Can You Embrace the Dark Side in Fallout 4? A Guide to Villainy in the Wasteland

Absolutely! While Fallout 4 doesn’t have a dedicated “karma” system like some of its predecessors, you can absolutely carve out a path of villainy across the Commonwealth. The game offers numerous opportunities to make morally questionable choices, align with less-than-reputable factions, and generally be a thorn in the side of the post-apocalyptic good guys. Let’s delve into how you can truly embrace the dark side.

The Nuances of Evil in Fallout 4

Unlike games with explicit morality meters, Fallout 4 relies on a more nuanced approach. Your actions and choices have consequences, affecting your relationships with companions, settlements, and factions. While you won’t see a number dictating your “goodness” or “evilness”, the world reacts to your decisions.

Faction Allegiance: Choosing Your Brand of Evil

Perhaps the most significant way to define your character’s morality is through your choice of faction. Each faction represents a different ideology, some of which are far more morally ambiguous than others:

• The Institute: Ruthless scientists operating from underground, they replace people with synths and conduct ethically dubious experiments. Joining them firmly places you on a path of questionable morality. Their methods are about preserving humanity at any cost, even if that means sacrificing individual freedom and manipulating the surface world.
• The Brotherhood of Steel: While ostensibly fighting for humanity, their zealotry and puritanical approach to technology often leads to them oppressing anyone they deem a threat. They confiscate technology and resources, often at gunpoint, and show little regard for the lives of those they consider “mutants” or “synths”.
• The Railroad: A morally “good” faction focused on freeing synths from the Institute. While their goals might be noble, their methods can sometimes involve deceit and violence. Choosing to betray them to the Institute is a deeply evil act.
• The Minutemen: The closest thing to a “good” faction in the game. Focused on protecting settlements and helping people, siding with them is generally considered the most morally upright path. However, even with the Minutemen, you can use your position of power to extort and exploit settlers for personal gain.

Making Morally Grey Choices

Beyond faction allegiance, Fallout 4 is rife with individual choices that allow you to play as a villain. Here are some examples:

• Extortion and Intimidation: During quests and encounters, you often have the option to use your Charisma skill to intimidate or extort NPCs. This can range from demanding extra payment for a job to outright stealing from vulnerable individuals.
• Greed and Selfishness: Many quests offer opportunities to choose between helping others and pursuing personal gain. You can betray allies, hoard resources, and prioritize your own survival above all else.
• Cruelty and Sadism: While not explicitly encouraged, you can inflict harm and suffering on NPCs through your actions. For example, you can intentionally sabotage settlements, cause infighting, and even kill innocent people (though this might have consequences).
• Cannibalism: With the Cannibal perk, you can feast on the flesh of fallen enemies and even friendly NPCs. This is undoubtedly one of the darkest and most morally repugnant choices you can make in the game.
• Addiction and Exploitation: You can encourage Mama Murphy’s drug habit to gain visions or manipulate her for your own purposes, fully aware that you are contributing to her demise.

The Case of Shaun (Father)

The character of Shaun, also known as Father, is central to the game’s narrative and offers a complex moral dilemma. While he is the director of the Institute and responsible for many of their ethically questionable actions, he is also your son. Choosing to side with him, knowing the Institute’s methods, can be seen as a form of evil, prioritizing family over the well-being of the Commonwealth. However, some might argue that it’s simply a difficult choice made out of love. Many consider him the main antagonist of Fallout 4 because of the horrible acts he did.

The Lack of a Karma System: A Double-Edged Sword

The absence of a traditional karma system in Fallout 4 allows for greater flexibility in role-playing. You’re not constrained by a numerical representation of your morality, giving you the freedom to make choices based on your character’s motivations, regardless of whether they are perceived as “good” or “evil.”

However, this also means that the consequences of your actions are often less immediate and less impactful than in previous Fallout games. While companions might disapprove of your choices, and settlements might become hostile if you attack them, the overall world doesn’t dramatically shift based on your morality.

Consequences of Being Bad

While there’s no numerical “evil” score, being a villain has tangible effects:

• Companion Affinity: Certain companions, like Preston Garvey, will strongly disapprove of evil actions, potentially leading to them leaving your party. Others, like Cait, might be more receptive to your darker side.
• Settlement Relations: Attacking or extorting settlements will make them hostile, cutting off valuable resources and potential allies.
• Faction Alignment: Actions that contradict a faction’s core values can lead to expulsion or even open conflict.
• Story Endings: Your choices throughout the game will influence which faction you ultimately side with, shaping the final outcome of the story.

Embracing the Role-Playing Aspect

To truly embody a villainous character in Fallout 4, focus on the role-playing aspect. Develop a backstory and motivations for your character that justify their evil actions. Are they driven by greed, revenge, or a twisted sense of justice? Understanding your character’s motivations will make their choices feel more authentic and impactful.

Conclusion

While Fallout 4 may not explicitly label you as “evil,” it provides ample opportunities to make morally reprehensible choices and embrace the dark side. Through faction allegiance, individual actions, and role-playing, you can create a truly villainous character and experience the Commonwealth from a uniquely twisted perspective. The Games Learning Society explores how games like Fallout 4 can be used as tools for learning and understanding complex social and ethical issues, proving that there is value in exploring even the darkest corners of the gaming world. You can explore more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Fallout 4: Frequently Asked Questions About Playing an Evil Character

1. Can I kill anyone I want in Fallout 4?

Yes, for the most part. You can kill most NPCs, but some are essential to the main story and cannot be killed until their role is complete. Be aware that killing essential characters or important NPCs will have serious consequences on the world.

2. Does Fallout 4 have a karma system?

No, Fallout 4 does not feature a karma system like Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas. Your actions affect your relationships with companions, settlements, and factions, but there’s no numerical representation of your morality.

3. Which faction is the most evil in Fallout 4?

Many players consider the Institute to be the most evil faction, due to their unethical experiments, synth replacements, and manipulation of the surface world. The Nuka World Raiders are also strong contenders. The Brotherhood of Steel can be considered evil due to their intolerance.

4. Can I betray factions in Fallout 4?

Yes, you can betray factions. This is a key part of the game and it’s a decision with big consequences. You may lose allies and create enemies, affecting the story’s outcome.

5. How do companions react to my evil actions?

Companions have different moral compasses. Some, like Preston Garvey, will strongly disapprove of evil actions and may leave your party. Others, like Cait, might be more tolerant or even approving of your darker choices.

6. Can I become a cannibal in Fallout 4?

Yes, you can become a cannibal by taking the Cannibal perk. This allows you to eat human corpses to restore health, but it is generally considered a morally repugnant act.

7. Is Shaun (Father) evil in Fallout 4?

Shaun’s morality is complex and open to interpretation. As the director of the Institute, he is responsible for their unethical actions, but he is also your son. Whether you consider him evil depends on your own moral perspective and how you weigh the importance of family versus the greater good.

8. Can I play Fallout 4 without killing anyone?

It’s a challenge but it’s possible. A Pacifist playthrough that avoids all forms of killing can be achieved.

9. What are some of the darkest things I can do in Fallout 4?

Some of the darkest things include:

• Unleashing Synthetic Gorillas in the Institute.
• Sending Settlers to Their Death.
• Betraying Kind Synths.
• Convincing A Scientist to Kill Himself.
• Prolonging The Suffering Of A Cyborg.
• Causing Mama Murphy to Overdose.
• Extorting Money From A Child.
• Cannibalism.

10. What are the consequences of being a bad guy in Fallout 4?

Consequences include losing companion affinity, making settlements hostile, alienating factions, and potentially ending up with a “bad” ending to the story. However, there is no universal karma system.

11. Can I extort money from NPCs in Fallout 4?

Yes, if you have a high enough Charisma skill, you can often use dialogue options to extort money from NPCs.

12. Is it possible to become a raider in Fallout 4?

With the Nuka-World DLC, you can become the Overboss of a raider gang and establish raider settlements in the Commonwealth, effectively embracing a raider lifestyle.

13. What’s the most powerful weapon for an evil character?

There’s no single “evil” weapon, but powerful weapons like the Nuka-Nuke Launcher (from Nuka-World) or weapons with the “Wounding” legendary effect (causing bleeding damage) can be particularly effective for a ruthless character.

14. Are there any quests that are inherently evil in Fallout 4?

Several quests offer opportunities to make evil choices. For example, you can choose to betray allies in favor of personal gain or sabotage settlements for your own amusement. Some radiant quests may involve harming others.

15. How does my gender affect my ability to play an evil character?

Gender has minimal impact on your ability to play an evil character. While certain perks like “Black Widow” (for female characters) and “Lady Killer” (for male characters) offer dialogue advantages when interacting with NPCs of the opposite sex, these don’t inherently make you more or less evil.