Fallout 76 Skyline Valley Preview - An Electrifying Expansion

The Fallout 76: Skyline Valley expansion is the exact kind of shocking summer fun you need.

By Hannah Adkins

Whether you emerged from Vault 76 and set off into Appalachia long ago to explore the region post nuclear fallout the map you've undoubtedly committed to memory with your favorite C.A.M.P. locations burned into your mind or if you're considering jumping into Fallout 76 for the first time, there's never been a better time. With the live service game's sixth year anniversary approaching, Bethesda Game Studios have added plenty of content over the years to keep players returning, the game's community shaping into one of the most positive MMO communities to experience, and now the map has expanded to a new electrifying region – Skyline Valley.

I was able to spend a couple of hours in Skyline Valley during a hands-on event hosted in London, and I'm eager to jump back into the new area map and experience the location in all its glory from the beginning again with my own character. The map expansion is the first for Fallout 76, and this update marks an exciting one for players and the developers who created it alike – each aspect from the narrative, the characters, the environment, and the quest structure are designed with providing a fun experience as the ultimate goal, something I feel they provided on only in my short time in Skyline Valley. 

To talk briefly about each of these aspects I mentioned, I first have to discuss my favorite part of this expansion which is, as is probably expected, the environment itself. Showcasing the beautiful Shenandoah region in a post-apocalyptic setting where a red, threatening storm swirls overhead, I feel this is one of the strongest designs for a region on any map in the Fallout franchise as a whole. If you've seen some of these locations in real life like I have as a kid it will pull at those nostalgic heart strings we all have, and the hues of the storm will without a doubt be featured in many photo mode shots shared online in the days to come. The main quest line was straightforward enough to follow that I didn't feel the need to team up with anyone during my session, and narratively it feels pretty strong so far – I'm eager to see what the overall story shapes up to be. 

A large part of my excitement in the story stems from a new group of well-designed characters: both the Lost and the current inhabitants of Vault 63. The Lost, a new type of Ghoul, are such a unique and fresh design for the franchise that I really hope is utilized more going forward (I liked the challenges presented by going against groups of these Ghouls), and I absolutely adore the Overseer of Vault 63. 

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Speaking of Vault 63, the door has obviously been opened (okay...it's been more than opened, but you'll find that out soon enough) and you'll be able to step inside to see what Vault-Tec had in-store for its residents. Aesthetically, there's a sort of cabin-like warmth to its undamaged interior that is nostalgic of the area it's placed in, and while over the years I've said I wanted to live in a well-maintained and functioning Vault (preferably free of an experiment), this one would be top of my list going forward without a doubt – and I'm absolutely willing to become a Ghoul in order to do so. 

Overall, I'm really looking forward to experiencing more of what Skyline Valley has to offer, and the most disappointing part of it for me is that I'm out of town this weekend and have to wait even longer to do so. See y'all in Skyline Valley soon enough! 

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