Fallout 3 was released back in 2008 to near-universal acclaim. Critics praised the game's story, setting, graphics, environments, gameplay — judging from reviews, the game was almost perfect. Then again, "almost perfect" isn't perfect.
One of the major criticisms of Fallout 3 had to do with the game's level cap: while it would eventually be raised from 20 to 30 by way of an expansion, many argued that it was far too easy to hit Fallout 3's maximum level. Regardless of playstyle, fans soon found that they were as powerful as they ever could be far before they were done playing through all of the game's content.
Now, with Fallout 4 looming on the horizon, fans are curious as to how Bethesda's latest post-apocalyptic RPG will handle how strong its players can become. Will it be a repeat of Fallout 3's flawed system, or is the studio working on an entirely new system?
As it turns out, fans don't have to worry about Fallout 4's level cap ... because the game doesn't have one in the first place.
To our fans who’ve asked: Fallout 4 doesn’t end when the main story is over and there is no level cap. You can keep playing and leveling.
— BethesdaGameStudios (@BethesdaStudios) August 6, 2015
At least Bethesda isn't tiptoeing around the issue.
It's a surprising move, especially for a Fallout game: each title is built with the knowledge that players can't specialize in everything. There's a level cap simply because it forces players to think about what they want to focus on — if players could simply specialize in everything, what's the point of having a leveling system in the first place?
Granted, this is Bethesda: obviously, the studio has a way to balance the game without making each player-made character feeling identical to the last. It is a bit disappointing that there aren't more details about how this new system will work, but for anyone who remembers hitting level 20 halfway through Fallout 3's story, it should come as welcome news.
Until Bethesda decides to release more details, the only thing left to do is wait for the actual game: Fallout 4 is scheduled to hit store shelves on November 15.
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