If it’s been a while sinceFallout 76has been on anyone’s minds recently, not many would blame them. While in concept this multiplayer online adventure seemed like an interesting evolution for theFalloutseries, in execution the game was largely panned for a variety of reasons. Tons of technical issues, lack of meaningful content, and a jarringly expensive subscription service to access the game’s premium content just name a few common complaints. Among a litany of other circumstantial shortcomings, this game has had a justifiably bad reputation it simply cannot shake.
Now, with Bethesda releasingFallout 76: Wastelandersthis week, it seems the game is attempting to gain a second wind. Despite all of the controversy and outcry, the game has stuck around while Bethesda has worked to improve the experience. This latest DLC appears to be the fruit of its labor, and while it’s not necessarilyFallout 76’s saving grace, the expansion is taking the game in a positive direction.
Fallout 76: Welcome to the Wastelands
WithFallout 76: Wastelandersnow out, the expansion brings tons of substantial and incremental changes to improve the experience. The most important change comes from the inclusion of NPCs for the first time, an integral part of the single-playerFalloutgames that was sorely missed in76. NPCs have incorporated quest lines for new and existing players throughout the experience. Interacting with them utilizes players' SPECIAL attributes in typicalFalloutdialogue trees, and they can also be hired as companions for the player’s camp (though they cannot leave the confines of the camp).
There’s alsoadditional NPC factionsacross the map as well that players can encounter when exploring. Each individual faction, the Settlers and the Raiders, has a reputation system associated with it where the players actions can positively and negatively impact their impression to the faction. As reputation builds, players gain access to more quest lines as well as faction-exclusive rewards. All of this is guided by a new main questline for all players, veterans and newbies alike. Other than a required level 20 roadblock halfway through the main quest line, there’s about 10 or so hours of the main quest content in the game.
That’s not to mention the variety of balance patches and fixes that have shipped for the game since the base release. Many are reporting drastically less frame drops, texture issues, orany glaring issues with theWastelandersexpansionas well. Overall, there’s a ton of extra content being added to the base game, but many are wondering if it’s enough to bring players back or keep existing players around.
Righting the Course for Fallout 76
As a result,Fallout 76: Wastelanders’world has become vastly more populated and interesting to explore compared to the base game. Especially with no additional cost other than buying the base game,Wastelandersis poised to be the gameFallout 76was always meant to be, but despite the improvements,this isn’t aFinal Fantasy 14rebirthlike many are hoping for or expect fromFallout 76. While critics and fans alike are praising the latest expansion, many have echoed the opinion that its just one step forward. Regardless of the performance and balance patches that have already come toFallout 76to make it a stable game,Wastelandersis still built on the base experience no matter how much has improved.
That’s not to sayFallout 76cannot become a great game, rather if players still have issues with the game’s inherent design, thenWastelandersisn’t the renaissance of the game. Fans still have to deal with many of the core choices made forFallout 76’s development and overarching design. Adding NPCs was a pivotal improvement to the game, but the game is still the always-online world in the base game. Quest lines will not update interactions with the world simply because only one player finished it. There will still bethe prevalent duplication glitches people are using to monetize weaponsin the game world, even after the Wastelanders update. There will still be the typical Bethesda glitches, or rather quirks, of their titles.
Fallout 76: A Promising Future?
Inherent design aside, this expansion could be the revival thatFallout 76needs, or at the very least the momentum required to continue improving the experience. Slowly but surely players have returned to Appalachia both before and after theWastelandersupdate, returning to a game that’s become a much better player experience. The base release ofFallout 76was plagued with performance issuesgalore; inconsistent frame drops across environments, textures not loading or erroring out, enemies T-posing and not interacting, etc. Now many of these performance problems have been mitigated. Not to mention every new featureWastelandersbrings along with it.
Even though this game has seen plenty of evolution, fans still knowFallout 76is aFalloutgame, and with it comes a certain pedigree. There’s still the itch to explore the post-apocalyptic world full of charm and eccentricityFalloutgames are known for. The latest outing in West Virginia still has plenty of lore and landmarks to explore in its world. Now with NPCs added back, a lot of the soul ofFallouthas returned toFallout 76for the first time in years. As long as development for the game continues to expand the game with events and other expansions,Fallout 76could still mount an impressive comeback withWastelanders' momentum.
Fallout 76is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
MORE:5 Reasons To Give Fallout 76 A Second Chance (& 5 Reasons It Deserves Its Reputation)
