I haven’t tried Starfield because it’s still getting patched, but Bethesda games are some of my favorites. Yes they’re janky and everything but I love exploring and looting and they really nail that.
There are some films I enjoy which are objectively bad, and that’s okay.
If people want to enjoy Bethesda games, it’s fine, each to their own.
However, if you want to talk about game design, there is a lot of evidence which supports the claim that Bethesda don’t know what makes a (objectively) good game anymore.
Unfortunately, Bethesda are the only ones in town who are capitalising on “Bethesda style games”. (With the exception of a few, like The Outer Worlds, and Cyberpunk 2077).
Bethesda’s strong suit is their physical world building - but everything else has been getting worse.
The running joke is that the players mod the game to fix after launch. Except it’s not a joke, and it’s really not funny when the devs actually expect the community to fix their game. They could simply pay someone to implement every single fix from the UFO4P and UESSP, but choose not to. They do not care about quality.
Unfortunately, Bethesda are the only ones in town who are capitalising on “Bethesda style games”.
I thought a lot of games are like that now. I personally love the fallout universe but hate the game style. Hate now things like horizon zero, Witcher, Elden ring, assassins creed and all those games have slow pace open world with huge RPG elements.
More like Bethesda game style become an industry standard. That’s my perspective though, im sure those who like the format don’t agree.
It depends what you liked about there games but IMO none are like it still.
The key design points to me are a less rigid structure for their missions and world, interactivity of the world and combat, and the role playing opportunities.
Some games cover parts of these, like Outer Worlds tries to have the story structure and role playing, but is otherwise very static and small scoped in its world.
Interactive sims like Prey have interactive world and combat (far more so) but its not trying to do the other aspects at all.
Never play Starfield; it’ll make you hate Bethesda, especially Emil Pagliarulo (the lead designer and writer of the story).
I used to feel the same way as you, until I played it. Now I have zero interest in anything Bethesda has coming out in the future. They’ve proven to me that they’re incapable of making a modern game with a good story. Only thing that would convince me to play another title of theirs is if they finally ditch Gamebryo and never let Emil in the writer’s room ever again, two things that’ll never happen.
I haven’t tried Starfield because it’s still getting patched, but Bethesda games are some of my favorites. Yes they’re janky and everything but I love exploring and looting and they really nail that.
They patched it, with paid mods
There are some films I enjoy which are objectively bad, and that’s okay.
If people want to enjoy Bethesda games, it’s fine, each to their own.
However, if you want to talk about game design, there is a lot of evidence which supports the claim that Bethesda don’t know what makes a (objectively) good game anymore.
Unfortunately, Bethesda are the only ones in town who are capitalising on “Bethesda style games”. (With the exception of a few, like The Outer Worlds, and Cyberpunk 2077).
Bethesda’s strong suit is their physical world building - but everything else has been getting worse.
The running joke is that the players mod the game to fix after launch. Except it’s not a joke, and it’s really not funny when the devs actually expect the community to fix their game. They could simply pay someone to implement every single fix from the UFO4P and UESSP, but choose not to. They do not care about quality.
I thought a lot of games are like that now. I personally love the fallout universe but hate the game style. Hate now things like horizon zero, Witcher, Elden ring, assassins creed and all those games have slow pace open world with huge RPG elements.
More like Bethesda game style become an industry standard. That’s my perspective though, im sure those who like the format don’t agree.
It depends what you liked about there games but IMO none are like it still.
The key design points to me are a less rigid structure for their missions and world, interactivity of the world and combat, and the role playing opportunities.
Some games cover parts of these, like Outer Worlds tries to have the story structure and role playing, but is otherwise very static and small scoped in its world.
Interactive sims like Prey have interactive world and combat (far more so) but its not trying to do the other aspects at all.
I don’t believe anything gets it all right.
I really like Starfield. It’s not perfect, but it’s great.
Sounds like a Bethesda game to me
Never play Starfield; it’ll make you hate Bethesda, especially Emil Pagliarulo (the lead designer and writer of the story).
I used to feel the same way as you, until I played it. Now I have zero interest in anything Bethesda has coming out in the future. They’ve proven to me that they’re incapable of making a modern game with a good story. Only thing that would convince me to play another title of theirs is if they finally ditch Gamebryo and never let Emil in the writer’s room ever again, two things that’ll never happen.
The faction quests were pretty good.
Pretty similar for me. I’ve been a fan of Bethesda since morrowwind but starfield was the last straw. It’s a a slap in the face to fans