Highlights
- Fog Crawlers, a unique monster in Fallout 76 , may not have the opportunity to appear in future Fallout games due to the specific environment they require.
- While Fallout 76 introduces solid concepts for the series' future, the existence of Fog Crawlers is limited by the necessary presence of swamps or coasts where shrimp can live.
- While it's not impossible for Fog Crawlers to appear in the next game, their return depends on the location and the presence of a nuclear disaster and extreme radiation.
Fog Crawlers were a frightening sight in Fallout 76, but there's a good chance that they will remain restricted to that game. While Fallout 76 managed to introduce a fair amount of concepts that could get a second shot elsewhere in the series, one of its more unique monsters may not have the same opportunity. That's not due to a lack of creativity or quality, of course. Fog Crawlers are awfully striking creatures that make for interesting encounters in-game. The issue lies less with the creatures themselves and more with the various details surrounding its existence.
When it comes to things such as Fallout 76's treatment of Raiders, it's clear that the game has a lot of solid ideas that could come in handy for the series' future. The way that Fallout 76 is set up, with multiplayer options, a massive open world, and updates adding further content post-release, gives it unique opportunities compared to other games. Its setting of Appalachia also aids in giving the game its own identity, similar to Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Wasteland. The creative benefits have been especially clear in the design of new monsters for the game, letting players fight creatures that are bizarre, scary, and just plain fascinating.
Fog Crawlers May Not Come Back After Fallout 76
Among the many scary monsters of Fallout 76, the Fog Crawlers are a particularly alien presence. Although they originally appeared in Fallout 4's Far Harbor expansion, they emerged again as a major threat in Appalachia. Originally based on shrimp, Fog Crawlers have grown to huge sizes, gaining terrifying power and toughness in the process. The fact that they now resemble some horrifying mix of shrimp, praying mantis, and spider only makes them more nightmarish. Standby Fallout threats like feral ghouls and raiders wouldn't stand a chance against the terrifying presence of the Fog Crawlers.
Unfortunately for fans of Fog Crawlers, much like how Fallout 5 probably won't feature Synths, Fog Crawlers may be unlikely to return as well. The main culprit for this is their origin story. Fog Crawlers are heavily mutated shrimp, so they would naturally need to appear in a place where shrimp are found. For example, with Far Harbor taking place in Maine, it makes perfect sense to find Fog Crawlers there. However, places that lack swamps, coasts, or other areas where shrimp could live wouldn't have the opportunity. It simply wouldn't make sense to have them so far outside of their habitat.
Of course, it's not impossible for Fog Crawlers to appear in the next game. It depends on where Fallout 5 will take place. For example, if the next game takes place near the Gulf of Mexico, then Fog Crawlers have a solid chance of returning. The extreme amount of radiation required for the mutation would also be a factor. As a result, some sort of nuclear disaster would need to be present in the area as well. Considering the threats of radiation as well as the Fog Crawlers themselves, they would likely only appear in places the player shouldn't approach until the late game.
While Fog Crawlers are some of Fallout 76's coolest creatures, that alone won't guarantee that they appear again. Fallout 5 can benefit from Fallout 76's lore, but many parts of said lore can easily be adapted to any wasteland that the series may come to next. Fog Crawlers, on the other hand, are reliant on the setting having an appropriate environment and situation in order for them to exist in the first place. There are a lot of things from Fallout 76 that could appear in later games, but Fog Crawlers may not be one of them.
Fallout 76 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
