ok so let me address some of your concerns! 1. There's no interesting or compelling characters: Super mutant trader, crazy robots with human like personalities are all over--not the best npcs but they are compelling. 2. There are no competing factions or accompanying political intrigue: BOS and Enclave are all up in the WV, all over the place and they are still competing even those people running them in the region are dead. 3. Goofy side missions: no many npcs to give them but there are plenty of these. Example: You pretend to be a worker and then visitor to camden park to give the robots something to do..but all the games are nuclear fallout friendly.

That isn't every story but those are just a few I found.