Summary
From carefully constructed ships cruising the galaxy and the multitude of modular outposts scattered across its countless planets to the spacesuits on players’ backs, nearly everything inStarfieldbears the unique look of Bethesda’s self-dubbed NASA-punk aesthetic. Standing in stark contrast tosci-fi games likeMass Effectthat lean towards the fantastical, most of what players encounter inStarfieldseems like a plausible evolution of existing technologies. This givesStarfielda distinct look when compared to the numerous sci-fi games that vie for gamers’ attention each year, letting Bethesda deliver a planet-spanning open-world title that feels truly original.
The influence of spaceflight’s past and present in the real world is impossible to miss inStarfield.Bethesda coined the term NASA-punkduring development to describe what lead artist Istvan Pely hoped was a world more “grounded and relatable” than those in typical sci-fi games. Even though players will explore some incredible locations during their time withStarfield, the developers wanted to ensure that the technology underlying the world never felt too far-fetched. The resulting NASA-punk aesthetic perfectly blends form and function and givesStarfielda decidedly retro-futuristic feel that helps it stand out from standard sci-fi games.
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Starfield’s NASA-Punk Aesthetic Is A Stylish Blend of Form and Function
TheNASA-punk aesthetic ofStarfieldlends itself remarkably well to creating a world that feels truly lived-in. Rather than the sterile, too-clean look of many sci-fi games, the world ofStarfieldcomes across as a place that humans could actually inhabit. With a few notable exceptions related to the game’s story, nearly every element ofStarfield’s design feels like a plausible and practical evolution of existing space travel technology. This is particularly visible inside the game’s ships which, apart from grav drives that push the limits of scientific plausibility, look similar to the inside of the International Space Station.
Part of what helps Bethesda sell its NASA-punk aesthetic is the fact that everything in the world looks like it serves a purpose. Whether it’s the visible ducts snaking their way through the crowded corridors of the hedonistic city of Neon or the clamps and hoses clutteringStarfield’s space suits, the details on in-game architecture and items all appear practical and functional rather than purely decorative. Tying the whole thing together is a decidedly retro-futuristic feel pervadingStarfieldthat makes technology in the world seem slightly removed from real life despite sharing so many similarities.
The NASA-Punk Tech of Starfield Gives It A Dash of Retro-Futurism
Even though the ships and space stations ofStarfieldfeel like natural evolutions of current advances in manned space travel, much of the technology powering day-to-day life across the galaxy has a decidedly retro feel. Surprisingly, though, this technological mismatch actually helps further drive homeStarfield’s hard sci-fi setting.
Incorporating this sort of retro-futurism theme intoStarfield’s NASA-punk technology gives it a far more tactile feel than would otherwise be likely. If Bethesda had chosen to directly mirror real-world advances in space flight, for example, there would be little for players to do once they stepped foot into their ships as most flight systems would be handled autonomously. By taking a retro-futurism approach to systems like spaceship controls, Bethesda gives players more to do while never taking away fromStarfield’s generally grounded feel.
The massive size ofStarfield’s explorable galaxy received the lion’s share of attention in the lead-up to the game’s launch, but the NASA-punk aesthetic found throughout the tech players use to explore it is what gives the game such a unique feel. And while not everything players will find in the deepest reaches of space is necessarily scientifically plausible,Starfield’s overall vision of the future seems like one that’s possible.
Starfieldis available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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