IsStarfieldgoing to replaceThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimas the most popular RPG Bethesda has ever put out? Will it get ported and remastered for over a decade? No, probably not but fans of it are certainly digging the game still. That doesn’t mean that everyone is happy withStarfieldthough.
It’s clear at this point thatBethesdais set in its ways in terms of game design from aesthetics to gameplay mechanics. What if they could change? Perhaps they should look at other RPGs on the market for inspiration for their next big RPG which will probably beThe Elder Scrolls 6. Maybe even a few of these ideas could make it into future patches or DLC plans forStarfield. Unsurprisingly, a lot of these ideas in general will apply toStarfieldbecause it is the latest game Bethesda has put out.
6A Voiced Protagonist
One of the biggest issues some players have withStarfieldis that the main character isn’t voiced. This is strange considering that Bethesda backpedaled their advancements because the main character could talkinFallout 4. It’s the only main game they have done this with.
Bethesda isn’t alone in creating giant RPGs with silent protagonists.Baldur’s Gate 3has one as well and the reviews are over the moon for it. However,Mass Effectand games like it have proven that players can still get invested in their character even if they speak. It’s a longer discussion based on personal preference, but Bethesda should go back to voicing their heroes.
5A Bigger Party
Bethesda games have stuck to the one-party member function for quite some time. This is true forStarfieldalthough there was a small fix to keep party members closer. They could be put into ships so that players could have easier access to them while exploring planets.
It’s not the same as having a party of two or more companions running around though like in a game likeFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Since the protagonists rarely talk in Bethesda games, it would be fun to hear party members banter back and forth, again, like inFinal Fantasy 7 RemakebetweenTifa and Aerith. Plus, more party members in a Bethesda game means more opportunities to use them for hauling items.
4Commanding Non-Party Members To Do Menial Tasks
Final Fantasyis a great series to bring up again for this point. Many of those games have large parties even though typically players can only take about three to four of them into battle.Final Fantasy Tacticshas one of the largest rosters in the series, but the developers found a use for party members that were not being actively used in battles.
Party members could be sent on quests and then bring back rewards. Other RPGs and non-RPGs have done this too like the assassination missions inAssassin’s Creed Brotherhood. Bethesda could certainly try this out too and maybe even this could be patched intoStarfield. Non-party members could take spare ships to gather crafting materials, for example.
3Try Different Art Styles
Bethesda has ultimately been using the same art style sinceThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Game engines may have changed or have been tweaked but it is easy to tell one Bethesda RPG from another. The lack of color is one thing althoughStarfieldadmittedly tries to brighten some aspects up.
It may be time for Bethesda to find a new Engine like the standard of Unreal. Developers can do amazing things with shared game engines like it. Besides game engines, Bethesda could just try a new art style. Square Enix as a whole uses a wide variety of art styles from pushing modern graphics withFinal Fantasy 16to creating pixelated throwbacks withOctopath Traveler 2.
2Quality Over Quantity
Bethesda has been pushing the boundaries of open-world games for years now.Starfieldmay have taken things a bit too far with its open-universe concept. With hundreds of randomly generated planets to explore, planets could spend a whole year playing nothing but this game and still never finish it.
While some players may like this aspect, others may feelStarfieldapplied the quantity over quality methodology. Another open-world game,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwas huge, and yet its world had meaning. From menial tasks to bigger side quests, there was a story behind everything. Perhaps the next Bethesda RPG could focus on the quality aspect and shrink down their area again.
1Let’s Get Some Vehicles
The biggest thing that setsStarfieldapart from other Bethesda RPGs, besides setting it in space, is the inclusion of spaceships. Players can’t fly that much freely, but they could engage in dogfights as well as hail other ships for a variety of reasons. Giving players a vehicle was a huge step, but the game could have used a land vehicle too. It would have been much faster if players could explore planets with a car or motorcycle, for example.
Even a mount would have been cool likeChocobos in theFinal Fantasyseries, which has also included vehicles to get around in too. Other Bethesda series have used mounts, likeThe Elder Scrolls. Admittedly, it makes more sense to use horses in a fantasy RPG likeThe Elder Scrollsthan in a sci-fi RPG likeStarfield. Still, it would be cool to seeStarfield 2, orFallout 5get mounts or land vehicles.
