Even though it’s coming out this year, Bethesda hasn’t revealed a ton ofStarfieldinformation recently. Even though fans have a release date, there’s still a lot of details that remain murky, like its core gameplay experience and plot. Odds are Bethesda will start discussingStarfieldmore concretely in the summer and autumn of 2022, leading up to the game’s November release. In the meantime, fans are left to speculate on the game’s potential. While many ofStarfield’s core mechanics are a mystery, Bethesda has released a wealth of concept art that gives fans a good sense of its “NASA-punk” aesthetic.
Bethesda may not be releasingStarfieldgameplay overviews yet, but developers do comment on the game pretty frequently. For instance, a few developers recently discussedStarfield’s NASA-inspired aestheticand the importance of realism.That description of the game’s art style is important because it could be a clue about the game’s story. As a high-tech sci-fi game,Starfieldcould go in a lot of fantastical directions, but it’s possible that the game will be focused on a relatable story about humans rather than putting alien encounters or intergalactic battles in the spotlight.
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NASA-Punk and Starfield’s Story
In any narrative-driven video game, the art style is a valuable supporting tool. The way that characters, objects, and the environment look can tell players a lot about the universe’s background and how it has affected to world, all while generally creating the right atmosphere. That’s what makes Bethesda’s emphasis onStarfield’s NASA-punk style so important. From the sounds of things, Bethesda wants a lot of realism and grounded designbuilt intoStarfield’s tech aesthetic, rather than using the kind of fantastical technology found in franchises likeStar Wars.If that’s the case,Starfield’s realistic spaceships might reflect a similarly relatable plot.
It’s always been known that Bethesda wants to focus on humanity’s place in the universe inStarfield,but the NASA-punk aesthetic might drive that point home further. For one thing, it could be a sign thataliens don’t have a major role inStarfieldafter all. Rather than spending the game socializing and negotiation with alien civilizations, players might be left asking themselves real-world questions about intelligent life on other planets.Similarly,Starfieldmight focus on simmering political tension, interpersonal challenges, and small-scale conflicts between human factions, rather than a gigantic interplanetary war that threatens the entire galaxy.
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The Pros and Cons of a Realistic Starfield
BuildingStarfieldaround nuanced struggles, philosophical questions, and relatable humans certainly sounds interesting. If Bethesda can deliver,Starfieldmight turn out to be a surprisingly moving, thought-provoking game. At the same time, it seems like Bethesda could be holding itself back by focusing on realism rather than more elaborate sci-fi elements.Bethesda is famous for writing rich lorethat captures the player’s imagination. Alien civilizations and large-scale conflicts that exist alongside humanity’s journey into outer space would offer Bethesda more opportunity to flex its storytelling muscles.
Overall, ifStarfield’s story is as realism-driven as its art design, that’s probably a positive.Starfielddoesn’t have to be a replica ofStar WarsorMass Effectto succeed, and it shouldn’t try to be. As sad as it is to think thatStarfieldmight miss out on intelligent aliens, the simplicity of a human-focused narrative mightserveStarfieldwell, giving it a more unique identity and tone. Hopefully Bethesda will offer some clarification onStarfield’s plot in the coming months so that fans know just how important the NASA-punk style is going into the game’s release.
Starfieldreleases June 09, 2025 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
