The Elder Scrollsis Bethesda Game Studios' staple franchise. While the company went on to own and make successfulFalloutgames, it didn’t have to start from scratch as it did withThe Elder Scrolls.Starfieldhas more in common withThe Elder Scrollsin this regard. Hence, comparing both these franchises seems fair to some extent asStarfieldis the studios' first new IP afterThe Elder Scrolls.
However,Starfieldbelongs to a different genre fromThe Elder Scrollsand can’t be referred to as a spiritual successor to the latter. That doesn’t meanStarfieldwon’t carry over the DNA of past Bethesda titles, especiallyThe Elder Scrolls.Starfielddoesn’t have to beSkyrimin space, but it could still borrow some of the elements that madeSkyrimand pastThe Elder Scrollstitles so successful.
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Ambiance
The universe ofThe Elder Scrollsgames has always been incredibly serene. Whether it’s the dense meadows of Cyrodiil or thebeautiful mountain passes ofSkyrim, there is always an unprecedented calmness found in every facet of these worlds. There is always an imposing threat lurking in the background that would present itself from time to time, but the overall atmosphere is often surprisingly serene. Such serenity makes these worlds easy to embrace and is one such reason why players keep coming back to these games.
Starfieldtakes place in a sci-fi universe and could feature multiple planets, each having varying locales. Although it isn’t clear how the tone of the game would be, it would make sense if it is as ambient asThe Elder Scrollsgames. InStarfield, players might have to traverse alien planets brimming with nothing but solitude. IfStarfieldmanages to recapitulate the serenity ofThe Elder Scrollsfranchise, then exploring its universe could turn out to be an immensely gratifying affair.
Similar Skill Tree and Leveling
The Elder Scrollsgames feature some of the most elaborate and extensive skill progression in RPGs with plenty of attributes to max out. The addition of such an overwhelming number of skill attributes gives players several replayability options as well. InSkyrim, players have 18 such skills ranging from the Mage skills like Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration, toThief skillslike Sneak, Speech, Pickpocket, etc.Starfieldcould feature a similarly intricate skill tree with a wide array of attributes suited to different playstyles instead of the perk system fromFallout 4.
The leveling system inThe Elder Scrollsgames also feels more organic compared to most modern RPGs, includingFallout 4. InThe Elder Scrollsgames, the player character gains experience points by using various skills instead of completing quests. Tying progression to skills usage rather than quests completion gives players the freedom to explore the game’s world without relying on the main questline to make progress.Starfieldshould take a similar approach to progression since it could feature a vast array of intriguing planets that players would want to explore right away.
Non-Intertwining Faction Quests
The Elder Scrollsseries has some of the most carefully curated faction questlines ever in a fantasy RPG. Some of these factions are exclusive to particular titles, whereas others have appeared in multiple entries. For instance, The Blades have appeared in everyThe Elder Scrollsgame, though they do not have a dedicated questline in every game.
What’s interesting about the faction quests inThe Elder Scrollsis that they work independently from the main quests. It’s also important to acknowledge that the questline of one faction, for instance,The Dark Brotherhood, doesn’t coincide with that of the Thieves Guild. Hence, players don’t have to worry about betraying one to finish another. InFallout 4, however, faction quests intertwine at some point, which means players can’t finish one without interrupting the other.
RecentStarfieldleaks and rumorsseem to suggest that it has a total of five in-game factions. Although nothing is confirmed yet, they could feature their own questline for players to undertake. It would be interesting to see if they remain autonomous as they are inThe Elder Scrollsseries, or feature intertwining questlines similar toFallout 4. The former would give players the option to finish all the faction questlines in the same playthrough without hindering one another.
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Time Traveling
The flow of time has always been an intriguing concept inThe Elder Scrollsuniverse. The scroll prophesizes forbidding events that only a hero could resolve. The true nature ofThe Elder Scrollsis very ambiguous though they act as a time portal inSkyrim. The player character goes back in time with the help of an Elder Scroll to learn the Dragonrend Shout and defeat Alduin for good.
Todd Howard revealed at E3 2019 thatspace-traveling inStarfieldwould be like the flight in the 40s. It would be a dangerous affair though people would still be doing it. Given its sci-fi nature and that it features space traveling, the flow of time or even time traveling in one form or another seems feasible inStarfield’suniverse.
Living a Normal Life
Manyopen world gamesshove players into universes affected by catastrophes where it’s the player character’s job to make things right. In most of such worlds, danger lies around every corner, death and disparity are common, and the game does a fine job of motivating players to tackle the main questline that would undo the calamity.
The Elder Scrollsgames feature similar premises, but it doesn’t impose such urgency like many other titles in the genre. Whether it’s Morrowind, Cyrodiil, or Skyrim, these places feel like an alternate reality where players would want to spend the rest of their lives. These games do a fine job of making players feel like they are living a normal life despite the looming disaster in the background. Players can buy a house, adopt children, get married, and so forth. Not every open-world RPGs strive for such an experience, and it’s one of the reasons whyThe Elder Scrollsis so special.
While it’s too early to predict the nature ofStarfield’sopen world, it would be interesting to see if it takes the more laid-back approach ofThe Elder Scrolls games, where players spend more time exploring and adapting to the games' world rather than rushing around to finish the main storyline. Whereas theMass Effectgames strive for that Hollywood melodramatic sci-fi experiences,Starfieldcould take a note out ofNo Man Sky’sandThe Elder Scrollsfranchise to make mundanity an integral part of its universe.
