I think a simple and effective solution to the ingame radio killing the atmosphere in some places would be to make the pipboy lose it's signal in some places like vaults, deep caves or remote locations. It would still make sense in the in-game world without breaking the immersion while also letting you use the radio in some other places. The radio still plays a part in giving life to the universe.

It could even add to the horror of the moment, with the pipboy only giving a static noise and with a message "No signal". Similar to the moment in Elden RIng when you can't summon Torrent in the Abyssal Woods.

Edit: Spelling

FNV used a lot of F01 & F02 tracks on it's OST. They are so bleak and dreadful, I love it.

Oliver running out of Nipton gleefully yelling about how he won the lottery always fit into the horror aspects of Nipton hauntingly well. He was just held captive by the legion while the lives of himself and all of his friends and the residents of Nipton were gambled away. He watched them all be brutally killed one by one and probably thought he was sure to die too just for it to "Win" and get to go free. Imagine the fear when running away and that the legion would shoot him as he ran and they just wanted to give him hope and rip it away. Thinking about the mongrels leashed at their sides being turned loose to run him down. Despite it all he makes it around the corner in one piece and he sees some complete stranger who's (probably) not wearing a bunch of red and sports equipment and that would also probably be a pretty big deal given the situation. Hes just survived when he thought he would surely die a horrible Death and he just watched everyone in his powder ganger group get butchered other than the ones at the raid camp.  Id be fuckin manic and giddy asf too. Id never let that lotto ticket go. Id go on an expedition across the entirety of the wasteland just to find a laminator so i could get that thing waterproofed and id keep it tucked into a pocket on my trusty Vault 13 canteen

I’d like to point out that vulpes is totally full of it. All around nipton you find dead bodies. Some legionaries killed by the town’s inhabitants, some citizens that died with weapons at hand, many that clearly weren’t a part of the lottery. A not insignificant number of the town’s residents fought back, or at least tried to run.

6:56 interesting thing about the spore monsters is that they’re so well-hidden that neither Boone nor ED-E, whose perks were designed to help you spot enemies, will work on them. The only way you’ll see them beforehand is if you take it slow and see their head move

I've always considered the Vaults to be horror dungeons

a doctor being surprised at a fungus eating dead things is rich

You had me at "FALLOUT NEW VEGAS"

Exploring Vault 34 with the Geiger counter constantly going off reminds me of that episode of Chernobyl where three guys are going to the flooded parts of reactor 4 to divert the water elsewhere. The way the light source gets darker and the Geiger counter keeps clicking louder and louder to a point it’s practically screaming just makes me think of navigating the vault. Doesn’t help that there’s portions of this vault that’s flooded. Thank god the lights still work.

The radio can actually help sometimes. I like to imagine some of my softer characters sobbing along to the songs for some modicum of comfort in the depths of vault 22

After all these years, I think the best of the horror aspect is how its connected to the world at large and potentially the cataclysmic effects they have on it. There's V22 crawlers and plants in Zion Canyon, potentially adding and propogating more tribals and explorers the more time passes on and becoming a nationwide epidemic...

Bethesda merely made creatures like this as just fodder for Fallout 76; New Vegas made them a potential menace.

You should look up the Fallout Dust mod..to know wtf I'm talking about..

Ah yes, Vault 22, that vault, the "Vietnam vault" as some call it.

The best part about New Vegas's horror aspects is that you can become a monster; the game even implores you too with perks like terrifying presence, cannibalism (which i will never use ofc) & others. You can create a myth with the courier in different aspects that terrify different factions or even the whole mojave if you choose.

The voice actor for Boxcars is phenomenal

Ah yes, Vault 22. I remember my first time in this... forsaken place. I didn't get lines "we sent some mercs, none come back" seriously, as usual, because I've seen mutated creatures before. Radscorpions, mutated ants, ghouls. When I reached the destination and noticed all the plants spilling out of the barely visible entrance I got curious. Not because of the plants, but because I knew about experiments in these vaults. Also sign "Stay out the plants kill" was second "warning" and I still didn't get that seriously. "Plants? What, they got legs or something? What the big deal, I faced worse foes. It looks more like oasis rather than a killing zone" I said to myself. So I walked in, first room, second, until I meet first spore carrier. He... it jumped out from the bush surprising me. I never seen anything like that. Little shocked but still "sane" I keep moving. After putting it down I've been hitting VATS button to "spot enemies" before they spot me first. But I didn't know one crucial thing - VATS don't work on them when they are idle/hiding. Still somewhat confident I proceed deeper into the vault. Another surprise, this time spore carrier jumped out from the bush in front of me, just seconds later when I hit VATS. "They cannot be targeted!" With that new knowledge I got first feel of dread, unease, even a small glimpse of panic. This was the turning point for me that changed Vault 22 into horrific experience. I didn't wanted to be here anymore, I wanted leave as soon as possible. Well, I could leave at any point (since I didn't reach the main objective yet) but still I was keep going deeper and deeper, because I had job to do, that's it. No more "haha mysteries", "cool place to explore" and "fun loot to get", only "do the thing and leave!" From that moment every step was nervous, because they could jump out from anywhere. After finishing the quest and stepping out of this madness of a vault I never got so relieved in any game that finally it's over, ever.

PS. If anyone asked, I usually don't play with radio, even nowadays after dozens of playthroughs so yeah, I got that "full" experience of that vault. Totally worth it :)
PPS. Lonesome road for me also had a horror vibe (and I don't mean tunnelers, well, yes, they also was part of it).

You just made work much more tolerable. Appreciate it boss

The dogs in niptons town hall scared the shit out of me , the constant snarling in the dark was nuts especially first play though

I really think there needs to be a mod that disrupts the Pip-Boy radio signal at certain locations. Definitely in Vaults. Maybe in caves too. Then maybe even at locations like Searchlight. I use self control, but some people might find it useful to get them to actually stop listening to the radio when it counts. If it's a mod that exists, please anyone let me know!

You mentioned ecohorror and my mind immediately goes to world of horror which had a great twist on the subject. [SPOILERS AHEAD]



At one point a Gardener is being held in an overgrown estate by sentient plants.








Turns out the plants have a VERY good reason for doing this.  Mainly the gardener is patient zero for a new strain of Cordyceps.

Simply put, the weeds from outerspace are preventing the last of us from happening.

Only in recent years did I find out you can actually meet the Vault 34 survivors you save after the quest is done. But in the long run, shutting down the reactor and saving the water supply is more important. Besides, I get a surplus of good karma from just killing Fiends, Powder Gangers, Legion and Ferals.