So, I'll start by saying that, overall, I have been enjoying playing Fallout 76. The world in which the game takes place has been very well done, with a lot of attention paid to the little details, and some very interesting structures to explore. And exploring is fun -- if not dangerous at times, depending on your current character level -- with plenty to discover. Add in the ability to put up C.A.M.P.s, which has been a lifesaver at times and adds an interesting capability to the game to repair/craft weapons or armor or materials ... or just relax during all the chaos (and get a stat perk for "sleeping" for 15 secs) instead of having to search for the crafting benches as before.
Now, you will die and respawn points aren't always near where you got capped, since it depends on what places you have discovered nearby. But, a marker will be placed on the map showing where you bought the big one. Just realize that your junk items will end up in what looks like a paper lunch bag at that spot, and you better get there and pick up your items before another character does. My friends and I call this, "respecting the bag," so we don't loot each others stuff if one of us dies, but the rest of the players could care less. You've been warned.
Now, as with most games that are published a bit prematurely due to a hard release date, Fallout 76 has some minor bugs that need work:
- I have experienced some issues in-game with lag, and timing out. This is definitely server-related, and if you do get booted from the game and have to login to a different server, expect to go back in time a bit, to the last point the game, or rather the server, saved you.
- If you want to play with multiple friends, sometimes the servers are full and you'll just have to wait on the queue or convince them to try another server as well. It appears as though the total capacity for each server is capped at around 20 or so. I can't say for certain; I can only go by how many other players I see on the game world map.
- Sometimes I have gotten stuck on terrain in the game. So far the only "fix" is to log out and back in, which is a bit of a hassle, as the last time I had to do so it cost me the set of power armor I'd just found. Aggravating and annoying, but not the end of the world (pun intended).
- There is a main series of quests intended to make the game "move forward" for lack of a better term, as you level. Around level 23, I reached a point where the next main quest put me in territory with enemies that are twice my level and higher. Why, Bethesda, why? It presents a bit of a challenge, I suppose, but it's also a letdown, as it forces you to go do side quests for awhile to level up. Or maybe I'm just doing to the main quests too quickly?
- There is a limit to how much your character can carry on them before becoming encumbered. Anyone who has played the Fallout series recently is aware of this. In this version of Fallout, you have a mobile C.A.M.P. that you can put up, which gives you access to weapons, armor, and other crafting benches and a "stash." When the game released the "stash" was limited to 400 lbs. A recent update increased that to 600. Still not enough. If you play the game, this will become the bane of your existence, as you need a lot of stuff to craft other, well, stuff.
- Plans. The other bane of your existence. There are a lot of things you can build at your C.A.M.P. or the various crafting benches you find along the way. You'll quickly find that you'll outpace your abilities to craft items that are level appropriate to your character because you don't have the plans to build them. Simply acquiring the items and then dismantling them for parts won't get you the plans either (although once you can build an item, dismantling other same items will start teaching you different mods for that item). Anyway, finding plans has become my main focus at times, along with the specific resources needed to fix things like armor and weapons, which WERE often scarce at times. I think Bethesda is hearing the complaints, because lately I've been finding repair resources at a much better rate.
- Moving and placing your C.A.M.P. at a new location is all too often a fail on Bethesda's part, however. First, it cost an increasing amount of CAPS to move your camp (may be distant dependent from where your C.A.M.P. was last placed; not sure) and second, more often than not, I find the terrain won't allow me to set my structure (my "base" for lack of a better term) down after I've moved the C.A.M.P. The building will glow red as you try to set it down on the ground, and green if the game likes where you're trying to set it. Having said that, today's patch (12/11) is supposed to introduce a new "Bulldozer" ability: "This is a new C.A.M.P. feature that will allow you to remove small trees, rocks, and other obstructions so it's easier to create and place your C.A.M.P. when and where you want." We'll see.
- Occasionally you will find mods for your armor or weapons, in what looks like a small, rectangular crate. So far ... I haven't been able to use any of them to "modify" my armor or weapons. Part of this is probably my fault for not scouring the Internet for the "How-to" page or video, but it should've been much easier than it is. Every time I try to modify a weapon, for example, it says I can't, without really stating "why." A friend mentioned that it has something to do with not having the appropriate perk card to do the mod, but I'm maxed out on Gunsmithing and still can't. Grrr.
- I'm not sure the "Tricentennial Edition" is worth the extra money. In fact, I'm positive it's not. Some of the effects I thought I was getting for the extra money have been either non-existent, or I never use them because they're just not special. So, just buy the normal edition.
Those things aside, Fallout 76 has been enjoyable and what's not to like about exploring a post-apocalyptic Appalachia with your closest friends? Sounds like a lot of complaints, but I am sure that, as the game rolls along, Bethesda will continue to address these issues as they have been so far. In the meantime, I'll continue to level up and have fun, as none of these are deal-breakers for me. So, grab your Pip Boy and get in game.