Well this is one way to address the complaint its impossible to be evil in the base game, make a totally incongruous DLC that doesn't have a good or middling option worth discussing and doesn't remotely mesh with the rest of the world. Mods have done a better job of allowing you to become a raider, the unique radio station for example is only available in Nuka-World as a starkWell this is one way to address the complaint its impossible to be evil in the base game, make a totally incongruous DLC that doesn't have a good or middling option worth discussing and doesn't remotely mesh with the rest of the world. Mods have done a better job of allowing you to become a raider, the unique radio station for example is only available in Nuka-World as a stark representation of how far separated from the main game it actually is.
It starts off well enough, three raider factions at each others throats being held together badly by an overboss and tensions bubbling aplenty. I expected a dedicated faction system for each raider group, political and practical quests ie from handling negotiations and deciding who to support the most to out and out violence. I wanted to slowly get to know the groups as I earned their trust and they mine before the Act II drama kicked in. I had expected to be able to shape the park how I wanted it, to learn how to manipulate each raider faction by what it held dear (ie money, strength etc) and realise they too had been manipulating me in plot twists along the way. I wanted to be forced to choose, one faction would have to go once I was well established as the situation was too unstable ie rumours of a planned coup make their way up and a show of raider esque strength is required as I have no idea who was planning it I would have to pick a faction to make an example of however I so chose, force their submission by bringing the other two factions to their doorstep (making them permanently dislike me and lock off all but main quests), sneak in and kill their leader then either sneak out again and lean on whoever takes over or blast their leader out in the open as a show of strength and their faction disposition would define their reaction ie the Pack would accept me as 'alpha', I'd have to kill all the disciples due to their loyalty. I could even turn their area into a visual reminder, order the other two factions to crucify and otherwise grotesquely make examples of them - all in the day of a raider.
What I got was a ten minute introduction to the factions where they showed they had a single trait. They were literally parodies of good storytelling. "We like money" "We like strength" "We are slightly mad" (all things raiders obviously like because they are raiders) then the game demanded I plop down flags for factions I have no investment in. After quicksaving and taking the good option to deter my frustration (that option sucks, it makes the DLC like twenty minutes long and you can't even control the rest of the park afterwards for no apparent reason) I set about thinking well search and clear isn't a bad start, I suppose I would need to show them I'm actually capable before getting involved in the politics or the higher end goals and controlling the park would be a good first step as a goodwill gesture. Once I'd done that the game replied "Thanks now piss off, go talk to somebody if you want to change the aesthetics of commonwealth settlements. Bye". I felt cheated. It was like seeing half an inaccessible map on the Pitt DLC, or the Legion lands in FNV that were inaccessible making them a rubbish choice (as nearly every trader was in a NCR controlled settlement) except there are no signs they rushed it, rather it seems phoned in.
Worst of all though it still didn't make you feel evil. Not only did it not match up to your actions in the commonwealth where the worst you can be is a slightly condescending jackass, there is nothing inherently evil about what you do. You rock up, clear a bunch of enemies and leave. Even establishing the settlements isn't that evil, shooting innocents is bad for sure but it's simply not raider levels of evil. Compare to say fallout 3 where within six hours I had blown up a town for money, joined a group of slavers and sold them a bunch of people including a child who had just lost their parents, killed and burned all the caravans and said the worst things imaginable to every person in existence including telling a town besieged by super mutants they were all going to die and I didn't remotely care because I could loot their corpses afterwards. I then cut out the middle man by killing them and taking all their stuff. Fifteen minutes in I murdered a random woman in a house because she had a lot of bottle caps on her. FNV was equally varied, I was a murderous great khan drug runner who signed up with the legion and murdered and maimed NCR, their people and their settlements and displaced/butchered tribes in honest hearts because I could. Good and evil comes from excellent world building, shades of grey and no predisposition to a certain solution. Fallout 4 completely lost this element, it fails to build a world and let you tell your story - rather it tries to tell a story it wants and pretend to let you choose which comes off incredibly shallow.
It gets its solitary points for awesome armor, weapons and enemy/environmental design.… Expand