Summary

• Fallout 76 still has bugs, but they are now mostly manageable, and even amusing.
• The game has become more balanced since its release, but microtransactions remain a constant issue.
• Fallout 76 has had multiple free expansions, adding new content to keep players busy, although it may not fully satisfy fans of the classic Fallout formula.

Fallout 76 has always had its flaws, but it may finally be worth a shot. It's the sixth (not the 76th) mainline game in the series, and the earliest set in overall franchise continuity. It's raised eyebrows since it was first announced. Many wondered how Bethesda's usual open-world RPG formula, which relies on near-total player freedom and unlimited resource gathering, would translate to an MMO format. Others were concerned about how the game's stated lack of human NPCs would impact its approach to storytelling.

But, for better or worse, Fallout 76 was released in April 2020 to near-universal critical panning. It was chock-full of bugs, lacked any sense of balance, and seemed to subsist on microtransactions. It was disappointing, to say the least - especially so after the pretty impressive three-game run of Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Fallout 4. But by now, Fallout 76 has had almost four years of updates, patches, and new content expansions. But has it finally reached a point where it's worth the price of ission?

Fallout 76 Is Still Buggy

Would it really be a Bethesda game without bugs? Even in 2024, Fallout 76 still has more than its share of glitches - but the situation now is much better than it was at launch. At this point, most of its bugs are merely visual, and only temporary. Players might see their characters floating, camp objects clipping into the ground, or NPCs' facial expressions not syncing up to their dialogue. Again, these are pretty harmless overall, and can actually be amusing if players don't take the game too seriously.

Compared to the kind of issues Fallout 76 had at launch, these little bugs are nothing. These were game-breaking problems: quests would be unfinishable, players would get stuck in Power Armor, and the game would crash on fast traveling. One early bug even locked Xbox players out of the game entirely, causing Bethesda to release the Steel Dawn expansion early by way of apology. The worst offender was a bug that caused some items to randomly disappear from players' inventories. Bethesda 's official policy was never to replace these lost materials, so anyone who lost a rare crafting component that took them hours to find would be out of luck.

Fallout 76 Is More Balanced Now

But Still Has Microtransactions

Fallout 76 had problems with fairness and balance when it was first released. These are mostly resolved now, but microtransactions are an ever-present issue. The most infamous complaint revolved around the unrealistic in-game weight of bobby pins, a necessary component in lockpicking. Each bobby pin weighed 0.1 pounds at launch, about the weight of a golf ball in real life. This might seem like a fairly innocent oversight, but Fallout 76 has limited space for junk storage unless players pay a fee.

Item weights have been corrected across the board, which makes picking up loot far more realistic. However, Fallout 76 still has microtransactions. These aren't as simple as pay-to-win, but the game's battle , Fallout First, does give paying s some significant advantages. Besides the aforementioned unlimited junk stash, there's the ability to create private worlds with custom rule sets, a fully stocked movable base, and a monthly allowance of the in-game currency, Atoms. All these are nice to have, but Fallout First is completely optional, and the game is perfectly playable without them.

As with any MMO, there's always the possibility that a low-level player wandering the borders of a late-game area will be decimated by an overpowered veteran. However, Fallout 76 does have a feature to mitigate this. Pacifist Mode can be switched on and off at will in the pause menu. It's on by default, but can be switched off once a player character reaches level five. This greatly reduces incoming and outgoing damage from player to player, and marks the aggressor as a hostile target on the map. It's a nice alternative to always-on PvP, and can be used to smooth the early game experience for a fresh-faced player.

Fallout 76 Has Multiple Free Expansions

Since its release, Fallout 76 has had seventeen major updates and thirteen content seasons. All of these are absolutely free, and come pre-installed with purchase of the base game; the paid DLCs available for it are entirely cosmetic, and won't add much to the overall experience. All the good stuff - new main quests, side quests, and story content - is included in these free expansion packs. Most recently, there was the Atlantic City: Boardwalk Paradise expansion, whose second part, American Playground, is planned to follow in March 2024. This is a casino-themed update including a new main story quest and multiple side activities.

Each expansion adds a little bit to Fallout 76's world, making up for the lack of personality created by its relatively sparse population of human NPCs. Some Fallout 76 expansions, like Steel Reign, have been praised for their storytelling, even if they don't quite reach the level of Fallout: New Vegas. But either way, it's a lot of content, and certainly enough to keep new players busy for a while.

Fallout 76 Scratches The Fallout Itch

Fans of the classic Fallout 3/4/New Vegas formula will find something very similar in Fallout 76. Its core gameplay loop is almost identical: pick up a bunch of side quests, explore crumbling buildings, and come back with a ton of loot. The only major difference, however, is Fallout 76's systems of crafting and base building. They're actually pretty interesting: it's nice to have a portable base of operations in a Fallout game, and some of the things that can be built at camp are genuinely impressive.

But since it's an MMO, Fallout 76 has a lot of filler. Procedurally generated side quests can get boring quickly, and since most of the loot is just crafting fodder, there's less excitement in scavenging.

Fallout 76 Is Worth Playing In 2024 - With A Few Caveats

So, is Fallout 76 worth the trouble in 2024? Those looking for an experience perfectly on par with Fallout 3, 4, or New Vegas will probably still be disappointed. However, Fallout 76 can still be a pretty fun time. It’s definitely elevated by playing with friends: being able to coordinate on strategies, balance builds, and compare glitches can detract from the monotony of the often-repetitive side quests.

These days, Fallout 76 costs a maximum of $39.99 USD, but often goes on sale - sometimes for less than $10. With its many issues, however, there’s always a risk of losing patience, and failing to get the money’s full worth out of it. So, while Fallout 76 is still far from perfect, it’s worth buying on sale and playing with a few friends.