Fallout 76 was an ambitious entry into the post-apocalyptic franchise in 2018. However, the series’ first multiplayer outing was always going to be a tough sell to a good portion of the fanbase who enjoyed the single-player aspects of the hit games. This made the lacking and buggy release of the base Fallout 76 experience a disaster for the series’ reputation.
Following the aggressively cold reception Fallout 76 received at release, as well as a steady flow of bad press to unfold in the months after, Fallout 76 carries a harsh stigma with it. Moldy collectibles, leaked customer information, anti-consumer practices, and a full blown class war between players has earned the game a shoddy perception.
However, the developers have remained loyal to working on the game over the past year. In a similar story to the likes of No Man’s Sky, Fallout 76 has made real efforts to deliver a title worthy of the Fallout name. Most notably, there is the April 14 game-changing update entitled Wastelanders. For some more context on this, here’s 10 good reasons why Wastelanders will fix Fallout 76.
Fallout 76 is super cheap now
Purchasing Fallout 76 at release for full price wasn’t a great deal. Buyers at large were more than likely less than pleased. However, players can currently find the game for about $15 online, or even cheaper if you get lucky! Plus, the new Wastelanders update is available to players for absolutely free starting on April 14.
Fallout 76 will finally feature actual NPCs
A major issue that players had with Fallout 76 at release was the noticeable lack of non-player characters in the world. As the Fallout games have been known for their wide cast of interesting and enjoyable characters, this was a major blow to interest in the title.
Wastelanders hopes to right this wrong by dumping tons of new characters to interact with into the world. Of course, they will bring new quests and backstories with them, too.
Factions are coming to West Virginia
One thing that classic Fallout settings have always had going for it is the inclusion of different factions. From New Vegas’ Boomer faction to Fallout 4’s secret Railroad, factions make Fallout interesting.
The Wastelanders update will see two specific factions enter the game. The Settlers will be largely familiar to players and will be pitted against the brutal Raiders. Players will be able to interact with both factions and possibly change the story for both of them.
Allies will breathe life into the post-apocalypse
In an open-world RPG, being able to see the world around you change with the decisions you make is awesome. It gives you a real sense of immersion when you have an actual impact on the world you’re inhabiting.
Fallout 76: Wastelanders will attempt to give players this feeling by introducing “allies.” These special characters can become permanent parts of players’ camps and offer unique content upon arrival. However, they will only become available if you find them, say the right things, and possibly do some quests to earn their favor. This probably means that not all allies will be available to the player, giving choices a little weight.
Dialogue and skill checks arrive with Wastelanders
Being able to use your words to handle a situation or utilize a character’s skill set is something Fallout has been praised for in the past. When Fallout 76 launched without either of these huge elements, it was genuinely disappointing for fans.
Fortunately, the inclusion of NPCs comes with dialogue trees and skill checks. Your character will finally have something resembling a personality, and those SPECIAL stats can have some more bearing on your adventure. Fallout 76 may actually be an RPG after all.
Appalachia is fairly interesting
The setting of Fallout 76 is a very natural environment. It’s a significant departure from past Fallout settings, but that’s what makes Appalachia so fascinating to fans. It’s a huge world with tons of secrets and stories to share, only further filled out now due to the Wastelanders update.
The monsters of Appalachia
Fallout has been home to all kinds of weird and intriguing monstrous mutations over the years. However, Fallout 76 has some monsters that are unique only to its setting. Fearsome foes such as the scorchbeast and the honey beast offer some new challenges for Fallout fans new and old.
Fallout 76 also adds some lore to the setting of Appalachia by digging into some old folktales of the region. From this lore comes old monsters such as the wendigo and the mothman in the post-apocalyptic style of Fallout.
Forgotten Appalachian treasure makes for a good story
Along with the new characters and factions in Fallout 76, the Wastelanders update comes with a new story. Apparently there is some treasure hidden in the hills of Appalachia! With tales of fortune comes dreams of greed and prosperity. This incites the conflict between the factions of the settlers and the raiders.
Naturally, the player will find themselves embroiled within the conflict and it inevitably leads them on a treasure hunting adventure. This sounds far better than the nearly nonexistent main plot that Fallout 76 launched with.
This is still multiplayer Fallout
Fallout 76 was an interesting idea when it was announced. Naturally, people were very concerned about many of the issues that materialized at release. However, the game does function relatively well for what it is. Therefore, if multiplayer Fallout sounds like a pretty good time to you, it’s certainly worth giving a try!
Crafting and settlement building is a huge part of the game
Fallout 4 introduced a robust crafting system and a satisfying settlement building gameplay feature. For a lot of players, these features took up majority of their playtime in the much anticipated sequel.
Fans of that gameplay style will be glad to know that those systems are still present in Fallout 76. However, this time you’re able to play with your creations a bit more and even show them off to other players.
Are you going to check out Fallout 76: Wastelanders? Sound off in the comments below!
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