Fallout 4 Comparison: Bunker Hill In Real Life v. In-Game

A few months ago, I took a new job that had my family and I relocate from Balitmore to Boston. Getting settled into the new gig, and getting settled into the new home routine have both contributed to my lack of time to wrtie, here.

We arrived just in time for the notorious Boston winter. We also arrived just in time for the release of Fallout 4, which takes place in a fictionalized version of Boston some 250 years in the future. The apartment we’re renting is only a few hundred feet from the historic Bunker Hill Monument, which in-game, has become a refuge for traders retired from travling the wasteland of the post-apocolyptic Commonwealth.

This morning, the sun was out and I had a little time to take some pictures of Bunker Hill for a comparison with its in-game representation.

IRL BH Monument from Monument St

This is a few feet from the entrance to my apartment, and I walk the dogs up to the Monument at least once each day.

IG Bunker Hill Monument from “Monument St”

Monument St. doesn’t exist in the game; the closest I could find is this small alley with a similar view. Monument St. isn’t big, but it’s not quite an alley, either. Apologies I forgot to toggle the HUD in this one

In this picture, and in the next, my character’s back is to the river behind me. In real-life, there’s a couple blocks of low-income housing that is currently slated to be torn down, replaced with luxury condos. It’s ironic that the game omits this section of the neighborhood just as so many of the real-life government and Charlestown residents would like to.

IRL Toward BH from Lexington

IG Toward BH from “Lexington”

IG Toward BH from

IRL BH NW Corner

IG BH NW Corner

I’d say this was pretty well represented. I was very happy that the trees in the park were included.

IRL Exhibit Lodge from North

IG Exhibit Lodge from North

IRL Exhibit Lodge SW Corner and Monument

IG Exhibit Lodge Corner and Monument

Couldn’t get exactly the same angle, due to an in-game building, but pretty close. The monument is open to climb every day of the week. I didn’t go this time, but I encourage you to come check it out if you’re in the area.</

IRL Monument and Col. Prescott Statue

IG Monument and Col. Prescott Statue

These pictures do a good job of showing the way the game compresses large areas. It’s a requirement; if the game world was as big as the real world, we’d get bored. Still quite impressive.

IRL Charlestown HS from East side of BH

Facing east from the East side of the Exhibit lodge, there’s a sizable green space, then down the hill you can see what was the Charlestown High School. I believe it’s condos, now. Gorgeous building I would love to see represented in-game.

IG “Charlestown High” from East side of BH

In-game, though, it’s just some row homes.

IRL Monument and Exhibit Lodge from SE

IG Monument and Exhibit Lodge from SE

IRL Col. Prescott Statue from South Side Main Entrance

IG Col. Prescott Statue from South Side Main Entrance

IRL Monument Square and Monument Ave. from S. Side Main Entrance

Yes, all in a 700' radius, there’s Monument Square, Monument Ave., and Monument St. Getting delivery can be a challenge in this area.

IG Monument Square and Monument Ave. from S. Side Main Entrance

IRL Long of Monument and Main Entrance from South

IG Long of Monument and Main Entrance from South

Again, I couldn’t quite get the angle right in-game due to buildings, but not too bad.

IRL Exhibit Lodge Front Door from East Side

My wife and son make a cameo. If you ever wondered, weather along the Atlantic seaboard changes about as quickly as in-game weather. We went from sunny, clear skies to completely overcast in a matter of the 90 minutes it took to go grocery shopping, come home, and get outside to play. That’s why most of the pictures are blue skies, but this one is overcast.