Fallout 5 May Be Just as Much of an Opportunity to Strike New Blood as FO4

Fallout 4 introduced a wide variety of new gameplay mechanics. Some of these mechanics were not only new to the Fallout series, but to Bethesda games in general, and included a voiced protagonist, a new crafting system, and the ability to create settlements. Despite the mixed reception some of these new mechanics received, the innovation of Fallout 4 could be considered a good thing for the series, and these mechanics have gone on to become industry staples in recent years.

Fallout 5‘s release is likely still years away, and will likely see a release in a very different video gaming culture and landscape. To be successful, Fallout 5 needs to take the same kind of risks and innovations that Fallout 4 took, such as improving Fallout 4‘s dialogue system, and including entirely new gameplay systems, so that it can become an industry leader.

Fallout 4’s Innovations Had Some Wins and Losses

Because of the amount of time that will have passed between the release of Fallout 4 and the eventual Fallout 5 release, with it likely that a Fallout 5 release is still many years away, it’s possible that Fallout 5 may see the same innovation of new gameplay mechanics that Fallout 4 included.

Fallout 4‘s dialogue system included a voiced protagonist and limited options that the player could choose. In having a voiced protagonist, Fallout 4 sacrificed more nuanced and in-depth dialogue options for the player. In Skyrim, the Dragonborn is a silent protagonist and the dialogue options are still fairly limited compared to other RPGs, but the dialogue options are still more varied and detailed than the options presented in Fallout 4. This system received a mixed reception and was removed in favor of a silent protagonist in Starfield.

However, a new gameplay mechanic that was better received was the ability to build new settlements in Fallout 4. The customization options, variety of places, and benefits of creating settlements brought an entirely new way to play in Fallout 4, and was one of the most innovative mechanics introduced in Fallout 4.

How Fallout 5 Can Improve on Fallout 4 to Bring New Innovations

As Fallout 5 is likely still years away, it will probably launch in the midst of a very different game market and culture to the one in which Fallout 4 was released. With a different gaming landscape, Fallout 5 will need to include new features if the series wants to remain as relevant and groundbreaking, with features that are both new to the Fallout series, and new and innovative to the gaming landscape in the future. Some of those innovations may not be well-received, as was the case with Fallout 4‘s voiced protagonist, but taking risks is what will drive the series forward.

The return of a voiced protagonist, but with more robust dialogue options and better choices, would be a good place to start, especially as Bethesda removed the voiced protagonist for Starfield. With better resources and technology allocated to Fallout 5, it could feasibly achieve a dialogue system that Fallout 4 was meant to have, rather than reaching and not quite achieving it. Gameplay mechanics, such as settlement building and crafting, are mechanics that encourage creativity among players and are often popular, so new mechanics that encourage creativity in players would be a great addition to Fallout 5.