Bethesda
Fallout 76 represents Bethesda’s first foray into an online multiplayer Fallout game.
While the developers have said repeatedly the game will not have any NPCs that doesn’t mean it’s completely devoid of life. There are several robotic allies you can talk with and there are several holotapes to find in the world.
Once you leave Vault 76 you are tasked with finding the overseer of the vault as your main quest. This leads you all over the map as you track down clues about the overseer’s whereabouts. While it isn’t the traditional story you find in other Fallout titles Fallout 76 does indeed have a story.
For those who were worried they would be thrown into a world with no purpose, you can put away those fears as Fallout 76 does always have an objective for you to be doing, as mindless as it is sometimes.
Fallout 76 definitely won’t be as story-heavy as Fallout games have been in the past so don’t come into this game expecting a story like you found before. Instead, a lot of the fun in this game will come by exploring brand new areas and discovering new things in West Virginia, such as the Mothman.
There are also numerous side quests and world events you can tackle. The world events will feel familiar to Destiny players as they will require players to complete a set of tasks within a certain time limit such as escorting a robot safely across town or destroying five waves on enemies. These events are usually where you’ll see other players helping each other out and it’s some of the best times you’ll have in the game, at least early on.
While it does have a main story there will still be many fans who think it isn’t enough. It’s a fair criticism to have since Fallout games have had strong stories in the past mostly driven by their quirky and relatable characters. If that’s what you’re looking for in a Fallout game then you might want to think long and hard about Fallout 76 before you purchase it.
Fallout 76 releases November 14 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The PC release won’t be on Steam but instead will be through Bethesda’s new online store.