Even though Fallout 5 is still decades away from release, Fallout fans are eager to theorize about what the next installment might bring to the table. Synths are one such topic of discussion. If Bethesda decides to bring them back in the next Fallout game, it’d be interesting to see what their role will be in the grander scheme of things (if any).
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The Synths in Fallout 4 (and Fallout 3)
The synths were a powerful force during the events of Fallout 4. Synthetic androids created by the Institute roamed the Commonwealth, keeping tabs on the people there and making use of violence when necessary. Though the Institute’s motivations are still unclear to this day, none can doubt that the synths were feared across the region. This is very much felt in Diamond City, especially after Fallout 4’s infamous Broken Mask Incident.
However, not all wastelanders view synths as killing machines. Some have a more sympathetic view of them, namely an organization in Fallout 4 known as the Railroad. The group has existed as far back as Fallout 3 since the Lone Wanderer can choose to help them in the quest “The Replicated Man.” That said, the organization has since grown in size as seen in Fallout 4; the Sole Survivor can even side with them in the endgame.
Reintroducing Synths in Fallout 5
Fallout 5’s setting and themes are yet unclear, but it wouldn’t be farfetched to think that synths might make another appearance in the next installment of the series. Granted, they’re not (yet) staples like ghouls or super mutants, but these synthetic androids have plenty of potential to make the game’s stories more interesting. Plus, they don’t even have to be Institute synths, especially since Fallout 5 will likely take place somewhere other than the Commonwealth.
If groups like the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel were able to build advanced technology around 200 years after the Great War, then it’s likely that other organizations would be able to as well. Perhaps it wouldn’t be to the extent of the Institute, but enough to build their own android prototypes. Of course, this raises the question: Why would people want to build synths in the first place? This is arguably a question that even Fallout 4 wasn’t able to answer, so if Bethesda wants to reintroduce synths to Fallout 5, it needs to better justify the existence of these androids.
Assuming that players should expect synths in Fallout 5, the next question involves their role in the overarching narrative. Synths were already one of the main plot points in Fallout 4, so some players have expressed that they want something different in the next title in the franchise. Perhaps, then, Bethesda should relegate these synths – Institute-based or otherwise – to one of the longer side quests instead of inserting them into the main questline.
An excellent example of a synth-focused questline done right is Fallout 4’s DLC Far Harbor. Despite being detached from most of the main questline, Far Harbor delivers an excellent story that brings up plenty of moral questions surrounding the synths of Acadia, especially DiMA. It even provides character development for Nick Valentine, should the player decide to bring him along. Maybe this is something Bethesda can emulate for Fallout 5. That way, players get a callback to these artificial humans while still experiencing whatever new things Fallout 5 has.
Fallout 5 has been announced.
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