'Fallout 4' has aged beautifully. You should play it again.

The distaste of many for the new dialogue system is, in most cases, tied to expectations about what a Fallout game should be. In fact, I think nostalgia for previous entries holds "Fallout" 4 back. Common sentiment among fans and critics is that both "Fallout 3" and "New Vegas" rank above "Fallout 4." Fallout is my favorite game franchise, and "Fallout 3" sparked the love affair. Before "Fallout 3," there was no Fallout as we know it today. The game blew the hinges off the franchise in the best way: "Fallout 2," released 10 years before "Fallout 3," had a bird's-eye view a la StarCraft and turn- and tile-based combat.