Fallout 4 only came out this Tuesday, but one would think it had been around for years with how much everyone is talking about it. Reviews are already lavishing accolades upon it, calling it a contender for the coveted Game of the Year title. Of course, its combination of immersive adventure and beautifully rendered graphics help that case quite nicely. For those who may not have had a chance to see the game in action, here is a testament to how gorgeous it is: dogs think it is real. One player, YouTube’s BillySlang, posted a video of his dog watching him play Fallout 4, and reacting to the canine companion, Dogmeat, as if there was really another dog in the room.
It is common to see dogs interacting with things on a television screen as if they are real, usually other dogs in movies or television shows. Its exactly like a dog barking at its own reflection in a mirror or a window. There have not, however, been too many cases of dogs interacting in this fashion with video games. This could easily have to do with a dog being unable to understand what it is seeing in a video game due to the visual difference between games and life. If that is the case, then Bethesda should be able to rest easy in the knowledge that the world of Fallout 4 looks realistic enough to fool dogs into barking and whining at it.
They say dogs are able to sense storms and earthquakes before humans do, and now it can be said they fall into the uncanny valley before humans do as well. Let us know what you think of Fallout 4 in the comments below!
—
HT: YouTube
Image: Bethesda Softworks
New to the Fallout franchise? Here’s everything you need to know!
