Summary
- The Vaults in the Fallout franchise tell tales of inhumane conduct and cruel experiments carried out by Vault-Tec Corporation.
- Vault 75 is the most tragic Vault, where parents and children were separated and subjected to genetic tests, with only the strongest children surviving.
- Vault 81, Vault 118, and Vault 114 also have interesting backstories.
The people of Fallout showcase the indomitable human spirit through their stubborn survival in a barren land. The hardships are brutal in the years following the world's nuclear conflict, and only the strong survive in Fallout 4's Commonwealth. As humanity raced towards its doom, Vault-Tec Corporation constructed livable vaults it claimed were for citizens to ride out the inevitable nuclear storm that loomed. However, as Fallout 2 revealed, the company had much more sinister plans in mind, carrying out all sorts of cruel experiments on the residents of its vaults. There are quite a few of these chambers in the Fallout franchise, and Fallout 4's vaults can be ranked based on their depth.
Vaults hold cultural importance in the Fallout universe, and although not all such locations are explorable, Bethesda does a great job of displaying the setting's cruelty through these buildings. Constructed and advertised to the public as a haven from the nuclear disaster, the walls of Fallout's Vaults bore witness to terrible crimes committed against their inhabitants, as Vault-Tec used its citizens as lab rats in the search for advantages over their opposition. There are seven explorable Vaults in Fallout 4 in total -- counting the title's DLCs -- and each tells a tale of inhumane conduct in its unique way.
S Tier
Vault 75: Given the Vault's ultimate purpose, none of these structures had a more tragic backstory than Vault 75. Located in Malden Middle School's basement lies a tragedy. Vault-Tec designated Vault 75 to be inhabited by school staff, children, and their families, and upon exploring the contents of this shelter, Fallout 4 players will discover the unspeakable horrors the corporation carried out. Once the nuclear war broke out, parents and children got separated by the Vault's staff, and the adult inhabitants were summarily executed and burned.
The orphaned children were raised by Vault-Tec staff and taught to fear the world outside the vault. Staff performed tests to determine which children had the best genes until a child turned 18, when the kids with the strongest genetic makeup were harvested to store their genetic information. Any child deemed unworthy met an execution in a similar fashion to their parents. Eventually, after a century of suffering, Vault 75's children rebelled, killing the scientists and escaping the chamber.
Vault 81: In Fallout 4, Gunners now live in the Vault, although the Brotherhood may come around during gameplay. Vault 81's original intention was to find cures for every disease known to man by infecting its populace and carrying out tests, but the original Overseer, Dr. Olivette, ensured inhabitants' safety after discovering Vault-Tec's intentions. Sealing off the few scientists that made it to this Fallout 4 Vault from the rest of the population, the dwellers turned Vault 81 into a thriving community, even creating Curie, a robot who can accompany players in their travels.
A Tier
Vault 118: The Fallout 4 Far Harbor DLC brought Vault 118 to players' screens, built under a hotel and employing a murder mystery theme with plenty of drama to entertain gamers. Although the chamber's original purpose -- haughty celebrities living in luxurious conditions while normal people were crammed together -- never came to be, there's plenty for players to discover as they investigate a robobrain's murder. The Far Harbor DLC allowed gamers to play as detectives, questioning suspects and making accusations, all while gaining valuable loot from the map. Vault 118 has a contentious development history, however, as it is very similar to a fan mod called Autumn Leaves.
Vault 114: Vault 114 also gave Fallout players a quality experience, introducing fans to Nick Valentine, considered by many to be Fallout 4's best companion. Along with the newfound camaraderie, a thrilling face-off with prominent gangster Skinny Malone awaits in this vault, and there's a bonus holotape interview of Soup Can Harry to entertain players. Originally meant to house Boston's upper class in unglamorous living conditions as a social experiment, Vault 114's original purpose never came to fruition.
B Tier
Vault 95: Another twisted Vault-Tec social experiment, Vault 95 attracted residents with promises of shelter and rehabilitation for chem addicts. Initially, the populace got what they bargained for, and many responded positively to treatment, well en route to overcoming their addictions. However, the true experiment would begin five years later, with a Vault-Tec plant among the residents opening a stash of drugs. Chaos followed shortly, and the dwellers eventually killed each other. Now a Gunner hideout in Fallout 4, players can clear out the location and find a cure to Cait's Psycho addiction.
C Tier
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Vault 111: The start of Fallout 4's campaign, Vault 111 deployed cryogenics to send its population into a forced frozen slumber, as the dwellers were deceived with the promise of a decontamination site. The Sole Survivor wakes up in this chamber, witnessing their spouse's murder and their son's kidnapping, with every other inhabitant in the vault meeting their demise due to a power malfunction. There isn't much to do in Vault 111 besides picking up the cryolater freeze gun and kicking off Fallout 4's story.
Vault 88: The Vault-Tec Workshop DLC introduced Vault 88 to Fallout 4's audience, and although the chamber intended to give players control over the residents as an overseer, Bethesda missed the mark with its ethical restrictions. Vault 88 gave a lot of room to build with Vault-themed building options, but the tame nature of the experiments like making dwellers power cola generators contrasts the elaborate projects of Vault-Tec.
Fallout 4 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.