Hello Friend, Should You Play Fallout 4 or Fallout 76 First?
As someone who has journeyed through the post-nuclear worlds of Fallout for over a decade, I‘m thrilled to welcome you to the fan community! Starting your own Fallout adventure is exciting, but can also be a bit overwhelming given the many entries in this acclaimed open world RPG franchise. As your guide, I‘d recommend playing Fallout 4 before Fallout 76, and here is some insight into why.
My Background as a Fallout Expert
I‘ve been engrossed in the Fallout series since the 2008 release of Fallout 3. Since then, I‘ve played through New Vegas, Fallout 4, and spent over 500 hours wandering the West Virginia wasteland in Fallout 76. I also run one of the biggest Fallout fan sites offering news, guides and lore.
So over the past 15 years, I‘ve cultivated a deep knowledge of the Fallout franchise that I‘m excited to share with new recruits. Consider me your friendly Pip-Boy companion as you pick your first destination in the nuclear wastes!
Why Fallout 4 is the Ideal Starting Point
Looking at review scores and sales figures, Fallout 4 stands as one of the most acclaimed and successful entries in the long-running series:
| Game | Metacritic Score | Copies Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Fallout 4 | 87 | 13.5 million |
| Fallout 76 | 52 | Estimated 2.5 million |
The mainstream appeal of Fallout 4 comes from excelling at all the elements that make Fallout such an immersive franchise. The world design is incredible – I still get distracted just admiring the retro-futuristic aesthetics while exploring. The combat allows you to approach encounters guns blazing or stealthily hack enemies with gadgets. And there are so many big choices to make on factions like the railroad, Brotherhood of Steel and Institute that genuinely alter the outcome.
Most importantly, the clever writing and compelling quests motivate you to keep searching every location. I‘ll never forget funny ghouls in a space museum, investigating a detective agency, or debating synth sentience with the Institute. The main mystery of finding your son drives the main plot, but the side adventures create an unforgettable journey.
Between the crafting systems, romances, flexible character builds and moral choices, Fallout 4 empowers you to forge a unique path in the wasteland. I can‘t recommend it enough as the perfect entry point to learn what makes Fallout special before trying the more experimental Fallout 76.
How Fallout 76 Differs as an Online Multiplayer Game
Moving from Fallout 4 to Fallout 76 requires adjusting expectations. As an online multiplayer game, Fallout 76 focuses more on open-ended exploration with friends rather than narrative depth. Teaming up is great fun, but turns activities like base building into a cooperative effort. And while quests send you to intriguing locations like the Mothman Museum, the stories just aren‘t as memorable without human NPCs to interact with.
The expanded map certainly provides breathtaking new environments to discover like the Cranberry Bog. As you journey through Appalachia, you‘ll stumble upon cool scenes environmental storytelling via terminals and holotapes that tell the fate of vault dwellers. While I missed conversing with characters, uncovering these stories still drove me to thoroughly comb the world.
Making the most out of Fallout 76 means joining public groups or playing with pals privately. Visiting someone‘s camp and completing events as a team makes the world feel alive. Higher difficulty missions like the Scorched Earth raid require cooperation to take down massive monsters! Trading loot and emotes after big fights forges a spirit of camaraderie.
Just be ready to tweak weapons and stats more to cater builds to your playstyle. I‘d be happy to provide suggestions for effective character builds that maximize your capabilities as you rank up. Learning crafting early helps a lot since you can‘t rely on NPC vendors. And stay patient with bugs and server issues – look to the vibrant player community for help.
Remembering Fallout‘s Roots
Before diving into the 3D Fallout entries starting with Fallout 3, I recommend looking back at the 1990s origins of this acclaimed RPG franchise. Fallout and Fallout 2 pioneered the hallmarks of moral choice and black comedy mixed into a nuclear wasteland. The blend of tactical combat, open exploration and graphical violence was groundbreaking.
These early Fallout games first introduced the Brotherhood of Steel and other factions who later reappear in Fallout 3, 4 and 76. Understanding this backstory helps appreciate callbacks to characters like Elder Maxson and Roger Maxson. Seeing how concepts evolved over decades is fascinating for longtime fans.
No matter where you start, the most important thing is having fun! My journey through the wasteland has been immensely rewarding and shaped who I am. I‘m excited to guide you through these imaginative worlds that reaction the extremes of human nature against the backdrop of atomic armageddon. Stay strong out there in the wastes, and remember – war never changes.
Let me know if you have any other questions picking your first Fallout destination. I‘m always happy to share tips on character builds, recommended quests, lore breakdowns or anything that ensures your adventures are amazing. Now get out there and make the wasteland your own!