In the combat kills, I noticed there is an 'execute critical' or 'abort' option with a CRIT meter gauge. Perhaps this option is tied a V.A.T.S. related perk. I know criticals are tied to luck, but maybe this time around, you'll actually have more control on exactly when you want to perform a critical hit instead of it being a dice roll strictly based on luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL_7mdEIp3s

It did look like it was tied to vats. Maybe having the pc's luck cranked to 10 helped fill the gauge faster? Still, might make a vats playthrough a little more interesting.

So, critical hits recharge now? I can recall several instances when I would hope to get a critical hit. It would result in extreme joy or a saved game reload. The unpredictability of it was fun. This could be good but doesn't it largely remove the role of LUCK from combat?

Could be mistaken, but I thought that critical gauge was just that, presenting the chance per area targeted.
Maybe I just need to slow-mo the video and dig out a magnifying glass.

That would make sense. Definitely adds replay value when you factor in perks to go along with critical hits.

It only seems to work in VATS,so you still have the unknown factor to look forward to.

I dont use VATS in sniping or in close combat... infact I dont use VATS untill some mob gains omniscience and swarms me like a horde of rustmonsters beelining straight for me after I picked one of them off from 300 plus meters with a suppressed rifle.

Pure speculation, but I think...now that VATS is slow-mo...the longer you target an area the more it fills. Kinda like taking the time to line-up a shot. Since you can't freeze time, the longer you wait the closer the enemy might get. Not to mention you may still miss and end up wasting all that time.

So its like a adrenaline meter that fills up as you kill stuff then get to execute?