Bethesda Game Studios' role playing games almost always have a few things in common. They feature massive worlds to get lost in and are usually filled wit

Big; beautiful world to explore; Deep crafting system; Replay value; so much to do and see

Frame rate issues; Horrible AI companions and enemies

It is out of this world game .

The bombs have dropped and Fallout 4 is climbing out of the rubble, explore a devastated Boston landscape in the year 2287 over two centuries after the world was taken to the edge by nuclear war.

New settlement building and item crafting – Massively improved gunplay

Dumb down of role playing – Less quests than previous titles

Introduction I acquired Fallout 4 as a present from my partner over Christmas, and despite the internet satirically warning her that I'll recoil into my man cave in order to feast on this virtual world for hundreds of hours, she seemed very happy to know I adore this game.

What it has kept from previous games has been made better

Lacking some innovative features from previous games that we miss

But who gives a crap about ‘beautiful’ when the game beneath the facade is so damned good? Fallout 4 sets its sights high and brings home the bacon. It’s not just the sheer scale and quality that makes this a must-have RPG. The complex systems Bethesda has created all overlap in a mesmerising fashion, creating an experience that is both huge and beautifully tailored at the same time. The lessons the company has learned from two decades of game making are all brought to bear in a tour de force of role playing wonder. You’d have to have an irradiated brain to not make this your Christmas pick. There’s never been a better time to pop on your Pip-boy and go out in search of adventure.

A world so large it makes RL look small; RPG and FPS gameplay happily married; Questing of the highest quality;

Not the prettiest game you’ll encounter this Christmas; Radroaches aren’t the only bugs to worry about;

A world so large it makes RL look small; RPG and FPS gameplay happily married; Questing of the highest quality;

Not the prettiest game you’ll encounter this Christmas; Radroaches aren’t the only bugs to worry about;

It's a pretty solid dlc - the story is trying something similar as the main game but I appreciate that the ending is a bit more flexible at least. The darker atmosphere is nice too. However compared to the Automatron DLC I found it a lot easier and you won't miss that much if you don't buy it.

It's fair to say Fallout 4's DLC up until now has been a little on the lean side, and pretty disappointing to boot. Automatron brought a new storyline, companions and enemies, but lacked much in the way of impact on the game world.

Going back to the very start of Fallout 4 , Bethesda's follow-up to Fallout 3 and New Vegas took on a different aspect of surviving a nuclear holocaust, one that was more focused on an internal journey than just keeping ghouls and super mutants at bay.

A rich story with layered player choice; better than the main game; Themes that tackle contemporary issues are what great sci-fi should be; Memorable new characters; Adds shading to Fallout's best companion; Nick Valentine; Lots of side missions; even one that can be done once you leave Far Harbor

Lots of side missions; even one that can be done once you leave Far Harbor

Fallout 4 was a long time coming. We waited many years, endured teaser sites and rumours galore until the real deal was finally unveiled. Now, it's here. And it isn't quite what we expected it to be.

Action-packed tactical gameplay; A weirdly beautiful post-apocalyptic world; Classic Fallout tone and black humour; Deep base-building; character and crafting systems

Systems take time and effort to learn; Lengthy load times; Unconvincing facial animation