TheFalloutfranchise loves its companions, and Dogmeat is the best one of them all. Dogmeat is a lovable canine companion who has appeared in the iconic franchise since its first game debuted in the 1990s. AlthoughFallout 5is a long way away, thanks toFallout 4’s impressive mod scene, there are all sorts of potential ideas to get excited about when the next mainline installment comes around.
Many players fell in love with the loyal and effective German Shepherd due to his depiction inFallout 4. In the fourth entry, he is rescued by the Sole Survivor and stays by his side until the end of the adventure. Other games required players to do more legwork to meet and recruit the Wasteland’s top dog. This has players wondering how exactlyFallout 5will introduce the series' unofficial mascot and how Bethesda can improve upon the groundwork they laid out for him inFallout 4. It’s easy to conclude that all the developers would need to do is improve Dogmeat’s artificial intelligence or give players more ways to interact with him, but with the power of current-gen consoles and PCs, the avenues of improvement thatFallout 5can pursue become far more expansive than previously thought.
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How Dogmeat Can Meet the Moment in Fallout 5
It’s essential to consider why someone would want to keep a dog by their side in a post-apocalyptic world. Surely the loyalty and love of an animal would help a person cope, but dogs offer so much more than just emotional support. Designing a game world around Dogmeat’s capabilities would be a great way to improve him for his eventual appearance inFallout 5. The most recentFallout games have followed “find this person” narrativesbut save for a few quests inFallout 4that revolve around Dogmeat tracking a person’s scent, the feature is mainly unused.
Capitalizing on the size of the game would make keeping a hunting and tracking dog essential. Offering Dogmeat items with scents that can track current objectives would help keep the game accessible and give players more ways to achieve their goals. The best stories start simple, and a narrative that begins as small as finding Dogmeat’s former owner could be parlayed into various outcomes and encourage multiple playthroughs. It would be quite a kicker to learn that the sweetest dog in the Wasteland initially belonged to the villain of the game, and players would have to choose to surrender the pup or keep him and face the consequences. Likewise, being able to customizeDogmeat with armor that actually affects gameplaywould also be an intelligent choice.
Dogmeat’s Potential New Role
People love theFalloutgames because exploring a world post-nuclear warfare gives a broad canvas to paint on. Monsters and enemies can take many forms, human conflict can have many angles, and there are many ways that Dogmeat can be of use. Regardless of whetherFallout 5uses a rural or urban setting, there will be threats in the shadows. Imagine walking through an empty swamp or a ruined city, and Dogmeat runs away from your side and barks at a broken-down building. As you approach it, ghouls pop out and seek to overwhelm you. Organic and dynamic moments like this would give the game and Dogmeat a far more advanced feel that would keep players on their toes.
Conversely, adding more ways for Dogmeat to influence the game world would be an intelligent choice. Imagine having Dogmeat open doors for you, breaking the ice with new NPCs by greeting them before you do, or using him to distract hostile NPCs with his cuteness before attacking. PreviousFalloutgames featured a system where certain party members would respond negatively or positively to player choices. However, having a full-fledged trust system that Dogmeat can influence would be a new elevation. These ideas create non-linear gameplay that would encourage players to truly role-play who they want to be.Plans forFallout 5are in progress, and Bethesda would be wise to revisit one of the most loved characters in the franchise and expand upon him in ways that only modern PCs and consoles can.
