FallOut 4

"Fallout 4" 

review by Alexa

For a while now, I've been playing this game, trying unveil everything this game has to offer. By doing so, I've determined the following:

Fallout 4 is an exciting open world game for those of you who like science fiction, original games, and the ability to do almost literally whatever you want. It sort of reminded me of Dark Souls, in the sense of being dropped somewhere foreign after being mildly confused by an opening cutscene and proceeding to just run around hacking away at anything in sight. Unlike Dark Souls, the well thought out plot about a young man or woman who is frozen cryogenically during a nuclear bombing and wakes up two-hundred years later to find the world in ruins, their spouse dead, and child missing, tends to explain itself a lot better later on. (Try saying that three times fast.) However, like everything else in this post, that's just my opinion.

Because Fallout 4 is an open world game with such a large and unique map, the possibilities are pretty much endless. Almost every time I log on to play the game, I discover something new, whether it be a creature, a town, or an entire settlement. That being said, you never really run out of missions or things to do, which can be hell for a completionist such as myself and can make the game seem really drug out and boring at times. This is probably why it's been taking me so long to finish the game. That, and the fact that depending on what difficulty your game is set on, Fallout 4 can prove to be quite a challenge at times. Unlike your typical game, there are six difficulties you can choose from rather than three. These difficulties range from very easy to survivalist, and can only be changed should you find the option to do so in your setting. Because I like to enjoy life, I prefer to keep mine on normal.

Another thing that differentiates Fallout from other games is all of the different characters and enemies you can run across, which is to be expected from such a large game. A lot of the diverse characters you come across, each with their own individual backstory, can be chosen to be your companion in your adventure through the Commonwealth. It really is good to see that there is plenty strong female characters, and characters of color. Call me a feminist, but whatever. Anyways, each companion has their own personality and skill set, even though some can seem pretty useless at times. However, as useless as some may seem, it's still good to have a second gun, flamer, hacksaw, or whatever they might have when in the midst of a heated battle. Not to mention, there is a large variety of cool weapons which can be used to kill the aforementioned enemies. Some weapons allows you to shoot stuffed animals at enemies, while others helps you slice enemies up and set them on fire at the same time.

Because it is such a massive game, there is bound to be some errors. One of the ones I found to be most consistent would be the camera during dialogue. It can be thrown off from time to time, giving you weird views of different characters while they're speaking. This can be especially frustrating during important plot points. Another frustrating aspect about this game would be how long it takes to fast travel between two points. I often find myself picking up my phone and playing Doodle Jump whenever I have to fast travel, and sometimes, it's just faster to walk. Also, at times when I chose to walk rather than fast travel, I found that it was a good opportunity to round up some supplies for my many settlements and earn points while battling any foes I might have come across. However, I did find it pretty easy to get stuck in odd places. Once I accidentally dropped myself into a lake while wearing some power armor, and five deaths later, I decided to just take the rads and ditch the power armor. I've yet to find a way to get that power armor back.

Speaking of power armor, it was an aspect of the game that seemed cool at first, but really became of less importance the more you played. In fact, I rarely use any of mine, even though I have quite a few. However, they are pretty handy when it comes to plot points such as the Glowing Sea, or when you have to deal with hefty enemies. Other than that, I just run around in my Minuteman armor that I found in the Castle.

In conclusion, Fallout 4 is a pretty great game with an awesome soundtrack I tend to pick up quite a bit. However, I only do so in spurts, as after a while it can get pretty drug out. I always come back to it though, whether it be to find my son, attend to my settlements and build forts, or to slice up enemies. It really is fun to see how humanity thrives in even the most devastating of situations, interprets the past, and attempts to build a better future. Definitely a must play, and a game I can't go over in just one review.

Overall score: 8

Pros:
• Open world map with tons to discover.
• Diverse set of characters.
• Plenty of weapons to choose from, plenty of enemies to use them on.
• Good plot.
• Never run out of things to do.
• Awesome soundtrack. Honestly in love with it.

Cons:
• Can be glitchy.
• Can be drug out, and sometimes even repetitive.
• Long ass loading periods.

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