Prologue – Fallout 4
As much as many like to bag on Fallout 4 (myself included), the intro did have some redeeming qualities. The character creation tool felt fresh and intuitive, and meeting someone from Vault-Tec (or slamming the door in their face) was pretty neat. Of course, the panic that ensued once the nukes started dropping was also palpable, as the Sole Survivor and their family struggled to the nearest Vault.
From there, they’re put into cryosleep and awaken to see their significant other killed and their child, Shaun, kidnapped by some bandits. Upon waking next, the Sole Survivor ventures into the Commonwealth, meets Codsworth, their old Mr Handy bot, and eventually goes to Concord to fight some Raiders before donning Power Armor to battle a Deathclaw. From there, you meet Preston Garvey and the Minutemen and start building a settlement.
You could skip everything after emerging from the Vault, not even bothering with Garvey (especially if you don’t want to hear that another settlement needs your help ad nauseam through the game). However, the opening up to that point, like Skyrim, is mandatory, no matter how many times you’ve finished the game. Also, as neat as it may be, it doesn’t compare to the opening dialogue in Skyrim, the tension of waiting for your execution or encountering Alduin for the first time.
