its world was far more densely detailed than its predecessors, its cast of characters was full of interesting people, and its combat was significantly more refined. It isn’t Bethesda’s greatest game, nor is it even the best in the series, but it’s clear that a lot of effort was put into it. While it’s still rather enjoyable to critique what Fallout 4 did wrong, especially for fans of the older games, there’s potential in some of its worst ideas that I believe warrants further exploration.
Fallout 4 got a lot wrong, including the absolutely disastrous inclusion of power armor, but that doesn’t mean those efforts wouldn’t work in another context. Even Fallout 4’s most controversial mechanic, the one that truly divided its fanbase, could still be redeemed were Bethesda to take it in another direction. Fallout 4’s greatest mistakes, when viewed at a slightly different angle while cocking one’s head and squinting hard, could make for a perfect Fallout game that I think a lot of people would love to see.
Fallout 4’s Voiced Protagonist Was Controversial
It Removed A Lot Of Agency From The Experience
Fallout 4 introduced the Sole Survivor, the series’ first voiced protagonist, and indeed, Bethesda’s first voiced protagonist. Of course, the Sole Survivor is, in the eyes of a lot of fans, Fallout 4’s worst feature, and the thing that ruins the entire experience. The inclusion of a voiced protagonist meant that a lot of the agency found in previous entries was lost. Bethesda can only pay for so much voice acting, and so it had to include far fewer choices for the player to pick from to reduce how many lines the Sole Survivor says.
Related
10 Fallout 4 Mods I Can’t Live Without
The Fallout 4 modding community plays a massive part in keeping the game fun and interesting 10 years on, with these being some fantastic examples.
That, coupled with the over-simplification of the dialogue system, meant that the once choice-heavy RPG felt muted in a lot of respects. Choices no longer felt as varied or impactful, and the literal voice of the protagonist removed the ability to roleplay for many. With a set voice, players couldn’t inject their own personality or idea of how their version of the protagonist talks, which was equally limiting. It is a bad feature for Fallout 4, but not necessarily one that should be abandoned in future Fallout projects, as it has plenty of advantages.
Fallout Needs More Unique Spin-Off Games
Different Genres And Styles Can Help Flesh Out The Lore
Fallout needs more spin-off games, and a perfect choice would be a more linear, narrative-focused experience with a voiced protagonist. A strictly linear and guided first-person shooter game set within the Fallout universe could offer a plethora of interesting narratives. It could work much like how the Fallout TV series uses the game’s world and fascinating lore to elevate the story of a specific protagonist. In that setting, a voiced protagonist would not only make perfect sense but would also be completely necessary.
Ostensibly, Fallout could do with its own version of Bioshock, one that explores an interesting facet of the worldbuilding through the lens of a nuanced protagonist. For example, it could follow a group of raiders venturing into one of Fallout’s most interesting vaults, only to uncover something they shouldn’t have. Regardless, the once-controversial voiced protagonist would be needed in order to help make the experience more compelling.
Fallout 4’s voiced protagonist isn’t necessarily a terrible idea; it just doesn’t work within the more freeform structure of the mainline Fallout games.
Fallout 4’s voiced protagonist isn’t necessarily a terrible idea; it just doesn’t work within the more freeform structure of the mainline Fallout games. However, within a stricter, more linear experience, or even one akin to the recent Bethesda-published Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it would work perfectly. I sincerely hope one of the upcoming Fallout projects is a little different and offers a stricter story, as I would like to see Fallout 4’s worst feature finally redeemed.
Fallout 4
- Released
-
November 10, 2015
- ESRB
-
M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
- Engine
-
Creation
