Man, this game really does get much better after a while. Reminds me of Gothic 3 - tons of fine content locked behind a shitty beginning. I've clocked in 36 hrs and am near the end of the main quest having completed a fair amount of side quests. Like in other Bethesda games, there is enough content for two full barely-overlapping play-throughs.
It turns out there are many companions and they are pretty cool. But it takes a while to find them. They have their quirks and abilities and their likes and dislikes. You can put them in power armor and equip them with guns. And they make appropriate remarks depending on the situation. For example, at one point I approached a nuclear silo with Piper, and she asked "Is this a tomb?" When you stop for a while, she finds a chair and sits down... One time we passed by her sister in Diamond City, and the two had a chat. The companion behavior is elaborate, a real achievement.
What really stands out is the amazing attention to detail. Many areas are stunning - for example the vault near Diamond City, the Brotherhood's dirigible, the Glow, and the Goodneighbor town. Meeting the Vault-Tech salesman was cool. At one point, one character asked me for a chair. It was corny, but it got me. Toward the end of the story a clusterfuck ensues, and you have to make some heart-wrenching decisions. The feelz are real.
Most missions are cookie-cutter "go-and-explore-our-wonderful-dungeon" material, but some stand out. For example the "Lost Patrol" Brotherhood mission. Or the microbrew robot mission that you can get in Goodneighbor.
Yeah... The game's a pretty good show all. Definitely worth the ticket. I only wish Bethesda would make a good PC interface for their next title. Also some kind of a vacuum cleaner and/or dismantler that can just suck loot from around me and break it down into components. The crafting system is even more annoying that usual.