My conceit is that my character just happens to be an inhumanly kind and competent combination of therapist, diplomat, and philosopher. (Giant Bomb)Ĭrucially, you don't (usually) have to do it by coercing or tricking anybody. After a certain level, you can enter any given conversation knowing that you'll probably get whatever you want.Ī Fallout: New Vegas speech challenge. And most incredibly of all, you can often come back later once you've beefed up the requisite numbers. The options quickly multiply as you get extra checks for specific statistics, special perks, and factions that you've gained support with. Anything that requires a check is almost certainly a good option. Unlike in previous games, speech checks in New Vegas are flat minimum limits, not a metaphorical roll of the dice. Just as importantly, if you have the right stats, you absolutely cannot fail. The weight of moral decision is lifted off your shoulders.

If a group hates you, it's probably an explicitly evil group, so that's okay. Nearly every important action is clearly marked as good or bad, and especially as you level up your stats, it's not hard to pick the right choice every time. But in the context of the game, it's also incredibly relaxing. Occasionally, it's nonsensical - you'll lose 'karma' for stealing an item off a desk, for example, but looting the body next to it is just fine. This might sound stressful, like some kind of taskmaster tallying up everything you do. Having a quantified moral fiber is incredibly relaxing In New Vegas, not only do you have a precise numerical value assigned to your speaking abilities, you've got a sliding scale of your ethical standing - from 'messiah' to 'devil' - plus a scale of how much you are liked or disliked by every important faction in the game world. One of the unique things about computer role-playing games like Fallout is that they give 'soft' social skills the same hyper-quantified treatment as a gun's fire rate or a piece of armor's damage resistance. But it's also made me realize that so far, Fallout 4 is missing one of my favorite video game elements: the social power fantasy. In a way, it's made me truly appreciate the upgraded graphics and new mechanics. In a stunning lapse of judgment, I decided to spend 70 hours playing Fallout: New Vegas just a few weeks before I started Fallout 4.

Fallout 4 no karma