this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2023
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I'd argue that Starfield having guns is really at odds with the theme of the game. It turns it from a space exploration game into just another FPS but you have to drive through some space to get to the next mission.
It's not at odds, it's the way you engage with enemies. Starfield at its core is still an RPG, gunplay is just one facet to it. You can choose not to fight enemies and just explore, talk to NPCs, build bases... You could decide to play melee or do different builds like stealth instead of just blasting enemies. It's a choice.
That's like saying Skyrim is just a mindless game about whacking people with swords. Combat is a part of it, but the game isn't about combat, and they've never advertised it as such.
I really disagree on both points. I don't see why I should be exploring the galaxy by mass murdering everything in it.
And Skyrim is definitely 100% about the combat. Every single mechanic serves that purpose.
Have you tried No Man's Sky? I've been having a fun time being a pacifist space explorer cataloging all sorts of random creatures, plants, and rocks. Only a handful of hours of playtime but so far it looks like the combat is optional.
I have. I found that it was a little too repetitive and shallow, but it was fun for a while. Tbh I had hoped that Starfield would aim to be a better version of NMS.
I hope that unlike Fallout 4, Starfield has more encounters you can talk your way out of. It drove me crazy all the named Raiders with cool back stories that you only found out about through terminal entries and handwritten notes. Don't get me wrong, I do want that sort of storytelling too, but it does sort of lend weight to the criticism that it's too gun focused, and I am definitely timid about Starfield ending up the same way.
That may be a possibility, but I worry that it will be a second-class citizen in a game that really, really wants you to shoot stuff.