Fallout 4 is a much more cheerful game than its immediate numbered predecessor. In contrast with the grime, slick gore, and green tint of the Capital Wasteland, the Commonwealth is bright and vibrant—it's the sort of place where you wouldn't mind putting down roots and founding a settlement or ten.
Playing Fallout 4 has always felt like walking around on a perfect November morning to me: Everything's kind of grey and dead, the trees have no leaves, but the sun is out, the sky is blue. It has this sort of crisp, clean sense you only get that time of year. I've wondered if this was just a me thing, but when I asked Bethesda art director Istvan Pely about it in a recent interview, he told me that the autumnal vibe was "completely intentional."
