Right now, there is no way to know what Bethesda has planned for Fallout 5, but there is already mounting anticipation for the next wasteland adventure. The wait for Fallout 5 is, unfortunately, bound to be a long one, but speculating on what the game will offer can still be exciting. From its setting to the various factions it could showcase, there is a treasure trove of possibilities.

Being an RPG franchise, there are also questions about how Bethesda plans to make the next mainline entry more immersive. After the launch of Starfield, there have been concerns that both The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 may have issues with immersing players in their worlds. However, Bethesda thankfully has the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Ghost of Tsushima to take note of when it comes to making its worlds far more dynamic.

Fallout 5 Should Look to Red Dead Redemption 2 and Ghost of Tsushima’s Honor Systems

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Honor System is Intertwined in its Story

If players have high honor, Arthur Morgan’s visions are of a buck in the sun.
If players have low honor, he envisions a black coyote in the rain.

Arthur’s honor is deeply tied to his outcome at the end of the story. For those who have not played through Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur meets an unfortunate end regardless of his actions. However, depending on his honor, that death could either be peaceful or at the hands of Micah Bell. The honor system is an essential storytelling tool that is showcased through his visions of animals. Fallout 5 could take a similar approach by having specific animals show up more frequently within the environment based on a player’s honor.

Ghost of Tsushima’s Honor System Changes the Environment

Based on Jin’s in-game decisions, the honor system will affect the weather.
Following a samurai path will create more peaceful weather.
Leaning into Jin’s reputation as the Ghost will create stormy weather.

The dynamic weather changes in Ghost of Tsushima make a player’s actions count in a fascinating way. Jin’s moral standing is demonstrated through the environment, setting a specific tone for the paths a player chooses to take him down. Like Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima uses the game’s world to highlight the main character’s moral standing, and this is something from which Fallout 5 could greatly benefit.

It’s unclear if Ghost of Tsushima‘s upcoming sequel, Ghost of Yotei, will use the same weather-based honor system.

Fallout 5 Needs to Dive Deeper Into Player Decisions

Of course, there are consequences associated with a player’s actions in the Fallout franchise, but this can be taken even further in the next chapter. Whether it be through dynamic weather or specific animal symbolism, Fallout 5‘s setting could become even more enticing if Bethesda makes the environment as much a part of the storytelling as the characters. Granted, each wasteland featured in every individual Fallout game holds its own unique energy, but going the extra mile with these unique locations would only make the next game an even more compelling experience.

Season 2 of Amazon Prime’s live-action Fallout series is currently filming.

After Starfield, Bethesda Needs to Bump Up its World Immersion

Starfield has proven to be quite a divisive game since its launch. There are many strong points to be found within the sci-fi adventure, but a player’s decisions oftentimes don’t really feel like they matter. Some of these issues in Starfield can even completely break immersion, because NPC reactions simply don’t make sense in certain situations.

Once The Elder Scrolls 6 finally sees the light of day, Fallout 5 will hopefully be trailing quickly behind, but only time will tell. Until Bethesda reveals concrete information about the next Fallout, it remains to be seen how its world will be taken to the next level.