One of the reasons the Fallout series of games will always be some of my favourite RPGs of all time is the feeling of choice. When an RPG is only linear, I think it falls down at one of the most important hurdles. Fallout 4 leaves the whole fate of the world in the players’ hands as the choice between the different factions arises. Who you decide to pit yourself against and side with will change the outcome of Fallout 4 permanently.
Who should you side with in Fallout 4?
Once you finally find your son in Fallout 4, it turns out he is not the man you probably hoped he would be. Shaun is considered the Father of the third generation of synths and believes in the complete superiority of The Institute. Due to their secretive and superior nature, the organisation he works for are reviled by most other factions in the Wasteland.
The choice in Fallout 4 is complex and almost always devastating when it comes to which faction to choose. Whichever way you go, it’ll either be a moral choice, a sensible one, or selfish, but in almost all cases, everyone else has to die. So, with this in mind, here are the various choices to be made with the factions of Fallout 4.
The moral choice – The Railroad
Synths are essentially the slaves of the Insitute, despite having sentience. They work to improve the life of the flesh and blood humans, and are given little in the way of compensation. The Railroad, named after the famous Underground Railroad, work to free the synths from the oppression of The Instutute. They give them back their free will, and help them find a place to live and be at peace.
Cons
This Fallout 4 faction is considered the moral choice but does come with a few downsides. The main one is that you will have to go to war with the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel. Siding with this faction in Fallout 4 will allow you to stay friendly with the Minutemen, but that’ll be all.
Another downside to The Railroad faction is their lack of benefits. If you’re a player who likes stealth, then their Stealth Boy and armour upgrades are ideal. But, personally, I am an all-guns-blazing kind of guy, so it doesn’t do too much for me.
Pros
The main thing you get to enjoy is a sense of moral superiority. You have stood up for the synths and put everything on the line for the freedom of the oppressed. However, on a more material level, there are some excellent armour upgrades, the Stealth Boy, and the Deliverer pistol. But do these really compare to the raw power of The Brotherhood of Steel?
The military faction choice – The Brotherhood of Steel
The Brotherhood of Steel faction have been around since the beginning of the Fallout series, and they make a particularly strong appearance in Fallout 4. They stand for maintaining order and peace in the Wasteland, and the preservation of technology. However, in Fallout 4, they come across as very militaristic and a little barbaric. The Brotherhood of Steel believes in the complete and utter eradication of the Synths and Ghouls, and that could be slightly problematic depending on how you have played Fallout 4.
Cons
The main issue for most players is the connection they may have made with a number of the synths in the game. Nick Valentine is a pretty cool guy and a really integral part of what makes the NPCs of Fallout 4 so fun. However, he is a synth, and he will not be spared. If you side with the Brotherhood of Steel faction, he must die. Siding with the Brotherhood faction in Fallout 4 will also mean the end of all ghouls. This pits you against both The Institute and The Railroad factions.
Pros
If you couldn’t care less about mouldy ghouls and dead eyes synths then the Brotherhood of Steel offer a lot to any player. The Power Armor and weapons are a very attractive prospect when wading through the mutant infested radioactive Wasteland. What are a few synth scalps when they are payment for a monstrous steel exoskeleton?
The neutral faction – The Minutemen
If you’re undecided and on the fence about who you want to side with and which way you want the game to go, grow a spine. You can also join with the Minutemen, who are the democratic and flip-floppy faction. They can side with either the Insitute or not and remain allies with the Brotherhood of Steel and the Minutemen. They do have a pretty cool uniform, and their base is also a castle, so they do have that going for them.
Cons
A lack of dedication to a cause is my main issue with the Minutemen. For your lack of commitment, they offer little in the way of impressive weapons and armour compared to other groups. The rewards for joining the Minutemen over the Brotherhood are very middling in comparison but can still be enjoyed.
Pros
I loved Preston Garvey as a companion in the game. He is one of the better choices, in my opinion. The Minutemen also allow you to build your base in their castle, which is super cool. This enables you to call in militia and mortar strikes to help out in fights.
Where the Minutemen really shine in Fallout 4 is their freedom. Deciding to join with them will essentially allow you to fully explore all the other factions without problems. Joining this faction in Fallout 4 will mean you can tailor your game a lot more, picking and choosing until much later in the narrative. They are the most common choice and one that will keep you neutral for the longest. They can side with the Institute, going to war with the other two, or side with the other two and only go to war with the Institute.
Family over Morality in Fallout 4 – The Institute
Shaun is your estranged child, snatched from your wife’s arms before she gets shot in the face. Years in the Wasteland have turned him into somewhat of a monster. He is the genetic base for the most advanced series of Synths and is a borderline genius. The Institution is a hard faction to side with in Fallout 4 simply due to their slave-like treatment of Synths. However, they truly do believe in the betterment of the human race, but at what cost?
Cons
The Institute, despite being genuinely focused on the betterment of the Commonwealth, is a despot. They test on human subjects, enslave the basically sentient synths and have a dangerous air of superiority. Morality needs to be cast aside when choosing the Insitute faction in Fallout 4, and you will pay the price by waging war on everyone else in the Wasteland.
Pros
Blood runs thicker than water, as they say, and Shaun is your son, after all. Besides this, The Institute has some very impressive technology that will allow you to use its healing capabilities. Along with this, the Institute faction has some of the best energy weapons available in the game. When you sell your soul to the Institute, you also get your very own super-powerful Synth sidekick. You’ll certainly need them. The Wasteland is all of a sudden going to be incredibly hostile.
So, which faction should you side with in Fallout 4?
For your first playthrough of Fallout 4, the Minutemen are one of the better factions to side with. Although they don’t offer the conviction of most of the other factions, they will allow you to delve deeper into the narrative with the others. You won’t be cut off from anyone until much later in the game, leaving you time to really explore.
However, for me, I always liked the iron will of the Brotherhood of Steel. I am a sucker for a shiny set of Power Armor, and for me, they have been there through many games. The Brotherhood of Steel is a scary and violent faction in Fallout 4, but I know, deep down, that war never changes. Also, ghouls are gross, WTH.
As in any of the good Fallout games, the decision is ultimately up to you. Only you can decide which connections have meant the most and who offers you what you want from the future of Fallout.
