There are plenty of stylistic differences between Starfield and Bethesda's Fallout games. However, considering that Starfield desperately needs to stand out, especially among Bethesda's star-studded catalog, it would make sense for Bethesda to want to keep the game unique compared to the company's other titles, such as deliberately not taking certain directions for future Fallout games. Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean that Fallout's future will be facing any shortage of options.
With Starfield being a new IP, it had a contentious path to walk from the beginning. Of course, it had the benefit of bringing a new RPG from the same company that produced The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, both of which are highly successful franchises. That same distinction meant that it had to measure up to these two legendary franchises with its first installment and, with such a high bar to clear, Starfield inevitably faced a lot of scrutiny from critics and players alike. Resting on its laurels alone can't guarantee its success, though, and Fallout should give it some room to breathe a bit.
Starfield: Why You Should Join the Crimson Fleet
Starfield's Crimson Fleet may be morally questionable, but joining these space pirates offer some unexpected perks for players.
Starfield's Spaceships Are Iconic in a Way that Fallout Doesn't Need to Repeat
Starfield's Spaceships Are One of Its Most Iconic Features
Among its peers, the shipbuilding mechanic in Starfield is one of the game's signature features. Being a game based on space travel, it's only natural that the player would have a ship to use to jet from planet to planet. While the player gets a ship to start with, they can buy, customize, and build their own ships throughout the game. Starfield players have used this ability to create a wide variety of creative ships, from recreations of famous vehicles to sillier concepts. Starfield would be missing something special without its shipbuilding mechanics, and a sequel will need to preserve that feature.
Fallout Games Have Not Put an Emphasis on Vehicles
While players can find plenty of vehicles in Fallout games, they typically take the form of either set pieces or abandoned cars scattered around the wasteland. Fallout has nothing in the vein of Starfield's spaceships, and it may be for the best if it doesn't create an equivalent. The idea of making a wasteland-roving machine to cruise across the barren landscape in a Mad Max-influenced fashion admittedly sounds pretty cool; however, it may not be a perfect fit for the usual pace and ambiance of Fallout games. Not to mention, adding such a mechanic could take away from what makes Starfield a unique package.
Fallout Does Not Need Vehicles the Same Way that Starfield Needs Ships
Adding new vehicles may not even be necessary with Fallout's iconic power armor being such a recognizable image for the franchise. This is even more true as the games have evolved to feature more power armor designs and builds. Just like how Fallout has power armor to set itself apart, Starfield has its spaceships. Both have very different uses, but their presence is an important part of their respective games' identity.
Fallout's world can mostly be traversed on foot, while a multiplanetary adventure like Starfield requires a spaceship, and both games have defining features that perfectly fit their needed roles.
Customizable spaceships are one of Starfield's big advantages over Fallout, and they give players something special that other Bethesda games don't match. If Fallout starts including big vehicles, especially customizable ones, it could make Starfield feel less distinctive in comparison.
Starfield
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (September 2023)
