The developer of Starfield, Bethesda Game Studios, has just confirmed the controversial use of voice acting for Fallout 4’s playable character won’t return in its latest RPG title. Bethesda announced the space-themed Starfield during E3 2018, with later presentations revealing it will launch as an Xbox exclusive. However, further details about Starfield’s space-exploration gameplay and RPG customization didn't surface until yesterday’s Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase - well after the game was delayed until 2023 due to quality concerns.
Excited players who tuned into yesterday’s Xbox Games Showcase livestream were treated to a wealth of new information about Starfield in the closing minutes of the event. This includes how the game will let players create their own custom space explorers, starships, and home bases as they roam a vast universe of roughly 1,000 planets. It was also revealed that Starfield players will need to fend off hostile alien life forms and interact with other travelers amid the final frontier of space. Starfield has naturally drawn comparisons to other open-world Bethesda RPGs like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Fallout 4, but one divisive feature from the triple-A studios’ more recent works won’t be returning for its latest interactive adventure.
In a recent post on Bethesda Game Studios’ official Twitter account, the developer confirmed Starfield’s in-game dialogue will unfold from a first-person perspective and feature no voice acting from the player character. This will put Starfield more in line with past Bethesda RPGs like Skyrim than Fallout 4. The reveal has already generated a mixed response from fans in the comments section, with some praising Starfield for doing away with Fallout 4’s controversial player voice and others feeling that a voiced protagonist makes RPGs like Mass Effect and Cyberpunk 2077 feel more immersive.
Those who agree with the lack of voice acting in Starfield claim it will allow the character to serve as a blank slate for the player to insert themselves into the story. This will help prevent issues encountered in the universe Fallout 4, where the preset character voice required gamers to take on an existing personality, instead of having the freedom to create an immersive and relatable persona. While some players have enjoyed hearing the main character give commentary throughout the course of the story, it is possible Starfield will benefit greatly from the choice to omit the feature.
Though voice acting won't be included in Starfield, it already appears players will have a surprising amount of control over other aspects of character creation. The footage shown during the showcase highlights a complex creation process with the ability to customize everything from hair color to body size. This amount of personal choice in Starfield is likely to provide a new level of immersion when traveling through the universe and give players the chance to truly step into the role of their personal space explorer.
Source: Bethesda Game Studios/Twitter