For me, the mods keep the game from becoming too punishing. FNV needs a lot of mods to keep the bugs and the invisible walls from killing your game. FO3 and FO4 need quest fixes and additional quest mods to keep them interesting.
Gaming
Once I get into the game, I love the mechanics.
It just feels like each game has its own "youre gonna suffer for a very long time, then you will get to good part of the game" energy. And god forbid you put the game down before you reach the end, because you will never get to the end again.
It's more of an indictment on my attention span than the game, but fuck man.
I recently played fo4 with mods and over did it. I'm running around in power armor with infinite energy, with a crazy railgun, mowing down everything that moves. It got old fast. I'll have to go back in with different mods that are more fun.
Fallout and Fallout 2 have a "putting down the game" problem for me.
Two does have a slightly annoying beginning, but I forgive it. The original two games have such good writing the graphics don't matter.
Not just you. I don't remember which Fallout game I got, but it probably wasn't the first, and I got to like the second objective where I'm supposed to help some settlement restart their power generator by finding some part, and I realized I was too bored to continue. It was like I could see the entire game stretched ahead of me as more of the same.
Not all games are for all players, so I never thought "Fallout sux"; it just wasn't my bag. I think the Fallouts are micro-farming long-winded objectives for really small benefits; I guess a lot of people like that, but it's not for me.
@Melkath imo the biggest problem with Bethesda games is the amount of time you have to spend in menu due to the equipment stat spreads, “junk” collection/economy, and character management. I’d be much happier with an “unlock” system for weapons and armor where you could pick up equipment and unlock it rather than add to inventory. Then have the game economy be around quest rewards rather than junk hauling to sell. Have consumables follow the Witcher pattern of charges until resting. This would massively reduce inventory time and make the games way more playable.
Having played them all a lot, I still feel the urge to go back every year or two.
What gets me over that hurdle I think you're describing is there's a goal I want to reach. A different way to do a quest, a DLC I've not played in a long time, a character build to try.
Given that the games are so open ended coming up with a reason why you're playing of your own matters.