It’s been a few years sinceStarfieldwas officially announced, and anticipation for Bethesda’s incredibly ambitious space exploration RPG is at an all-time high. Despite the excitement forStarfieldand the interest in Bethesda’s brand-new IP, details about the game were pretty scarce until recently. Even with its delayed release from late 2022 to early 2023, gamers were still expecting to see something ofStarfieldsoon, and the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase was the perfect platform to show off the upcoming title.
While there were lots of exciting updates and announcements duringthe recent Xbox and Bethesda Showcase, players were holding out for someStarfieldnews. Their patience was rewarded with the very first glimpse ofStarfieldgameplay, with a substantive fifteen-minute video that detailed the game’s story, combat, environments, and other fun features. Details have continued to emerge aboutStarfieldnow that players have had their first good look at it, including how the main character won’t have a voice actor.
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Confirmation Of A Voiceless Protagonist
Bethesda had been remarkably tight-lipped during most ofStarfield’s development, with only a few details shared here and there and some initially vague updates and behind-the-scenes looks. The leaks that have emerged – mostly images that purported to show off elements of the game – were hardly what anyone would call juicy or exciting and consisted mainly of internal and external structures and doorways. The time was ripe fora better look atStarfield, and fans finally have something to see following the years of anticipation.
The developer has continued to provide details about its upcoming game, including tweets that offer more insight into the features and aspects ofStarfieldrevealed during the showcase. One element that has received further specifics is the character interactions that were shown during the gameplay trailer. Bethesda has confirmed via Twitter that dialogue will be in first-person (despite the ability to switch between a first and third-person perspective during combat and exploration), and the protagonist will be silent.
Effect On The Gameplay
The decisionto not include a voice actor forStarfield’s protagonistcould be a controversial one, but in lots of ways, it could help improve the experience of the game. While some players love to hear their characters interact with others, there are still plenty of games that choose to keep their protagonists silent, and this doesn’t necessarily hinder the game in any major way. Bethesda has been clear thatStarfieldis about player choice, from the way their character looks to the factions they choose to align themselves with. Exploring the hundreds of systems and even more planets throughoutStarfield’s expansive scope will be shaped by player inclination, and while there is a story to follow, gamers will mostly be in charge of creating their own unique experience.
Role-playing will be a key element ofStarfield, and the developer is keen for players to take charge and immerse themselves fully in the game. There will be lots of ways thatStarfieldwill help them do this, especially with Bethesda’s stated intention to focus on character interactions and relationship-building. While it might seem strange to some players to attempt to develop meaningful connections with a silent main character, the expressiveness and realism in the facial animations of other characters and their own compelling voice acting could make a vocal response fairly superfluous, or at least not noticeably absent.
Starfieldappears to be full to the brim of choicesfor players to make, and that is what will hopefully shape the personality of their main character more effectively than a voice ever would. Having a voice actor, even if there were a few ones to choose from when creating the protagonist, could distract from the type of character the player wanted to make, or could not match up to their own interpretation of what they would sound like. A silent protagonist doesn’t face any of these restrictions or create such jarring mismatches, and this blank slate approach could really help withStarfield’s aims to become a completely immersive, play-led experience.
Starfieldis scheduled to release in early 2023 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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