[Havoc]

I've tried playing Fallout 1 on many occasions but I simply can't get past the aged gameplay. For some reason Fallout was not part of my childhood even though it apparently was a popular game at the time. Somehow I just missed it and getting into it 20 years after the release is just impossible I'm sorry to say.

Fallout 4 compared to 3 and NV is still great and still the better game. But having advanced in the story a little more, I do agree that Bethesda's writing is once again mediocre. The actual story arc itself is fairly well put together as long as you don't pay attention to details. But it's those details that fuck it up. Certain responses to major plot devices that any sane person would want to make are completely absent. There's little emotion involved when major things happen and when you finally arrive at the bad guy's doorstep you get zero explanation about why they do what they do or what their role is in the overall story arc. And you get the illusion of free will. Characters will ask you if you want to help and you can say no, but in truth you will be forced to help because if you don't the story won't progress...

Does all that make it a bad game? No, it just makes it poorly narrated. The experience of exploring the wastes, making a story for yourself, building your base, collecting your equipment and gradually becoming more badass is still extremely satisfying. Much more so than in 3 or NV because thanks to the voiced protagonist, I can relate to my own character a LOT more. I do agree though, Fallout has lost a great deal of it's 'role playing' aspect. That's fine, it still plays great. But it plays like an open world shooter, not a role playing game. If perks and stats make a game an RPG then we might as well call CoD an RPG...