Bethesda’s Fallout 4 is packed full of fascinating and hard-to-find details throughout (even in well-known locations like Lexington), and the brilliant cinematic that kicks it off is certainly no exception. Whether gamers have played this classic title or not, they’re probably familiar with its iconic intro sequence. In just under three minutes, the gripping clip sets the stage for the story perfectly, placing players straight into the game.
One of the reasons why the intro sequence is able to do this so well is because of its admirable attention to detail. It is likely that many players may have missed some of these details, however, whether because of their blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nature or due to their lack of context when first opening up the game. Though they may not be the most telling upon first glance, each little moment plays its part in the overarching lore of the game and its universe.
6 The Mother And Her Son
During the beginning of the sequence, players get a quick shot of a mother playing with her infant child. Upon first glance, the loving pair look like any other ordinary family. However, for those who missed the subtle clue in the dialogue, the mother and her child are very important to the wider story of Fallout.
Those who listen closely will note that the Sole Survivor talks about his great-great-grandfather, far away at war, waiting for the day he’d be reunited with his wife and son that he’d never seen. If you’re able to fit the pieces together, then, it’ll become clear that the mother is the Sole Survivor’s great-great-grandmother and the child is actually his great-grandfather.
5 The Pip-Boy Prototype
About half-way into the intro sequence, players come across what appears to be an engineer working on a large device that is wrapped around his arm. In the dialogue, the device is described as a ‘portable computer,’ which may give gamers a subtle clue to what the device actually is.
Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the small screen of the device displays the words Pip-Boy 1.0. This means that this large and unwieldy contraption is actually an early prototype of the famous Pip-Boy, a staple feature of the Fallout franchise!
4 The Battle Of Anchorage
Players may be struck by the shot of the soldier standing solemnly amongst the troops raining down from the sky with parachutes. Well, some may not know this, but this image is actually a reference to the Battle of Anchorage, a fictional war that took place in the Fallout universe in the year 2066.
Fallout veterans will know that the Battle of Anchorage was part of the conflict between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. This was probably one of the events that lead to the world becoming the barren dystopia that series fans are all too familiar with. This pivotal conflict has been mentioned in every Fallout game, ranging from the original title all the way to the most recent entry, Fallout 76 (which had its own share of intriguing secrets for eager players to discover).
3 Power Armor’s Hidden Appearances
This one may prove more noticeable to long-time followers of the Fallout franchise. Newer players, however, will likely fail to notice that the infamous Power Armor makes multiple brief appearances throughout the intro sequence.
An early model of the Power Armor, probably the T-45 or the T-51 models, is shown as a soldier is being welded into the suit during the Battle of Anchorage. A second shot of the Power Armor, presumably the T-60 model or later (judging from the year), is shown in the final shot as the soldiers walk down a deserted highway. This armor has also made countless appearances throughout the series (including in Fallout 76), so it’s no surprise that it can be spotted in this sequence.
2 The Woman In The Photograph
At the end of the intro sequence, one soldier pulls out a battered photograph of a woman from his pocket and takes a wistful look at it. This throwaway reference may be lost on many, but this is actually Nora, one of the two characters players can select to customize as the Sole Survivor at the beginning of the game.
Nora is also referenced as the ‘wife’ during the dialogue that takes place over the video. Just as with Nate, she has the potentially to be a tremendously powerful protagonist, with the same huge range of build options (practical and otherwise) available to her. Just be sure to pick the best perks for the job and even the fiercest foes won’t trouble you!
1 The Lone Soldier
In the last shot of the intro sequence, a lone soldier is shown, lamenting the grim state of the world as he goes to war and worrying about the safety of his wife and infant child. This soldier is actually Nate, the second character players can choose from as the Sole Survivor. He’s the husband of Nora and father to the couple’s son, Shaun.
Nate’s experience as a soldier is referenced throughout the game, such as with the Vault Tech Rep. This conveniently explains his ability to survive in the nuclear apocalypse, as well as his capacity to operate equipment such as weapons (those ever-present and occasionally underrated energy weapons among them) and Power Armor.
NEXT: Fallout 4: 10 Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed The First Time Through
