Summary
For fans of the developer’s previous works likeThe Elder ScrollsandFallout, the promotional material forStarfieldhas been the stuff of dreams. Taking to the skies and space for a sprawling RPG is an exciting proposition, but when it’sBethesda’s first new IP for 25 years, the anticipation is elevated tenfold. Its mechanics have been shown off with multiple trailers and in-depth showcases, and it’s become clear that it adheres to the genre’s norms with plenty of its inclusions and ideas.
Romance is a plot device that has been used by plenty of role-playing games in the past, andStarfieldseems to be no different. In an interview published by Kinda Funny in June, Todd Howard confirmed that the main Constellation companions are the only ones to support romance, which was perhaps a disappointment for some, as it can feel restricting in a game that promises broad freedom. However, this is also a golden opportunity to show that less can be more, and narrowing the romance options doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
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Starfield’s Romance Options Could be Limited
Skyrimhas dozens of romance options, andFallout 4has its fair share, too. It’s a fun inclusion, and gives each game another arrow in their quiver, adding more hours to the overall playtime. More choice in companions also means that people can have an experience that’s likely to be different from how others play, and can make it feel unique despite being a single-player, story-led experience.Starfield’s approach could mean that it doesn’t have this benefit.
Role-playing games are all about having things to do to justify the dozens of hours they demand, and romance options not only help to make a journey more tailored, but they also mean there’s justification for repeat playthroughs.Mass Effectis easy to go back toin large part because the romance options are both varied, and plentiful. Tali, Liara, Garrus, Kaidan, and others have characteristics that are worth getting to know, and opting for a new mate each time can make the experience different, and more options means a game can stay fresher for longer.
Fewer Romance Options May Mean Better Choices
However, the big benefit of fewer romance option is that there is sufficient time to properly develop each one, making them more than just a gameplay feature that ticks a box. There are plenty of games that give players several choices when it comes to which characters are suitable for partnership, but in doing so it can come across like an afterthought. InFire Emblem: Three Houses,it’s an entirely inconsequential choice that leads to a few throwaway lines of dialogue after the main story is over. Similarly, whilethe personalities inStardew Valleyare interesting, marrying one of the local townsfolk doesn’t result in much when it comes to gameplay changes or narrative improvements.
Reducing the number of available bachelors and bachelorettes focuses the romance paths up a lot more, andStarfieldhaving just a handful of romanceable companionsmeans it can be more specific with the way they are implemented. In a role-playing game, it’s vital to make players feel like they can be fully immersed in a game’s world, and half-hearted romance options have the opposite effect, reminding gamers that what they are playing has limitations. Fewer options mean more time to make them feel real, but there’s no escaping that the decrease leads to a lack of choice, which is always a hard sell for fans of the RPG genre.
Starfieldlaunches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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