Role-playing games are more popular than ever in 2023, with plenty of different offerings throughout the year showing their immense potential for diverse experiences. From Final Fantasy 16’s modern twist on the JRPG formula to Sea of Stars’ retro-inspired presentation to Baldur’s Gate 3’s faithful digitization of Dungeons and Dragons, it’s been a great twelve months for the genre. Nestled among the releases was Starfield, the latest and much-anticipated project by Bethesda Game Studios.

Starfield gave fans of the studio something to enjoy, taking its familiar mechanics to space for a story about Constellation’s quest for new knowledge among the cosmos. Much of the experience was satisfying, but the issues that have plagued Bethesda games in the past remain, and after a few years of steady products that absolutely have a ceiling, the industry may have caught up, and even surpassed Bethesda, and the developer hasn’t taken enough strides to snatch back its crown.

Bethesda is a Long Way from Defining Genres

With games like Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Bethesda enjoyed tremendous success in the 2000s and into the 2010s, with each release seemingly taking the world by storm. The developer made its name by resetting the standard for Western RPGs and being a bar often too high for other games in the genre to stumble over. To many, Skyrim remains the go-to role-playing experience thanks to its sprawling map, endless lore and world-building, and uncanny ability to provide fresh, unique, or innovative quests and character interactions.

Fallout 4 saw the company’s efforts start to plateau, and was the first sign that change was needed, as the 2015 release felt somewhat dated compared to its open-world contemporaries like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. The former release from CD Projekt Red was a big indicator that Bethesda no longer had as tight a grip on the Western RPG space as it once had. Competition is healthy and should be welcomed, but while Starfield gets a lot right, it’s also a big hint that the tide is changing to no longer favor Bethesda’s offerings.

Starfield Might Be a Sign of the Times

Starfield succeeds in its character development, side stories, and art direction, and does well to make its now outdated core mechanics feel relatively modern. It’s a flawed but fun experience, but in the shadow of Baldur’s Gate 3, perhaps one of the truest role-playing experiences in the history of gaming, Bethesda’s efforts are easy to overlook. That game is hard for any company to match, but in decades past, Bethesda would have been the one to rise to that challenge. Now, Larian Studios, CD Projekt Red, and even Obsidian with Pillars of Eternity and The Outer Worlds are all more likely to push the RPG space forward.

As Starfield adopts a similar format to previous games regarding leveling, item management, and dialogue as previous games, one may call into question Bethesda’s interest in being at the top of the RPG pile like it once was. The Elder Scrolls 6 looks to be the next offering from the Maryland-based company, which will drum up excitement for its name alone, but as plenty of other developers are resetting the standard, the crown that Bethesda once wore is starting to look out of reach, with it seemingly not being fussed about reclaiming it. Bethesda was the cream of the crop for a long time, now it might have to be content with just being another seed in the harvest.

Starfield

Released

September 6, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence

How Long To Beat

20 Hours

X|S Enhanced

Yes

File Size Xbox Series

101 GB (November 2023)

Metascore

86