Summary
Role-playing games are more popular than ever in 2023, with plenty of different offerings throughout the year showing their immense potential for diverse experiences. FromFinal Fantasy 16’s modern twist on the JRPG formula toSea of Stars’ retro-inspired presentation toBaldur’s Gate 3’s faithful digitization ofDungeons and Dragons, it’s been a great twelve months for the genre. Nestled among the releases wasStarfield, the latest and much-anticipated project by Bethesda Game Studios.
Starfieldgave fans of the studio something to enjoy, taking its familiar mechanics to space for a story about Constellation’s quest for new knowledge among the cosmos. Much of the experience was satisfying, but the issues that have plagued Bethesda games in the past remain, and after a few years of steady products that absolutely have a ceiling, the industry may have caught up, and even surpassed Bethesda, and the developer hasn’t taken enough strides to snatch back its crown.
AsStarfieldadopts a similar format to previous games regarding leveling, item management, and dialogue as previous games, one may call into question Bethesda’s interest in being at the top of the RPG pile like it once was.
Bethesda is a Long Way from Defining Genres
With games likeFallout 3andThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Bethesda enjoyed tremendous successin the 2000s and into the 2010s, with each release seemingly taking the world by storm. The developer made its name by resetting the standard for Western RPGs and being a bar often too high for other games in the genre to stumble over. To many,Skyrimremains the go-to role-playing experience thanks to its sprawling map, endless lore and world-building, and uncanny ability to provide fresh, unique, or innovative quests and character interactions.
Fallout 4saw the company’s efforts start to plateau, and was the first sign that change was needed, as the 2015 release felt somewhat dated compared to its open-world contemporaries likeThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntandMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. The former release from CD Projekt Red was a big indicator that Bethesda no longer had as tight a grip on the Western RPG space as it once had. Competition is healthy and should be welcomed, but whileStarfieldgets a lot right, it’s also a big hint that the tide is changing to no longer favor Bethesda’s offerings.
Starfield Might Be a Sign of the Times
Starfieldsucceeds in its character development, side stories, and art direction, and does well to make its now outdated core mechanics feel relatively modern. It’s a flawed but fun experience, but in the shadow ofBaldur’s Gate 3, perhaps one of the truest role-playing experiences in the history of gaming, Bethesda’s efforts are easy to overlook. That game is hard for any company to match, but in decades past, Bethesda would have been the one to rise to that challenge. Now, Larian Studios, CD Projekt Red, and even Obsidian withPillars of EternityandThe Outer Worldsare all more likely to push the RPG space forward.
Starfieldwas announced during Bethesda’s E3 Press Conference in 2018, over five years before it hit shelves.
AsStarfieldadopts a similar format to previous games regarding leveling, item management, and dialogue as previous games, one may call into question Bethesda’s interest in being at the top of the RPG pile like it once was.The Elder Scrolls 6looks to be the next offering from the Maryland-based company, which will drum up excitement for its name alone, but as plenty of other developers are resetting the standard, the crown that Bethesda once wore is starting to look out of reach, with it seemingly not being fussed about reclaiming it. Bethesda was the cream of the crop for a long time, now it might have to be content with just being another seed in the harvest.
