Summary
AlthoughFallout 4has many strengths, like its improved combat and detailed world design, it usually isn’t considered the peak of the franchise. Criticisms of Bethesda Game Studios' second crack at theFalloutseries abound, but most of its demerits seem to revolve around how ithandles the stapleFalloutfeatures, specifically as they pertain to the role-playing experience.
Chief among the most common critiques ofFallout 4has to do with the game’s dialog system, which many view as a major step backward for the franchise. Rather than a list of distinct and unexpected dialog options like in otherFalloutgames,Fallout 4only offers four responses per dialog turn, limiting the player’s opportunities for interaction. Moreover, these options are presented vaguely, often with only a single word that attempts to encapsulate the gist or attitude of the response, removing nuance and transparency from NPC exchanges. Needless to say, RPG fans did not take kindly to this radical approach to dialog, andFallout 5will have to contend with this.
How Fallout 5 Could Respond to Fallout 4’s Dialog Mechanics
Players Probably Won’t See an Exact Reprisal of Fallout 4’s Dialog System
The poor reception of Bethesda’s streamlined dialog system is evidenced by thenumerousFallout 4mods that overhaul dialog, often reverting it back to something resembling its implementation in previous games. As a narrative-driven RPG franchise, theFalloutexperience can often live or die on the back of its NPC interactions, so a good dialog system is vital, and mechanics that ‘dumb down’ these encounters can deal a significant blow to immersion and expression.
Regardless of what one thinks of Bethesda Game Studios, it’s clear that it is committed to making the best games possible; BGS rarely, if ever, seems to phone in its projects, even if some creative choices prove to be controversial. AndFallout 4introduces many interesting mechanicsthat can be built upon and improved in its sequel, and this includes its ill-fated dialog system.
Fallout 5 Could Make Lemonade Out of Dialog System Lemons
With the shortcomings ofFallout 4’s dialog mechanics being plain to see, it might seem like Bethesda’s best choice would simply be to backpedal and return to an older,more traditional approach withFallout 5. While this would certainly be the most obvious, safest option, it’s not the only one, asFallout 5could evolve the problematic aspects ofFallout 4’s barebones dialog while still retaining some of its more experimental elements.
Broadly speaking,Fallout 5could hold ontoFallout 4’s more limited dialog system if it made two key changes: more transparency with the options and the removal of a voice-acted protagonist. The fact that the Sole Survivor speaks all their dialog, coupled with how vague these options appear in the dialog selection menu, make it remarkably easy to unintentionally say the wrong thing inFallout 4. For instance, a player may expect a certain response to come across as calm or intimidating, but it could wind up reading as comedic or corny based on the complete line of text and the voice actor’s delivery.
PerhapsFallout 5could feature a similarly streamlined dialog system, allowing for quick decision-making in conversations, while making it clear what the player-character is actually going to say. The game could also leave room for interpretation by removing the voice actor, allowing the player to imagine how their custom character would deliver the line instead. Naturally,Fallout 5could simply take a step backand have a dialog system like those ofFallout 3orNew Vegas, but if Bethesda wants to keep experimenting, there may be a path forward that doesn’t mean total abandonment of one ofFallout 4’s core mechanics.
Fallout 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, invite you to the ambitious open world of Fallout 4. Do whatever you want in a massive Commonwealth with hundreds of locations, characters and quests.As the sole survivor of Vault 111, only you can rebuild and determine the fate of the Wasteland. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone - the choices are yours.From a Power Armor-toting soldier to the charismatic smooth-talker, be whoever you want with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system and develop your own playstyle from hundreds of Perks.Experience exciting first- or third-person combat with the dynamic Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S., targeting enemies for maximum tactical advantage (and cinematic carnage!) Collect, upgrade and build thousands of items with Fallout 4’s crafting system. Weapons, armor, food and with the right materials, even entire settlements are possible. Welcome home.
