Fallout 4 and beauty aren't exactly synonymous, given the post-apocalyptic nature of the video game, but that doesn't mean it can't look great. While one of Bethesda's most beloved titles, the base game is starting to show its age in a big way. That's where the modding community comes into play.
These talented creators have churned out a series of mods that, when used in conjunction with one another, transform Fallout 4's muddy and washed-out landscape into something resembling a modern AAA title. These mods act as a baseline to help gamers customize and mod Fallout 4 to their heart's content while covering all the bases.
Langley's HD Textures Workshop
This mod pack has been out for a few years, but it's widely regarded as an excellent first baseline mod for a Fallout 4 beautification project. The mod drastically enhances a tremendous number of in-game assets, mostly centered around human-made architecture, vehicles, and the like.
Since a big part of Fallout 4 centers around these assets, it's a good idea to pump them up before moving on to other facets of the game. With one single mod, a large percentage of the game's visuals can be beautified, paving the way for more mods to be stacked on top. Bethesda's Creation Engine is a meme unto itself at this point, showing its age in a big way, and this is the first step to changing it.
High-Resolution Texture Pack 2K And 4K - Valius
Once the Langley texture pack has been installed, gamers can move into specific texture overhauls that will greatly enhance Fallout 4's look and feel. The first of these is the 2K/4K Valius texture pack, which tries to stick close to Bethesda's original vision for the game while amping up the texture fidelity and detail.
It's an excellent mod that offers two options for gamers, depending on how much available V-RAM is on their video card. It turns an otherwise ugly and drab vanilla game into a prettier, more vivid, and detailed wasteland for gamers to explore.
Lucid's Texture Upgrades
This particular mod pack focuses on a lot of texture upgrades mixed with other Fallout 4 texture enhancement packs and helps cover all the bases. It covers things like concrete roofing and office box papers, carpeting, piping, and wooden panels.
Having this mod installed helps eliminate the shock of seeing a muddy vanilla texture mixed in with high-res texture enhancements provided by other mods. It's another step in the process of beautifying the washed-out visuals of Fallout 4, which remains one of Betheseda's highest-rated games.
FlaconOil's Complete Retexture Project
Adding FlaconOil's Complete Retexture Project into Fallout 4 guarantees a sharp, high-fidelity transformation of the game that works well with the previously installed mods. It's a work-in-progress mod that overhauls a number of textures, while also sprinkling in some new object meshes and materials for better clarity.
The mod comes in three parts that make up a rather large download, especially for those going the 4K route. However, it's a vital baseline mod that enriches the Fallout 4 experience from top to bottom, and definitely needs to be tacked onto the load order.
Gritty Subway Stations 4K
The Boston subway stations are quite prevalent in Fallout 4, and gamers will spend a lot of time exploring them in-depth. They should look their best, or in this case, grittiest. That's where this mod comes in, which overhauls the texture work of every subway station in Fallout 4, for maximum immersion.
It's also recommended that gamers install the Subway Runner mod, which expands the metro line in Fallout 4. The mod is also available in 2K format for those with less V-RAM on their video card. Either way, it's guaranteed to make a huge impact on one of the spookier locations in the game.
Pine Trees Redone
Trees are sparse in the post-apocalyptic Commonwealth, but they do add a certain atmosphere to the game. It's wise to install a mod that makes them look their best, and Pine Trees Redone is one of the newest mods to tackle that challenge. In short, it revamps the trees not just for graphical fidelity, but for long-distance viewing as well.
The tree LOD has been vastly improved both for the base game and the Far Harbor DLC. When compared with the vanilla version of the game, it's impossible to go back. The trees themselves are well detailed, lush, and highly detailed right down to the last pine needle.
Shack Floors Redone
It may seem irrelevant for shack flooring to look good, but it makes sense given how much time has passed since the nuclear holocaust in Fallout 4 took place. By this time, artisans should have figured out how to make decent flooring, which was the entire impetus for this particular mod.
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The mod does exactly as the title suggests - overhaul the shack flooring. No more, no less. It's available in 2K or 4K, with bright or dull variants depending on a player's particular preference. When wedged in with other texture overhaul mods, this one helps provide a sense of consistency.
WET - Water Enhancement Textures
Water in the game is largely radioactive, which means players won't spend a lot of time wading around in it unless they have one of Fallout 4's good suits of armor. However, the default water textures and effects in the game are a little sore on the eyes, which is where WET comes in. The mod overhauls all the wetness and water effects in the game, to a much better degree.
The mod changes water flow, not to mention surface, foam, and splash textures for better effect. It also changes droplets, mist, fog, spray, and splash effects through the use of new 3D models and textures. It's a major step up from the vanilla game's sour-looking and unconvincing water.
Perfect Landscape By Pfuscher
Mod author Pfushcer is well known for providing beautification texture mods for Skyrim, and his work in Fallout 4 is no less wonderful. As a baseline mod, it's tough to beat, and should definitely be tacked on to every player's load order. The level of realism and fidelity in this pack breathes new life into a game meant to epitomize a dead world.
The textures in the game completely transform the landscape and natural environment, cranking it up to the nth degree. The mod is practically brand new, which is great for players who want to give the game another go, or for those who are big fans of movies with a similar post-apocalyptic feel like Fallout 4's grungy aesthetic.
Haul'd Out 4K
Haul'd Out is another high-resolution texture overhaul project for Fallout 4 that focuses first on architecture, and is available in 1K, 2K, and 4K resolutions. Warehouses, piers, doors, greenhouse planters and so much more are available and split into multiple downloads for easier access and updating.
This mod helps strengthen the graphical quality of Fallout 4's various pier and industrial areas, which combines with the previously installed mods. It hasn't been updated in a few years, but the mod is a solid baseline for gamers looking to enhance the crispness and detail of these key areas.