Fallout 4 Gamescom Previews

Reports from Gamescom seem to confirm that the demo of Fallout 4 Bethesda is currently showing in Germany is very similar to the one shown during QuakeCon, if not the same, so it doesn’t sound like we’re going to get much in the way of new information. What we’re getting, however, are more takes on the quality of Fallout 4’s combat and moment to moment gameplay. Keep in mind, however, that no one was able to actually play the game.

One take that generated much controversy comes from VG247‘s Matt Martin, who thought the game looks like a recycled Fallout 3, with no wow-worthy additions:

But Bethesda’s whole presentation felt a little flat at Gamescom today. We were ushered into a dark room with no real ceremony and watched all of this from a pre-recorded video with a 4-5 minute voice over from Todd Howard. After fifteen minutes it was over and we were ushered out with no chance for follow up questions or anything other than a polite (hope you enjoyed it, thanks for coming). If the people making and publishing this seem like they’re just going through the motions, how can they expect us to get excited? I’m not a fan of the over-the-top marketing presentation, but a little fizz would have gone a long way.

Like the most of you I want Fallout 4 to replicate the the good times of Fallout 3 (and to some extent New Vegas), but with the step-up to a new generation of hardware I’m expecting more. (More) could be a set-piece, or an engine upgrade, or jaw-dropping scenery, or new perks and weapons that will make me bark with sadistic pleasure.

Most of the press, however, seems enthusiastic about the presentation. Even when similarities with Fallout 3 are noted, the upgraded shooting and aesthetic presentation seems to have dedicated journalists excited: