Overview
- Bruce Nesmith, a former Bethesda designer who led Skyrim and worked on Starfield systems before leaving in 2021, told FRVR the space RPG is a good game but not the same calibre as Fallout or The Elder Scrolls.
- He argued Starfield’s heavy reliance on procedural generation made many planets feel similar and unexciting, adding that space is inherently boring and travel between worlds isn’t where the excitement lies.
- Nesmith criticized enemy variety, saying the only serious opponents were humans and that alien creatures functioned more like incidental wildlife than story drivers.
- He said reception was shaped by expectations tied to Bethesda’s reputation, noting the same game from another studio would likely have been received differently.
- Bethesda has confirmed additional story DLC and has teased space-travel improvements, including an overhauled cruise mode, with part of the team focused on making space gameplay more rewarding.