“Not like Star Trek”: Todd Howard’s Genius Plan To Elevate Starfield’s Realism Had Him Defying The Best Space TV Show Of All Time

Bethesda’s Starfield debuted last year to a mixed bag, with many praising the game for successfully translating the company’s iconic open-world formula to a sci-fi setting, while others absolutely despising every aspect of it. Despite all that, Bethesda supported the game with regular updates and also gave it its first major expansion, Shattered Space.

Leading up to the game’s release last year, Bethesda labeled the game’s aesthetic as “NASA-punk,” noting that Howard and his team spent a lot of time researching space exploration to add another level of realism to the game. If Howard hadn’t ignored Star Trek, he would’ve never been able to add this aspect of realism to the title.

Starfield‘s Realism Comes From Ignoring Star Trek

Right before Starfield’s release, Todd Howard opened up about the development of the game and revealed that the space-action RPG has always been his childhood project. It’s one of Bethesda’s most ambitious projects, and it had to include aspects that would set it apart from other sci-fi series.

Starfield is a sci-fi video game that took Bethesda over eight years to craft. What’s so special about this game is the fact that it immerses players in a massive universe that’s packed to the brim with galaxies, planets, and stars.

You’ll be forced to go against space pirates and explore a dystopian future where Earth is long gone. It’s a realistic scenario for Earth’s future if you think about it, and not an idealistic one presented by Star Trek.

The ship needs to be one that has traveled around. It has some age on it. It draws a line between our current day and hundreds of years in the future—but not like really glossy science fiction. Not like Star Trek. It has to feel like it has utility.

Even though Star Trek is considered to be one of the best space shows of all time, it brings a more refined vision of the future, which doesn’t consider our current situation.

On the other hand, Starfield brings a more gritter version of space exploration. Even the ships in the Bethesda title have a more aged look and have actual utility, not like the utopian ones found in Star Trek.

Howard’s commitment to these aspects of realism has truly helped the game stand out from its sci-fi rivals. Let’s hope that with a few meaningful additions and updates, even the overall game manages to reach those levels and finally establish itself as Bethesda’s best project to date.

Shattered Space Reviews are Mostly Negative Now

Bethesda found phenomenal success with Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series, but that didn’t happen with the release of Starfield in 2023. The space-action RPG was the company’s first new IP in 25 years, and it had a lot going for it to become something truly special.

Unfortunately, its current score on Steam is mixed, which sums up the players’ frustration with the game. Gamers believe that the title simply hasn’t lived up to Bethesda’s previous works.

For those who bashed the space RPG, Shattered Space ended up putting more pressure on the shoulders of the franchise, and players hoped it would turn the IP around.

However, that hasn’t been the case, as the DLC has now fallen to mostly negative reviews on Valve’s service, and that’s just six days after its release. The DLC’s failure can be attributed to the fact that its $30 price tag simply isn’t worth it, as it brings nothing new to the table.

If Bethesda doesn’t bring the right changes to the game and finally owns up to its mistakes, the future isn’t looking bright for the IP and the studio’s next projects.

With that said, what do you think about the current state of Starfield? If so, let us know in the comments below.

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