With the new update “Steel Dawn,” Fallout 76 is receiving plenty of positive reviews on Steam. Has Bethesda finally achieved the long-awaited turnaround with NPCs and the return of the Steel Brotherhood?
At release, there were mixed opinions: When Fallout 76 was released on Steam in April 2020, the ratings were quite favorable at 73% positive. However, there was criticism.
At that time, players complained on Steam about the following:
- People wanted a “Fallout 4 Multiplayer,” but then got Fallout 76.
- A Steam reviewer is disappointed because Fallout 76 is not an “Open World” game like Fallout 4.
- Wastelanders, one person hoped, should bring the epic depth of Fallout 4, but now only brought “typical MMO” quests.
In short: One criticism from players about Fallout 76 is that it is an MMO and not a single-player RPG.
MeinMMO editor-in-chief Gerd Schuhmann addressed the issue in April 2020 and pointed to the “Franchise Trap”.
Steel Dawn brings a turnaround in Steam ratings: The release of Steel Dawn caused a peak in Fallout 76 players on Steam. Except for the free weekend at the end of October, player numbers were just over 7,000. With the release on November 24, 2020, player numbers, according to steamdb.info, rose to 9,765.
The increase in player numbers has also had a positive effect on the Steam ratings of Fallout 76. As of November 27, 2020, the positive reviews from the last 30 days are at 85%, significantly above the average of all ratings, which is currently 77%.
What Steam users are saying about Fallout 76: The latest reviews for Fallout 76 on Steam show that more and more players are rediscovering the MMO and giving it a second chance. “Toxic_Pixie” writes in their review: “Love it more than I want to admit.” More elaborately, “Nagilum” addresses the poor start of Fallout 76, pointing out that it has now “become really good.” They explain further that both solo players and teams can have a lot of fun, and there is a very high replay value. They recommend Fallout 76 to every Fallout fan.
A large portion of the reviews positively highlights that Fallout 76 is a full-fledged multiplayer game after a long time, which is significantly more fun with friends.
What makes Steel Dawn so good? The new questline of the Steel Brotherhood is fun right from the start and is both challenging and varied. With Steel Dawn, the first part of the story was released, showing the Steel Brotherhood in its early era.
Other highlights include:
- C.A.M.P. accommodations: For the first time, players can build their own Vault underground. The snapping function can be turned off, and items can be placed floating.
- Improvement of survival mechanics: Hunger and thirst no longer have negative effects. There are bonuses on AP regeneration, max HP, and disease resistance once partially nourished and hydrated. When both bars are full, you gain +1 stamina and strength.
- New weapons and armor: The new weapons plasma cutter, the Crusader pistol, and the hellstorm rocket launcher can be unlocked during the questline and modded as desired.
Even a wheelchair was built in for a paralyzed player, which has received a lot of support in the community.
In preparation for Season 3, there will be double the amount of S.C.O.R.E. points for daily and weekly challenges from December 1, 6 PM CET to December 7, 6 PM CET. On December 15, the “Scholar of Avalon” game board will start and usher in the new season.
Fallout 76 makes the “No-Man’s-Sky-Move”
The parallels to No Man’s Sky: Similar to Fallout 76, the space simulation No Man’s Sky also had a rough start on Steam in 2016, and Hello Games promised changes and new content. Both Bethesda and Hello Games stuck with their respective games and provided new content and quality-of-life improvements over time.
In 2020, Bethesda laid the groundwork for the future of Fallout 76 – there are more than 5 reasons to return to “Steel Dawn” with Fallout 76. In addition to NPCs who found their way to Appalachia with Wastelanders, there is a new quest with Steel Dawn and dynamic enemy levels with One Wasteland.
The roadmap for Fallout 76 for 2021 is still unknown, but if Bethesda follows the roadmap from 2020, Fallout 76 could well break the 90% mark of positive reviews on Steam.
