Summary
Given theFalloutfranchise’s unique post-apocalyptic setting, this franchise has a lot of potential to provide a challenging and immersive survival experience. However, recent games in theFalloutfranchise haven’t quite tapped into the full potential of this.
Especially afterFallout 76’s questionable approach to its survival mechanics, futureFalloutgames can’t make this same mistake. Not only do futureFalloutgames need a survival difficulty mode at launch, but the franchise could also stand to take this feature to the next level.
The Fallout Franchise’s Current Approach To Survival Mechanics Is Cause For Concern
WhileFallout 76’s Adventure mode doesn’t include many hardcore survival mechanics,FalloutWorlds and Custom Worlds offer certain survival-oriented mechanics. However, playing in these game modes will prevent players from gaining any character progression, including level-ups and inventory changes. This is quite a steep tradeoff just to have access to survival mechanics.
Since the game modifiers inFallout 76’s Fallout Worlds game mode frequently rotate, survival-oriented mechanics aren’t always available. Players can change the game modifiers at will in the Custom Worlds game mode, but this game mode requires aFallout 1st premium subscriptionto access.
There used to be a dedicated Survival game mode inFallout 76that allowed players to play with survival elements enabled while still earning character progression. This game mode has since been removed though, apparently due to a lack of player support. If this is truly the reason why Survival mode was removed, then it’s unlikely to ever return. However, it could still be worthwhile forFallout 76to bring this game mode back, given the current state of the game’s community. Specifically, player counts forFallout 76have recently reached record-high numbers, so among these newer players, there could potentially be enough support for Survival mode to return for good.
Meanwhile, inFallout 76’s Adventure mode, the franchise’s survival mechanics have reached a strange turning point. For example, having radiation and Mutations is surprisingly an integral part ofFallout 76’s meta-build, instead of being something to avoid. Even things like addictions and diseases have beneficial side effects inFallout 76. Not to mention, neglecting to eat food and drink water in Adventure mode isn’t fatal, so many players prefer to avoid these mechanics out of convenience.
WhileFallout 76’s relaxed approach to survival mechanics may have been at the request of the majority of the game’s community, this decision has left players who would prefer a survival experience in an unfortunate situation. Consequently, futureFalloutgames should strongly consider featuring a survival mode difficulty, even if it’s optional. This way, futureFalloutgames can have the best of both worlds without players having to rely oncommunity mods to have a properFalloutsurvival game.
The Fallout and Elder Scrolls Franchises Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Not only shouldFallout 5and futureFalloutgames offer a survival mode difficulty, but they should arguably have a more hardcore approach to this type of experience. Generally speaking, the recentFalloutfranchise games have a fairly identical approach to survival mechanics asThe Elder Scrolls, which seems rather inappropriate. Especially considering howFallout’s post-apocalyptic settingdrastically differs fromThe Elder Scrolls’ fantasy setting, these two franchises having similar survival mechanics doesn’t feel justified.
How Fallout 5 Could Expand the Franchise’s Survival Mechanics
The expanded diseases and afflictions system inStarfieldis a great progression of theFalloutfranchise’s survival mechanics, despite there currently being no dedicatedsurvival mode inStarfieldoutside of community mods. Consequently,Fallout 5should consider blendingStarfield’s existing survival mechanics with theFalloutfranchise’s existing survival mechanics. From this point, theFalloutfranchise’s post-apocalyptic setting still has a little room to inspire a few more survival mechanics, but this foundation would already arguably be a big improvement for the franchise.
