I’m with you. 95% of my enjoyment came from playing co-op with my childhood best friend (using discord for voice chat) who I had fallen out of contact with. When we encountered the (many) bugs, we had a good laugh and kept on going.
The 5% that actually came from gameplay? Hmm… Faschnacht was always a hoot. Creative camp builds was also a highlight (basically fallout 4 base building, but other humans actually get to appreciate your creation).
I tried picking up the game on PS5 recently and without the social piece it just seemed like an insurmountable grind (ex. how do I get the mutations I want for a fresh account? How long will it take to unlock backpack space again?)
Still, due to circumstances, co-op FO76 ended up being one of my top 5 gaming experiences in my last 40 years of video games.
“Shut up. The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don’t mean a thing. ##### is gone. ##### will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry… or get angry… What about us…what are WE supposed to do? What is this pain? My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!”