Fallout 4 – Xbox One

First off- I’m 25.5 hrs into the game. I’ve attained level 17 and I’m a super hot chick with max INT and CHR- just so u know where I’m at… Now… As for bugs… There are lots; radroaches and bloat flies! I did have a Quantam fall through my floor in build mode however. I got it back though with only 1 or 2 tears shed. I got lost in build mode for 4 hrs and made sanctuary a fortress with a surrounding wall as large as the build area allows, a death chute for an entrance, and enough resources to accommodate my own hometown!

I’ve made it through 5 deathclaws and all the way to Virgil in the Glowing Sea. The area this map encompasses is massive. Certain mission also take you past the square indicated area. As for scale- this is almost Skyrim sized. Definitely larger than 3 and NV. Maybe combined. Add in the maps and content coming in DLC, I say 1000 hrs for a thorough play thru. *wiping drool from chin and tears from eyes*

The graphics on the XBOX 1 are great. I just bought one solely to play this game. Cgi animation doesn’t really need full 1080p yet anyway so the One’s capabilities run this game just fine. Lag is there, but minimal… Clipping happens now and again when 9 things are happening at once. Load times are acceptable to great in scale. I grew up playing the games you can play on the Pip-Boy so I know what games used to be. I was alive before computers could fit on a desk.
That being said- next gen or not, that is debatable I suppose, but this is an amazingly detailed game with mirelurk meat and tatos for everyone. I will be playing this game and only this game for years to come. I’m gonna infiltrate that Institute and make em real sorry for messing with my little Shaun…

I hope to see you all in the wastes.
Welcome Home wanderers!

There is a lot to love and a bit to dislike (NOT hate) about this game. I think the one or zero star ratings are garbage, however I do totally understand some people giving it a three, depending on what kind of game you were hoping for.

RPG: If you are hoping for an awesome RPG or a fallout like fallout 1 and 2, you WILL NOT LIKE THIS GAME. Period. The lack of good RPG elements is one of the things I’m very disappointed in. Dialogue is dumbed-down to a Mass Effect dialogue wheel. Further, your character talks via cutscenes that totally ruins immersion. They really, really dropped the ball here. Quests have also been dumbed down, kinda like how they were in skyrim (compared to morrowind and oblivion), and there seems to be very little chance of doing anything but shooting your way out of tough situations. Few instances of negotiations. This is the reason I cannot give it 5 stars.

World: If you like sandbox games where you can wander for hours aimlessly, forgetting what the heck quest you were on to begin with, YOU WILL LOVE THIS GAME. Bethesda knocks it out of the park here; I’ve spent my fifteen hours playing trying to get to the main city, but I keep getting side-tracked by settlements, abandoned whatevers, and other little surprises along the way. It’s awesome. So awesome.

Bugs. I really haven’t found any, and the ones I have found are by no means game-breaking. Really, if anything, they are funny. Like Dogmeat floating in the air when I used the elevator. Sometimes conversations are silent.

Graphics: Beginning of the game they look super plastic and I didn’t like them, but this is before all he..uh, heck, breaks loose. After leaving the vault, the graphics, since everything isn’t shiny and new, look great. The detail in this game is insane. You can read every little sign’s details, metal has intricate rust and paint chips. Trees, shrubs, vines, etc are very realistic. I’m super impressed. However, the people still look really off. They are very shiny. However, their expressions while talking are very good.

NPCs: The ones in the beginning are just to be ignored. They are filler to get you through to the core game. Once in the wasteland, things get a lot better. The group of people I met are well acted and have great animation to their faces and bodies. However, the retain this plastic feel from the beginning of the game.

AI: Not so good. You know how in Mass Effect you’d direct someone somewhere and they’d kinda go wacky? That’s kinda how it is with dogmeat so far. I tell him to go do X, and he just kinda does what he wants. Hmm, maybe dogmeat was suppose to be a cat? However, the enemy AI is good. They hear you and seek you out. Very much like the other fallouts.

Crafting: I’ve never crafted in fallout, there was no real reason, and it always seemed clunky. NO MORE. The crafting system is AMAZING and one of the things I was really pleasantly surprised about. You collect trash from the wasteland and it gets salvaged for parts/materials and you modify your guns, armor, homes etc with it. Now instead of ignoring those teddy bears and empty cola bottles, you collect them so you can make thermal armor and scopes. I’ve become a hoarder. To me this is the best immersion factor in-game.

Combat: Another thing bethesda improved upon. The guns feel and handle nicely, and if you are good at FPS, you will have fun and not need VATS. I’m enjoying my modded 10mm a lot right now.

VATS: I normally hate VATS b/c you shouldn’t be able to pause in-game to take a shot. Well, bethesda must have heard me, b/c now instead of pausing, it just slows the game down, so you can still take damage.

Skill Tree: I understand that people don’t like this, but really, it’s the same darn thing as you had before. the only difference is, you don’t work your way up to them, you can pick which one you want at any time, so long as you have the SPECIAL points invested in it. And since you can level each of these perks (they start with three to five blank stars that you can put more points in as you increase level), I don’t see what the fuss is about. If anything, it’s better,, b/c now you can make a lot of different characters even with the same SPECIAL points. Kinda reminds me of Diablo 2 that way. You know, that is what it is like, it’s almost like the Diablo 2 skill tree.

So far I am really enjoying the game. This is an excellent sandbox game, but a terrible roleplaying one. I’m glad I got it day one, no regrets. I see myself playing this for hundreds of hours

Now, that shared, and put most briefly: this game is a thoroughly immersive, gorgeous in every setting I’ve encountered and the strategic and tactical aspects of the gameplay promise not hours but perhaps months and even years (yes, years!) of new experiences to encounter and explore. I am truly amazed at the successful execution of this game given all the hype and anticipation throughout the gaming world for today, Tuesday, November 10th – the release day!

I’m not sure if Amazon allows URL links in reviews so I’m going to abstain, but easily trackable via a Google search is a Fallout 4 – Build Planner that surfaced a few days ago (a few days before the launch date). While this Build Planner may mostly be irrelevant at this point with the game now being playable, I have found it quite informative to see what trajectory a particular character build from the initial 21 points to dedicate to S.P.E.C.I.A.L. player perks. No doubt, over time it will be quite interesting to see how the base build shifts and changes gameplay.

For those of you (many, I presume) who have previously played one/all of the Fallout games before, I’m afraid you know much more than I! However, for those new to the series like me, or perhaps those researching a gift for the gamer in your life, this is a *Must Play* game that has already been hyped as a potential game/RPG of the year.

Some have expressed concern over loading and game rate lag, especially during dramatic moments of environmental shifts or going into V.A.T.S. mode. Happily I have only experienced the briefest and most negligible lag that hasn’t lasted more than a "huh…?" moment before gameplay resumes as normal. I am playing on a 1TB Xbox One and the lag comments seem to have really surfaced among the early game journalists previewing the game early on the PS4.

As a newbie to the game, I hope in some way my enthusiasm for this game can be helpful for anyone also new to the series. To you I wholeheartedly encourage you to pick this game up! Be forewarned: you won’t put this game down for quite some time!

Cheers, and happy gaming…