Starfield: the Creation Engine evolves to deliver massive ambition, scale and scope

The Digital Foundry verdict on Bethesda's massively anticipated sci-fi RPG.

[MrDead]

As long as they fixed the drawcall bottleneck problem that's all I care about, It was an endless pain in the butt for modding Fallout 4 especially if you wanted to break some precombines.

[RpgSama]

This is a weird review, they are comparing Starfield and the creating engine mostly against Bethesda previous games, not that much other current gen games, I think not fair to compare Starfield or the creating engine to Fallout 4 that came out in 2015.

[darthv72]

It makes sense if they are comparing growth in their development. How much things changed between previous games and this one.

[crazyCoconuts]

So, I'm open to differences in opinion here, but when I read this article, I would sum it all up as "apologetic".
Tons of negatives, glazed over with things like "but not unexpected for a Bethesda game" and with a super positive sounding title. You could make a list of the negatives, there are probably a dozen of them, but in such a careful tone. And no mention of the actual resolution before FSR upscaling in the article? Wasn't it like 1440 / 900p on the X/S respectively?
Just saying, like if, say, Guerrilla Games released this...

[phoenixwing]

@crazy
you're not wrong to criticize the game for getting passes that other devs would get raked through the coals over. However, i hear that the sttory is pretty decent for what it is so I'm ok with the game myself. Except, i don't go into bethesda games thinking they deserve a pass but a fun adventure is a fun adventure to me. I have the pc version so i expect to reap the benefits of the modding community to make it a game it should have been with due time.

Bulders gate 3 easily outclasses this game though. I've been playing it on pc and it's just miles better.

[Kornholic]

Why are you talking about the story? Digital Foundry focuses on the technical aspects of the game.

[pezking]

you're not allowed to like this game around here

[Armaggedon]

It is miles better at meeting the expected industry standard. Starfield has its own strengths that exceed other games.

[Umb]

Reminds me of the Halo Infinite video where they defended why it looked underwhelming. Though I always het the feeling DF are MS shills.

[crazyCoconuts]

Yeah, I mean, no question: they couldn't keep getting those Xbox exclusive reveal opportunities if they were critical. MS will reward those that play the game and punish those that don't

[PunksOnN4G]

Remember when they were gonna remove FPS test comparison between platforms and fps test just cuz LOL... They always give an excuse when its XBOX but PS it better be solid.

[anast]

Asmongold's Starfield video: "It Doesn't Just Work" is hilarious. It compares the game to what Todd had said about it when he was trying to sell it.

[Obscure_Observer]

Excellent work by Todd and his team on delivering such a massive, gorgeous and fantastic game!

I´m having a blast!

[CrimsonWing69]

I’m early in, but I find it kind of boring. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, it’s more like it’s just fine to me… but I’m hoping it’ll click the further I get into it.

[arkard]

That's where Im at to. I'm working on the main quest to get the game going and open it up more supposedly. I just flew to Mars to talk to someone for 1 min to just run back to my ship and have to fly to venus.

I'm dissppointed that they still can't figure out how to not have loading between outside and inside.

[jwillj2k4]

According to the creator of the game you need to be 130 hours in to start liking it.

[KeyAppearance]

Was quite surprised at just how great the game looked at times, I have played fallout 4, skyrim and stuff to death, so those were the visuals stuck in my head, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Some planets especially look so good

[Kornholic]

Am I the only one who feels that this was a strange video for Digital Foundry? A very odd tone for a DF video.

Normally DF examines the technical aspects more critically and then compares the graphics and effects to the game's contemporary peers.

In this video comparisons are made only to Bethesda's previous titles. Which is a bit silly because of course the game is going to look better compared to a 5-12 year old game from the same developer.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

None of Bethesdas games have ever been lookers. This is a great looking game just in general. Is it up to the visual quality of day God of War Ragnorok no but the scale of this game is massive compared to a game like that.

There are moments in Starfield that are simply breathtaking. I never got that ever from a Bethesda RPG until now.

[crazyCoconuts]

Here's the DF review for God of War Ragnarok... See if it seems like the visual quality sounds comparable: https://www.eurogamer.net/d...

[Kornholic]

None of that made any sense in the context of my comment.

[Armaggedon]

I wouldnt say its at ragnaroks level, but they are skilled at using lightening to their advantage.

[Binarycode]

No it hasn't.

You can't go wherever you want, you hit a wall and have to turn back.

You can't fly straight into the world, it's just a cut scene.

and for what's going on, the framerate should be 60fps easy. Loading screen after loading screen.

It's a poor old engine that needs to be brought up to speed.

[CBaoth]

time to take ole Bessie out back behind the shed n put her down. Morrowind came out in 2002. Bethesda has misled consumers ever since with each new release that promised updated engine improvements only to see they're using the same old meat

[OptimusDK]

Well it is not a walking simulater is is focussing on getting you the the fun as fast as possible. I know with the last years of walking simulators where they tried hard to make the taversal interessting it is really not and avoiding to loose your parcels is one example of that.
No get me to the action or RPG elements with the least hassle thank you Bethesda for doing that.

[CantThinkOfAUsername]

Did you say the same while playing Skyrim or Fallout 4?

[badz149]

an apologist article from DF! colour me surprised...NOT!

[Charlieboy333]

I just knew after that 'buddy buddy' photo of them together with Phil and Todd that this would be the result. Anyone being honest with themselves will admit that this engine is woefully oudated.

The character models with their stiff animations and lip synching are generations old. Boo hoo they aren't motion captured....well they damn well should have been for a current gen only game. Pretty sure this engine doesn't even cater for that. Also, the limits of this engine is why all exploration amounts to clicking on locations followed by loading sequences.

You have a damn ship but you never actually fly it anywhere. The closest you get is limited left, right, up and down and forward movement that's an illusion whenever you are dumped into your little 'box of space' for a fight.

For a game that loads in practically every chunk ( when landing on a planet, when leaving a planet, when going inside from outside, when going outside from inside, when climbing a damn ladder, etc ) it should be better graphically with ray tracing AND 60 fps on Xbox.

There is no massive scale or scope here, just a handful of curated levels with a crap ton more procedural levels linked together with loading screens.

This engine sucks.....much like a certain something DF is doing here involving Todd, to say thanks for the paid trip.

[Zombieburger638]

And people don’t understand why I don’t want to pay for the same broken/outdated engine that I’ve already payed for (fallout 4/Skyrim/oblivion). All their games feel the same, the ai are all the same brain dead ai I’ve fought before, characters are still ugly as all hell and the writing is just plain boring.

[ichdich]

The best thing Bethesda's done since Oblivion

[alexkarkar]

my verdict. starfield is a boring slog. playing it i felt like i was being tortured for my past sins.

[MrDevilish]

I think this is why some people disliked the last 2 Zelda games. Big open worlds that end up feeling way too big and a bit barren. I feel the same way. I like having a more linear experience to be honest, I don't mean completely closed in like corridor style. It's nice to have some freedom but not so much when a lot of it is empty making you feel a bit lost.

[anast]

Digital Foundry bent the knee.

[Antifan]

This is what a Microsoft Monopoly looks like. Reviewers have to be careful not to step on eggshells so they can get early review access to the next Microsoft game. This industry is corrupt

[The3faces]

So IGN and Gamespot only gave the game a 7 because they're kissing up to MS?

[badz149]

in the of presence, IGN and Gamespot are already too big. not giving them the review codes spells trouble. but the Meta is so much more than just IGN and Gamespot and MS/Bethesda knows it. so they just did the next best thing.

[Viljong]

It play better on my rog ally than series x lol. 30fps is BS becouse series s parity. Rog ally play starfield locked 40fps in 120hz mode VRR screen.its 10 time better than 30fps. It can play 50fps+ all the way to 60fps aswell. And rog ally 4nm apu use 30-53w of power plugged into powerbank.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

I really appreciate that he moved bottles around in a bathroom stall. And went and visited around ten planets then came back to the same bathroom stall and noticed the bottles were still in the same spots where he put them . Pretty cool.

[badz149]

yeah because THAT really compensates for the game being a loading fest!

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Yeah crazy long load times for a triple AAA game.

[jznrpg]

Shills

[repsahj]

This video of DF and the first one about Starfield sounds really fishy.

[Armyofdarkness]

I played it for 2 hours, jumped right back to Baldurs Gate to finish it first. Seems like a cool game!

[PassNextquestion]

Alex from DF is doing the PC version which I assume will be technical break down of the game.

[Stanjara]

Wow was this a shill video or what?
65years after. Let's go back to space.- like space games don't exist.

Shows Cyberpunk neon lv.
- we haven't seen anything like this...

In Bethesda game.

Like Jesus Maria... It's a Fallout game.