As the most recent game to be added to Bethesda's lineup, Starfield set out to take in-game space exploration to the next level. But while the game can offer some fun adventures, cut content from Starfield has given insight into how much more involved the sci-fi RPG could have been.
Bethesda is well known for developing detailed and expansive worlds, which made the prospect of Starfield incredibly exciting. After the likes of Skyrim and Fallout 4, expectations were quite high about Starfield's immersion, and although there is plenty of fun lore in the game, the realism of the world isn't on the same level as previous Bethesda games. Since the game's launch, several leaks and interviews have revealed that Starfield could have been more hardcore. More intense content was cut, like the extreme weather and environmental conditions on various planets, which may have been the wrong move.
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Starfield Bypassed A Game-Changing Weather Feature
Despite the game being highly anticipated before launch, Starfield has become a divisive entry in Bethesda's roster. Indeed, the reviews for Starfield have been quite mixed overall. One of the biggest complaints about the game is that the world feels empty and not nearly as lived in as hoped for. After Skyrim, Bethesda set the bar really high for RPGs, and Starfield didn't raise the bar in comparison.
Each planet was expected to present diverse experiences, but cutting extreme weather may have prevented that from happening to its fullest. It's easy to imagine how much more chaotic and suspenseful planetary travel could have been with huge storms or hurricanes hitting the planet, for example, especially if it was implemented as spontaneously and perilously as weather hazards in Helldivers 2.
An Added Layer of Survival Is Missing
Granted, there are some interesting and quirky planets in Starfield, but there's an element of survival that is sometimes missing. The stakes aren't that high when exploring other planets. Traversing through each planet is actually pretty easy, but that shouldn't be the case. The space suits in the game offer protection that is designed to handle specific atmospheres, but they don't play as in-depth of a role as one would initially think.
Bethesda CEO Todd Howard even revealed in an interview last year that the extreme environments in Starfield were purposefully subdued. The planetary exploration was a lot more complicated than the original approach to extreme environmental factors, but Bethesda ultimately decided that it made the game too difficult and cut it completely.
On the Game Maker's Notebook podcast, Todd Howard explained that these environmental obstacles are more for added flavor instead of presenting an actual threat to players.
Starfield's Cut Content May Not Be Cut Forever
When learning about all the cut content that could have made Starfield a bigger challenge, it can be difficult not to be a little disappointed. However, this also leaves some hope for the future of the game. One way to address cut content would be to add it later in the game's life. Adding post-launch content isn't new to Bethesda. Both Skyrim and Fallout 4 received updates that included a survival mode that made the games more difficult. This way, a survival mode would be the perfect opportunity to finally include more hazardous environments and weather.
As of now, there is no confirmed release date for Starfield's upcoming Shattered Space DLC, but the anticipated expansion would be the perfect time to add a survival mode that includes the original concept for extreme weather. Although the reasoning for cutting certain content is understandable, having the option to make the game a harder challenge would be great. Exploring planets while trying to survive through insane weather conditions would make Starfield feel far more immersive, so hopefully this potentially exciting content won't be cut forever.
Starfield
- Released
- September 6, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (September 2023)
- Metascore
- 86
