It is undoubtedly theaction-RPG the most anticipated of 2022 2023. Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) finally frees itself from its fetish sagas that are The Elder Scrolls et Fallout to turn to a whole new license. A great first in more than 25 years for the American studio. It's time to take off for the stars towards Starfield.
Announced in 2018, then actually shown during E3 2021, Starfield is a long-term project that has been in the works at Bethesda Game Studios for many years. The teams behind Skyrim and Fallout 4 waited for the technology to be robust enough to deliver a no-holds-barred experience. But we will have to wait to admire the result since the release of the game has recently been postponed until 2023.
A little closer to the stars
For now, we only know the broad outlines of the context in which Starfield's story will be set. It is 300 years in the future, and more precisely in the year 2330, that our epic will begin. The player will enter the space suit of an astronaut who works for the Constellation company. Our avatar will then set off to explore the confines of the Colonial Systems, an area that actually happens to be a tiny portion of our Milky Way. As for the precise objective of our mission, it remains unknown for the moment.
But one thing is certain, during our journey, we will have to rub shoulders with the two major local factions, the Colonial Union and the Liber Astra Confederation. They once waged a merciless colonial war, but peace finally seems to reign... Other organizations such as the Scarlet Fleet pirates and the famous Constellation will also have their say. If we will have to be patient before knowing the ins and outs of the scenario, the latter will be centered around an essential question: what do we find beyond the Earth?
Next generation exploration
To give birth to Starfield, BGS uses its in-house engine called the Creation Engine 2. Unfortunately, we haven't had the time to admire the prowess of this tool yet. However, we are entitled to hope for a real graphical leap compared to Fallout 4. And the first trailer released during E3 2021 seems to abound in this direction. Indeed, the video in question was captured in game from an alpha version. The modeling of the ship and the character, but also the particular attention to detail are all reassuring elements.
On the other hand, Starfield will make us travel from planet to planet through varied landscapes. If the adventure itself will be more “down-to-earth” than that of The Elder Scrolls, alien worlds, even inspired by the greatest works of science fiction, will answer the call. Cities like New Atlantis, Akila or Neon can be explored at will. In true Bethesda Game Studios tradition, the player will be able to completely skip the main quest to pick up their ship, take off, and complete secondary tasks. Freedom should be pushed to its climax.
The DNA of great games
There will inevitably be similarities between Starfield and the formula largely introduced with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. These similarities will be particularly palpable in terms of the structure of the game. We will quite logically be confronted with a gigantic open world and mechanics borrowed from the RPG genre. A kind of skill tree is not to be excluded, and our avatar will undoubtedly take levels over the course of his adventure.
As for the gameplay, it is impossible to say more for the moment. Bethesda Game Studios was indeed content to say that the player could opt for a first or third person view. Gunfights should also be provided, whether against mercenaries, space pirates, ultra-violent astronauts or against bloodthirsty creatures. The action will occupy an important place in this epic, but we are also entitled to hope for a better calibrated infiltration system than in the studio's previous productions.
Should we believe these beautiful promises?
Do not lie to us, the seriousness of BGS has been somewhat tarnished by the catastrophic launch of Fallout 76. It is therefore not uncommon to read dubious messages from Internet users who question the final quality of Starfield. However, it is essential to highlight the fact that the studio has never disappointed with its purely single-player games. Yes, open world requires, bugs will inevitably be present, but let's hope they won't spoil the fun of the game.
The good news is that the team in charge of Starfield will only be concerned with a console ecosystem. Indeed, the game will be exclusive to Xbox Series X|S, in addition to a PC release. The work of optimization and fine-tuning will be facilitated. This could lead to a smoother launch, and above all, to a perfectly playable title.
We'll check this out when Starfield lands in the first half of 2023. It will be included with Xbox Game Pass from launch.
