David Harbour Is Right About Starfield (Mostly)

David Harbour Is Right About Starfield (Mostly)

David Harbour has been playing Starfield, and his opinion of the game is spot-on, for the most part, anyway. In a recent interview, the actor had some things to say about Bethesda’s latest title that echoes the consensus about the game. It’s great to see that he has his finger on the Starfield community’s pulse, but a few details could be added to flesh out the actor’s sentiment.

Harbour mostly sang his praise for Starfield, highlighting the joy of progressing through the game and leveling up his character, which he humorously clarifies is not designed after himself. He also mentions using exploits to achieve an infinite amount of credits, perhaps referring to a glitch in Akila City that Bethesda has now patched. All of this helps validate his understanding of Starfield and his experience with Bethesda’s style, which in turn amplifies his overall stance on the game.

Bethesda Games Are Truly Special

Bethesda has a way of crafting immersive experiences that are truly special. The studio excels at developing exciting questlines with remarkable characters that remain in the players’ memory long after their playthroughs have ended. Yet, all these elements are housed within a unique storyworld, which Bethesda is masterful at creating. One of the things that stands out when playing games like Skyrim or Fallout 4 is the feeling of inhabiting and exploring the world. Starfield continues this tradition, and David Harbour commented on this in a recent interview.

Harbour cleverly navigated the controversial aspects of the game, which is understandable. It’s always best to show support for the things one holds dear rather than jump on the negative bandwagon. Bethesda’s environmental storytelling and world building are indeed some of the best in the industry, but that’s not to say that Starfield is perfect.

Starfield Is Great, But It Isn’t Without Flaws

David Harbour Is Right About Starfield (Mostly)

Starfield is incredible, but it doesn’t fully live up to the promise of Bethesda’s past titles. It has all of the studio’s hallmarks: fantastic quests that feel impactful, extraordinary characters, and intriguing lore. However, many are noticing issues with the game now that the grandeur of its launch has worn off. Starfield has a few minor immersion-breaking details, but the point that has drawn the most criticism is the approach to exploration. The disconnected nature of the world detracts from the awe that Bethesda’s games typically inspire, making the exploration experience fall flat somewhat, which undoubtedly contributed to Starfield missing a GOTY nomination.

That said, Starfield is undoubtedly a great step back in the right direction, especially after the mixed reception of Fallout 76, which was Bethesda’s biggest departure from its tried and true formula. The studio is one of the very best RPG developers in the industry and has been for decades, and though Starfield has some missteps, it still proves how exceptional the team at Bethesda is.

  • Starfield Game Poster

    Starfield
    Platform(s):
    PC, Xbox Series X/S

    Released:
    2023-09-06

    Developer(s):
    Bethesda Game Studios

    Publisher(s):
    Bethesda Softworks

    Genre(s):
    Open-World, RPG, Sci-Fi

    ESRB:
    M

    Summary:
    Bethesda Game Studios presents Starfield – the first original IP from the studio in twenty-five-plus years. Set in the year 2310, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective are observing a shaky truce after a war set 20 years prior. The player will customize their character as a member of a space exploration team called Constellation while navigating The Settled Systems and the conflicts between the warring factions. According to Bethesda, players can explore over 100 systems and 1000 planets to find resources and build their ships, living out their own sci-fi journeys.