I distinctly remember trying to create a wise-cracking, fast-talking character in Fallout: New Vegas that could talk his way out of anything, before I ultimately got bored and started whacking people with chainsaws and throwing frag grenades at them.
Fallout 4’s improved combat will probably also tempt me towards acts of horrifying brutality, but at least this time Bethesda says they’re giving less homicidal players a chance to avoid conflict.
“You can avoid (killing) a lot,” game director Todd Howard told The Guardian. “I can’t tell you that you can play the whole game without violence – that’s not necessarily a goal of ours – but we want to support different play styles as much as we can.”
Funnily enough, Howard also spent quite a lot of the interview talking up the improved gun-feel if you DO decide to blast absolutely everything in sight. He mentions the need to make the game feel “as good in your hands as the best first-person shooters”, while still layering those RPG and narrative elements on top. It’s clear that Bethesda’s not intending players to try pacifist runs or anything, but it’s cool that you can approach certain situations in slightly more peaceful way.
Fallout 4 will be released this November 10 this year, at which point we’ll have to decide between disintegrating people with lasers or sitting down for some tea and biscuits. I feel like I know which option most players will choose.