Fallout 4 VR Review

Most VR games still consist of short experiences rather than full length titles that players can dip in and out of. Even recent releases such as DOOM VFR or L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files provide players with a condensed experience, rather than completely recreating the original game in virtual reality. Fallout 4 VR is one of the first ‘proper’ games to launch on the HTC Vive, and by ‘proper’ I mean that it’s an identical experience to what you’d expect on a PC/console.

Fallout 4 VR gives players the option to play using Direct Movement, which utilises the left touchpad to move, similarly to using WASD on a keyboard or the analog sticks on a controller. Like many other VR games, Fallout 4 VR also integrates teleportation as an alternative means of getting around. Having the choice between these two modes is much appreciated, particularly if you happen to suffer with motion sickness. I’m quite sensitive with regards to motion but I’m happy to report that I didn’t feel sick once while playing Fallout 4 VR. Direct Movement doesn’t feel too fast or jarring and small movements like turning my head or stepping forward feel natural when playing the game.

The problems that many players have with using a HTC Vive usually boils down to the play space required for the standing experience. Thankfully, Fallout 4 VR can be played in a relatively small area due to its versatile controls. Standing is still preferable over the seated experience in this game, unless you don’t mind feeling a bit short. However, you can streamline the controls to avoid having to move around too much. The touchpads take care of the camera, movement and menu navigation, and you can activate the Pip-Boy without lifting your arm if you’re feeling lazy.

As with most open world Bethesda games, PC players should be prepared to edit some config files because there are a number of issues that need to be addressed, here. There are no video settings to tinker with when you are playing Fallout 4 VR, so you have to adjust everything outside of the game. After applying the Beta patch that fixes the game’s resolution, Fallout 4 VR is the first VR game I’ve played where I’ve had to deal with a frame rate that averages under 90. Performance is by far the most disappointing aspect of this game, but even this can be dealt with by simply copy and pasting lines into the settings.ini file. Yes, this is a lot of work considering Fallout 4 VR is priced at £40. That said, it’s definitely worth the effort and once you have made the necessary adjustments, it makes a huge difference.

There’s been a lot of concern surrounding whether Bethesda would support mods in Fallout 4 VR. While it hasn’t been given direct support with the Creation Club, the developers have not blocked players from making any changes to the game. As a result, there have been a number of mods have already been released by the community, including the Nuka World and Far Harbour DLCs along with several fixes.