Hello again!

I'm Daria, a stay-at-home mom, and I've got to say, Fallout's got me hooked for the long haul.

I've been playing the series since the first Fallout, then came the second and third, but I never got to New Vegas. I'll admit it, I got my hands on Fallout 4 a bit unfairly – I downloaded it for free from a torrent site.

The graphics are pretty similar to Fallout 3, but they've improved. The Wastelands are looking brighter, and when the sun's out, you get this feeling that the Settlements are preparing us for a life like that. If it's foggy, you can barely see anything, and if it's raining, you can see the raindrops on your helmet's visor.

A sunny dayIt's pretty cool, if you ask me.

People look more alive and energetic, their gestures and expressions have improved, some characters are more detailed than others, but the little wrinkles on their faces and the scruffy beards have all been done justice.

He's just a sweetheart!The creatures look amazing, they're beautiful and flexible.

BrahminA funny, but vicious little creatureMy three-year-old laptop is struggling to run the game on the lowest settings. On medium, it's already getting a bit choppy, especially indoors.

The sound is pretty great. The main theme is all moody and slightly triumphant, it's not too overwhelming or annoying, it's just right for this world.

But if you ever get bored, you can always switch to the radio – unfortunately, I miss the fun DJ, Tridognight.

The story

Now that we're in the 50s, I'm a grown-up with a kid of my own, and it's time to choose their sex and appearance – and let's be real, that can take a while.

The atmosphere and setting are a blast from the past, and it's a huge change from the safety of the Vault. In the previous part, I was on a mission to find a heroic dad, but now I'm on a quest to find my kid, all while helping those in need or getting involved in some shady dealings.

There aren't a ton of side quests, but the ones I've encountered have been pretty interesting.

Dialogues are basically non-existent, and to be honest, they're getting worse with each new Fallout installment – especially compared to Fallout 2. They're also super clunky and sparse, and sometimes it's hard to tell what'll happen if you choose one option over another (but thankfully, I've got my trusty Save and Load buddies to help me out).

This is what a decent dialogue looks like This is what a more fleshed-out dialogue looks like.

Factions – I've got four main ones to choose from, and after completing the main storyline, I'll have to decide which one I want to align with.

Minutemen – they're all about helping people survive in the Commonwealth, and they're just regular guys in jeans and hats who get the job done without making a big fuss. I think they're the most down-to-earth faction.Brotherhood of Steel – they're aggressive and tech-obsessed, and they're all about imposing their will on others. I've got a major beef with them, and it's not just because of their fascist ideology – some of their members seem to be questioning their party line, but for the most part, they're just a bunch of zealots.Institute – they're the self-proclaimed saviors of humanity, and they're all about being superior and looking down on everyone else. They've got some advanced tech, but they're also super condescending and think they're better than everyone else. They're not too bad, but they're definitely not the most likable faction. Railroad – they're a bunch of revolutionaries and conspiracy theorists who've been through a lot, but they're not giving up. They're a bit too idealistic for my taste, but they're not the worst.There aren't any secondary factions, which is a bummer – I miss the diversity of the original Fallout's factions.

Creatures – there are all sorts of them, especially the various types of swampfolk, from the tiny, harmless ones to the massive, tank-destroying matriarchs.

Those pesky cockroaches, rat scorpions, and feral gulls in all their cranky forms. 3 types of insects: drone, stink beetles, and gnats, are a real pain, especially at the lower levels. You'll often come across packs of feral Dobermans and the Super Mutant's buddies, mutant bloodhounds, and let me tell you, those encounters aren't exactly pleasant. On the plus side, I've got to mention Radroaches and Bloatflies.

And then there are the nice folks who've got adorable cats living with them. They'll wander around, meowing, and it's just the sweetest thing.

In the radiation-soaked areas, you'll run into Deathclaws and Radscorpions.

Out by the sea, you'll see murderous seagulls flying around, and on the trees, crows making themselves at home. Occasionally, you'll find the carcasses of mutated dolphins (I'm pretty sure they're intelligent, but shh, don't tell anyone)

And let's not forget the robots - there are more of them now, and one Shuriken Turret in particular is a real treat.

Weapons aren't exactly plentiful, but you can modify them to your heart's content. A simple pistol can be turned into something that barely resembles its original form. No more constant repairs, and ammo doesn't weigh you down, so go ahead and stock up.

It's divided into categories:

Ballistic: your run-of-the-mill pistols, rifles, and shotguns.Energy: lasers, plasma, and the Gauss Rifle.Radiation: gamma guns.Heavy: miniguns, Gatling guns, the Super Sledge, and rocket launchers.Hand-to-hand: knives, forks, clubs, and boards - the variety is staggering.Explosives: grenades and mines, which you can craft yourself with a bit of practice.The Power Fist for the Knights of the Order of the Plasma Sword.Armor isn't exactly plentiful either, but with the help of those crazy glue guns, you can slap it together on a workbench. But, let's be real, the mods are few and far between compared to the weapons.

Power Armor is available right from the start, which kinda takes the shine off it. It doesn't require any special skills, but it does guzzle batteries, so that's a bit of a bummer. There are different types of Power Armor, and after a heated battle, you'll often need to repair it at a maintenance station.

Power ArmorFood - now you can buy food, but you can also cook it yourself on a stove or over a campfire. It's a great help, especially at the start, with a wide variety of dishes to choose from. Some of them are real powerhouses, with extra perks, but you'll need to scrounge up the ingredients. For example, Deathclaws aren't exactly willing to part with their sausages and eggs.

One of the things that really surprised me was how quickly the landscape started to change. Before I knew it, there were all these little plants popping up everywhere. Some of them were wild, while others were domesticated, and it was amazing to see the little flowers and wild mushrooms starting to grow. It was like a whole new world was opening up.

PlantsChemicals are a necessary evil, I guess. Now you can brew them in the lab, and the selection is pretty impressive. Some of them have some pretty wild effects, but be warned: they can be addictive pretty quickly.

Magazines and collectibles. I was sad to see that the collectibles are no longer available, but the magazines are still plentiful. There are so many to choose from, and they're all chock-full of useful info.

The game is really starting to focus on the social aspects, and it's drawing in a lot of players

Companions are a big part of the game. You've got all sorts of different characters to choose from, including some pretty interesting ones like the ghouls, super mutants, and robots. And of course, there's the dog. My companion is a robot with a French accent, and it's hilarious.

Companions can give you their own quests if you develop a relationship with them and do things they like. There are also some pretty interesting characters, like the ones who are a bit of a handful. And when your companion reaches the maximum level of friendship, they give you some pretty cool perks. You can even romance some of them.

Building is one of the most fun things to do in the game. Compared to Fallout 3, where you could just buy a house and some furniture, or Skyrim, where you could build a house and decorate it, this game takes it to a whole new level. You can build an entire city, complete with buildings, roads, and even inhabitants.

There are so many different options for buildings, from pre-made designs to building from scratch. Unfortunately, you can't build a castle, since the main building materials are wood and steel.

Interior design is also super customizable. There are all sorts of different furniture, lighting, and decorations to choose from, so you can make each building unique.

You can build shops, establish trade routes, build defenses, decorate, and even improve the quality of life for your settlers

But it all requires a ton of construction resources, which are sourced from Scrap. That's when I felt like a scavenger, constantly collecting it while listening to my companions' snarky comments.

I spent most of my time in the game building, and it was ridiculously addictive – I highly recommend trying it out for yourself, especially with the 4 Fall Domestics. You can describe it all day, but trust me, it's one of those things you need to see for yourself.

The world map is massive, and I'm not sure how accurate it is compared to real-life Boston and its surroundings, since I've never been there. But I'm guessing it's pretty spot on.

That's the ConstitutionThere are tons of locations to explore, each with its own unique charm and secrets. The terrain is varied, too – you've got forests, mountains, swamps, abandoned streets, massive ships, crashed planes, and even some creepy alien stuff. And let's not forget the abandoned military bases – you'll need a lot of time to see everything.

The Glowing SeaThe InstituteI ran out for some breadNighttime viewsI couldn't resistFrom the helicopter's-eye viewCharacter progression is super open-ended, and it's similar to Fallout Shelter, but with some key differences. Now you can see all your perks, which makes it way easier to figure out what you need to do to get the skills you want. That being said, I do miss the sense of anticipation from Fallout 2, when you'd be waiting for a perk and not knowing if you'd get it or not.

Considering the number of perks, most of which have 3-4 stars, your character's level is basically unlimited.

I'm blown away by the sheer number of amazing experiences I've had with this product - it's hard to put into words just how thrilled I am. To say I'm head over heels is an understatement!

I'm 100% recommending Fallout 4 because there's something for everyone.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this review informative and entertaining!