Summary
- Starfield's intentional choice to limit graphic violence was influenced by technical issues and the game's desired tone.
- Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked on Starfield and Fallout 4 at Bethesda, highlighted these reasons in an interview.
Starfield, Bethesda's latest sci-fi adventure, initially planned to include more graphic violence, similar to the gore seen in the Fallout series. However, a former Bethesda artist, Dennis Mejillones, revealed in an interview with the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube that the studio decided to scale back on this aspect. Mejillones, who worked on both Starfield and Fallout 4, explained that technical challenges and the game's intended tone were key factors in this decision.
While Starfield does feature central gunplay and melee combat, the studio chose to refine the combat mechanics rather than increase the level of violence. Many players have praised the combat in Starfield as a significant improvement over Fallout 4, noting the attention to detail in shooting and melee interactions. However, the decision to avoid more graphic elements like decapitations and kill animations was influenced by the complexity of animating such scenes across the game's various suits and helmets. This choice was likely wise, given Starfield's persistent technical issues even after multiple updates.
Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons
The decision to reduce graphic violence was not solely based on technical limitations. Mejillones pointed out that the humor and gore in Fallout do not align well with Starfield's more serious and realistic tone. Although Starfield occasionally nods to Bethesda's more whimsical and violent titles—such as the recent addition of Doom-inspired content—the game aims for a more grounded sci-fi experience. Over-the-top violence could have disrupted the immersion and felt out of place in Starfield's universe.
Fan feedback has highlighted a desire for more realism in the game, with some criticizing the tame and unconvincing atmosphere of Starfield's nightclubs compared to other gritty sci-fi titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Introducing humorous or exaggerated violence might have further detracted from the game's realism, reinforcing Bethesda's decision to tone down the gore. This approach breaks from the trend seen in Bethesda's previous shooters but aligns with the studio's vision for Starfield.
