Fallout 4 does environmental storytelling as good as any game I can recall. In fact, through my various runs, I'm always more focused on the side quests and exploring the neat locations within the world. Today, I wanted to share a few screenshots and tell the stories that go with them.
Mannequins are creepy
There are several spots in the game where players can find mannequins posed, and each is as creepy as the next. This screen was grabbed in Goodneighbor, and I was sure to knock them all over before I left. It's just weird, man.
Care for a game of pool?
One of my favorite things to do in Fallout 4 is keep my eyes peeled for pool balls. This is my home in Diamond City, and since the game allows you to craft a pool table I wanted to find all the balls, the rack, and two cues to go for the full experience. I love looting items in the world and then using them to build my own personal space that feels alive.
More mannequins
Another random room with mannequins, but the story I want to tell here is how the game uses them strategically. Raiders will often pose mannequins in shacks and common guard positions, trying to trick enemies into attacking the mannequin instead of the Raider themself. On more than one occasion I have shot what I thought was a person, only to watch a mannequin fall over. There's this second of dreaded anticipation before bullets come flying at you after you've been tricked into giving your position away.
Give me a kiss
This is just gross, but the game is filled with similar scenes. When players slow down in Fallout 4, there are little stories being told that are easily overlooked by the hurried gamer. Almost every location is filled with terminals and evidence that tell stories most people will walk right past. This is just messed up, though.
This one's on me
Behind Sanctuary is a lone shack where a Raider lives with their dog. They don't ever wander into Sanctuary and cause trouble. In fact, many players may never bump into this Raider and their companion. All evidence suggests they are just living their lives in peace. For a long time now I have made a point of walking out back and killing this pair. It's muscle memory for me. Thing is, it's entirely unprovoked, something I realized the last time I paid them a visit. Figured that since I was the bad guy that murdered a guy and his dog, I should at least let them rest together. Couldn't find the dog's head, though. Oh well, on to the next.
