The in-game experiences offered by Fallout 4 are widely recognized for their extensive scope. As is typical of RPGs, the game's quests often present players with a range of moral choices and branching storylines, contributing to the classic RPG experience.
Despite Fallout 4's broad range of RPG elements, some of its quests restrict popular playthrough strategies. One specific quest poses a significant challenge to players attempting a pacifist or "no bloodshed" run, highlighting the need for improvement in future installments such as Fallout 5.
Fallout 4's Human Error Quest
Upon arriving at Covenant, players quickly discover the town's hostile attitude towards synths. As an integral part of Fallout 4, synths are robots designed to resemble humans, and the residents of Covenant hold extreme prejudice towards them. The Human Error quest becomes available once players infiltrate the town, and it leads them to a compound nearby where they can find a missing girl named Amelia Stockton. However, it's soon revealed that Amelia is being held against her will by Covenant figures who suspect her of being a synth.
Players are faced with a challenging decision in this particular quest - to either aid the Covenant and allow the young girl to meet her fate, or to release her and leave her at the mercy of the enraged townspeople. The moral ambiguity of the situation is compounded by the fact that Amelia's true identity as a synth is uncertain. The quest is certainly one of the more memorable ones in Fallout 4, but its various outcomes make it nearly impossible to complete the game without resorting to violence.
No Bloodshed Runs in Fallout 5
It may seem peculiar to some that certain players opt for pacifist runs in games that are typically violent. However, the allure of RPG titles often lies in the player's ability to make their own choices and tackle the game in their own unique way. Games like the Fallout series are celebrated for their replayability, as each new playthrough offers the opportunity to explore different factions and gameplay styles.
Players often choose to take on pacifist runs in subsequent playthroughs, trying to avoid killing anyone directly. However, in Fallout 4, this is hindered by quests like Human Error, where all branching endings result in death, questioning the feasibility of pacifist runs. Therefore, Fallout 5 should incorporate this playstyle in its quests and ensure that players have various options to handle situations without resorting to violence. While quests should still have a sense of risk and reward, allowing for diplomacy and cunning to solve them would enhance the game's overall diversity. The Fallout franchise's replay value is pivotal, and thus, Fallout 5 must cater to the most popular RPG playstyles, especially pacifist runs, to ensure its success.
Fallout 4 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports coming in 2023.
