It was recently revealed that Microsoft has entered early talks about creating a sequel to one of the more popular games in the Fallout series, New Vegas, but if and when it releases, it needs to be more like its predecessor than Fallout 4. New Vegas is arguably the best game in the series, and is beloved among the Fallout fanbase. It's even more popular than the latest two iterations of the series, Fallout 4 and 76. Even though it's an older game, it still holds up 12 years after release, and fans have been asking for a sequel for some time.
In Fallout: New Vegas, players take on the role of The Courier. After being shot in the head and left for dead in a shallow grave, they must retrieve their package from the murderous Benny. Fallout games use bottlecaps for money, and considering the fact that players receive almost none upon starting the game, The Courier likely couldn't afford to not complete their delivery. After they've taken back possession of the Platinum Chip, they have the option to return it to Mr. House, turn it over to either Caesar or General Oliver, or use it to take New Vegas for themselves.
Fallout 4 is a great game, but it loses to New Vegas for a few reasons. The fact that both of the options for the player character have pre-written backstories and full voice acting in Fallout 4 takes a lot of the freedom out of the game experience. The base building it introduced also bogged down gameplay and didn't add much to the game as a whole. There are some things that a possible New Vegas 2 should take from Fallout 4, but it should take even more from the original New Vegas. Fallout 4 and New Vegas are best for some more than others, and each has its pros and cons.
Fallout 4's Voiced Protagonist Hurt Roleplay
In Fallout: New Vegas, The Courier's life is never fully explained. Aside from a little bit of backstory in the DLC, they're a blank slate. They're also a silent protagonist, without any voice acting like other characters have. The combination of the two means that players are free to imagine whatever kind of Courier that they want to play as, and can project whatever backstory they want onto them. They could be an NCR deserter, an ex-Fiend, a Vault Dweller, or anything in between. The multitude of different weaponry and ammunition types also means that there are just as many different ways to play, and the different dialogue options for different levels of intelligence are the icing on the cake. Freedom of choice is a big part of what makes the game so good, and why it's so replayable. Fallout: New Vegas' factions are considered the best in the series by many, and they're another part of the character-building that the game offers.
In contrast, Fallout 4 has few opportunities for roleplay. Both player characters are fully voiced and have their own backstories, which doesn't leave a lot of room for players to imagine who they were or what their lives were like. Although the backstories are sparse, they still restrict roleplay in a way that gives it vastly fewer opportunities than New Vegas. The voice acting also takes away from roleplay by applying inflection, tone, and emotion to what the player character says. In New Vegas, players could imagine their Courier agreeing to a sidequest with snark and an eye-roll, but Fallout 4 takes that away. Fallout 4's perk chart and character system also detract from roleplay, since they don't truly allow players to be bad at anything. Whatever it ends up being, New Vegas 2 will hopefully return to a silent protagonist with a blank backstory, so that it can regain what Fallout 4 took from the series.
Fallout 4's Base Building Shouldn't Show Up In New Vegas 2
Fallout: New Vegas, like most Fallout games, gave players a place to call their own. The Lucky 38 served as a place to stow extra equipment and crafting materials, as well as acting as a hub for players to call on their companions. It was everything they needed, and nothing they didn't. Fallout 4, however, introduced base building to the series. Players could create their own structures for any purpose they chose. They could make everything from mansions to outhouses, and Fallout 76 continued the trend, especially with Fallout Worlds' Custom and Public Worlds. Having a "home base" where players can unburden themselves of extra items without having to hunt for a vendor is invaluable, and the Lucky 38 was a perfect home for the Courier, even if it came a bit later in the game than some would like.
Although base building gave players the option to build whatever they wanted, it also gave them a lot of responsibility. Settlers need food, water, and protection, which isn't always easy to create before taking the Local Leader perk. Even if they only stay in Sanctuary Hills, they have to do a lot of work right at the beginning of the game if they don't want their home looking like a disaster area. Base building doesn't add much to the gameplay, and the slog of constantly claiming settlements and building them up is annoying enough to make it a detraction. New Vegas 2 should offer some customization in terms of what the player character's home base looks like, but it should be more akin to Fallout 3 and New Vegas, instead of Fallout 4. Beating every Fallout game takes long enough without obnoxious grinds stretching the games out.
Some Of Fallout 4 Should Show Up In New Vegas 2
Of course, just as there are things that any possible New Vegas 2 should avoid taking from Fallout 4, there are things that it should take, as well. The character customization allowed players to apply scars and makeup to Nate or Nora, which would be a great addition to the color sliders of New Vegas. Increased graphics are to be expected, and the newer designs for many weapons and items, teddy bears in particular, should make a reappearance. The weapon and armor customization, and the ability to mix and match different pieces of armor for different builds, is another thing that should be implemented in a possible New Vegas 2. New Vegas' weapon diversity and Fallout 4's customization could be a great combination. Farming adhesive in Fallout isn't easy, but it might be worth it.
No matter what form it ends up taking, New Vegas 2 shouldn't be another Fallout 4. But it also shouldn't be another New Vegas. Copying and pasting New Vegas onto the new game would only lead to disappointment, just as including the awkward features of Fallout 4 would. In order to make the best game possible, Bethesda should take the best features from every game and try to enhance them. Constantly evolving and learning from mistakes are part of what make great game series so great, and even the unpopular Fallout 76 has its merits. Fallout got where it is through experimentation and innovation, which New Vegas 2 can benefit from.