Fallout 4 is a title that is renowned for the breadth of its in-game experiences. Like most RPGs, many of the game's quests offer branching storylines and differing aspects of morality, which is contingent to the classic RPG experience.
While Fallout 4 allows players a wide range of the RPG experience, there are certain quests within the game that prohibit a lot of fan-favorite playthrough tropes. One quest in particular poses a huge problem to players attempting a "no bloodshed" or pacifist run of the game, which is an element that should be remedied in the upcoming Fallout 5.
Fallout 4's Human Error Quest
Fallout 4's Human Error quest concerns Covenant, one of the most popular settlements of the title. Upon discovering the town, it becomes apparent to the player that the area's inhabitants hold extreme prejudice against synths. Synths are one of the major factors of Fallout 4, being robots that are at times indistinguishable from actual humans.
The Human Error quest becomes available after the player infiltrates Covenant. The quest leads players to a nearby compound ran by Covenant residents, where a missing girl named Amelia Stockton can be found. It becomes apparent that Amelia is being held in the compound against her will, with prominent Covenant figures believing her to be a synth.
The quest then leaves players with a choice, either siding with the Covenant and allowing the girl to die, or setting her free to be hunted down by the townsfolk. With Covenant being quite a prominent settlement in Fallout 4, players are left with quite a difficult moral conundrum, not even being sure if Amelia is in fact a synth. While the quest is memorable, the implications of its multiple endings completely eliminate no bloodshed runs of Fallout 4.
No Bloodshed Runs in Fallout 5
It may seem odd that some players choose to engage in pacifist runs of what are otherwise quite violent games. However, the beauty of RPG titles usually lies in the freedom of choice afforded to the player, who can tackle the game how they see fit. RPGs such as the Fallout series are prided on their replayability, with new playthroughs allowing for new factions and gameplay styles to be explored.
Some players may choose to engage in pacifist runs on subsequent playthroughs, attempting to not directly kill a single person throughout. Many Fallout 4 players have attempted this, although they are stifled by quests such as Human Error. The branching endings for the quest all essentially result in death, posing a serious problem to the validity behind pacifist runs. The eventual Fallout 5 would do well to identify this style of play and keep it in mind throughout its quests.
Of course, quests in Fallout 5 should still have a tangible sense of risk and reward, yet there should always be a way for players to mediate situations without bloodshed. Be it through diplomacy or cunning, a wider range of ways to tackle quests would be an overall improvement for everyone hoping for more variety in Fallout 5. While it may seem like a small gameplay factor, the Fallout games are contingent upon their level of replayability. With players often engaging in dozens of playthroughs years after release, Fallout 5 should learn from its predecessor by catering to the most popular RPG playstyles, especially pacifist runs of the game.
Fallout 4 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports coming in 2023.