Bethesda has plenty of games under its belt as a publisher, but each new sprawling project it develops is a significant date on the gaming calendar.FalloutandThe Elder Scrollsare undoubtedly its biggest franchises, but some years ago it announcedStarfield, a game that would take players to space in an all-new experience. Years have passed since its reveal, and as its release date inches closer, there are still plenty of questions surrounding its story, presentation, and gameplay, even after promotional material. It could be an opportunity for the company to prove it can succeed when not leaning on its two most popular names.
With space exploration now taking priority over roaming the wasteland or finding settlements in a huge fantasy landscape,Starfieldcan take inspiration from different fictional properties to help it stand out. One of those isStar Trek, a decades old IP that has been a huge inspiration for plenty of other stories and experiences with its formula that throws the crew into all manner of exciting and unpredictable scenarios.Starfieldseems like a Bethesda game through and through, but it has to look to the stars for inspiration the avoid the pitfalls from previous games developed by the company.
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Star Trek is Space Exploration Done Right
Star Trekadopts a familiar philosophy, but as a product that first graced the TV screen in the 1960s, it’s easy to forget how influential it is. Exploring the deepest parts of space and uncovering enthralling mysteries or exciting new people is something thatStar Trekhas relied on for decades, andshows likeThe OrvilleandThe Expanseas well as games likeThe Outer WorldsandMass Effectcan thank Kirk, Spock, Picard, and others for blazing such an effective trail. Exploration is the backbone of the IP, which often results in a lot of political intrigue, culturally significant character arcs, and combat encounters that feel fresh through unfamiliar foes.
It’s a narrative framework that has proven to work time and time again, and in gaming the simple idea of exploring unique planets can have a positive impact on the gameplay, also. Having tricky terrain to overcome or a change in lighting affect how the player can traverse the land could be a lot of fun, and make every planet different. When players stumble on people from different factions or places, the dialogue options could reflect this, allowing a hostile or diplomatic solution depending on the situation.Star Trekis all about Starfleetmaking firm friends and stalwart enemies as it charts the stars, andStarfieldwould do well to replicate this, taking full advantage of its space setting.
Skyrim’s Format is Aging by the Day
Skyrimwas a visual and experiential marvel when it released in 2011, and countless remasters and rereleases have done well to keep fans aware of how good it was, and how well it holds up, even in 2023.Mods forSkyrimhave done a great deal of the lifting to keep it looking fresh, but the level design, menus, and core mechanics can’t be so easily changed, and that is where the game starts to show its age.Fallout 4used a similar engine to a more dampened critical reception, which only fueled conversations that it needed a change.
Bethesda can’t fall into the trap of makingStarfieldfeel just likeSkyrimin space, and as such it has to find inspiration from properties further afield than its own works.Star Trekcovers enough bases and gets enough consistently right to be a strong contender for Bethesda to learn from, elevating the reward for exploring every corner of the space it presents.Star Trekis sci-fi royalty, and Bethesda’s limited experience with outer space means it would be a smart course of action to study Starfleet.
Starfieldis set to launch September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
