Fallout 76 has recently started testing fishing mechanics, further upgrading the experience for players. These public tests give players a small taste of what fishing in Fallout 76 could be like, and if received well by fans, has the potential to be a future franchise staple. Since the game launched back in 2018, Bethesda has brought a series of post-launch updates that have helped make the world feel far more alive than it did at its release, and fishing is another step forward in making Fallout 76‘s Appalachian region a compelling world to explore.
For players interested in testing out fishing in Fallout 76, a new location known as Fisherman’s Rest can now be discovered, which unlocks the “Casting Off” quest. This small preview of what can be expected from fishing is an exciting update, but what’s even more intriguing is how it can potentially affect the future lore of the Fallout franchise.
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Fallout 76’s Playable Ghoul Has an Obvious Opportunity for a Fallout 3 Tie-In
Now that the franchise’s first playable Ghoul character has arrived, Fallout 76 may have the perfect excuse to revisit Fallout 3’s iconic setting.
Bethesda Has a Big Opportunity to Expand Fallout’s Lore Through Fishing
Horrifying Creatures Could Be Lurking Beneath the Waters
Throughout the series, Fallout has showcased a variety of terrifying, mutated monsters that inhabit the various wastelands explored in the franchise. From Deathclaws to Yao Guai, beasts roam the landscapes, forcing players to be on their toes when traveling from place to place. Because of the post-nuclear devastation, the same kinds of mutations are bound to be found under the surface, too.
Players can collect three types of bait to fish with. Certain bait increases one’s chances of catching fish. Bethesda has also confirmed that there are catchable fish in any body of water.
More Than Just a Mini-Game
Yes, adding fishing to Fallout 76 can help elevate the realism of trying to survive in Appalachia, but it can be far more than just a new mechanic. If Bethesda really wanted to make the most out of this update, it could present the perfect stage to introduce a variety of new mutated creatures. From giant large-mouth bass with razor-sharp teeth to horrifying crayfish with gnarly claws, Fallout 76 has the potential for a completely new roster of horrors to bring to players.
Fishing is another step forward in making Fallout 76‘s Appalachian region a compelling world to explore.
Beyond Fallout 76, the franchise could also finally deliver on teased creatures. Dolphish have been showcased in both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76. In the former, Dolphish can be found dead on the shore, while Fallout 76 reconfirms their existence, as they live in the Aquarium of the Atlantic in Atlantic City. Dolphish are just the tip of the iceberg of what’s possible now that fishing is becoming a reality.
In addition to Dolphish, Mirelurks have also demonstrated what can happen when radiation mutates aquatic life. These monstrous crustaceans were introduced in Fallout 3 and continue to play a part in the franchise.
Fallout 76 Hopefully Isn’t the Beginning and End of Fishing
- As of now, Fallout 5 has yet to be confirmed.
It’s not clear if Fallout 5 will take a page from Fallout 76‘s book and include fishing, but it would potentially be unwise to introduce such a feature and not make it a series standard moving forward. The Fallout franchise has evolved greatly since its first chapter, and fishing is hopefully a small, but effective, part of that growth. With new features like playable Ghouls and fishing, such gameplay options potentially being left out of a fifth mainline Fallout is bound to be a misstep. Only time will tell, but right now, Fallout 76 is finally opening the door for fishing to play a bigger part in the future Fallout experience.
Fallout 76
5/10
- Released
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November 14, 2018
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Engine
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Creation