We waited a long time for Bethesda to deliver its next-gen upgrade for Fallout 4, and it's safe to say that last month's update hasn't turned out to be a particularly smooth transition for Xbox Series X|S players. Now, the team at Digital Foundry has had a good look at how Fallout 4 next-gen is shaping up under the hood, and it's definitely not hitting the right notes at the moment.
DF reckons the whole update is "weirdly undercooked" for something that's been in the works for so long, going on to say that the current-gen Xbox versions are "bugged", and the PS5 / PC versions are "disappointing" at launch. Here's their verdict on Bethesda's new update, which delivers mixed results to say the least:
"The turnout for this next-gen patch on PS5, Series X and S is undoubtedly disappointing then. There are a few wins here at least: the ability to officially run at a dynamic 1440p 60fps on Series S is a nice improvement, while being able to run at 60fps on PS5 is a real breakthrough after being limited to 30fps on the older PS4 app for so long.
But there's so much that's being left on the table for a definitive console experience. The fact that the core settings, the world detail and shadows, are still not on par with PC's best - even running on PS5's 30fps mode - is a surprise."
The analysis also goes on to mention how the Xbox versions just aren't working properly right now — which was mentioned by the outlet at launch — and DF expects them to be fixed by Bethesda shortly.
"More plainly, the fact that Xbox systems do not work as the patch notes state, with a non-functioning performance mode toggle and missing 120Hz and 1440p modes, needs to be addressed.
I'm fully expecting Bethesda to loop back on this in due course, to patch up what are obvious and plain issues on Xbox. It is a free update, but one that comes with a set of compromises - and in some respects it's a step back from the older One X app."
For now, if may be worth holding out for another update before jumping back into Fallout 4 - especially if you're playing on Xbox Series X and S. However, if you're able to gloss over the issues mentioned in this analysis, then the game's next-gen update is out now on Xbox and PlayStation platforms.