Fallout 4 has four distinct and unique factions that drastically alter the future of the Commonwealth, which brings up the issue of which one to join. Fallout 4, released in 2015, was the franchise’s first step towards modern gameplay. New mechanics and systems like in-depth crafting/modding along with faster movement drastically change how the game feels. These changes performed well enough to be carried on to the prequel, Fallout 76, while still providing a memorable story experience.

After the main story of Fallout 4, the game received six post-launch DLCs. However, three focused heavily on the game’s settlement-building system, and though this system was arguably the game’s best addition, it still provided little gameplay content. The other three DLCs included the surprisingly difficult Automatron, Raider-focused Nuka-World, and a short visit to Far Harbor in post-apocalyptic Maine. These DLCs could feel weaker compared to their predecessors in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, but gave the game a longer life span.

What Is The Best Faction To Choose In Fallout 4?

Deciding The Fate Of The Commonwealth

The best Fallout 4 ending to get and faction to side with depends on the wishes and playstyle of the player. The caveat to these choices, which should be known in advance, is that picking one faction will usually destroy two other factions. Sometimes there are ways to avoid this, but those steps are complicated and often involve skipping massive parts of faction quests. This is due to the conflicting ideologies that each faction has towards each other.

For those who want to play the good guy, the Minutemen, Railroad, and Brotherhood of Steel all provide good endings. Two of the three factions are anti-Synth though, so if one wants to help the Synths at the same time, the Railroad is the only option. The Institute ending would be considered the “evil” ending. Luckily, each ending also has variations that can be achieved.

The Minutemen, Brotherhood, & Railroad Endings Explained

Following One’s Moral Compass

The Minutemen, Fallout 4‘s most divisive faction, are a group of freedom fighters inspired by the historical group during the Revolutionary War. They were once the most powerful force in the Commonwealth, but after multiple Institute attacks, they are on their last legs. To side with the Minutemen usually means destroying at least the Railroad, who are unhappy the player did not save the synths and the Institute. The Brotherhood can be kept neutral if no hostile actions are taken, but if turned hostile, it will start a quest to destroy their airship and scattered forces.

The BoS, one area in which Fallout 4 does better than its predecessors, is a militaristic and religious group. Their goal is to bring order back to the wasteland by gaining control of significant technology which might be used for nefarious purposes by others, making the Brotherhood of Steel extremely anti-Synth. The BoS will force the player to destroy the Railroad and then the Institute, bringing a new sense of order to the Commonwealth. This option will usually result in an alliance with the Minutemen if the Sole Survivor is still the General.

The Railroad is another historical inspiration group focusing on the rescue and protection of Synths. They believe that the Synths deserve the same rights as humans and will do anything to protect them. When choosing the Railroad, the Sole Survivor will destroy both the BoS and the Institute. The Minutemen are largely ignored in this ending. Afterward, the Railroad continues its operations in protecting the Synths and has a more noticeable military presence.

The Institute’s Ending Explained

Progress But At A Cost

The Institute is a group of scientists and their descendants who went underground after the war. They have their own ideas for how to recover, mainly repopulating the wasteland with synthetic humans deemed superior to average humans. To progress this experiment, they eventually kidnap the player’s son Shaun, and use his DNA to make the third-generation semi-organic Synths. They are mainly responsible for the Commonwealth’s poor conditions and the weakness of the Minutemen and the Railroad.

If the Sole Survivor decides to side with the Institute, they must destroy the Railroad, which wishes to give Synths independence, and the BoS. The Minutemen can be convinced to work with the Institute, but it is a hard task that often ends with destroying them anyway. Afterward, the player willtake the role of Director from their dying son and continue the work of the Institute. The Commonwealth is then under Institute control for the foreseeable future.

What Is The Canon Ending Of Fallout 4?

The Lore Deepens

Originally there wasn’t a canon ending to the game, but the recent Fallout live-action show has seemingly given one. The series shows the BoS airship Prydwen, which was in the Commonwealth, arriving back on the West Coast. This suggests that one of two endings is the true ending of Fallout 4. The most likely one is the Sole Survivor sides with the Brotherhood and destroys the Institute. After the nine years that separated the two storylines, the Brotherhood returned to the West Coast once they were properly established in the East.

The other option is that the Sole Survivor sided with the Minutemen and simply left the BoS alone. However, this option seems less likely as, while there is a chance it was off somewhere else, the Prydwen would have little reason to stay in an area where it could not gain dominance. This also means the Railroad was destroyed, as siding with them is the only way to keep them around and thus ends with them destroying the Brotherhood.

Overall, every Fallout 4 ending comes with pros and cons, as every faction has some moral compass they are trying to abide by. Even the Institute, albeit in an extremely forceful way, is trying to improve the lives of humans while recovering from the bombs. The freedom of choice in these endings, and how much they affect the landscape of the Commonwealth, is part of what makes Fallout 4 great. However, which faction and ending players should choose in Fallout 4 truly comes down to what they deem connects with them the most.