Post-apocalyptic multiplayer RPG Fallout 76 is free this week and might be worth checking out.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Fallout franchise, Bethesda has made Fallout 76 free until October 11. You can try it on all platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
It will be joined by a few other freebies throughout the month. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can claim one month of Fallout 1st, a premium subscription program for Fallout 76, while the mobile spinoff Fallout Shelter will receive its first update in over four years, adding a new round of quests, enemies, and weapons.
Worth a trip to the trash
Fallout 76 had a dicey launch when it released in 2018. Players and critics alike were unimpressed with its shallow open world and repetitive gameplay loop, as well as a number of performance issues. In our review, we said, "Fallout 76 is an empty shell of a Fallout game, devoid of the personality and story that drive the series."
It has improved considerably over the years since then. Substantial updates and patches added more quest lines, characters, and expanded its world building, as well as fixed its bugs. Fallout 76 is one of the easiest massively multiplayer FPS games to dive into given its gradual learning curve, and it's backed by a remarkably friendly community.
However, don't expect the classic Fallout RPG experience. Fallout 76 is more like a survival MMO that relies on exploration and base building. Consider it a great post-apocalyptic open-world multiplayer RPG, but not a standout entry in the Fallout series. It's worth a try if you're a fan of the genre, or a big fan of Fallout lore who wants to soak up the Nuka-Cola-flavored world-building even more.
Amazon Prime members can get even more from birthday celebrations. If you're a subscriber to the service, you can get Fallout 76 for free this month to keep forever.