Fallout 4 - Opinion So Far.

OK, this is all spoiler free, and I’d appreciate it if you kept the comments spoiler free for both myself and others.

As you probably know; I’m a fan of the Fallout games. Exploring the retro-futuristic ruins of 2277 (or there abouts) has provided many, many hours of entertainment, wonder and inspiration. I was probably anticipating Fallout 4’s release more than that of the upcoming Star Wars flick!

My experience with the game so far (I may revise these points on completing the game…..which is still a waaaays off) has led me to the following opinions:

1 – It feels more like Borderlands than Fallout.
This game feels like an FPS rather than an RPG played from a first person view (Yes, I know some of you play it in 3rd person. I don’t). It’s not a bad thing as I like both styles of play, but the VATS-heavy gameplay of Fallout 3/New Vegas made the game feel more tactical and I kinda miss that.
The concept of a red crate being at the end of a dungeon feels like it’s been taken straight out of Borderlands. I’m not sure I like its presence as half the fun of the previous two Fallout titles was scouring the environments you’d just cleared for hidden goodies. Having said prize be presented to you on a silver platter rather shatters the illusion of this being a world.
I think I like that equipment degradation has been removed. I like the idea of finding a weapon that you love and forever keeping it as your trusty sidearm, but I’m also aware that it removes a bit of the thrill present in previous titles. Keeping your gear in working order made entering a new dungeon a tactical choice: do you move forward with weapons that may break in the next encounter, or do you flee back to a settlement to repair your stuff? Now you can just charge in without a second thought.

2 – NPC interaction is crap.
Your choice of response in conversation is too vague for my liking. It lessens the feeling that you as a player are having an impact on the world. Combined with the player character having an actual voice, you feel more removed, like you’re observing the action rather than participating in it, which is what an RPG is supposed to be all about.
It also makes it impossible for you to pursue your own avenue of investigation. If you don’t know exactly what you’re going to ask, how can you possibly grill someone effectively for information on a specific subject? Much of the world-building in the previous games came from NPC conversations, and streamlining them like this is actually making the Boston Commonwealth feel rather empty.
I don’t like the way the world continues to move around you as you enter a conversation, either. There was one occasion where I was talking to an NPC after a particularly ferocious battle with bandits. He was about to tell me something useful when a Deathclaw lumbered into view in the background and wandered over to the on-screen characters, who didn’t react at all until the creature was striking them.
The best RPGs smoothly relay their story. Fallout 4’s attempt to be more pretty than Fallout 3 has succeeded at the expense of smooth story-telling.

3 – Your companions are retards
I don’t think I’ve ever shouted “get the f**k out of my way!!” more at a screen. Climbing stairs or passing through a doorway simply should NOT be made such a chore. I’d rather deal with the ugliness of ghosting through a companion, facing the horror of the head being displayed inside-out, than have my traversal of the environment be hindered with such regularity!

Ultimately; Fallout 4 is very good and well worth playing, but it’s just not as good as Fallout 3.