{"id":70374,"date":"2026-07-21T08:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T00:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=70374"},"modified":"2026-07-21T08:30:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T00:30:01","slug":"here-are-10-adjustments-bethesda-should-make-for-an-improved-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=70374","title":{"rendered":"Here are 10 adjustments Bethesda should make for an improved experience"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Recent months have been full of bad news for the games industry, but sometimes a little light shines through, like when Bethesda confirmed last week that Fallout 5<\/em> is in preproduction. Since then, it\u2019s been a little difficult to think about much else. We\u2019re too busy imagining what the next installment in the series might look like, in a more perfect world. On that note, here are 10 things we want to see from Fallout 5<\/em>, whenever it arrives.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 1 <\/span>
\n
\n A silent protagonist
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"The\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Video games often feel like books or movies, and there\u2019s no use in complaining about something so many people clearly love. Still, some games should follow design philosophies that prioritize letting players drop into the starring role. To self-insert, even. The Fallout games certainly are one such case. And while Fallout 4<\/em> featured excellent voice work, we wouldn\u2019t complain for one second if Bethesda were to leave speaking roles to the NPCs and companions the next time around. Let us pretend we are the ones wandering the wasteland, please, not watching from the audience or filming everything.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 2 <\/span>
\n
\n Set somewhere outside America
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n \"Fallout\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The Fallout games have famously explored various regions within a retro-futuristic, alternate history version of America in distress. And that has been fine, but there are other countries to consider. Entire continents, even. In the case of a nuclear war, they probably wouldn\u2019t fare any better than North America. Their long histories and traditions would also provide interesting subject matter. Imagine Paris or England, Germany or China. How about Egypt or Brazil? The possibilities aren\u2019t endless, but they\u2019re close enough, and Fallout hasn\u2019t paid nearly enough attention to the rest of the world thus far.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 3 <\/span>
\n
\n A less derivative plot with broader themes
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n \"Fallout\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

People suck, but in times of great turmoil, loss, and sacrifice, with humanity on the brink of extinction, it\u2019s only natural to go right on being awful to one another rather than changing for the greater good. Sound familiar? Admittedly, actual nuclear calamity would put life in simpler terms than you or I can fully appreciate. But that doesn\u2019t mean fiction about it can\u2019t explore the grim possibilities with a little more nuance. If you think about some of the great moments the medium has provided in the past, shades of gray have been key ingredients. Let\u2019s see a little more of that from Fallout.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 4 <\/span>
\n
\n More diverse dialog options
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"Dressed\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Speaking of nuance, Fallout 4<\/em>\u2019s approach to dialogue could do with some spring cleaning. That game presented us with four responses to most dialog prompts. Two of those were versions of \u201cyes\u201d (one with added sarcasm), and two were versions of \u201cno.\u201d What\u2019s the point in going with four choices as the default if they don\u2019t push the character exchanges in new directions? When we pick one option over the other, it would also be nice to have a clearer idea about the different possible outcomes. The sarcasm shouldn\u2019t go away, of course, but it would be nice to see conversations in Fallout 5<\/em> achieve more than they have in past entries.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 5 <\/span>
\n
\n Improved skill development
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Traditional RPGs let their characters develop new skills over the course of an adventure, which Fallout presents as perks. Unlocking new perks in Fallout 4<\/em> was compelling in the extreme, allowing players to engage with the damaged world on their terms. However, there\u2019s room for improvement. If you blast a bunch of enemies and use that experience to level up your ability to speak eloquently, there\u2019s a bit of a disconnect, don\u2019t you think? The Elder Scrolls games already adopt a superior approach, in that the way you play the game impacts how you can develop your character. Obsidian\u2019s The Outer Worlds<\/em> and its sequel also include flaws as a progression mechanic, which offset a negative trait with a positive one. (For instance, thieving players can trigger the Kleptomaniac flaw, which makes them automatically steal everything in their line of sight. It\u2019s chaotic, but you can sell your ill-gotten goods to vendors for twice the usual price.) There\u2019s no reason Fallout couldn\u2019t do something similar, with exciting results.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 6 <\/span>
\n
\n Choices that genuinely matter
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"Preston\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In Fallout 4<\/em>, you might decide whether to intervene and save some innocent potential allies from threatening raiders. That\u2019s neat. But a lot of the bigger events (including the initial disaster, of course) are out of your control. It\u2019s a bit like buying yogurt at a specialty shop. You pick your yogurt and the toppings, but you\u2019re still having yogurt with toppings. Bethesda already explored something along these lines with Starfield<\/em>, where you can make an enemy of a character (finally facing off against him and killing him in space combat) or keep him as a friend and eventually add him to your crew. It would be a treat to see more scenarios that explore what happens when you color outside the lines, and which provide far-reaching consequences.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 7 <\/span>
\n
\n Streamlined base building
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the more tedious aspects of Fallout 4<\/em> is its base building. Early on, you found Sanctuary and threw up a few structures and planted a garden. Maybe you set up a few sentries. But after that, did you look forward to upgrading your settlement and customizing everything to suit your style? Perhaps not. It\u2019s simply too frustrating to turn the resources \u2013 all gathered from scavenging and buying junk from merchants \u2013 into a wall, or a chair, or a turret. First, there\u2019s the matter of finding those necessary parts. The bigger issue is that even after you acquire them, it\u2019s difficult to even set up a wall or floor that lines up with the building\u2019s foundation. And buying prefab buildings isn\u2019t very satisfying. Starfield<\/em> had similar issues, which doesn\u2019t bode well for Fallout 5<\/em>. Still, it\u2019s fun to imagine how a new installment might benefit from a more intuitive interface.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 8 <\/span>
\n
\n More combat-free solutions
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n \"fallout-4-anniversary-edition-press-image-4.jpg\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

If you like fighting all your enemies, Fallout 4<\/em> was your game. You could head in with tricked-out knuckles, or tricked-out guns, and you could use those tools to talk your adversaries into dying gruesomely. There weren\u2019t a lot of problems a little violence couldn\u2019t solve. Which makes sense, Fallout 4<\/em> being a video game and all, but the developers went to the trouble of adding some neat alternatives, such as talking your way out of difficult situations, or stealthily sneaking past guards. It would be nice to see the next installment push more aggressively in that direction. A passive approach to conflict can remain difficult, but more options and scenarios built around being a sneak or a fraud would surely not go astray.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 9 <\/span>
\n
\n Less emphasis on gunplay
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"Dogmeat\n <\/picture>
Dogmeat.<\/figcaption>Image: Bethesda via Polygon<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Melee weapons should work a little better in the Fallout universe, and maybe even prove useful outside encounters with mutated bugs and mongrels. Certainly, you can run into any battle you like with your fists encased in spiked metal, even as your foes wield pipe guns. But should you? Not really. And honestly, swinging your fists at foes as they dodge out of the way doesn\u2019t feel terrific. One might even say it feels like a big missed opportunity.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 10 <\/span>
\n
\n Better gunplay mechanics
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\"a\n <\/picture>Image: Bethesda Game Studios\/Bethesda Softworks<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Bethesda can make games where shooting guns feels good, but Fallout hasn\u2019t been the franchise that proves it. Given its deep RPG roots, that makes sense. But Starfield<\/em> shows there are ways to make the shooting feel more natural. In Fallout 4<\/em>, it wasn\u2019t uncommon to aim directly at an enemy and still miss, even from fairly close range. The V.A.T.S. system did a lot of the heavy lifting, allowing you to target weak points and make headshots. And while that\u2019s fun and very much part of the brand, the mechanic relies less on skill and more on stats. There\u2019s a happy medium in there somewhere, and Fallout 5<\/em> should make a renewed effort to find it.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying it: Fallout 4<\/em> did a lot of things right. Its sequel could apply the same template with only minor tweaks and it would absolutely be worth playing. But this is a chance to do some things a little better, not by making massive changes, but by leaning into what\u2019s already there and following where it leads. We still want to recognize Fallout 5<\/em> as part of a series we already enjoy, but we\u2019d also like for it to be better than ever before.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


\n


\n
Read Full Article At Source <\/a>
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recent months have been full of bad news for the games industry, but sometimes a little light shines through, like when Bethesda confirmed last week…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[17109,6250,3367,7470],"class_list":["post-70374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-adjustments","tag-bethesda","tag-experience","tag-improved","wpcat-32-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/70375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}