Looking Back (and Forward) on Fallout: New Vegas

by Vanessa 'Nessie'  Hague

FALLOUT 4 IS COMING, FALLOUT 4 IS COMING. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Any gamer worth their salt would have watched Bethesda announce the much anticipated installment in the Fallout franchise a few weeks before E3 this year. They would have also watched the E3 conference itself where Bethesda teased some gameplay and showcased some new features. 

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You know what a new title means, don't you? Why a lovely look back at a previous title to see what Bethesda should include, of course! Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas essentially have the same gameplay mechanics and features and since New Vegas is the newer out of the two titles (and since I'm currently replaying it), New Vegas shall be the title I'll be looking at and drawing inspiration from.

New Vegas, which was initially released back in 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC (wow it's five years old), follows The Courier as they travel through post-apocalyptic Las Vegas and the surrounding Mojave Desert. Whilst it wasn't a direct sequel to Fallout 3 and developed by a different team, New Vegas does build upon the base mechanics and features that were implemented in 3.

I'm going to give a run down on some of things used in New Vegas that I consider to be Fallout staples and hope they make a return in Fallout 4.

Companions

So far, the only companion that has been revealed for Fallout 4 is a dog. Whilst a dog companion has always been a staple inclusion of the franchise, New Vegas had an extensive rosta of companions you could recruit. Each had unique personalities and perks that would assist the player. Whether you wanted to recruit Boone and help him overcome personal demons and utilise his "spotter" perk (which highlights enemies onscreen) or repair and learn more about ED-E the eyebot and utilise it's "enhanced sensors" perk (increased the range of your radar) - there was a broad choice which suited a variety of playstyles. I hope Fallout 4 has a bigger and better selection of companions to choose from (and I also hope that they can't die on easier difficulties).

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Levelling and Perk System

Each time you levelled up in New Vegas, you could attribute points to a base set of skills and then usually choose one perk from an extensive list. The skillset has been subject to little change and why fix something that isn't broken? The perk system however, has continued to grow from game to game; with perks that grant damage bonuses, help the player by adding contextual boosts and even allow unique dialogue options with both the opposite and same sex - the system has continued to allow players to craft and customise their gameplay to greater extents. Fallout 4 needs to keep building on these systems in the same manner to allow that player freedom.

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Customisation

If it's one thing that Bethesda seem to have nailed down for Fallout 4, it's customisation. Customisation and player choice has always been the backbone of the Fallout franchise. From customising your character during the opening, picking dialogue options and clothing, choosing perks and customising and modding weapons; New Vegas included a wealth of different things to offer greater player freedom than 3 before it. There was even a perk that allowed you to create a lesbian or gay (or bisexual) character, if you so wished. Less isn't always more and Bethesda need to build upon the character customisation and make it as extensive as it can and has been - not whittle it down. Building houses is cool and everything but I'd rather have extensive control over the character I want to create and I hope they haven't forgotten.

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Those are the three main areas that are jumping out at me at the moment. We've heard that there are over 70 weapons to find and play with in Fallout 4, we were shown combat gameplay. V.A.T.S makes a welcome return and seems to have been tweaked a little (though I did like it when it stopped time and it didn't just slow down but that's me being picky). Bethesda know their selling points for their combat and they've stuck with them; the unique 50s sci-fi weapons are still there and V.A.T.S hasn't really been messed with (if it ain't broke, don't fix it).

I love the Fallout franchise, I love the gameplay and the weird futuristic "stuck-in-the-50s" post-apocalyptic aesthetic. I love the lore and I love the characters and making my own characters. Here's to hoping that Bethesda can deliver on the hype and continue to build upon the franchise as previous titles have done - here’s to hoping that Fallout 4 is going to bigger and better than anything we've expected. 

Escape the Vault...

There is so much to look forward to later this year, including Fallout 4, but it will always be high on our list. 


Are you looking forward to Fallout 4? What are you hoping it will add to the franchise? Let us know in the comments below! 

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