The launch ofFallout 76was notoriously rough, and theopen-worldmultiplayer game is still not quite where most fans wish it was. However, the recentWastelandersexpansion is a step in the right direction. While certain aspects of the experience continue to bother players, such as thetechnical issues, the atom shop, and thesubscription service, the new content makes exploring Appalachia immensely more enjoyable.
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Is it enough for everybody, though? Read on below to see if the ten major changes are enticing enough to warrant a return to Appalachia. Ultimately, the additions bring the online multiplayer closer to feeling like a traditionalBethesdaFallouttitle.
10Finally Adds NPCs
Easily the biggest and most notable change is the addition of NPCs to the world. Before, the massive map felt incredibly empty, only populated by feral ghouls and the occasional robot. Now, real human beings inhabit previously vacant locations, breathing new life into the environment. Players can speak to them, take quests, and engage in different dialogue options. As welcome an addition as this is, one wonders why they were not included from the start.
9New Enemies
Human NPCs means human enemies make a return too. Raiders are not the only new baddies threatening the players, however. Various mutated monsters have come to make journeying through the woods a little more dangerous.
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Most notable are the new floaters hanging around. As the name implies, they levitate. It may seem supernatural, but there’s no telling what kind of wild mutations can occur within creatures after a nuclear apocalypse.
8Gold Bullion
A new type of currency has been added onto the endgame to spice things up. After completing the new main quest, players start to accumulate gold, which can be used to purchase rare items, plans, and recipes. Players can only hold so much at one time, and the amount earned in a single day is also limited. Multiplayer games live and die by their endgames, so more to do is a plus for fans of the genre.
7New Weapons
It would not be fair to bring new enemies into Appalachia without giving the player more options for their arsenal. Normal weapons like pistols and shotguns make their way into the world, and a new type of non-lethal grenade even instantly regrows harvested crops when thrown. The most notable addition, however, is the bow, which gives stealthy players a new toy to play around with.Stealthwas always more difficult inFalloutthan inElder Scrolls, but this weapon makes it a more appealing option.
6Changes To The Main Quest
The new story withinWastelandersdoes not usurp the original plot. It runs parallel, and players can tackle either at their leisure. Fortunately, the update spices up the infamously flat main quests with some NPCs. Previously, players completed these quests mainly by picking up notes and audio logs. Now, humans will direct players in the right direction. It’s not much, and could definitely be fleshed out even more, but it is a start.
5Allies
Some of the NPCs can even become the player’s ally, though they are not allies in the traditionalFalloutsense. While they won’t follow the player around the world, they will hang out and defend the CAMP. They also give out quests and offer romance opportunities. It is understandable for them not to go out into the wilderness with the player, considering the game’s multiplayer nature.
4Factions
Of the several major factions in the game, two play a major part in the update — the Settlers and the Raiders. Players side with one or the other, with actions and quests affecting their reputation with their chosen faction.
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Raiders start out hostile, while Settlers are simply uneasy with the player before they gain their trust. While some parts of the story heavily increase or decrease one’s reputation with a faction, they can always balance the numbers with other quests and activities.
3New Locations
Wastelandersdoes not just make the existing world more interesting; it adds new areas as well. Once empty places are now camps or small settlements, and more indoor areas have been included. This goes a long way for players who already saw almost everything there is to see in Appalachia. It doesn’t just spice up the world they already know;Fallout 76is the biggest map inFalloutyet, and making it more lively is a welcome addition.
2Additional Side Quests
NPCs don’t only give out main quests; various other new inhabitants also give newside queststo the player. Even though both NPCs and audio logs are still just files within the game, the illusion of a human being giving the quest immediately makes it more appealing. For those who don’t enjoy side quests, the main story missions still take up a solid chunk of time.
1Minimum Level Requirements
The first part of the new quest line is accessible to everybody. The second and beefier section, however, is locked behind level 20. The few quests given out by the Duchess at the Wayward will not be enough for new players to reach the appropriate level, forcing them to engage in the game’s other activities. Getting there is no insurmountable task, and those who played the main quest before should most likely be past level 20 already.
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