Summary
One of the biggest promises that Bethesda sought to achieve withStarfieldwas to create an experience like none other that was befitting for what the developers called their “most ambitious title” yet. After all, when it comes to creating a space exploration RPG that tries to offer complete freedom to its players, the only option is to go big or go home. Of course,Bethesda rose to the challengeand aimed to create a game that paid homage to what came before while also delivering something completely new and original at the same time.
It can easily be said that one of the places whereStarfieldshines the most is in its visuals.Locations such asStarfield’s New Atlantisand the game’s many planets are not only unique in their design but also their uses of color and filters on top of the 3D models to treat the world within Bethesda’s latest hit almost like a painting canvas. These techniques differ from location to location, and not only do they take many hints from other science-fiction stories and media, but they also help hide where the developers have cut corners with the game’s graphics.
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Starfield Takes Notes from Classic Science-Fiction Visuals to Make It’s World Beautiful and Alive
Thescience-fiction genrefinds its roots in hopeful views of the future and technology while also remaining humble when it comes to what’s possible in the era the specific media was created. In order to paint the image of a world of tomorrow that goes beyond what viewers understand before, sci-fi typically leans towards more abstract and artistic ideas rather than realism to think outside the box in what the years to come may have in terms of aesthetics and fashion. In many ways, this leans into working with color rather closely, especially with classic 80s science-fiction.
Starfieldtakes plenty of notes from different subsections of sci-fi media, such as cyberpunk and even a bit of Wild West atmosphere in Akila City, which may make fans of the canceled showFireflyhappy, but it mostly takes the vibe of 80s sci-fi and hits the ground running. With an emphasis on color, grainy filters, and even old-school computer-based UI,Starfieldcreates a unique “NASA Punk” vibe that utilizes the past to create something entirely new.
How Starfield’s Artistic Direction Flips Immersion on Its Head
In pursuit of these unique feelings,Starfieldleaves behind conventions that many video games wouldn’t dare to go without. Color design is at the forefront behind realistic lighting choices, and even the many characters that populateStarfield’s planetsallow tons of facial expressions while also avoiding the uncanny valley. Realistic direction is commonly used to promote immersion and helps showcase graphical talents.
When it comes to how Bethesda chose to lean into more artistic choices rather than realistic ones for their latest RPG, some may think that this would hurt just how many players could get sucked into its world. Instead,Starfieldends up flipping the script entirely. By mixing realism with subtle science-fiction, Bethesda is able to create immersion with retro-futuristic tones in every corner ofStarfield. But where most video games seek to bring their world into reality to keep the player invested,Starfieldchooses to bring a sci-fi story to lifein front of the player, absorbing them in the genre itself from start to finish.
It sets a strong precedent in terms of what can be done as far as artistic liberties and immersion go considering just how wellStarfieldis performing, and many games and studios are likely to follow suit in the years to come going forward. Over 10 years afterSkyrimshook what players expected from open-ended RPGs,Starfieldhas once again made a notable stamp in Bethesda’s history.
Starfieldis available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
