Summary
Now thatStarfieldhas finally hit store shelves, all eyes are onThe Elder Scrolls 6to see if Bethesda can deliver. It has been over a decade sinceSkyrimwas released, and in that time, fans have only had many mods orThe Elder Scrolls Onlineto fill the void. There may not be a release date in sight, but just knowing thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is out there has gotten fans extremely excited to see what that entails. And while there is a strong chance it is another fantastic RPG; the experience could be hurt a bit if it follows inStarfield’s footsteps.
Starfieldmay have brought Bethesda’s RPG model to a brand-new universe. However, as the game gets further from release, its cracks have become a bit more prevalent. Not only is the main story not onthe level of previous Bethesda RPGs, but the game’s world leaves much to be desired. It may have successfully captured the feeling of being in a massive never-ending galaxy, yet it also led to a pretty bland open-world overall, whichThe Elder Scrolls 6should actively avoid.
The Elder Scrolls 6 May Not Want to Follow in Starfield’s Footsteps
Starfield’s Universe is Kind of Barren
ForStarfield,Bethesda wanted to construct a massive galaxythat players could explore. To do this, the studio took its procedural generation to the next level. Instead of simply building out one area, it created a galaxy of around 1,000 different planets. Even though that was an impressive feat, most of those worlds are not really worth exploring for too long.
Starfield’s galaxy may be massivein scale, but that makes for a boring landscape overall. Most planets are empty outside of a few scannable items or outposts, so there really is not a lot to actually discover here. On top of that, the galaxy also feels extremely fragmented as players encounter multiple load screens during their journey. They will hit one when they enter their ship, when they take off, when they get to space, when they go to another planet, and then when they land. Couple that with the lack of anything interesting, and some players may quickly get bored with their surroundings.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Needs to go Back to the Basics With Its World
IfThe Elder Scrolls 6wants to blow audiences away, then it needs todeviate fromStarfield’s open world. One of the biggest criticisms of the RPG is that it is just too big and because of that, it is lacking what made other Bethesda open-worlds special. While the cities seem to have that classic charm, the rest of it is pretty forgettable. It may have made sense in a massive sci-fi adventure, but hopefully, it was just a one-time thing.
ForThe Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda needs to pull back a bit on the scale and focus on delivering an open world more in line withthe likes ofSkyrimorFallout 4. It does not need to give players all of Tamriel to explore, but instead, it should simply focus on one area of that massive continent. Then, the studio can fill that with interesting stories, charismatic characters, and impressive cities waiting to be explored. And to make things even better, it can then fill the surrounding area with all those secrets RPG fans have come to expect.
Starfieldwas an impressive title, but its approach to the game world does not need to be carried over to whatever Bethesda does next. If Bethesda wants to craft another never-ending galaxy down the line, then it should consider it. However, forThe Elder Scrolls 6, a smaller scale would be better. It will allow the studio to focus on less, which should in turn let it fine-tune every aspect to its liking, and that should help it deliver another fantastic adventure that fans will not soon forget.
