Returning to Fallout 4 was just what I needed while waiting for Starfield

As I emerge from Vault 111 in Fallout 4 yet again, I look out over the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the Commonwealth and think about what brought me back here. The transition from the vault to the outside world is met with a searing ray of sunlight, and as my vision adjusts, I soak in a familiar sight. Sanctuary, the once idyllic picket-fenced neighborhood that served as my homestead a short while ago, is now a ramshackle hodgepodge of rusted steel, dead trees, and dilapidated structures that still somewhat resemble houses. I can still clearly recall the feeling I had when I first left this vault back in 2015, when Fallout 4 originally released. The sprawling environment stretched out before me and held with it the promise of a grand, rad-filled adventure; one that I couldn't wait to immerse myself in. Now, all these years later, I find myself returning to try and recapture that same feeling. 

There's nothing quite like diving into a new RPG. You don't know what awaits you, or how your journey will play out, but the sense of adventure and discovery those early moments provide is unrivaled. Bethesda offerings in particular often give you lots of freedom to explore and shape your own adventures. But since many upcoming Bethesda games – such as Fallout 5 and Elder Scrolls 6 – are a long way off, and there are still several months until the release of Starfield, diving into a new experience won't be on the cards for some time. So, deciding there was nothing else for it, I put on my vault suit and stepped back into the world of Fallout 4. And I wasn't disappointed. 

Breath of irradiated air 

Image 1 of 3

The timing of my post-nuclear war reunion with Fallout 4 turned out to be unwittingly serendipitous. This week marked the 25th anniversary of Fallout, and Bethesda is celebrating the series' legacy with retrospective posts, events, and goodies throughout the month. Fortunately for me, the celebrations also include free and discounted Creation Club content in Fallout 4 each week until November 2. If you don't already know, the Creation Club acts as an online store, with a host of new workshop items, weapons, apparel, and additions that you can buy by purchasing credits. Since I've never dropped any real-life coin on my adventures outside of the expansions, I more than welcomed the chance to pick up some new goodies for free. 

Just the mere prospect of introducing anything to my time in the Commonwealth that I didn't have before brings some renewed excitement. Getting my hands on some new designs for my PipBoy, armor, and weapons, for example, gives my adventures a fresh coat of paint – even if they are only surface level, cosmetic additions. I also pick up some new furniture items to place in my settlement, including some snazzy beds that are a world away from the bog standard rusty numbers in the base game, and even a selection of arcade cabinets that allow me to play Fallout 4's minigames in my vault dweller's abode. 

One Creation Club weapon giveaway even feels  more involved, since it triggers a questline that tasks me with traveling out in the wasteland to pick it up myself. Not only that, but it's equipped by a powerful NPC in a dangerous, enemy-filled building I've never been to before, which makes it feel entirely fresh and new. Happily, my prize for the effort is The Tactical Gauss Rifle Prototype that I can already foresee coming in very handy during tough encounters in the Commonwealth.

Of course, one of the best ways to shake up Fallout 4 is by adding mods. Despite playing the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series for a long time, I haven't  explored the world of mods created by the community – mostly due to the fact that I tend to play on console. Still, with my resolve to delve into new experiences in a game that's almost eight years old, I downloaded a few mods on PlayStation to test the waters. While the library isn't as extensive as those on PC, there are some fun offerings, including one that adds a new location to explore, with its own story to tell. 

A world of possibilities 

But even without mods or Creation Club content, I still ended up seeing and doing things I hadn't experienced in previous Fallout 4 playthroughs. One thing I've always loved about Bethesda's RPGs is just how replayable they are. Skyrim is so expansive and rich with random instances, that each time I return to it, I stumble upon a location I've yet to explore, or have an unexpected encounter I've never experienced. In much the same way, Fallout 4 is full of things to discover, and each time I head out into the Commonwealth, I never quite know what surprises may lie in store for me. 

In this revist I stumbled upon a terminal I'd never interacted with in an old, rundown office building. Upon inspecting it, I read the words of the terminal's owner – a disgruntled employee who bitterly expresses just how much they hate their job and their co-workers. A small story begins to unfold before me as I head over to another terminal nearby, where a fellow employee admits to pranking the very angry colleague... Maybe their bitterness isn't misplaced, after all. It may not be the biggest discovery I've made in Fallout 4, but finding these terminals paints a clear picture of the kind of office environment it was, and brings added character and a sense of history to an otherwise bleak and raider-filled location. In another instance, I come across a fellow by the name of Gabe who wants to sell me his dog. After failing a speech check, Gabe refuses to part ways with the pup… I've never faced such heartbreak in the post-apocalyptic world.

I may not be able to exactly recapture the singular experience of diving into a new Bethesda RPG for the first time, but I'm still so glad I returned to Fallout 4. Even without the help of some Creation Club content and a few mods here and there, I've come across a host of new encounters and experiences that serve as a reminder of just how big the world of Fallout 4 is. And as I wait it out for fresh adventures in Bethesda's upcoming lineup, it really is scratching an itch I've been having for a long time. Who knows what else awaits me when I step back into my vault suit and head out into the wastelands with Dogmeat at my side, but I can't wait to find out. 

Look back over the Fallout series with our ranking of the best Fallout games.