Appalachian Wasteland--Fallout 76 Review

The annual Steam holiday has come and gone without me making any new game purchases (will miracles never cease!.  As much as I am loathe to admit it, I've been spending ALL my gaming time navigating the newest locale in the Fallout series--the post-apocalyptic world of West Virginia.  So, how does this translate into game quality?

I've been a Fallout fan since the original isometric RPG came out in the 1990's and had played every game up until 76.  I, like many other fans of the series--who know it as a singleplayer experience--was very skeptical about the entire concept of taking the game and turning it into multiplayer.  Combine that reluctance with the disastrous launch in 2018 (it ranks up there with No Man's Sky) and it was enough to find me completely disregarding it.  However, with several large updates and much effort put into trying to repair the game, I finally started seeing some favorable reviews.  Being that the game was two years old and had been subject to the reputational ravages of the disastrous launch, the price (I bought it on sale for $13) was worth giving it a gamble--if it turned out to be a hot, garbage pile, I would only be out $13.  Here's where I tell you that my $13 was well spent.  Let's get to the reviewing!

Gameplay-wise, I have been playing for a long time (I don't want to say how many hours, but...let's just say that my character is around level 80).  I have completed the main questline (from the Wastelanders update) and have now navigated into the world of the "end game."  I plan on spending more time tooling around, but have started to question my dedication to the grind.

Pros:

+Big, beautiful, Fallout world.  The game is set in the Appalachian region of West Virginia.  Much of the world is characterized by rolling, forested hills (and, of course those hills are filled with a wide variety of mutated critters and baddies).  It wouldn't be a Fallout game without a jillion different ruined towns, unique buildings and settings, and various other landmarks to explore.  The simple act of exploring the entire map and finding locations will keep you busy for a very long time.

I don't want to give the impression that the map is all trees and towns; the environments in the game are varied and broken into several different zones with their own unique feeling.  You start off in the forests around Vault 76, but will eventually find yourself in the Ash Heap--the mining oriented, perpetually grubby feeling--part of the map.  Huge, ruined mining machines litter the landscape and give off the perfect vibe.  There are several other "regions" that make up the map and each is characterized by unique enemy types and its own storylines.

+ Your normal Bethesda style loot-hoarding magic.  The world and its locations are filled with a myriad of objects with varying value as actual loot.  Figuring out what you should actually be grabbing can take awhile, but the system allows for you to loot objects, break them down into their "junk" form (which makes them lighter, meaning you can carry a lot of components) and then carry them back to your CAMP.  There are workbenches located near most places on the map so breaking down objects is very accessible.  Managing your inventory, on the other hand, can be a bit of a pain.

+ Building and personalizing your CAMP is fun.  If you played Fallout 4 and experienced the settlement system, Fallout 76 takes the base building part and improves upon it.  Now, every player can create their own home base.  Sprinkled throughout the game are "plans" which unlock weapon and armor crafting, but also are used to craft objects to personalize your CAMP.  You can build multiple crafting benches--armor, weapons, chems, and the tinker's workbench (used to craft ammo and other components).  Your CAMP is also where your personal stash lives--you can store all your loot (and, it's only accessible to you).  You can find plans for "building sets" which unlock themed appearances for your walls (everyone starts off with a basic, wooden shack style set)--I've found or purchased sets that have allowed me to build brick walls; to build metal walls; to build barn style walls; and there are probably others that I haven't found yet.  You can deck out the interior of your CAMP with whatever objects you want (also by finding plans)--I decided to fill my CAMP with mounted creatures--there's nothing quite as unsettling as a bunch of dead critters staring at you while you repair your power armor.

A fun part of the CAMP system is that you can also build vending machines to sell stuff that you don't need and can visit the CAMP's of other players.  It's fun to see all the unique (and sometimes, very weird) CAMPS that people have built.  Other players are also one of the best sources for purchasing plans.

+ Lots of different questlines to pursue.  As you progress you encounter different factions and characters with their own stories.  Most of these questlines are fairly long and will keep you busy for quite awhile.  I still haven't fully explored the initial questline that concerns Vault 76.  There are also a wide variety of other tasks to pursue--daily quests (some are tied to faction reputation) and events.  Events are special encounters that are only available for a short amount of time and which offer special rewards for completion.  Events vary by level and some are quite difficult and are generally much easier with a group of people completing them.

There are also special companions that you can unlock by completing their questlines.  Companions don't function like they did in previous games (they don't follow you), but they do hang out in your CAMP and can provide certain services.

+ Singleplayer or multiplayer options.  I was very hesitant about 76 because it was billed as being multiplayer.  What I've actually found is that the game can completely be played singleplayer (although, there are some parts that are much more difficult).  Other players can attack you, but if you don't fight back, they will earn a bounty and be marked on the map for others to target (you don't have to attack other people, and I have not been attacked by other players at all--in fact, most people have been really nice--sharing Lunchboxes for buffs or helping to kill things).  Quest areas are instanced, so you don't have to worry about anything crazy happening.  There are constantly people looking to team up, so if you are looking for others to play with, it's very easy to find someone.

+ PERK system allows you to swap out abilities very easily.  You only get a certain number of total SPECIAL points (and, I'm still not completely sure about how you go about switching up your points) and can choose how you allocate points through a system of PERK cards.  Up until you reach max level (50), you receive a SPECIAL point which you can choose to allocate into the category of your choice; you also get rewarded with a pack of PERK cards which have abilities for each SPECIAL category (for example, I am trying to use sneak so I have max points in agility.  As I've gotten PERK cards which improve my sneaking ability, I've leveled up that specific card--you can level up most cards to 3 points--although there are some crafting related cards which go up to 5 points).  Depending on how many points you put into each SPECIAL category and how many points you decide to put into particular PERKS you can equip multiple abilities in each category.  Some PERKS are geared toward crafting or in-CAMP activities--it's nice that you can swap those out while you're working in your CAMP.  There's a lot of flexibility in what you can choose.

+ Lots of options for armor and weapons.  Melee, traditional ballistic weapons (of many varieties--pistols, rifles, submachine guns, missile launchers), energy weapons, and the goofier varieties (the Fat Man).  There are also many different types of armor providing varying levels of protection from specific types of damage.  Armor and weapons can be crafted (you can craft basic plans, but more advanced options require having points in armor or weapons crafting PERKS), can be looted from legendary enemies that you encounter, or purchased from a special vendor who offers loot crates for legendary currency.

+ "Seasons" offer a goal to work toward and daily challenges to earn rewards.  You can earn special points for completing certain tasks and advance on the boardgame-like seasonal path to unlock rewards.  The seasonal rewards are largely cosmetic items and fun stuff for your CAMP, but are fun to work toward.

+ Multiple game modes.  If you're more interested in the survival oriented part of the game, you can opt for the "nuclear winter" mode which is battle royale style--basically players get plopped on the map and have to see how long they can survive.  Personally, that's not my jam, but there are rewards for participating in it (it's currently in beta).

Photo frames let you fancy up your Fallout 76 photos.

+ Photomode.  I love a good photomode and certain locations in 76 will unlock special frames for your snapshots.  I have enjoyed playing Fallout tourist and snapping pics of the random ruins in the wasteland.  A fun part of this feature is that your photos will appear as the loading screen.

+ Old, familiar enemies and many new ones.  Getting thumped on by a deathclaw feels familiar, but fighting off a pack of angry Mole Miners is a new experience.

+Collectibles to find.  Bobbleheads and magazines are scattered around the map and offer the opportunity to show off your collection in your CAMP.

Cons:

- Microtransactions and not-so-micro transactions.  Players can spend real money to buy atoms.  From what I've seen of the Atomic Shop, most of the items that can be purchased are cosmetic in nature and don't have a real "pay-to-win" feeling.  There are weapon skins, outfits, and items for your CAMP.  You can also purchase scrap and repair kits (which allow you to return scrapped items to your stash from anywhere or which can be used to repair weapons in the field without a workbench) which are probably the closest the game gets to any sort of gameplay advantage.  Overall, I don't find the microtransactions to be too heinous (but, I do know that there were struggles with certain items being exclusive to 1st members--which I will get to).

The not-so-micro transaction part of the game is the 1st system which offers monthly subscription services.  These services allow players access to their own, personal 8 player private servers and also offer certain, exclusive gear rewards (like the survival tent--which offers a mini-CAMP with stash that you can place anywhere) and other varying monthly rewards (like a certain number of Atoms or special skins/outfits).  I also don't find this system too offensive--if you want to pay a monthly sub, that's your prerogative and it doesn't impact the experience that non-paying players have.  It's not pay-to-win, but does offer some handy features.

-Inventory management that is much tighter than in previous games.  Your personal stash can only hold so many pounds of stuff--this is something new to the series and requires spending much more time thinking about what to keep and what to get rid of.  One particularly irritating part of this system is the fact that you cannot sell ammo to vendors (you can sell it to other players and eventually you can unlock a special machine--during the end game grind--that converts ammo into other ammo).  In the past I've always hoarded stimpacks and other needed survival gear...that's no longer as possible as it was in the past.  Hitting the 800 pound stash limit doesn't take long (it's probably worth mentioning that one of the other perks of a 1st membership is an unlimited stash).

-End game seems like one enormous grind.  After you finally complete the main questline you unlock a new currency type that can be used to purchase the best plans in the game.  Obtaining all the plans you want requires doing dailies to earn enough special currency to unlock them.  I'm fine with having to work for your loot, but I'm just not sure I'm going to have the desire to see it through.

-Occasional server related issues.  This hasn't happened recently, but I did have a period where I would frequently get the "server is not responding" message that would mean gameplay was paused.  I'd be trying to loot something and repeatedly get the message while I waited...kind of irritating.  Just know that it does happen (although, like I said, it seems like it has been better lately).

-VATS doesn't pause combat and just isn't as much fun as in the previous games.  I don't really find myself using it (although I probably should be because it's one of the few ways you can perform critical attacks) and don't see it as being as useful.

-Legendary vendor uses a loot crate system.  You can spend a varying amount of legendary scrip on specific types of crates--melee weapons, ranged weapons, and armor.  The crates come in one star to three star options with the three star options costing the most scrip.  It's a roll of the dice to see what you get in the crates and I've found that I receive stuff I am not interested in the majority of the time.  You can re-sell the loot you don't want to a scrip machine, but for only about 40% of the cost.

Should you play it or not?

If you're a fan of the Fallout series and are looking for something to scratch that itch, I would recommend it.  I've been playing for many hours and have been having a mostly good time.  Now that I've reached the "end game," I'm wondering if I won't get bored with it pretty soon--I'm just not sure I have the patience or desire to grind out thousands and thousands of gold bullion for plans.  Even though I was skeptical about the multiplayer aspect of the game, it's still very playable as a singleplayer game.  I spent $13 and it was definitely well worth it.