Fallout and Elder Scrolls series author Emil Pagliarulo believes that Fallout 4 is the most replayable game in the series due to the intertwining of the factions with each other.
Speaking to GamesRadar+, Pagliarulo explains, “The most interesting thing about Fallout 3 is the lack of faction quests,” while noting Oblivion and Skyrim questlines such as the Thieves Guild, Fighters Guild, and Dark Brotherhood. He continues: “For Fallout 4, for the first time, we said, 'You're playing Skyrim and you're playing as these factions, but they're just connected by the main quest. They are truly autonomous. In Fallout 4, let's weave everything together.” And this was the first time we did this.”
Pagliarulo describes the intertwining quest lines as “probably the most complex thing I've ever done or the design team has ever done.” He recalls: “At one point I was giving a talk on this topic, and the slide for the talk was just a big bowl of spaghetti. Because that’s exactly what it felt like: all these threads and strings are just a mess.”
However, despite how tough it was for the team, Pagliarulo is happy with how things turned out. As he explains, “Having done all this work and stood the test of time, I think it makes Fallout 4 perhaps the most replayable of all the Fallout games, and that's what I love about it.” And while the 200 people at the New Vegas 500 may disagree with this statement, it certainly makes a compelling case for Fallout 4.
Bethesda was afraid to make Fallout 3, but by Fallout 4 it had calmed down: “now we don't have to be so respectful.”
