War…War Finally Changed

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

The bombs fell, and we ran for cover. Deep beneath the earth, in huge vaults built to save humanity, my family and I waited for the end. We had escaped the fires of hell only to end up in a freezer, and soon I found myself in a time hundreds of years separate from my own. My spouse was gone, my child was missing, and nothing would ever be the same.

I’ve been playing Fallout 4 for the better part of a month now. It is, without hyperbole, one of the most involved and open RPGs I have ever played. It is by no means flawless, but it is a fine successor to the series. The Commonwealth has never looked this good, the combat has never felt so visceral, and the immersion has never been so real. So why am I not enjoying every moment?

Some of my issues are nitpicking. I get it, not every developer focuses on the same issues when designing a game. Naughty Dog is character-centered, which means sometimes their stories drag or lose focus. Ubisoft wants to throw a million side-activities at you, so sometimes it forgets pacing its main story. EA is a trainwreck and just hopes you’ll stop and stare long enough to con $60 from your wallet. 

Bethesda has always been one of my favorite developers. Between the Elder Scrolls and the Fallout franchise, they have banked a lot of good will with me. So what is different this time? What is eating away at my enjoyment?