Well That's Because Bethesda Has A Prehistoric Fucking Engine That Doesn't Support Any Of That And Ultimately

Well that's because Bethesda has a prehistoric fucking engine that doesn't support any of that and ultimately forces you to commit to an option to the exclusion of any semblance of choice, cooperation between factions or mixed ending. I will never understand why people complained about the "three buttons" ending for Mass Effect but happily went along with this bullshit.

Bethesda wanted to go personal with fallout 4, but then they didn't put in the time and thought that going personal requires!!

Where are the articulate, grown-up conversations (multiple conversations, not just one!) with adult Shaun about why he's made certain choices, let us talk about what he believes in!! Like, what he actually believes in. There's interesting arguments that could've been made in this scenario and they just never go there! (Arguments that go beyond the very surface level reasonings we hear from nearly every Institute NPC.) They could've done anything.

And while I'm here, actually reward the player for having a good relationship with Shaun. And when I say that I mean specifically the relationship with Shaun, not just your Institute standing. Let us bring him gifts (or some game mechanic that lets us raise his affinity without siding with the institute), in order to access more personal conversations. Why can't we have a deeper conversation with him about what it really would've been like if he hadn't been kidnapped. Would it have been shitty? Good? A mix of both? Plenty of opportunities for role playing here. Why can't we break down the barrier between our characters? Why isn't it a choice? If you don't care about Shaun you get Father, you get the cold figurehead who doesn't give a shit about anything but the Institute. But if you bother to talk to him, to find out how he feels? You can have something close to a parent/child relationship, you can find out how he actually feels about his life and what he's doing. Come on Bethesda, if you want it to be personal don't just rely on the players ability to imagine it being deeper than it is. I honestly think a lot of players aren't giving themselves credit for how much they themselves bring to the story with their own thoughts and ideas. If it was deep to you, then YOU brought that to the table.

My point here isn't just about Shaun either. Same goes for companions. For the love of god Bethesda, let your writers actually think about what they're writing. I know they can! We see glimpses of it all through the game, especially in far harbor. But whether it's a lack of time, or poor direction, or both, or something else.... idk. I don't mind games "going personal", but that cannot be shorthand for "we've given up".