Starfield was a curious experience for me in 2023 – simultaneously one of my most cherished games and one of my biggest letdowns. Despite pouring over 100 hours into its universe and savoring moments of classic Bethesda genius, my high hopes weren’t fully realized. Bethesda is legendary for crafting some of the greatest RPGs of all time, like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, but Starfield struggled to recapture that magic, largely due to the sheer scale of its galactic setting. Now, a seasoned Bethesda veteran, who contributed to all three major franchises, has shared his perspective. He firmly believes Starfield is “a great game” and a source of pride for the studio, yet concedes it doesn’t quite stand at the “same caliber” as its predecessors, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.
Many long-time Bethesda fans will recognize the name Bruce Nesmith. Following an extensive career designing Dungeons and Dragons tabletop games, he transitioned to quest design for numerous Elder Scrolls and Fallout titles, notably serving as the lead designer for Skyrim. Prior to his departure from Bethesda in 2021, before Starfield’s release, Nesmith lent his expertise as a systems designer on the ambitious space game. Clearly, he’s a true authority when it comes to RPG development.
In a recent interview, Nesmith shared his assessment: “I believe it’s a good game. I don’t consider it to be of the same caliber as the other two, you know, Fallout or Skyrim, or Elder Scrolls rather, but I think it’s a good game. I worked on it; I’m proud of the work I did. I’m proud of the work that the people I knew did on it. I think they made a great game.”
Echoing my own initial feelings, Nesmith conceded that Bethesda’s storied history inevitably created immense expectations for Starfield, expectations that proved challenging to fulfill. He further suggested that the game “would have been received differently” had it been released by a developer other than Bethesda, highlighting the heavy weight of the studio’s legacy.
Despite the rich potential of outer space and alien worlds as settings for countless compelling games, Starfield’s execution of a galactic RPG arguably fell short. Nesmith identified the game’s heavy reliance on procedural generation as a primary factor contributing to players’ lukewarm engagement.
“I am a huge space enthusiast,” he remarked. “I’m an amateur astronomer, well-versed in all things cosmic, and much of my contribution to Starfield involved astronomical data. However, space itself is fundamentally uninteresting. It’s often characterized as pure void. Therefore, simply traversing it doesn’t, in my view, generate excitement.”
What also struck me was Nesmith’s underwhelming take on Starfield’s alien life. While acknowledging the presence of many “cool” creatures to encounter, he felt they were more akin to “the wolves in Skyrim” – lacking the epic, challenging, and truly memorable qualities one might hope for. He also noted that “the only serious enemy you fought were people.”
Like Nesmith, I don’t subscribe to the idea that Starfield is a ‘bad’ game. Moreover, with its upcoming second DLC, the game still has an opportunity to shift player perceptions. Nonetheless, it’s compelling to hear that the critiques many of us, including myself, have about the game are echoed by at least one of its former developers.
Should you decide to revisit Bethesda’s universe and wish to enhance your experience, consider exploring various Starfield modifications. Alternatively, for those seeking captivating narratives, there are many excellent story-driven games worth experiencing.
If you’ve dedicated significant time to Starfield, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you’d alter and what aspects you genuinely appreciate about the game.