Many fans are looking forward to Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPGStarfield, as it’ll be the first new IP from BGS in quite some time. Set to release in September, a lot has already been revealed as to what kind of improved mechanics the game will possess, but more will be shown atthe upcoming Starfield Direct.
For example, the dialogue system ofStarfieldhas already been outlined in detail. When looking atStarfield’sdialogue system compared toSkyrim’s, it’s clear that the former possesses some big advantages over the latter and thatStarfieldcould rectify some of the biggest dialogue-based mistakes made bySkyrim, while also maintaining its benefits.
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The Pros and Cons of Skyrim’s Dialogue System
The dialogue ofElder Scrollstitles has become iconic for a variety of reasons. Meme culture has carried forward a lot of the discourse behindTESdialogue, andSkyrimwas no exception to this rule. For example,Skyrim’sdialogue system was responsible for the game’siconic “I took an arrow to the knee” meme. The spread of this meme came directly from the often recycled voice lines thatSkyrimpossesses, with players quickly exhausting the ambient dialogue of the game.
On the other end, this can also be considered one ofSkyrim’sbiggest dialogue cons, with the often-repeated voice lines of the game breaking player immersion and giving way to repetition. This con has always been a form of a double-edged sword forSkyrim, with the aforementioned memes that this small dialogue range produces being a huge benefit. With many NPCs sharing the same voices and phrases, there is clearly room forStarfieldto improveSkyrim’sdialogue system, but it can also smartly maintain a lot of its charm.
The Benefits of Starfield’s Dialogue System
The dialogue system ofStarfieldis set to be expansive, with the mechanic clearly being a point of pride for Bethesda. As well as its improvements, theStarfielddialogue will return to the classic Bethesda system of direct multiple-choice speech options. This differs fromthe controversial and vague dialogue system ofFallout 4, which watered down the complexity of prior systems in the eyes of many.
Newer elements will of course be added to this classic feel, with a revamped point-based version of Bethesda’s persuasion system also being present. Despite this, the main talking point forStarfield’sdialogue is the scale of its involved content. It is reported thatStarfieldwill have over 250,000 lines of dialogue, which completely dwarves the 60,000 lines withinSkyrim, as well as the 111,000 lines ofFallout 4.
With so much involved dialogue,Starfieldholds an instant advantage overthe speech ofSkyrim. By possessing so much dialogue variation,Starfieldwill escape theSkyrimcritique of overused voice lines. However, with such variety being present,Starfieldcan also possess the same potential meme power ofSkyrimwhere certain lines become iconic. As so many lines of dialogue are present, the possibility that some become fan favorites is only set to increase proportionately.
The replayability of Bethesda titles is always a major factor, and this is often spurred on by the memorability of in-game experiences. WithStarfield’soverall experience set to be so massive, the detail behind its dialogue system seems like a huge bonus. While it is important that this system improves over the likes ofSkyrim, it seems the dialogue ofStarfieldwill still crucially possess the comical charm of its predecessors.
Starfieldlaunches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X.
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