If you needed more of a challenge with Fallout 4, Bethesda Game Studios might have something for you. The developers are beta testing "Survival Mode" on the game's PC version. With this mode, you'll have to be more mindful of your supplies and health as you make your way throughout the Commonwealth.
Stay Alive
In this tough game mode, the Fast Travel option is removed so you have to walk (or run) to get to a location. Throughout your journey, you'll also have to stay fed and hydrated. Otherwise, you'll gain fatigue, which reduces the amount of action points you can use for V.A.T.S. targeting or sprinting. However, you can't just eat every consumable object in sight. Some food sources have negative side effects, which can add to your fatigue, or even worse, give you some sort of illness. You can cure your sickness with a shot of antibiotics—which you can craft or buy from specific vendors—and there are various ways to get sick, such as eating bad food, getting shot by irradiated creatures or even taking Chems.
You'll also have to constantly worry about radiation exposure. You can obviously use RadAway to reduce radiation levels, but it will also increase your overall Fatigue levels and make you more prone to illnesses.
If that wasn't enough, your total carry weight is significantly reduced, and items such as ammunition and Stimpaks contribute to weight so you'll have to carefully decide which items are best suited for your journey. If you carry too many items, you'll gain fatigue.
You'll also need to get some sleep if you want to stay in peak condition. Not only does sleep help with eliminating fatigue and repairing broken limbs, but it's the only state where you can save the game. The quality of the bed also helps you gain bonuses when you wake up. Nothing beats a real bed, but you can also get by in the wasteland with a sleeping bag or an abandoned mattress.
Choose Your Enemies Wisely
In terms of combat, you can deal larger amounts of damage, but you're also susceptible to more lethal attacks. Survival Mode will challenge you to pick your foes carefully so you'll have to strategize as to whether you'll avoid a large hunting or take them out one by one. If you're a melee-based fighter, you'll actually have to block and parry hits now if you want to stay alive. Enemies also don't show up on the in-game compass, unless you have a Recon scope included in your weapon, so you'll have to keep your eyes open on the horizon.
The developers also introduced a new Survival Mode perk called "Adrenaline," which increases your overall damage output based on the number of enemies killed. When you sleep, you'll obviously lose all the Adrenaline ranks and will have to gain them again in combat.
Your companions will be more difficult to manage in this mode as well. They all have reduced weight limits so you can no longer use them as an extra bag. If they get knocked out in combat, you have to manually revive them with meds. Otherwise, they return home. Maybe it's not such a bright idea, then, to bring another friend into the fight.
Try Not To Die
As Survival Mode is still in beta testing, some of these features could change before the final version is released. Still, it gives you an idea of what to expect from the most difficult challenge in the Commonwealth Wasteland. Your journey through post-apocalyptic New England was enjoyable the first time around, but Survival Mode is sure to challenge you every step of the way.
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