Fallout 4 setting and gameplay

Fallout 4 setting and gameplay

As rumours had predicted, Fallout 4 will be primarily set in Boston, Massachusetts, though the player will explore other areas of New England, better known in the series as the Commonwealth. Interestingly, the game will actually start just before the bombs were dropped, letting you experience the events of fatal day on October 23 2077. Your character will leave his or her home to take shelter in Vault 111, where they awake 200 years later to discover they are the sole survivor, and that they haven’t aged. Why? Probably cryogenic freezing.

Much of the plot of Fallout 4 remains shrouded in mystery but no doubt partly revolves around finding out how and why you survived for 200 years. The debut trailer did reveal that the protagonist will have a speaking role – a first for the series – and that you’ll once again have a faithful dog companion. Before you start getting concerned – no, the dog can’t die, but it can be used to maul enemies.

However, perhaps the biggest new feature is the one that lets you build your own settlements in the wasteland, which is another first for the franchise. You’ll be able to construct buildings on plots of land, and the crafting system looks like it will lend itself to some proper customisation. You can build multiple settlements through the game, with trading caravans that run between them. But be warned: raiders will come and try to ruin your lovely home.

Then there’s the power armour, which made an appearance in the debut trailer. You’ll be able to customise and improve this throughout the game, while the crafting system will let you build a ridiculous number of customised guns for blasting enemy mutants in the face.

Many series fans will be glad to hear that the time-stopping VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) system is back, but rather than completely freezing everything in place it will now just slow things. You’ll still have extra time to line up that perfect shot, but you might have to think a little faster on your feet this time around.

Finally, we have mods – and this doesn’t just apply to the PC players amongst you. At E3 2015, Bethesda announced that PC mods for Fallout 4 will be playable on the Xbox One as well, and possibly the PS4 down the line too (unless Sony turns the idea down, would be odd). Bethesda also confirmed that it’s not planning to introduce paid premium mods in the game. Oh, and it also confirmed the game will run at 1080p 30fps on everything.

Fallout 4 trailer