Fallout 4 Xbox One and PS4 review: ‘a flawed masterpiece from Bethesda’

Few games carry as much hype as Fallout. With legions of fans from the original Nineties games, up to 2008’s Fallout 3 and New Vegas in 2010, Bethesda (also behind the likes of Skyrim) are under immense pressure to deliver.

Sometimes in Fallout 4, this shows - resulting in a world that is every bit as beautiful as it is flawed.

In similar vein to Fallout 3, the story is relatively simple. Following a nuclear bomb attack, you play a vault-dweller whose son – spoiler alert - is taken from cryosleep. You arm yourself and head up to explore the post-apocalyptic Boston wasteland, only to find it inhabited by ghouls, crazy synth cyborgs, raiders, and enormous mosquitos called Bloodbugs.

Thankfully, it's not long before you discover your first ally outside an abandoned petrol station - a hound called Dogmeat. With a click of a button, you're able to command him to inspect items of interest and scout ahead.

The problem is that it's terribly hit and miss. Sometimes Dogmeat will obey your orders, other times he'll sit there gleefully wagging his tail. He'll even get stuck behind objects, glide up walls and fall off ledges. As a result, you'll soon find yourself only using him as an ally during combat - but even then, he'll charge in and get wounded. All of this means the bond between your character and dog isn't as close as it could have been.

Luckily this doesn't really detract from the whole experience, given the sheer quality of the world and the characters. With its bright colour palette, blue skies and stunning lighting, Boston is a joy to behold and explore. Bethesda has clearly listened to what fans wanted and the world is now littered with caves, hidden passages and settlements - all packed with loot for you to salvage. More so than any other Fallout game, there's a real incentive to scavenge items - everywhere you go, you'll want to wander off the main track and investigate.

This holds especially true for the quests. Perhaps no game of late, other than The Witcher 3, has managed to make side quests feel 'relevant' to the main mission, but - again, Fallout 4 succeeds. The quest to find your son is a personal mission within a much larger fight.

As a result, you face major choices - do you plod along selfishly and find your son, or do you step back and help those in need of support? This is made even more difficult given the number of curve-balls Bethesda throw at you. See a woman asking for help? She may be a raider in disguise leading you into a trap. You'll constantly second guess yourself and trust very few.

Combat has had an overhaul, too. The precision-aiming V.A.T.S system makes a welcome return, leading to gruesome deaths as you target individual limbs. There's also a fun 'Execute Critical' mode that, once charged, unleashes a devastating blow to your foes. Outside of V.A.T.S., shooting feels a lot more responsive. Weapons are inspired, too - with (spoiler alert) a gun that fires out all of the junk you collect being a particular highlight. Coupled with the usual armoury of rifles, pistol, grenades and melee weapons, it won't be long before you're a walking arsenal.

Enemies are wonderfully designed and varied - and all require different tactics to bring them down. Whilst a lone raider offers little threat, a pack of them are deadly. Supermutants will charge at you with mini 'nukes', while irradiated Radroaches fly viciously at your face and dish out radiation damage. You'll soon have to learn the best way to deal with certain types of enemy - the solutions aren’t simply handed across, making for an incredibly satisfying voyage of discovery.

The game can be tailored to individual play styles thanks to the S.P.E.C.I.A.L abilities, where players can level up attributes such as 'Strength', 'Agility' or 'Luck'. Want to sneak around? Wait until nightfall and equip silenced weapons. Fancy action? Equip the mini gun, jump into Power Armour, and storm in.

But it's outside of the combat where Fallout 4 really shines. Some abandoned areas can be turned into settlements that you can kit out as your own base - from paintings and beds, to power supplies and turrets. Early on, you're given the option to fortify a settlement or continue on your travels - one of the many aforementioned ‘greater good vs. personal vendetta’ conundrums. The system is easy to use, but you're not punished if this isn't your thing.

Graphically, Fallout 4 is stunning. PC gamers with high-end rigs can expect the best-looking version, but PS4 and Xbox One users should not feel short changed. Character models are highly detailed, worlds are littered with quirky objects and Diamond City (when you discover it) looks absolutely incredible during the day.