Love the new Fallout game but hate your measly pistol? Fret not: thanks to some digital sleuthing by the already-rabid Fallout 4 player base, those new to post-apocalyptic Boston don’t have to wait long before obtaining what might be the best weapon in the game. Dubbed “The Cryolator,” this two-handed gun instantly freezes and kills nearly any enemy you come across in a single shot. In other words, you want this gun. You need this gun.
Whether the actual process for acquiring the game-changing weapon remains one of the many bugs and glitches native to the recently-released title, for now it works and we don’t recommend hitting the wasteland without it. Just follow the simple walkthrough below and you’ll instantly have the upper hand on almost anything you encounter in Fallout 4. You’re welcome.
Step 1: Find yourself some Dogmeat
Shortly before leaving your home vault at the beginning of the game, your player will come across a locked container in the Overseer’s office requiring the master lockpicking skill — one typically acquired at Level 18. Believe it or not, however, you don’t actually need a Level 18 designation nor a master lockpicking skill and a handful of bobby pins. Rather, cracking this container requires nothing more than having Dogmeat at your side, plain and simple.
After leaving the vault and venturing out into the bleak Boston surroundings, your character will soon stumble across a desolate gas station in the Commonwealth called, aptly, Red Rocket truck stop. Aside from a few vagrant mole rats, the truck stop provides your Fallout character one of their first chances at obtaining a companion, Dogmeat. Once the pup becomes part of your entourage, turn around and head back toward the vault.
Step 2: Return to the vault and claim your prize
With Dogmeat in tow and the vault entrance in sight, walk toward the small booth near the entrance of the vault and push the small button inside to signal the elevator. Once it arrives, simply step inside and press the required button to descend back into the countryside. Now that you’re back inside the vault, travel toward the Overseer’s office — which is directly down one of the first hallways you see — and walk toward the caged room with the open door.
Then, command Dogmeat to come sit in front of you near the caged room and select the “Talk” action once he arrives. Next, select “Fetch” and “Items” when the necessary button combinations appear and Dogmeat should instantly bark signaling that he found something. The dog will then run into the caged room, bark at the closed container, and voila! The gun magically falls out of the closed container, which remains locked, and into Dogmeat’s mouth. Once it falls to the floor, simply “Take” the weapon and add it to your inventory.
Among the spoils should be roughly 200 rounds of ammunition (check Dogmeat’s inventory if you’re short), which is incredibly critical considering vendors across the wasteland tend to sell Cryolator rounds at steep prices. Our recommendation? Go easy on the Cryolator ammo early on in the game and save it for some of Fallout 4′s more formidable foes. Using it exclusively in VATS is another way to ensure you’re getting the most out of every precious round.
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