No video game this year dares to ruffle feathers as much as Fallout 76. It’s a bold, purposeful departure from the formula Bethesda has built for years. Thanks to this significant change, fans are understandably upset. Fallout is forcing our industry to ask a few tough questions. Is change always good" Does “bold” mean “better"” What creates a solid story" The answers aren’t always pleasing.
Fallout 76 is so outrageously talked about that I won?t dive into a multi-paragraph explanation of its mechanics. But the gist is this: imagine a prettier Fallout 4 set in West Virginia. Imagine that there were no dialogue options, and no story choices, simply a linear tale told through a disembodied voice with smaller sidequests shooting off. Imagine an emphasis on base-building, item-crafting, and hunger/thirst mechanics. Combine all of that with an online aspect, where you and three pals roam the wasteland, get into shenanigans with random internet strangers, and explore every corner of a digitized Appalachia. In writing, Fallout 76 sounds brilliant, and that?s what I?ve believed for months now. But early impressions, betas, and even written word convey something much different than a final product. I assumed the adjusted method of storytelling wouldn?t impact the enjoyment of my adventure. I figured I?d love rote exploration and base-building, like a rural Minecraft. I hoped the multiplayer aspects would save this drastically di...