TheFalloutseries has been around for a long time, and its subsequent games almost always contain references to past titles.Fallout 5will likely be no exception to this, which is an exciting prospect given thatFallout 4introduced plenty of new elements to the post-apocalyptic wasteland, most notably the Institute and its brand of synthetic humans.
While the infamous bogeyman of the Commonwealth probably won’t be the “big bad” of the nextFalloutgame, little references to it add to the game’s world, giving a sense of continuity. Plus, it’s a nod to longtime fans who are caught up on the lore. A great way to do this is to introduce traveling synths to the world ofFallout 5.
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How Fallout 3 Teased the Synths of Fallout 4
Before delving intoFallout 4and5, it’s worth looking back atFallout 3since it was the first game to officially introduce the concept of synths. In Rivet City, the player can come across a character named Dr. Zimmer, who triggerstheFallout 3quest“The Replicated Man.” In it, the player must track down a synth or, as Zimmer calls him, an android that’s his property. To complete the quest, the player must find the android (Harkness) then either surrender him to Zimmer or protect his anonymity.
This quest inFallout 3hints at the events ofFallout 4, with certain dialogue and holotape recordings even mentioning the Commonwealth, the Institute, and the Railroad. This implies two things. First, the Railroad has some level of influence outside the Commonwealth, and it could potentially extend to areas outside the Capital Wasteland. Second, so does the Institute, meaning conflicts similar to that of “The Replicated Man” could very well be taking place beyond the Commonwealth and the Capital Wasteland.
Traveling Synths and Fallout 5
All that said, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to believe that the Railroad and the Institute had some sort of presence inthe setting ofFallout 5. This then sets the stage for the presence of traveling synths. They could be armed escorts for former Institute scientists trying to rebuild (assuming thatFallout 5follows a timeline where the Institute is destroyed). Alternatively, they could be synths under the protection of Railroad agents, fleeing from the Commonwealth in search of a life elsewhere.
Both types of synths could giveFallout 5players a glimpse of the state of the Commonwealthafter the events ofFallout 4. The Institute-allied synths could perhaps express disdain at the destruction of what was essentially their home. Meanwhile, the escaped synths could show relief at not having to worry about being recaptured and brought back to the main facility. The two sides paint very different pictures, showcasing the differing perspectives in the aftermath ofFallout 4.
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Potential Synth Side Quests in Fallout 5
Thesereferences toFallout 4can even be taken a step further by implementing different side quests involving synths. PerhapsFallout 5could have a minor quest line wherein the player has to choose between assisting the Railroad or the Institute (alternatively, theFalloutfranchise’s Brotherhood of Steel) in a synth-related manner.
A quest like that could play out similarly to “The Replicated Man” fromFallout 3. Ultimately, the decision would be between granting an android the right to autonomy or returning them to their authoritarian creators. While this quest format has already been done before, there’s still some room forinnovation inFallout 5. For instance, it could reintroduce Dr. Zimmer, who was nowhere to be found inFallout 4despite being the head of the Synth Retention Bureau.
Other quests could follow the format of “Boston After Dark” inFallout 4’s Railroad questlist, which is essentially an escort quest where the player must bring a synth to a safehouse owned by the Railroad. Admittedly, this type of quest can get old very quickly, so it’ll have to find ways to be innovative. Perhaps the Brotherhood of Steel or even the members of a local settlement could express hostility toward the synth, forcing the player into a morally charged situation.
TheFallout 4quest “Human Error”could also provide some inspiration. Instead of having a settlement serve as a synth testing den like Covenant did,Fallout 5could flip the roles and have a town of synths kidnap and experiment on innocent wastelanders. It’d be a lot like Arcadia inFallout 4’sFar Harbor DLC, just much more ethically questionable.
Of course, these are all just ideas drawn from pastFalloutquests. Since the community has no idea who or what the “big bad” ofFallout 5will be, there’s a blind spot when one tries to theorize about potential synth quests. After all, it’d be interesting to see older game elements interact with new ones, such as how the Institute was studying theForced Evolutionary Virus of theFalloutworld. So, until Bethesda gives fans a bit more to go on, it won’t be easy to imagine what the upcoming game will look like, much less how old elements might play a part in it.
Fallout 5 Shouldn’t Focus Too Much on Synths
While references toFallout 4are more than welcome inFallout 5, the new title shouldn’t lean into past features too much. That means the Institute and its synths shouldn’t be the focal point ofFallout 5. Since the game will (probably) take place in a new setting, players want to see the new, local factions and their unique ideologies. Granted, organizations likeFallout’s Brotherhood of Steeland maybe even the Railroad are likely to show up, but they shouldn’t overshadow the new groups since those give players a whole new look at the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Bottom line: references toFallout 4and even olderFalloutgames are great, with synths being the perfect plot device to make such references. However, these shouldn’t be given more importance than the unique story thatFallout 5wants to tell with its factions and specific contexts. That said, it’d be a good idea to include side quests that blend old and new elements – for instance, synths butting heads with the new “big bad.”
