The Fallout series has been around for a long time, and its subsequent games almost always contain references to past titles. Fallout 5 will likely be no exception to this, which is an exciting prospect given that Fallout 4 introduced plenty of new elements to the post-apocalyptic wasteland, most notably the Institute and its brand of synthetic humans.
While the infamous bogeyman of the Commonwealth probably won’t be the “big bad” of the next Fallout game, little references to it add to the game’s world, giving a sense of continuity. Plus, it’s a nod to longtime fans who are caught up on the lore. A great way to do this is to introduce traveling synths to the world of Fallout 5.
How Fallout 3 Teased the Synths of Fallout 4
Before delving into Fallout 4 and 5, it’s worth looking back at Fallout 3 since it was the first game to officially introduce the concept of synths. In Rivet City, the player can come across a character named Dr. Zimmer, who triggers the Fallout 3 quest “The Replicated Man.” In it, the player must track down a synth or, as Zimmer calls him, an android that’s his property. To complete the quest, the player must find the android (Harkness) then either surrender him to Zimmer or protect his anonymity.
This quest in Fallout 3 hints at the events of Fallout 4, with certain dialogue and holotape recordings even mentioning the Commonwealth, the Institute, and the Railroad. This implies two things. First, the Railroad has some level of influence outside the Commonwealth, and it could potentially extend to areas outside the Capital Wasteland. Second, so does the Institute, meaning conflicts similar to that of “The Replicated Man” could very well be taking place beyond the Commonwealth and the Capital Wasteland.
Traveling Synths and Fallout 5
All that said, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to believe that the Railroad and the Institute had some sort of presence in the setting of Fallout 5. This then sets the stage for the presence of traveling synths. They could be armed escorts for former Institute scientists trying to rebuild (assuming that Fallout 5 follows a timeline where the Institute is destroyed). Alternatively, they could be synths under the protection of Railroad agents, fleeing from the Commonwealth in search of a life elsewhere.
Both types of synths could give Fallout 5 players a glimpse of the state of the Commonwealth after the events of Fallout 4. The Institute-allied synths could perhaps express disdain at the destruction of what was essentially their home. Meanwhile, the escaped synths could show relief at not having to worry about being recaptured and brought back to the main facility. The two sides paint very different pictures, showcasing the differing perspectives in the aftermath of Fallout 4.
Potential Synth Side Quests in Fallout 5
These references to Fallout 4 can even be taken a step further by implementing different side quests involving synths. Perhaps Fallout 5 could have a minor quest line wherein the player has to choose between assisting the Railroad or the Institute (alternatively, the Fallout franchise’s Brotherhood of Steel) in a synth-related manner.
A quest like that could play out similarly to “The Replicated Man” from Fallout 3. Ultimately, the decision would be between granting an android the right to autonomy or returning them to their authoritarian creators. While this quest format has already been done before, there’s still some room for innovation in Fallout 5. For instance, it could reintroduce Dr. Zimmer, who was nowhere to be found in Fallout 4 despite being the head of the Synth Retention Bureau.
Other quests could follow the format of “Boston After Dark” in Fallout 4’s Railroad quest list, which is essentially an escort quest where the player must bring a synth to a safehouse owned by the Railroad. Admittedly, this type of quest can get old very quickly, so it’ll have to find ways to be innovative. Perhaps the Brotherhood of Steel or even the members of a local settlement could express hostility toward the synth, forcing the player into a morally charged situation.
The Fallout 4 quest “Human Error” could also provide some inspiration. Instead of having a settlement serve as a synth testing den like Covenant did, Fallout 5 could flip the roles and have a town of synths kidnap and experiment on innocent wastelanders. It’d be a lot like Arcadia in Fallout 4’s Far Harbor DLC, just much more ethically questionable.
Of course, these are all just ideas drawn from past Fallout quests. Since the community has no idea who or what the “big bad” of Fallout 5 will be, there’s a blind spot when one tries to theorize about potential synth quests. After all, it’d be interesting to see older game elements interact with new ones, such as how the Institute was studying the Forced Evolutionary Virus of the Fallout world. So, until Bethesda gives fans a bit more to go on, it won’t be easy to imagine what the upcoming game will look like, much less how old elements might play a part in it.
Fallout 5 Shouldn’t Focus Too Much on Synths
While references to Fallout 4 are more than welcome in Fallout 5, the new title shouldn’t lean into past features too much. That means the Institute and its synths shouldn’t be the focal point of Fallout 5. Since the game will (probably) take place in a new setting, players want to see the new, local factions and their unique ideologies. Granted, organizations like Fallout's Brotherhood of Steel and maybe even the Railroad are likely to show up, but they shouldn’t overshadow the new groups since those give players a whole new look at the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Bottom line: references to Fallout 4 and even older Fallout games are great, with synths being the perfect plot device to make such references. However, these shouldn’t be given more importance than the unique story that Fallout 5 wants to tell with its factions and specific contexts. That said, it’d be a good idea to include side quests that blend old and new elements – for instance, synths butting heads with the new “big bad.”
Fallout 5 has been announced.