‘Fallout 4’ Survival Mode Now Available On PlayStation 4, Xbox One With Latest Patch

Sole survivors on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can now choose to play Fallout 4 in Survival mode. The optional hardcore mode drastically increases the game’s difficulty with a new set of challenges and features tailored to make the player’s experience much grimmer. Patch 1.5 adds the Survival mode option in addition to a few other fixes and changes which should benefit all players even if they are not interested in the new difficulty.

Although previously released on PC, the new mode and patch 1.5 comes to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One today as seen in the updated post on Bethesda.net. The developer looked to accomplish a few very specific goals with the optional difficulty. Fallout 4 players will be challenged with making more strategic decisions while finding a more rewarding experience in exploring the wasteland a little slower. All the while, a sole survivor in Survival mode will need to pay much more attention to managing resources all to a much more realistic backdrop.

#SurvivalMode now live on Xbox One and PS4. Experience an all new #Fallout4. https://t.co/hHNnYPzAsi pic.twitter.com/2WGr0hDeqB

— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) May 6, 2016

The new Survival mode difficulty is not for the faint of heart. Quickly saving before encounters or risks is not possible since saving can only occur if the player character sleeps in a bed for at least an hour. Fast traveling between known locations is no longer possible, hostiles no longer automatically show up on the radar, and players must manage more statistics of the sole survivor. For instance, the character’s wellness is a major issue in Survival mode. The character can become tired and he or she must eat and drink to keep going. If the character gets too tired, damage might be taken. If the character eats something raw, a sickness might set in.

Specifically, Fatigue works a lot like Radiation does in Fallout 4. Similar to how Radiation damage lowers a player’s potential maximum health, Fatigue does the same to the player’s full Action Point bar. Becoming tired lowers the character’s maximum Action Point value making it harder to sprint, perform actions in V.A.T.S., and more. Other features of the Survival mode include a slower rate of healing, crippled limbs do not automatically heal over time, items that are usually weightless now have a carry weight, and much more.

“Your total carry weight has been reduced and items like ammo and Stimpaks now have weight. Bullets and shells have a small amount of weight, which varies by caliber, while missiles and mini nukes are quite heavy. Everything you carry now must be carefully chosen, and you’ll have to weigh power over volume when it comes to things like ammo.”

Players uninterested in the Survival mode should still benefit from the latest patch, though. In addition to laying the groundwork for the upcoming third piece of downloadable content, patch 1.5 also fixes a few issues with Fallout 4. Other than just general stability and performance improvements, players can expect a few fixes to issues presented to those that own the Automatron DLC. For example, Ada should now move to a new settlement without issue, a rare crash with an Automatron save is now rectified, and the perk bug while reloading a saved game while using a robot workbench is now fixed.

The full list of Fallout 4 patch notes can be found on the Bethesda site, but a few more highlights include a fix to the distance check on the Robotics Expert perk, a few fixes to the “Nuclear Option” quest, and more. Players with the Automatron DLC should also note that patch 1.5 lets robots in settlement act as vendors.

As GameStop pointed out, the Far Harbor DLC will not be out until May 19. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players also have another major addition to anticipate. The consoles will soon support mods made by the community and hosted by Bethesda. Xbox One players should see mod support as early as this month while PlayStation 4 players will have to wait until June to start using player-made mods.

Will you be testing your resolve in the new Survival mode for Fallout 4?

[Image via Bethesda]