How do you review a game such as Fallout 4 in a reasonable time frame? Here at Player2 we couldn’t come up with an answer to that tricky question so we decided to do something different. For five days five different writers will be jotting down some personal experiences with Fallout 4. These aren’t reviews or recommendations but stories from their journey through the Wasteland. So grab a bottle of Nuka Cola and some crispy squirrel bits, sit back in a comfy chair and enjoy our 5 days of Fallout 4.
Five Days of Fallout 4 – The Fry Conspiracy
Let’s be honest here, Fallout 4 is awesome and we’re clearly loving it here at Player2. The open world gameplay and story, that acts as more of a nudge in the right direction rather than a linear narrative. Gives each play-through and player their own unique story, whilst at the same time, still sharing similar stories. Almost like a group of friends recounting that crazy night out where you all started out at the same party only to all separately wind up in the same gaol cell.
And yet there’s something familiar here, something that for many hours I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The setting, the scene, the characters, the vibe … I’ve been here before. Then like a smack in the face from my Mother for using the F-word, it hit me. Fallout 4 is Futurama!
Wait! Before you click back or scroll to the bottom to see the score (this isn’t a review by the way and we don’t score games here) hear me out, I’ve compiled a list of why Fallout 4 is clearly Futurama with a new skin over the top;
Cryogenic Chamber
OK let’s get the obvious one out the way, you’re a person who has been un-willingly frozen for many years in a cryogenic chamber unit only to wake up a number of years later with his friends and everything he once knew to be gone. For obvious reasons he didn’t exactly leave the chamber and go “WHA HOO!” but I’m sure you’re all well aware why that didn’t go down that way.
Mutants
As Leela’s heritage story let us know, mutants are actually quite common in the future and are also reoccurring characters in many episodes, and Fallout 4 is just full of them! Now I know what you’re thinking – ‘oh they’re not technically mutants though Adam!’ And you’re right, they’re just animals and humans that have augmented bodies that have transformed over the years from the radiation and are actually called Ghouls. Yes Ghouls and animals with mutated bodies, let’s not get pedantic here, they’re clearly mutants!
Dog meat
Early on you meet a stray dog who you immediately befriend and becomes instantly loyal because you showed it a small amount of kindness. Sound familiar? How about episode ‘Jurassic Bark’ where we meet Fry’s pet dog Seymour. All the signs are there, a stray dog, instantly and immediately loyal after a small act of friendliness. I’m expecting to die at the end of this game and for the credits to roll as Dog Meat stands and waits at my grave until he grows old and dies.
VATS Aiming
Yet again we see a return of what is clearly a staple of the new Fallout games, the VATS slow motion aiming is back and this was obviously (read: not exactly obvious) heavily inspired by the Futurama episode 300 Big Boys. In this episode Fry makes it his goal to drink 100 cups of coffee and on his 100th cup he gains special powers which allow him to view and experience the world as if he were the flash. We’re sure if he had to shoot down some Omicronians that it would look exactly like the combat from Fallout 4.
Older – Younger Sibling
Now this one is purely a guess (because I haven’t finished the game yet) but you’ve been frozen for 200 years and we know (you can add the dates up from the log books found in Vault 111) of the reason you woke up initially only to see your child stolen from your partners hands before the chamber went back to doing what it does best. I suspect that I’ll come across my child at some point but they’ll actually be older than my current character. Ah yes, the joys of cryogenic sleep! Futurama have a long running gag in where the Professor is actually Fry’s (insert a bunch of ‘greats’ in here) Nephew.
Robotic friends
Futurama has the wise cracking robotic friend with actual feelings and Fallout 4 has Codsworth the helper bot who seems more human than some of the deadbeat free loaders I’ve been helping out along the way. Sure he could have just been a simple droid bot with no personality, humour or emotions, but they specifically went for the opposite here. At this stage I think Bethesda owe Matt Groening a few million dollars.
Slurka Cola
Nuka Cola, a made up beverage that everyone seems to have in their fridge and stomachs and appears everywhere else in the game. Clearly it’s the liquid of choice for Earth in this made up future. Looking over at Futurama we have Slurm, a made up beverage that is more popular that Red Bull and extends everywhere in the shows galaxy. I’m half expecting a side quest where I find out Nuka cola comes from a giant Radroach’s butt or something.
Laser Guns
Plasma, Laser, same thing.
And that’s it for what I feel is only the start of this massive game. I’m now expecting to run into a crazy scientist, fly a spaceship, fall in love with a one eyed Woman and defeat some Aliens as the final quest. Well played Bethesda, well played.
Adam Rorke
