The first time I played Fallout 4 VR was in a tiny little booth after Bethesda's 2016 E3 conference. I called my short time with the game 'underwhelming' back then because the whole experience was little more than a stationary shooting gallery with bottles for targets. Even then though, it was still a thrill to feel like I was actually standing next to a real-life Red Rocket gas station.
Fallout 4 VR finally released in December 2017 to fairly positive reviews, even though there was a lot of criticism about the VR implementation and its lacklustre graphics. Despite these faults however, most helmet-heads on PC were thrilled to have the opportunity to play through the entirety of Fallout 4 in virtual reality. Sure there were some corners cut here and there but still, props to Bethesda for even attempting this port in the first place, I wish more developers and publishers would do the same.
In the roughly 6.5 years since Fallout 4 VR's release, enterprising modders have been attempting to improve the vanilla experience one tiny mod at a time. But there are some, like content creator, GingasVR, who have put together huge mod lists that aim to alter the original version of Fallout 4 VR and bring it up to the standards of something like Half Life: Al.
Obviously the big talking point at the moment is the Fallout TV show, so on this week's episode of Ian's VR Corner (which you can watch on the player above), I attempted to mod Fallout 4 VR using GingasVR's incredible 'Fallout VR Essentials Overhaul' mod list. This epic collection includes almost 300 mods, many of which GingasVR made themselves. But, and this is a big but, I'm both computer illiterate and short on time, so when I couldn't make things work perfectly (or be bothered to stand up), I just went with the flow and, well, as you'll see in this week's video, Ian-brand chaos ensued.
Just because I struggled with the mod though, doesn't mean you will, and GingasVR has included so many things in the list that are easily customisable (if you've got enough time to read the 42 page manual) - including an OpenAI NPC mod which allows you to talk to every NPC in the game through a microphone and have realistic conservations with them.
So, if you've been bitten by the irradiated bug of the TV show and want to experience Bethesda's post-apocalyptic world as if you were really there, this could be the best option. Besides waiting for a real Global Thermonuclear War that is... Just be prepared to lose a fair few hours trying to get it all working, and a few pounds from your wallet too as you'll need both Fallout 4 VR and Fallout 4 flat with all of its DLCs in order for the mod list to work.
And, just in case you can't see the header video, there's the link to the YouTube version just below these words. Aren't I kind?
These Mods Will Make Fallout 4 VR Feel Like You're In The Fallout TV Show (Sort Of) - Ians VR Corner