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Fallout 76 (Wastelanders Update)

if you want to play something to escape the current situation, how about this? it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where people are few and far between, and… er… hmm. okay, so maybe it’s not ideal escapism right now, but we’ve decided to take another look at it. the game was originally released at the end of 2018, but april’s (free) wastelanders update has added a whole heap of content; so how does the game look now? although we enjoyed the original version of the game, many people didn’t, with one of the most common complaints being the complete lack of human npcs. as a sort of mmo, the idea was that every human character you meet in Fallout 76 will be another player. now however, ai humans have returned to the world of Fallout, bringing a whole bunch of new missions – and a radio station – with them. it’s important to remember that what is in eff ect a fundamental change to the experience was developed in less than a year and a half. if you’re familiar with the last few Fallout games, and you’re expecting this one to now be the same – bustling towns, a seemingly endless supply of intricate npc-led quests, combat companions – you’re not going to be happy. that’s not to say that what is there is dull and lazily thrown together. not a bit of it. there are memorable characters, some neat quest rewards, new interior areas, and a new human enemy gang scattered throughout the world. the main problem with the new content, really, is that things are sometimes padded out by making you trek between distant destinations – sometimes in order to spend only a very brief time at each. and nothing has been done to address any of the problems that, really, were always more important than the lack of human npcs. the world is extremely big; too big, really. as ever, the player limit per server is baffl ingly weedy, ensuring that it’s entirely possible to play for hours without fi nding another player. this means that if you want to participate in a group event, you’ll usually fi nd that you’re doing it on your own, and forming some sort of team is incredibly diffi cult if you’re not playing with friends. it works perfectly well as a solo adventure, but if that’s not what you want, you might get frustrated.

the survival elements may well be off -putting for Fallout fans who haven’t yet given 76 a try. your character regularly cries out for food and drink like a toddler, with weapons and armour having fi nite lifespans as the toddler’s toys. if this is your thing, then you’ll probably be pleased to hear that scavenging, crafting, and (to a lesser extent) base building are all important, too. despite the legacy problems, and much of the sense of loneliness being lost, wastelanders has beefed up the experience enough for lapsed players and newcomers alike to feel welcome. Just don’t expect Fallout 5; you’ll be majorly disappointed if you do.

* Format: PS4 (version reviewed), PC, Xbone, * Publisher: Bethesda * Developer: Bethesda * Players: 1-24 (internet required to play)

written by Critical Gamer’s Luke Kemp

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