Unveiling Starfield: A Stellar Epic That Echoes Mass Effect

Bethesda initiated the development of Starfield in late 2015, although their interest in creating an original science fiction franchise has been present for a long time. The recent Starfield Direct provided fans with the most in-depth glimpse into Bethesda's upcoming science-fiction action RPG and space exploration game. This included the fans' first detailed view of spaceflight and ship combat, a display of Starfield's weapons and RPG mechanics, a sneak peek into alien worlds and creatures, as well as additional information about its characters and storyline.

In this regard, players will embark on a journey alongside a diverse group of characters in search of ancient artifacts of an unknown alien origin. Throughout the adventure, Starfield's protagonist, who can be customized by the player, will encounter allies, adversaries, and even bothersome Adoring Fans. Naturally, there remain numerous unresolved questions regarding Starfield's narrative, with the Starfield Direct introducing a few more. However, what Bethesda has revealed thus far may strike a chord with fans of BioWare's Mass Effect series.

Starfield's Story

Although Starfield and Mass Effect may appear to be quite different at first glance, they actually share some notable similarities. While Mass Effect presents a sleek and futuristic world with heavy influences from Star Trek, Starfield takes inspiration from real-life NASA designs and data for its spacecraft, robots, and planets. Bethesda has also taken care to create a sense of realism and authenticity in Starfield, even going so far as to consider the dietary needs of spaceship crews.

Despite these differences, the two games do share certain commonalities based on the information Bethesda has released thus far. It is important to note that Mass Effect did not invent the space opera genre. Some of the similarities between the two games may be attributed to common science fiction tropes, while Starfield's factions and space-western elements bear more resemblance to Star Wars or Firefly. Rather than claiming that Starfield is a direct copy of Mass Effect, it is more accurate to say that both universes draw from a shared pool of ideas. This is not necessarily a negative thing, as Mass Effect has established itself as a prominent and influential part of that pool. Therefore, it is worth exploring the elements that Starfield may have taken inspiration from in the Mass Effect universe.

Players start off working for a mining company called Argos Extractors and stumble upon a peculiar alien artifact, causing their character to undergo some sort of transformation. Soon after, they receive a message from Constellation, a diverse group of skilled explorers, who provide them with a watch and an invitation to their headquarters in New Atlantis, the capital of the United Colonies faction in Starfield. The members of Constellation, who have also encountered similar artifacts, believe that the artifact has communicated with the player's character. Realizing that these artifacts are part of a collection, Constellation sets off on a widescale mission across the galaxy to locate the remaining pieces.

Mass Effect's Story

In the first Mass Effect game, Commander Shepard stumbles upon an artifact known as the beacon, created by the extinct alien race, the Protheans. This artifact grants Shepard a vision of the impending Reaper invasion, directly transmitted into their mind. However, the message received is not complete. To prevent the extermination of advanced life, Shepard must gather a diverse team from various backgrounds and embark on a quest that spans the entire galaxy.

While the specific events differ, Shepard's discovery of the beacon is driven by the Geth's pursuit of it, as they are already aware of its existence. Shepard is faced with a race against time to halt the return of the Reapers and their annihilation of all advanced life forms. On the other hand, in Starfield, the search for precursor artifacts appears to lack the same sense of urgency.

Sure, the June 11 gameplay trailer hinted at the possibility of a looming threat, but Starfield's promotional material focuses more on the thrilling journey of exploration rather than a high-pressure race against time. In contrast, Mass Effect immediately conveyed a sense of urgency in its initial trailer. Nonetheless, there are undeniable similarities between the two.

Starfield and Mass Effect Companions

BioWare has long been associated with the concept of companion characters, although they were not the creators of support NPCs or companion characters. In contrast, Bethesda's introduction of followers in Fallout 3 was a relatively minor aspect of the game. Skyrim, on the other hand, adopted a quality-focused approach by offering a more extensive roster of follower NPCs. However, it was not until Fallout 4 that Bethesda truly embraced BioWare's style of companions, incorporating quests, relationship mechanics, and even romance.

Starfield is taking inspiration from the BioWare model of companion characters, as evident from the emphasis Bethesda placed on companions and romance during its Starfield Direct presentation. In the game, players will have the opportunity to gather a select group of significant NPCs who can join them as crew members on their ship. While Starfield may not feature the same array of alien races as Mass Effect, it does offer a diverse range of nations and factions, with companions serving as representatives of these groups. This approach aligns with BioWare's signature style and further reinforces the similarities between Starfield and Mass Effect.

Mass Effect and Starfield's Galaxies

Both franchises also provide players with the opportunity to embark on an adventure in a newly colonized galaxy. In the first game, players were taken to an untamed and partially discovered region known as the Attican Traverse. Similarly, Starfield's Settled Systems may not be as settled as one would expect, creating a sense of the frontier. The original Mass Effect game even placed a strong emphasis on exploration, allowing players to touch down on planets and uncover landmarks and valuable treasures on their surfaces.

Starfield is set to release on September 6, 2023, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.