 | For an overview of the topic, see Fallout Series. |
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Fallout 4 Overview Fallout 4 is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is the eighth installment, following Fallout Shelter. It was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 10, 2015. In Japan, it was released on December 17, 2015.[Ext 1]
On April 25, 2024, Fallout 4 received a graphical improvement update. Playstation 5 and Xbox series X received their versions of the game with higher resolution graphics, and the option of a performance mode running at 60 frames per second. The Steam version also received an update adding widescreen monitor support. It also added new Creation Club content packs including Enclave Remnants, Makeshift Weapon Pack, and the Halloween Workshop Pack.[Ext 2][1]
Story
The player is the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, referred to as Nate and Nora. The player can customize Sole Survivor's name, gender and appearance. Fallout 4 begins on October 23, 2077, the day of the Great War. It shows the player living with their spouse and infant son, Shaun. When sirens ring out, the family runs to the nearby Vault 111, where they are cryogenically frozen for over 200 years. They awaken to witness the murder of their spouse and abduction of their child, with the story following their efforts to find those responsible and reunite with their child.
The story of Fallout 4 guides the player into its world beginning in 2287, discovering leaders of different factions with varying views of synths. These include Preston Garvey of the Minutemen which lacks a strong opinion on synths, Desdemona of the pro-synth The Railroad, Arthur Maxson of the anti-synth Brotherhood of Steel and the leader of the Institute behind the synths, "Father."
Outside of Boston, surrounding towns can be explored, including Cambridge, Salem, Concord, Lexington, Malden, Quincy, Natick, Nahant and Revere. Local landmarks like the Paul Revere Monument, the USS Constitution, and the Massachusetts State House can be explored, along with post-War settlements Goodneighbor, Bunker Hill, Diamond City. A large and still inhospitable nuclear blast site called the Glowing Sea is to the southwest. The starting area in the northwest contains low level enemies, but becomes progressively more challenging towards the southeast area of the map.
Setting
Categories
Gameplay
The gameplay allows the ability to switch from first to third-person view. Additional features include a split-piece armor system, base-building, a dynamic dialogue system, an in-depth crafting system that makes use of every lootable object in the game as a source of raw material and more. Enemies such as mole rats, mirelurks, raiders, super mutants, deathclaws, and ghouls return to the series. The equipment system allows for a wide variety of upgrades and customization for weapons and armor. Weapons and armor do not deteriorate with use and don't require maintenance.
The player character, the Sole Survivor, accesses the in-game menus through a Pip-Boy to manage statistics, maps, data, and items. Players can also find game cartridges with retro themed mini-games which can be played on the Pip-Boy.
Settlements
A new feature to the series is the ability to build settlements. Within the boundaries of a settlement, players can scrap objects and structures for resources and use them to build their structures, including housing, vegetable gardens, defenses, stores, and crafting stations. Each settlement can also connect to others by brahmin caravan, which then share resources. Towns can be powered with electricity, using a dynamic power line system, as well as equipped with water pumps and crops/gardens. Merchants and non-player characters can inhabit player towns and help keep the settlements running as a community. Players can build various defenses around their settlements, such as turrets, guard towers, and traps, to defend the settlements from raids and attacks.
Perks
At each level-up, the player can acquire a new perk, each with prerequisites based on SPECIAL attributes and level, and most have multiple tiers. There is no hard level cap. The player may continue playing even after they have finished all of the main quests, and side quests can be completed before and after the main story.
V.A.T.S.
While using the V.A.T.S. gameplay mechanic, real-time combat is slowed down, and action is played out from varying camera angles in a computer graphics version of "bullet time." Attacking in V.A.T.S. costs action points, limiting the number of actions available at a time, and the player can target specific body areas for attacks to inflict specific injuries, such as headshots that can cause blinding, legs targeted to slow enemies' movements, and opponents can be disarmed by shooting at their weapons.
Creation Club
On August 28, 2017, Bethesda Game Studios inaugurated additional downloadable content that can be bought separately through the Creation Club. Content available on the Creation Club is fully compatible with the main game, official add-ons, and achievements. As a part of Fallout's 25th Anniversary Celebration, on October 24th, 2022, Bethesda announced a next-gen update for Fallout 4, including improved graphics, bug fixes, and bonus Creation Club content.
Endings
There are four main endings, one for each faction.
No matter the ending, the Sole Survivor reflects on how the Great War changed their life and how the Commonwealth they explored is not the one they wished for, but it is still their home in the process of being rebuilt. The Sole Survivor mentions they have come to accept that it is impossible to go back to a time before the bombs fell, but they now feel ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.
If the player purchased the add-ons, the player can instead take a boat ride to Far Harbor and the Island or a subway train to Nuka-World, before deciding on a faction. The former story involves the mysterious disappearance of a teenager named Kasumi Nakano and focuses on synths, while the latter story focuses on three gangs trying to dominate the abandoned theme park.
Development
Initially, in 2004, Bethesda Softworks licensed from Interplay Entertainment the rights to create and publish three Fallout games (Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4). In 2009, Bethesda's Pete Hines said, "The whole reason we went out and acquired the license and that we now own Fallout is that we clearly intended to make more than one." He also added, "This is not something we're going to do once and then go away and never do it again. When that will be or how long that will be God only knows, but we acquired it specifically because we wanted to own it and develop it and work on it like we do with The Elder Scrolls."[Ext 3]
During voice recording, Fallout 4 was given the codename of "Angelina" during auditions, according to voice actors Danny Shorago and Matthew Mercer.[Dev 2] Many actors initially did not realize what they were working on, before reading dialogue that clued them into the fact that it was a Fallout game.[Dev 3] The game features just over 111,000 lines of dialogue, more than all the dialogue of Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim combined.[Dev 4]
Announcement
Todd Howard revealed in an August 2010 interview with Eurogamer that Bethesda was working on two projects; one had been in development for two years, and the other was still in pre-production.[Dev 5][2]
In December 2013, Kotaku published an article after having received leaked casting documents for a project code-named "Institute," which turned out to be Fallout 4; it included the setting in Boston, revolved around an Institute, mentioned the characters Preston Garvey, Travis Miles and Sturges, and featured the protagonist entering a cryogenic sleep chamber.[Ext 4]
When asked about an announcement during an interview in February 2014, Todd Howard stated that "We don’t [have a timeframe for our next game announcement], but I think it’s gonna be a while."[Dev 6]
Countdown
A countdown timer was set on Bethesda's Fallout website on June 2, 2015, expiring the next day at 10:00 AM EDT. On June 3, seconds before 10:00 AM EDT, the Fallout 4 trailer was released on YouTube. The Fallout website also debuted in full Fallout 4 style, including a working teaser phone number,[Ext 5] which was previously used during the Fallout 3 release.[Ext 6]
Bethesda's first-ever E3 showcase took place on June 14, 2015, at 7 PM PST. It was streamed on YouTube and Twitch.[Dev 7] Bethesda revealed gameplay footage including combat, a refined VATS system, a new crafting system, concept art, and a release date, which was confirmed to be November 10, 2015. A major new feature shown during the press conference was the ability to craft and deconstruct settlements.
Products
| Name | Quote |
|---|---|
Pip-Boy Edition |
The Pip-Boy edition of Fallout 4 features: a wearable Pip-Boy that can, according to a Forbes article, hold the iPhone 6, iPhone 5/5s, iPhone 4/4s, Samsung Galaxy S4, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and many other smartphones using foam inserts.[Ext 7] a Pip-Boy pocket guide, a Vault-Tec perk poster, a RobCo Industries stand (for your Pip-Boy), a capsule case, and the game in a collectible metal case. |
Nuke Pack |
The Fallout 4 Nuke Pack features a Fallout 4 lunchbox, a 37x10" Fallout 4 Print, a Vault Boy mini bobblehead, and the game in a collectible metal case. The Nuke Pack is sold exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, distributed by EB Games.[Ext 8] |
Mighty Bundle |
The Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle features: a 100-page hardcover Fallout 4 Franchise Book "...detailing in words and hi-res imagery the history of Fallout over the years", a Fallout Vault Boy Pop! Vinyl figure, and a copy of the game.[Ext 9] |
Game of the Year Edition |
Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition was released on September 26, 2017, for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. This edition included all six main add-ons, retailing at $60.[Dev 8] Bethesda Game Studios website described it as "Return to the Wasteland on September 26 with Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition. With all the latest gameplay updates (including Survival mode), graphical enhancements, the ability to play Mods for free on PC and consoles, plus all official add-ons included, this is the ultimate way to experience the award-winning post-nuclear adventure from Bethesda Game Studios." |
Pip-Boy Collectors Edition |
Bethesda released a Pip-Boy Collectors Edition, exclusively available in North America at select retailers. The Pip-Boy Edition included a plastic replica Pip-Boy device that was compatible with the Fallout Pip-Boy phone app. The edition came in a flip-top capsule and included the Pip-Boy, a perks poster, Pip-Boy stand, and pocket guide. The game also included the game with metal case, and retailed for $120. Pete Hines indicated that the demand was high, and they manufactured as many as possible.[Ext 10] |
Add-ons
A season pass for all add-ons could be bought for USD 29.99, 29.99 Euro before March 1, 2016, and a price of USD 49.99, 49.99 Euro afterward. The released DLC includes Automatron, Wasteland Workshop, Far Harbor, Contraptions Workshop, Vault-Tec Workshop, and Nuka-World, along with the free High Resolution Texture Pack.
| Image | Name | Abstract | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
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Automatron | The mysterious Mechanist has unleashed a horde of evil robots into the Commonwealth, including the devious Robobrain. Hunt them down and harvest their parts to build and mod your own custom robot companions. Choose from hundreds of mods; mixing limbs, armor, abilities, and weapons like the all-new lightning chain gun. Even customize their paint schemes and choose their voices! | March 22, 2016 |
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Wasteland Workshop | With the Wasteland Workshop, design and set cages to capture live creatures – from raiders to Deathclaws! Tame them or have them face off in battle, even against your fellow settlers. The Wasteland Workshop also includes a suite of new design options for your settlements like nixie tube lighting, letter kits, taxidermy and more! | April 12, 2016 |
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Far Harbor | A new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost? Far Harbor features the largest landmass for an add-on that we've ever created, filled with new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures and dungeons. Become more powerful with new, higher-level armor and weapons. The choices are all yours. | May 19, 2016 |
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Contraptions Workshop | Machines that sort! Machines that build! Machines that combine! With Fallout 4 Contraptions, use conveyer belts, scaffolding kits, track kits, even logic gates to construct crazy and complex gadgets to improve your Wasteland settlements. The Contraptions Workshop also includes all-new features like elevators, greenhouse kits, warehouse kits, fireworks, armor racks and more! | June 21, 2016 |
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Vault-Tec Workshop | Build a brighter future underground with the all-new Vault-Tec Workshop. Create a massive Vault and attract new Dwellers using pre-war industrial kits complete with retro-nostalgic furniture, lighting, and art. Even change and customize the look of your inhabitants with new barbershops and cosmetic surgery stations. And like every good Overseer, run Vault-Tec approved experiments on your Dwellers to learn what makes an ideal citizen. Vault-Tec has given you the tools, the rest is up to you! | July 26, 2016 |
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Nuka-World | Take a trip to Nuka-World, a vast amusement park now a lawless city of Raiders. Explore an all-new region with an open wasteland and park zones like Safari Adventure, Dry Rock Gulch, Kiddie Kingdom and the Galactic Zone. Nuka-World features new quests, Raiders, weapons, creatures and more. Enjoy the ride! | August 29, 2016 |
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High Resolution Texture Pack | Experience the wasteland like you've never seen it before with the Fallout 4 High-Resolution Texture Pack! From the blasted buildings of Lexington to the shores of Boston Harbor and beyond, every location is enhanced with ultra-deluxe detail. | February 6, 2017 |
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Creation Club | The Creation Club is a collection of content for Fallout 4. It features new weapons, apparel, quests, gameplay, settlement objects and player homes, created by Bethesda Games Studios and outside development partners. | August 29, 2017 |
Mod support
Fallout 4 is the first Fallout game to have native mod support for consoles. During E3 2015, at the Xbox Conference, Todd Howard went on stage to tell the audience that the Xbox One would offer mod support following the release of the Creation Kit for PC, which became available for download on April 26, 2016. The Xbox One mod support was released on May 31. Mod support for PlayStation 4 was initially announced to be due sometime in June but was delayed; by September, mods on the PlayStation 4 were reportedly canceled.[Dev 9] However, Bethesda and Sony later agreed and allowed mods to come to PlayStation 4 after the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Mods were eventually implemented for the console, but they are limited to using assets already found within the game files.[Ext 11]
Reception
Fallout 4 received a Metacritic metascore of 84/100 on PC, 87/100 on PS4, and 88/100 on Xbox One.[Ext 12][Ext 13][Ext 14] The game received several awards and nominations, including 2016 D.I.C.E. Game of the Year and 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards Game of the Year.[Ext 15] Fallout 4 shipped 12 million copies to meet day one demand.[Ext 16]
Gallery
Next Gen Update
A garage seen on the main menu
The Sole Survivor and Dogmeat
Official logo
Logo used on website
Pip-Boy Edition
Pre-order boxes
Season Pass
7th Birthday Tweet graphic
Steam and press release screenshots
Sanctuary path
Sole Survivor in Red Rocket
Super Mutant Skirmisher fight
Super Mutant Behemoth fight
Workshop
Goodneighbor, with Nick Valentine.
Highway
Pre-release screenshots
Concept art
Nuclear blast concept art, released after the E3 Conference, June 2015
Garage
Museum of Freedom concept art, released on the 4th of July, commemorating Independence Day
Mirelurk ship
Promotional lithograph
Bridge
Wasteland folk
The Art of Fallout 4 USS Riptide
Trailers
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Prepare for the Future: Fallout 4 Important Release Info" on Bethesda.net (archived)
- ↑ Fallout 4 Cast & Crew Reunion (reference starts at 17:59)
Danny Shorago: "See, I thought I was recording a game called 'Angelina.'"
Matthew Mercer: "Yeah! It was like 'space sci-fi' in all the audition sides for it." - ↑ Fallout 4 Cast & Crew Reunion (reference starts at 17:06)
Peter Jessop: "I've played all the Fallout games, I'm a pretty addicted gamer. But the most exciting part to me was when I first got into the booth, we started doing the dialogue... and they don't tell you what the project is, what it's gonna be. And...I said, 'I see a group of ferals up there!' I was like, 'oh! This is Fallout! This is so great!' So that was very exciting to me." - ↑ Bethesda Game Studios on Twitter (archived)
- ↑ "Bethesda's Todd Howard" on Eurogamer (archived)
- ↑ "Apparently We Won't Hear About Fallout 4 For 'A While'" on RockPaperShotgun (archived)
- ↑ "Bethesda Press Conference - E3 2015" on YouTube (reference starts at 1:17:46)
- ↑ "Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition Now Available" on Bethesda.net (archived)
- ↑ "Fallout 4 - Mods and the Creation Kit" on YouTube
- ↑ "Bethesda: Fallout 4 Development Is 'Basically Done'" on IGN - (archived)
- ↑ gamespot.com
- ↑ "Fallout 4 Planned News" on TVG (archived)
- ↑ "Leaked Documents Reveal That Fallout 4 Is Real, Set In Boston" on Kotaku (archived)
- ↑ "Fallout 4's 1-888-4-VAULT-TEC is a real number — here's what happens when you call it" on Polygon - (archived)
- ↑ "Fallout 3's Vault-Tec toll-free number wants you to hold forever" on Engadget (archived)
- ↑ "Here Are The Phones That Will Fit Your 'Fallout 4' Pip-Boy Edition" on Forbes (archived)
- ↑ "This Fallout 4 Collector's Edition Comes With a Lunchbox, Is Exclusive to Australia" on GameSpot (archived)
- ↑ "Fallout 4 Mighty Bundle" on Mighty Ape
- ↑ "Fallout 4 Studio Cannot Make Any More Pip-Boy Collector's Editions" on GameSpot (archived)
- ↑ "PS4 Skyrim And Fallout Are Getting Mods After All, But They Will Be Limited" on Kotaku (archived)
- ↑ Metascore for Fallout 4 on PC (archived)
- ↑ Metascore for Fallout 4 on PS4 (archived)
- ↑ Metascore for Fallout 4 on Xbox One (archived)
- ↑ "Fallout 4 Awards" on IMDB
- ↑ "Fallout 4 has shipped 12 million units" on VG 24/7 (archived)