The Revolutionary Case for Fallout 5: A Bold Departure from VATS

Highlights

Retiring VATS, the beloved combat mechanic in the Fallout series, is essential in Fallout 5 to embrace modern game design trends and ensure that combat remains in line with other contemporary RPGs.

The inclusion of VATS in earlier Fallout games aimed to aid players in the shift from turn-based combat to a more immersive first-person experience. However, VATS now feels outdated and unnecessary given the current state of the gaming industry. Bethesda's latest release, Starfield, lacking VATS, implies that players have grown accustomed to action-oriented combat in contemporary RPGs. Consequently, VATS is deemed an unnecessary feature for the future of the Fallout series.

With the evolution of the Fallout series from its original isometric, turn-based RPGs to the modern Bethesda-developed FPS RPGs, various changes have been made. While some of these modifications have improved gameplay and accessibility for new players, others have become outdated as the first-person RPG genre has evolved. As a result, it is necessary to remove the classic VATS mechanic from Fallout 5 to align the series with other contemporary titles in the genre.

Although Fallout 5 may still be in the distant future, given Bethesda's recent release of Starfield and their focus on The Elder Scrolls 6, fans of the Fallout series undoubtedly have the game and the future of the franchise on their minds. The Fallout series encompasses essential plot elements and gameplay mechanics that players anticipate, and it is likely that Fallout 5 will continue these traditions. However, despite its significance to the series, the VATS mechanic stands out as the feature that should be retired when Fallout 5 is launched.

The Fallout Series is Ready to Move On from VATS

As a mechanic, VATS allows players to slow down or pause time during combat and target specific areas of the enemy before automatically executing an attack. This system caters to players who may struggle with real-time combat and helps them tackle the more challenging enemies in the Fallout series. However, the introduction of online multiplayer elements in games like Fallout 76 has highlighted the limitations of VATS in keeping up with modern game design.

VATS seems to be a relic from Fallout's roots as an isometric, turn-based RPG, where players had ample time to strategize their actions and consider their available action points each turn. When Bethesda took over the Fallout series and developed Fallout 3, the game transitioned into a first-person shooter with RPG elements. To ease players into this new genre, VATS was implemented to simulate the turn-based combat of previous entries while allowing players to get used to the new action-based combat mechanics.

The mechanic was present in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. However, it had to be adapted for Fallout 76 due to it being an online multiplayer game. With the release of Starfield, it is evident that the game heavily draws inspiration from the Fallout series, particularly in terms of combat as both are FPS RPGs. Unlike Fallout, Starfield does not feature a VATS system, which provides players with an alternative to the game's action-based combat. This shows that most players are comfortable with the modern approach to combat in RPGs, suggesting that VATS may no longer be necessary in future Fallout games.

Although VATS may have been a helpful feature when it was introduced in Fallout 3, the prevalence of action-RPGs and FPS RPGs in the current gaming landscape has made the mechanic seem outdated. Starfield demonstrates that a Bethesda FPS RPG can have accessible and enjoyable combat without a slowed combat mechanic. Given this, the Fallout series no longer requires VATS, and while some players may feel nostalgic for it, Fallout 5 would be better off without it.