GSY Review PC PS4 Xbox One

After a bit less of a week playing Fallout 4 and a bit more than 24 hours in the game, we can now tell you what we truly think of one of the most anticipated titles of this year. It has plenty of flaws, but just as many qualities to compensate for them, which is what we've tried to summarize for you in our translated verdict and +/- section.
Note: We'll be livestreaming the game tonight at 9:30 GMT+2 if you're interested (PS4 version).

Verdict


The first hours in the world of Fallout are difficult - mainly because of the many technical issues encountered with both the XB1 and PS4 version - a mix between the pleasure of discovering all you can do and the annoyance of having to suffer through so much to be able to do it. I love you, me neither, this is a good summary of our first contact with Bethesda’s title, but it finally managed to convince us after a long adaptation phase to the terrible framerate and the slow pace of the beginning of the adventure. An adventure which can be quite gripping because of the main quest of the main character. No doubt too similar to Fallout 3 in terms of mechanics and the ways it is built - even though it adds a lot to the crafting especially -, this fourth title could without a doubt have been bolder after all these years of waiting, but it’s still the impressive time waster the fans of the license have been waiting for. Let’s hope a patch will be able to fix the numerous technical issues of both console versions, because it’s clear that the players not used to the previous Bethesda productions will be less forgiving than the others. A game that we recommend, provided you give it the appropriate time and effort.
  • On the plus side
  • Plenty of content
  • A devastated world to explore
  • Not much aliasing to complain about
  • More colorful than the previous titles
  • Sometimes very pretty
  • Oozes atmosphere
  • Amazing length
  • The original soundtrack
  • Good voice overs
  • You come to really appreciate it if you give it some time
  • Difficult, even in normal mode
  • The main story keeps us moving
  • Some secondary missions can be great
  • The Android/iOS app is pretty cool
  • On the down side
  • Often ugly (interiors especially)
  • The framerate really suffers on consoles
  • Animations from another generation
  • The faces are still way too rough
  • The map could be easier to read and navigate
  • Not enough different songs on Diamond City Radio
  • Potentially frustrating for some
  • A lack of pace that contrasts with the hero's main goal...
  • ... but at least goes very well with the endless loading times
  • Real time combat can be clunky
Executioner_UK
Executioner_UK
Commented on 2015-11-09 15:45:21
So both console versions run like cack.. still isnt going to bother me and ill still enjoy it but selling my ps4 at the end of November to fund starting a pc build is more appealing now than ever..
In reply to
pildor
pildor
Commented on 2015-11-09 15:59:42
Always enjoy your performance analysis videos. Much appreciated GS!

I do have a suggestion though. It would be nice if the torn screens bar was not this big.
In reply to
This message and account have been deleted at the user's request
KORNdog
KORNdog
Commented on 2015-11-09 16:13:12
Posted by droezelke
So either 30 or 20 fps. Are the freezes also ingame or is it the video?
Anyhow, the game will be ready next year
tbh it's the pauses that are worse. just seeing a gif of it annoys me, to have it do that all the time would drive me nuts.



buy the PC version
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2015-11-09 16:36:42
Posted by droezelke
So either 30 or 20 fps. Are the freezes also ingame or is it the video?
Anyhow, the game will be ready next year
Freezes (and everything you see in the videos) are ingame obviously.
In reply to
rezehnder
rezehnder
Commented on 2015-11-09 17:12:31
How big and dense does the game world feel to you - including Vaults / Buildings / Caves /... ?
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2015-11-09 17:17:40 In reply to rezehnder
The map itself isn't that big compared to other open world games. I might be wrong, but it seems similar to what I remember of Fallout 3. Some areas are just empty though, because for some reason they decided to put a lot of things in the middle of the map. That being said, there is a good number of places you can visit. As you can imagine, we haven't been able to see everything just yet. It is a time consuming game.
In reply to
unknownuser0001
unknownuser0001
Commented on 2015-11-09 18:27:52
The first video, now I know how Driftwood look like in real life haha :D
The performance issues are pretty sad, it should be solid 60 fps with that graphics :/
But the game itself is probably good
In reply to
Zat
Zat
Commented on 2015-11-09 19:11:31
Well...I´m a little bit confused from Fallout 4 right now.
In reply to
Tinks
Tinks
Commented on 2015-11-09 19:13:02
How about PC in comparison?
Does it have superior load times and fps
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2015-11-09 19:38:10 In reply to Tinks
Sadly, we were only sent the PS4 and Xbox One versions. Miguel may have some PC videos by tomorrow since he purchased it on PC.
In reply to
Sdarts
Sdarts
Commented on 2015-11-09 20:20:01 In reply to KORNdog
Posted by KORNdog
tbh it's the pauses that are worse. just seeing a gif of it annoys me, to have it do that all the time would drive me nuts.



buy the PC version
Yeah, Digital Foundry commented on it reaching 0 (zero) fps - segment and link below - a Xbox One new low, hence why the game completely freezes for 1 second. And this with the 1.01 patch installed, I have no idea what type of optimizations Bethesda did, but they should have lowered Xbox One's 1080p resolution to 900p, or made some sort of dynamic resolution, because the Xbox One version is clearly broken right now. Try to imagine playing for 400 hours, even 200 hours with this happening quite often. Completely broken version, but that doesn't seem to stop companies from releasing games nowadays. PC, or at the very least PS4, all the way!

Performance Analysis: Fallout 4 - Digital Foundry presents an initial look at PS4, Xbox One and PC versions.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2...

"But that's not the whole story. On top of this, Xbox One is unique in its suffering of a stuttering issue, halting the game experience for up to a second during play. It's a glaring hitch downward, and matching runs to the gates of Diamond City shows Xbox One dropping to a record 0fps (zero) while PS4 turns the same corner at 28fps. Each has their blips, but having tested two separate Xbox One and PS4 consoles, the results are always the same across the world at large; we get sizeable stutters on Microsoft's console that aren't present on PS4.

It may only be momentary, but it sticks out like a sore thumb in direct comparison. The cause is also often very self-evident; even with an installation size of 28GB, assets are struggling to stream from Xbox One's HDD on cue. We see noticeable hitches when simply walking around the world - but also just before cut-scenes take place, or switching to a new gun via the d-pad. During battle, reaching for a weapon that hasn't been used for a long spell prompts anything from a split-second hitch to a prolonged hiccup that can really disrupt the flow of a shootout. Added to that, the stutter from a newly drawn weapon (or throw of a Molotov cocktail) often coincides with a delayed sound effect in its first use.

On repeat tests we were taken aback by disparity we saw. Even on multiple re-tests, using the same enemies, weather and lighting conditions, each Xbox One console we try has similar, and obvious issues streaming in data effectively - where it doesn't manifest to nearly the same extent on PS4."

OUCH!!!!!
In reply to
ramiuk1
ramiuk1
Commented on 2015-11-09 20:39:52 In reply to KORNdog
omg is it really that bad!!!!
how often does that happen?
In reply to
Zat
Zat
Commented on 2015-11-09 20:55:39
I will have to wait for some experience from PC version. I hope my most beloved game is not going to end like this.
In reply to
Executioner_UK
Executioner_UK
Commented on 2015-11-09 20:57:02 In reply to Sdarts
Lol you missed out all of the PS4 faults from your copy and paste.. BOTH versions run like shit, its just the X1 runs a little bit shitter at the moment.. PS4 is just as underpowered which is why im getting rid of mine in favour of a pc after all these years as a console gamer!
Ill still be sinking countless hours into the X1 version tomorrow.. faults or no faults. Until i make the move to pc ill just be happy with what ive got.
In reply to
KORNdog
KORNdog
Commented on 2015-11-09 21:29:12 In reply to Zat
Posted by Zat
I will have to wait for some experience from PC version. I hope my most beloved game is not going to end like this.
PC version is said to be fine. Much like always. I'll pick up the PS4 version around christmas if its all patched up by that point. Screw supporting this day 1. Bethesda don't deserve it...but then they rarely do...

In reply to
Executioner_UK
Executioner_UK
Commented on 2015-11-09 21:35:45 In reply to KORNdog
Posted by KORNdog
Lol thats actually quite funny.. need to send that to a few friends!
In reply to
GunsnSwords
GunsnSwords
Commented on 2015-11-09 22:31:45
I had my eyes set on the PC version way back with that MOD support. Does the XB1 version really run at 0 FPS? with it's ugly visuals? There's a mega difference between this, Halo 5 and Tomb Raider.

"On the down side


- Often ugly (interiors especially)
- The framerate really suffers on consoles
- Animations from another generation
- The faces are still way too rough"


That is something. the engine needs to be gutted like a fish, or just settle with UE4 next time.
In reply to
Sdarts
Sdarts
Commented on 2015-11-09 22:56:44 In reply to Executioner_UK
Yes, the PS4 version has a lot of issues as well, but the XBO's version is way worse. And the PC version has issues as well, Bethesda really screwed up all 3 versions.

I would say I'm surprised, but it's Bethesda. I was hoping that after 4 years of development and with the game mostly being polished ever since the pre-E3 trailer, that it would be well optimized.

Some really bad textures, constant drops to 15-20 fps, freezing quite often, and all this at what was supposed to be 30 fps, not even 60 fps. It feels like Bethesda's technical department hired people from Ubisoft's PC team.

Gamersyde's livestream was very informative for me, for those who have the patience, it's better to wait for a few patches, because right now Fallout 4 on both PS4 and XBO is even worse than Assassin's Creed: Unity was at launch last year.
In reply to
Executioner_UK
Executioner_UK
Commented on 2015-11-09 23:08:56 In reply to Sdarts
I wish id jumped on to the live stream but didnt want any spoilers :(

Id seriously hope for a patch now you say all versions including pc have issues.. i refuse to let it spoil my enjoyment when i sit down with it tomorrow though.. im just gonna dive in knowing its faults already..
In reply to
Sdarts
Sdarts
Commented on 2015-11-10 00:43:14 In reply to Executioner_UK
The Gamersyde livestream didn't have any spoiler. Drift was just walking through the wasteland and discovering new places or fighting bugs or raiders he met in the roads.

Aside from that, he and Blim talked about the game's pros and cons. I seriously don't want to make anyone less excited for a game, but personally, after the livestream I was way less excited for the game. And after reading NeoGAF's Fallout 4 thread about the game's performance, I'm very little excited for it.

The game looks to be great, as most Bethesda games are, but right now at the game's launch, it has a lot of issues on all 3 platforms. Which is a real shame. I'm gonna keep my original plan and play Rise of the Tomb Raider first, and afterwards gonna play the PC version.

Not trying to influence you, but if you're going to play Fallout 4 on Xbox One, you might want to play Rise of the Tomb Raider first, that way when you finish it, hopefully Bethesda will have fixed most of the issues. I only say this because of the images in the link below:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1847787...

Which while being the worst moments, they all happened in a span of 5 minutes, so if the game's current state on Xbox One is like that, isn't it better to wait for it to be patched and have a better 1st experience with a game you might want to play for hundreds of hours than to most likely get very frustrated with it?

Blim mentioned how he never saw Drift rage so much on a game's technical issues like Fallout 4 - even worse than Assassin's Creed: Unity at launch, and it was the PS4 version, when the Xbox One version is worse. Drift also said that he doesn't want to keep playing the game in this state, but he also doesn't have the time to start all over again from scratch in the PC version.

So I hope you, Moonwalker and any other Xbox One owners out there understand what I'm trying to say: Rise of the Tomb Raider is an amazing game and Crystal Dynamics did an absolute excellent job on it - both technically and gameplay wise - on Xbox One. While Bethesda clearly didn't gave a fuck about optimizing any version of Fallout 4, so why not reward great work with your money and time, and when you finish Rise of the Tomb Raider, hopefully you will play a much better Fallout 4?

About the PC version, it runs really well on a small budget PC (the same one Digital Foundry build for around £300). The only problem so far seems to be with Texture streamings - images on the link below:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1847817...

And if you have a powerful PC, you can increase the PC version's Ultra settings even more with "uGridsToLoad":

http://images.nvidia.com/geforce-com/international...

Anyway, those are just my two cents. Either way you guys decide, I wish you all to have great fun with either game.
In reply to
crookedmind
crookedmind
Commented on 2015-11-10 01:40:16 In reply to Driftwood
Posted by Driftwood
Sadly, we were only sent the PS4 and Xbox One versions. Miguel may have some PC videos by tomorrow since he purchased it on PC.
All hail Miguel!
In reply to
Executioner_UK
Executioner_UK
Commented on 2015-11-10 02:00:35 In reply to Sdarts
You know.. i really appreciate that reply.. especially about Tomb Raider.. i know im not gonna be able to resist dipping into Fallout just to have a look.. but yeah, TR due just a few days after will give me something to distract me from F4 whilst the dust settles and maybe an update from Bethesda on the issues..
Cheers man :)
In reply to
GunsnSwords
GunsnSwords
Commented on 2015-11-10 02:08:25 In reply to Sdarts
Posted by Sdarts
And if you have a powerful PC, you can increase the PC version's Ultra settings even more with "uGridsToLoad":

<5f9d>http://images.nvidia.com/geforce-com/international...

Anyway, those are just my two cents. Either way you guys decide, I wish you all to have great fun with either game.
That's interesting, much further drawing distance on everything.

------------------------------------------

It's hard to imagine though this would need much system power to run. the current gen consoles are choking on something that should be running above 30 fps. The PC version can run 60fps on a 250-300$ GPU. If you're smart you'll do your purchases on Black Friday or cyber Monday. By then this game should be more less better.
In reply to
GunsnSwords
GunsnSwords
Commented on 2015-11-10 02:12:24
I agree with the Tomb Raider purchase if you have an XB1. It looks so much worth it!
In reply to
About the game
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