Starfield's Frontier Ship Takes Sci-Fi Gaming to New Heights

Highlights

Starfield pays homage to beloved Sci-Fi franchises that came before it through its visual design and references to iconic ships like the Millennium Falcon and Serenity.

The Frontier, Starfield's main vessel, combines various influences. Its outer appearance bears resemblance to Firefly's ship, while its interior draws inspiration from Ridley Scott's Alien. Players can personalize and expand The Frontier, giving them the chance to pay homage to the Sci-Fi genre and produce a diverse array of remarkable spaceship designs inspired by other renowned franchises.

The Sci-Fi genre has been a longstanding presence in fiction for approximately two centuries. Throughout this time, numerous beloved franchises have emerged across various entertainment mediums, ranging from comic books and novels to TV shows, movies, and video games. Starfield, although a recent addition to this canon, acknowledges its place in the genre's history and proudly showcases its Sci-Fi inspirations.

Given the extensive body of work spanning over two centuries, Starfield, like other contemporary Sci-Fi properties, faced the daunting task of achieving originality within its universe and storytelling. Remarkably, Starfield succeeds in creating its distinct universe. However, it undeniably draws heavily from previous Sci-Fi franchises. Rather than pretending to be entirely original, Starfield chooses to pay homage to its predecessors. This is evident in its primary vessel, The Frontier, which serves as a heartfelt tribute to the Sci-Fi genre.

Starfield's Frontier Ship Hearkens Back to a Ton of Sci-Fi Franchises

Prominently displayed on promotional art and trailers, the Frontier ship in Starfield boasts an instantly recognizable appearance. With its robust yet sleek design, it seamlessly fits into the game's universe and artistic direction. However, beyond its initial aesthetic appeal, the Frontier ship in Starfield pays homage to beloved science fiction vessels that have come before it. Drawing inspiration from renowned franchises such as Star Wars, Star Trek, and Firefly, the visual design of the Frontier cleverly incorporates subtle references. Simultaneously, within the narrative of Starfield, the characters openly acknowledge the ship's age. Heller amusingly compares it to a "bucket of bolts," countered by Lin, who affectionately describes it as "classic." This brief exchange immediately draws a parallel to the iconic scene in Star Wars, where Luke Skywalker dismissively refers to the Millennium Falcon as a "piece of junk."

The Frontier's allusions to other Sci-Fi vessels do not end there. Its appearance bears a striking resemblance to Firefly's renowned Serenity ship. The massive engines at its rear, the almost organic neck and cockpit, and the robust hull of The Frontier appear as though they belong in the Sci-Fi-Western realm of Firefly. Additionally, it is briefly mentioned that The Frontier is an antiquated Nova-Class ship that is no longer in use or sight, mirroring the Serenity's status as an extinct Firefly-Class freighter. Upon entering The Frontier, Starfield takes on a distinct influence. The minimalist bunk beds, desks, and computer consoles within its interior design seem to draw inspiration from Ridley Scott's Alien and its retrofuturistic artistic direction.

However, one of the standout features of Starfield's Frontier is the ability for players to customize and expand upon it, allowing them to pay tribute to the Sci-Fi genre in their own unique ways. The community has already produced an abundance of incredibly impressive Starfield ship designs, many of which resemble iconic Sci-Fi vessels. In just the first week of Starfield's release, fans have crafted the Millennium Falcon, Knights of the Old Republic's Ebon Hawk, Mass Effect's Normandy, Halo's Pelican, and even Star Trek's Enterprise and Borg Cube. With an accessible and thrilling ship-building feature included, Bethesda has provided fans with the necessary tools to transform Starfield into the ultimate declaration of affection for Sci-Fi.

Starfield is available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.