The Fallout series has built itself around giving players a new world to explore and experience, allowing gamers to choose their own path in post-apocalyptic wastelands. With a plenty of ways to test the player's moral compass, and so many different skill sets to master, the beloved franchise has always prided itself in giving players dilemmas to solve in fun and unique ways. Now, with the upcoming Fallout 4 fast approaching, fans of the series will be pleased to know that the latest Fallout game will once more give players plenty of choice.

In an interview with The Guardian, game director Todd Howard explains that Fallout 4 will give gamers the option to complete a nearly violence-free playthrough of the game. Howard explains that players can "avoid" killing much of the time, suggesting that Fallout 4 may be a strong contender for those after a pacifist wasteland sandbox. Given that the title is expected to expand gameplay elements and player freedom considerably, the news is music to the ears of those after non-violent resolutions.

"I can't tell you that you can play the whole game without violence - that's not necessarily a goal of ours," continued Howard, "but we want to support different play styles as much as we can." That's good news for those who enjoyed certain aspects of the Obsidian-developed Fallout: New Vegas, which offered players non-violent escapes from various boss battles, leading to some entirely pacifist playthroughs. Although Howard did not give any further indication on how non-violent gameplay would work, there's bound to be more details in the pipeline.

The news comes soon after confirmation that Deus Ex: Mankind Divided's boss battles can be completed entirely through dialogue options. Although developer Eidos Montreal had already stated that the title could be completed without killing anyone, it was still important for fans of the series wishing for a returned focus to stealth gameplay options. Given the wide range of skills made available to players in Fallout games, perhaps a stealth-based playthrough could be one of the options those after a pacifist run could take.

Howard also discussed some other elements of Fallout 4, including the fact that Bethesda has never focus-tested its games - and Fallout 4 is not going to be the company's test subject in that regard. "We do not focus test our games and never had," said Howard, explaining that the people involved in the development process "really debate everything – and it’s a good debate."

It remains to be seen just how Fallout 4 will implement a non-violent play style, but fans will remain hopeful that this flexibility will help the title become an even more immersive experience. With a seemingly larger emphasis on character and story, with the game's lead voice actors recording over 13,000 lines of dialogue, giving players more choice will no doubt help them choose the path that best suits their character. Who knows, perhaps those Vault Dweller Survival Guides will help give players a heads up to non-violent pathways through the game.

Fallout 4 is set to release November 10 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Source: The Guardian