Bethesda Game Studios is branching out from their more popular franchises and exploring a new universe in their upcoming titleStarfield, a sci-fi RPG game set amongst the stars in a distant yet plausible future.Being their first new IP in 25 years, Bethesda aims to stray away from the likes ofThe Elder ScrollsandFalloutfranchises to tell a unique story,one that capitalizes upon the sci-fi genre in compelling ways. Yet, achieving this momentous feat is not simple, as many dangerous trends come with the science fiction emphasis ofStarfield.
RELATED:Starfield’s NASA-Punk Approach is its Most Unique Quality
There are many sci-fi elements thatStarfieldcan draw upon, but there are particular pitfalls that it should avoid. Many tropes in the genre can work against what Bethesda is trying to achieve, consequently muddling the game and causing it to fall short of anticipations. These recurrent and often cliche themes can makeStarfieldfeel flat and nullify the wonder it has evoked from fans thus far. Here are some sci-fi tropes the game should avoid to retain the awe and mystery behind it while keeping true to the expectations of Bethesda and fans alike.
5Alien Progenitors
A common trope seen throughout the sci-fi genre is that humanity, and most everything in the universe, was created by highly-advanced aliens. Despite being an intriguing concept alone, this trend has seen notable use to the extent of becoming unsurprising and straightforward. This sci-fi trope only becomes awe-inspiring and thought-evoking with significant amounts of thought and attention to detail. For a game such asStarfield, this trend would not enhance it at all, especially considering its emphasis on the progression of humanity.
Starfieldis a game that looks to the future and what is possible for humankind, not that which has come to pass. Bethesda has taken great lengths to communicate that idea, so this trope that focuses on the past and redefines what humanity is would not bode well.That is not to say thatStarfieldshould not feature sapient extraterrestrials, but that they should not be the sole creator of all things. Doing so would go against what Bethesda hopes to achieve and fans' expectations, compromising the game and what it has since presented in its entirety.
4Ancient Aliens
Most media of the sci-fi genre features the trope of ancient aliens that have since disappeared without trace or gone extinct. This trend undoubtedly enthralls audiences and adds an air of mystery to a universe, but occasionally, it can be counteractive or meaningless to the overarching narrative. The media that benefits from this sci-fi trope often rely on it for much of its plot as it drives most everything.Starfieldwill not gain much if anything from this theme, and it will likely be a detriment to what it has going for it so far.
RELATED:Starfield Fans May Have Figured Out The Game’s Step-Out Moment
Alongside the focus of exploration and colonization inStarfield, fans are excited to hopefully discover some form of intelligent extraterrestrial life, preferably alive and well. Should the game fall into the trope of long-gone ancient aliens, many will be justifiably disappointed, especially considering thevarious subtle hints of hostile and intelligent aliens somewhere in the galaxy. After all, investigating the remnants of a forgotten extraterrestrial species is much less exciting and compelling than interacting with living, breathing ones.
3Chosen One
The sci-fi genre chiefly emphasizes things based on science and proven fact, yet a common trope is that of the chosen one. Despite the largely semi-factual and plausible nature of everything, there exists a person whose destiny is to bring about significant change, often for the betterment of the universe. Such a mystical force such as the chosen one seems contradictory to the sci-fi genre but works surprisingly well in many contexts.Starfield, however, is one of the few media based in science fiction where this trope would ultimately not work and fall flat.
Starfieldis set in a universe and follows a long storythat would not benefit from the trope of the chosen one. The game focuses on progression ashumanity finds its place in the galaxy and goes through the growing pains of doing so.Starfielddoes not present an impending and cataclysmic threat that only a supposed chosen one can stop but instead does the opposite. The game sees potential advancements and the betterment of humanity as a whole rather than its doom. Thus, the chosen one has no place inStarfieldand would only complicate things.
2Random Technobabble
The sci-fi genre is infamous for frequently featuring random technobabble, a trope that involves incoherent and seemingly complex ramblings meant to sound refined and impressive. For instance, rather than calling a portal a portal, it would instead be known as a Spatio-temporal hyperlink — which, as you can probably guess, does not make sense. While random technobabble has a place in sci-fi media, it does not work for everything, such asStarfield,which took much research and time to make accurate.
RELATED:Starfield Fans Have a Theory About the Game’s Release Date
Todd Howard and the team behindStarfielddid extensive researchto stay true to what early space exploration would look like, going as far as to visit and cooperate with Space X. They did so to make the game immersive, engaging, and in line with what the future holds. This dedication to true-to-life science would make a sci-fi trope like random technobabble stick out like a sore thumb. No one wants a game as scientifically accurate asStarfieldto refer to a spaceship thruster as a spacecraft combustion propulsion cannon or something similar.
1Technology=Bad
Despite being a genre that depends heavily on futuristic advances and technologies, sci-fi often advertises the trope of technology=bad. So much media features robot uprisings, human-propagated apocalypses, and the like to inspire fear of humanity’s advancement and adoption of new technologies. While there is a justifiable trope with a solid basis, not everything in the sci-fi genre benefits from it. TakeStarfield,for example, which is a love letter to the advancement of humankind, presenting a plausible future that is not so distant.
Whereas the sci-fi trope of technology=bad aims to dissuade the advancement of humanity,Starfieldstrives to promote it with a peek into what is to come. The game utilizes real-world science and research, implementing found ideas of space travel and colonization in a seamless and inspiring fashion. To feature the trope of technology=bad would go against everythingStarfieldstands for and what Bethesda hopes to achieve. Therefore, there is no reason whatsoever that it should be implemented and supported.
Starfieldis scheduled to release in 2023 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Starfield: A Complete History of Rumors, Speculation, Reveals, and More
