After reading through half-a-dozen Fallout 4 reviews it quickly becomes apparent that critics are pretty much in agreement about Bethesda’s latest RPG epic.
To wit: it’s more of the same, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This does unfortunately mean warts and all. It allegedly has that glitchy, almost unfinished, look to it that plagued Fallout 3 and New Vegas. Paraphrasing from the reviews below: “The wasteland never changesâ€.
Here are some other choice cuts from the first Fallout 4 reviews to surface:
5/5 – The Telegraph: “In a year full of brilliant open-world games like The Witcher 3, it manages to stand apart from the crowd and deliver something that feels fresh, despite its familiar foundations”
5/5 – GamesRadar: “A huge game that’s anything you want it to be. An immense RPG, shooter, and world to explore that is only constrained by your imagination and desire to explore”
9.5 – IGN: “An outstanding world, great crafting system, strong story and characters and more earn Fallout 4 a glowing endorsement”
9.5 – The Jimquisition: “The changes made overall may scare series fans, but those who roll with the differences may find a sleeker, deeper, altogether more captivating Fallout than they’ve gotten used to”
93/100 – GamesBeat: “I probably can’t give a higher endorsement of Fallout 4 than this: I’ve spent around 50 hours playing between the console and PC versions, and I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near quitting”
9.0 – EGM: “A (mega)ton of adventure awaits those who have the hours to fully experience Fallout 4’sbeautifully devastated wasteland. Best of all, players will be able to experience it however they wish thanks to near infinite gameplay options”
9.0 – God is a Geek: “There’s always something to build, somewhere to discover, someone to help ,or something to distract you. Ignore the bugs (if you can) and leap into Fallout 4 with both feet, and you’ll find a game bigger, brighter, deeper, and more personal than anything Bethesda has done before”
9.0 – GameInformer: “Fallout 4 didn’t blow me away like the previous iteration did, but it did keep me thoroughly entertained and fully vested in journeying across the wasteland”
9/10 – GameSpot: “Fallout 4 is an argument for substance over style, and an excellent addition to the revered open-world series”
9/10 – VideoGamer: “The fact of the matter is, though, that this is more of the same, even if that ‘same’ has been pushed to new heights. If you hated Fallout 3, then there’s not much to get you onside here. If you loved it, then you’ll love this all the more, because of its differences as well as its similarities”
4.5/5 – US Gamer: “If you’ve played a Bethesda RPG, you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for. Bethesda plays it surprisingly safe with the formula, but they also do a much better job with the story this time around, serving to elevate the game as a whole. While there’s no denying that it can be a bit ridiculous at times, its sheer scope speaks for itself. Bethesda has succeeded in crafting yet another fascinating open-world RPG”
8.0 – Post Arcade: “Fallout 4 is not the bar-raising, generation-defining post-apocalyptic RPG for which players like me might have hoped. But – and this is a great testament to Bethesda Softworks’ ability to transport us to fantastical worlds in which we become utterly engrossed – it is nonetheless a great piece of end of the world entertainment that’s managed to keep my hands firmly on my controller and my eyes glued to the screen for dozens of enjoyable hours over the last week”
8/10 – The Metro: “Its technical faults and lack of innovation are frustrating, but the game underneath is as enthralling and compulsive as anything Bethesda has ever made”
8/10 – Shack News: “If you enter looking for a heaping helping of the Fallout action you already enjoy, and an enthralling romp through a newly realized portion of the Wasteland, this certainly fits the bill. Just don’t hope for another revolution, because like war, the Wasteland apparently never changes”
7.5 – Destructoid: “After spending over 40 hours with the game, I can safely place it somewhere in the middle of Fallout 3 and New Vegas in terms of quality. A lot of the franchise’s signature problems have carried over directly into Fallout 4, but all of its charms have come along for the ride as well. It manages to do a whole lot right, but the story drags at times, and glitches…glitches never change”
