The Epic Fusion: Starfield Unleashes Fallout's Legacy in the Vast Depths of Space

Highlights

Starfield shares similarities with the Fallout franchise, building on the series' mechanics to deliver a similar-but-improved experience.

The content offers a poignant human story centered around hope and possibilities, with a strong emphasis on connections and comprehension, reminiscent of Fallout's narrative.

Starfield enhances and refines the mechanics inspired by Fallout, delivering an immersive, precise first-person shooting encounter while featuring streamlined systems for constructing bases and ships.

Starfield has finally been released, and it largely lives up to the hype and expectations that have surrounded it since its announcement at E3 2018. Now, what remains interesting is how it fits within the broader collection of games from Bethesda, particularly when compared to their other major franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. As fans continue to make comparisons, it becomes evident that Starfield shares many similarities with the Fallout franchise, which is not necessarily a negative aspect.

Since acquiring the rights to Fallout and successfully revitalizing the series in 2008, it has become one of Bethesda's most prominent franchises. Each new installment is highly anticipated, much like a new Elder Scrolls sequel. Fallout 4 introduced significant changes to the series, such as overhauling the perk and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. systems, and introducing a compelling base-building mechanic. Now, Starfield takes these ideas and improves upon them, becoming the definitive version of many of the trademark mechanics found in post-apocalyptic RPGs.

Starfield, Like Fallout, Tells a Decidedly Human Tale

Starfield is a game that taps into the age-old desire humans have always had to explore the stars. Civilization has always harbored a curiosity about space and a drive to conquer it, and Starfield's storyline revolves around this same sense of adventure and conquering the unknown. While players begin as a solitary miner on Vectera, the narrative of the game unveils the bonds that players form with other fellow humans who are also on a quest for self-discovery within the galaxy. Ultimately, Starfield's story is one of optimism and possibilities.

In many ways, it shares a similar essence with the Fallout games, although Starfield focuses more on personal development and understanding rather than rebuilding after tragedy. Some have even dubbed Starfield as "Fallout without the gloom", and although this oversimplifies the depth of each game's narrative, it does hold some truth. Each Fallout game tells a very human tale, centered around the main characters and their relationships with their families in a post-apocalyptic setting. In contrast to the fantastical world of The Elder Scrolls and its diverse races and diplomatic dynamics in Tamriel, both Fallout and Starfield tell grounded stories that explore the very human motivations of connection and comprehension.

Mechanics That Starfield Borrows From Fallout and Improves

Starfield shares many similarities with Bethesda's Fallout games, not just in storytelling but also in game mechanics. Unlike the Fallout series, Starfield is primarily a first-person shooter and while it does not feature the signature VATS system, it offers incredibly tight and focused shooting mechanics. Unlike Fallout, Starfield feels more like a genuine first-person shooter with RPG elements rather than an RPG with first-person combat.

Furthermore, Starfield also incorporates base-building and ship-building mechanics similar to Fallout 4. However, Starfield takes it a step further with improved menus and a streamlined building process. The brilliance of these systems is that they are user-friendly yet provide enough depth for players who wish to immerse themselves in creating their dream home in outer space. Starfield has clearly benefitted from Bethesda's experience with Fallout, implementing these mechanics in the best possible way.

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